Flexible AC Transmission Systems(FACTS) Devices

INTRODUCTION

Dr. Avik Bhattacharya

Assistant Professor
Room No. 227, Department of Electrical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Phone: 01332285375
Email: bavikfee@iitr.ac.in

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Why FACTS?
• In conventional AC transmission system, the ability to transfer AC power is
limited by several factors like thermal limits, transient stability limit,
voltage limit, short circuit current limit etc.
• These limits define the maximum electric power which can be efficiently
transmitted through the transmission line without causing any damage to
the electrical equipments and the transmission lines.
• Generally its achieved by the introduction of variable impedance devices
like capacitors and inductors or by regulating reactive power in the power
system layout.
• For ideal transmission the active power should be equal to the apparent
power. In other words, the power factor should be unity.

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Course Contents
• Introduction to FACTS - (1 Lecture hours)
• FACTS: Concept, power flow and stability, basic theory of line
compensation; Thyristor controlled and converter based FACTS controller -
(2 Lecture hours)
• Power Electronic Controllers: Review of PWM voltage source inverters
used in FACTS; Mulit-level inverters, cascaded multilevel inverters -
(2 Lecture hours)
• Static Shunt Compensators: Midpoint voltage regulation; Variable
impedance type and switching converter type static Var generators, SVC
and STATCOM - TCR, TSC, V-I and V-Q characteristics, system stability -
(2 Lecture hours)

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Course Contents Cont…
• Static Series Compensators: Concept of series compensation, voltage
stability, variable impedance type series compensators, GCSC, TSSC, TCSC
and SSSC, control techniques, control range and VA rating -
(3 Lecture hours)
• Static Voltage and Phase Angle Regulators: Power flow control, TCVR and
TCPAR, improvement of transient stability- (3 Lecture hours)

• Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC): Concept of power flow control,

operation and control of UPFC, Interline Power Flow Controller -
(2 Lecture hours)

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Course Contents Cont…
• Stability Analysis: Modeling of FACTS devices, optimization of FACTS,
transient and dynamic stability enhancement - (3 Lecture hours)

• Applications: Principle of control of FACTS in HVDC links, coordination of

FACTS devices with HVDC links - (2 Lecture hours)

• Total 20 Lecture Hours

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Suggested Books
1. Miller T. J. E., “Reactive Power Control in Electric Systems,” Wiley-Interscience,
1982.
2. Song Y. H. and Johns A. T., “Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS)”, IEEE
Press, 2000.
3. Hingorani N. G. and Gyugyi L., “Understanding FACTS”, IEEE Press, Standard
Publishers Distributors, 2014.
4. Ghosh A. and Ledwich G., “Power Quality Enhancement Using Custom Power
Devices,” Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2002.
5. Mathur R. M. and Varma R. K., “Thyristor – Based FACTS Controllers for
Electrical Transmission Systems,” John Wiley and Sons, 2002.
6. Padiyar K. R., “FACTS Controller in Power Transmission and Distribution”, New
Age International Private Limited.
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What is FACTS?
• A Flexible AC transmission System refers to the system consisting of fast
acting power electronic controllers along with power system devices to
enhance the controllability and stability of the transmission system along
with increase the power transfer capabilities of the existing system.
• Basically power electronic devices controls the inductive or capacitive
power in the network.
• Power transfer between two system,
V1 V2
P= sin 
X

• Power flow controlled by V, X & δ

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History or Origin of FACTS
• Oil Embargo of 1974 and 1979
• Environmental Movement
• Magnetic Field Concerns
• Permit to build new transmission lines
• HVDC and SVCs
• EPRI FACTS Initiative (1988)
• Increase AC Power Transfer (GE and DOE Papers)
• The Need for Power semiconductors

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Background and Issues
• Why we need transmission interconnection
– Pool power plants and load centers to minimize generation cost
– Important in a deregulated environment
• Opportunities for FACTS
– Increase power transfer capacity
– SVC (Nebraska GE 1974, Minnesota Westinghouse 1975, Brazil
Siemens 1985)
– TCSC, UPFC AEP 1999
• Trends
– Generation is not being built
– Power sales/purchases are being made in open power market

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System Architectures and Limitations
• System Architecture
 Radial, interconnected areas, complex network

• Power Flow in an AC System

 Power Flow in Parallel and Meshed Paths

• Transmission Limitations
 Steady-State (angular stability, thermal limits, voltage limits)
 Stability Issues (transient, dynamic, voltage and SSR)
 System Issues (Post contingency conditions, loop flows, short-circuit levels)

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Power Flow Control on AC Systems
Radial
Parallel

Meshed

Power Flow in Parallel Paths

Power Flow in a Meshed Systems
What limits the loading capability?
Power Flow and Dynamic Considerations
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Benefits of FACTS
• FACTS devices possess following attributes:
i. Provide dynamic reactive power support
ii. Voltage control
iii. Improve system stability
iv. Control real and reactive power flow

• Reducing power losses in transmission lines.

• Improving voltage profile and less voltage fluctuations.
• Steady state and transient stability limit is increased.
• Provides congestion management.
• Security of the system increased & reducing blackout chances.
• Provide greater flexibility in expansion of existing transmission system.

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FACTS Applications and Implementations
Transmission Transfer Capacity Enhancement Dynamic
Issues
Traditional Solutions Advanced Solutions
Steady State Breaking Resistors Transient Stability
Load Shedding FACTS Damping Power Swings
Issues Post-Contingency Voltage
Energy Storage Control
Voltage Limits Fixed Voltage Stability
Thermal Limits Compensation Subsynchronous
Angular Stability Limits Resonance.
Loop Flows
Line Transmission Enhanced Power
Reconfiguration Link Transfer and
Better Protection Stability 13

Increased Inertia SVC

FACTS Devices STATCOM
TCSC, SSSC
UPFC
Example: FACTS operation
• AC power flow control in transmission line using FACTS

a) Simple two machine system

b) System phasor diagram c) Active and Reactive power flow

phasor diagram
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 Example: FACTS operation Cont…
• AC power flow control in transmission line using FACTS

e) Regulating f) Injecting voltage g) Injecting voltage

voltage magnitude perpendicular to phasor in series
mostly changes the line current with the line
d) Power angle curves reactive power mostly changes
for different value of X active power

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Classifications of FACTS Controllers
• Generally FACTS devices can be classified as :-
i. Shunt Connected Controllers :- Inject voltage
ii. Series Connected Controllers :- Inject current
iii. Combined Series - Series Controllers
iv. Combined Shunt - Series Controllers

• Classification based on power electronic devices :-

i. Variable Impedance Type (VIT)
ii. Voltage Source Converter (VSC) Type

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Classifications of FACTS Controllers Cont….
• Variable Impedance Type (VIT) Controllers include :-
i. SVC – Static Var Compensator – Shunt Connected
ii. TCSC – Thyristor Controlled Series Comp. – Series Connected
iii. TCPST – Thyristor Controlled Phase Shifting transformer –
Combined Shunt & Series Connected

• Voltage Source Converter (VSC) Type Controllers include :-

i. STATCOM – Static Synchronous Compensator – Shunt Connected
ii. SSSC – Static Synchronous Series Compensator – Series Connected
iii. IPFC – Interline Power Flow Controller – Combined Series-Series Con.
iv. UPFC – Unified Power Flow Controller – Combined Shunt-Series Con.

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Basic FACTS Controllers Single Line Diagram
Shunt connected controllers

a)STATCOM b) STATCOM with Battery c)SVC d)TCBR

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Basic FACTS Controllers Single Line Diagram Cont…
Series connected controllers

a)SSSC b) SSSC with Storage c)TCSC and TSSC d)TCSR and TSSR

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Basic FACTS Controllers Single Line Diagram Cont…
Combined shunt and series connected controllers

a)TCPST or TCPR b) UPFC

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Thank You

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