AbstractThis paper presents a new control strategy for a dis- Many SVC or STATCOM applications require an appropriate
tributed static compensator (also known as distributed STATCOM reactive power (VAr) reserve capacity to handle dynamic events
or DSTATCOM), congured to regulate the reactive (VAr) ow at to improve system voltage stability. The SRR in the SVC or
a point in a transmission system. This new control strategy takes
into account the operating VAr limits of that reactive ow in deter- STATCOM control system is used to slowly return the SVC or
mining the steady-state output of the DSTATCOM. The new con- STATCOM to a predened value (which is usually a low output
trol strategy applies a slow reset regulator (SRR) to slowly bias level relative to the rating) of reactive power output following
the VAr set point of the DSTATCOM master controller to main- a contingency, so that it has maximum reactive reserve for dy-
tain its steady-state output within a target bandwidth. The oper- namic events. These applications are based on a voltage regula-
ating result maintains an appropriate VAr reserve level from the
DSTATCOM for dynamic events in the system. This paper also
tion (V-control) technique, that is, the voltage reference setpoint
presents a new algorithm to calculate the operating constraints of of the SVC or STATCOM is slowly being adjusted by the SRR
the SRR that reect the VAr ow at the local or remote point in as necessary.
the transmission system and the allowable VAr thresholds for that References [4][27] indicate the breadth of research, de-
ow. These allowable thresholds can be utilized to the full extent signs, and development of various STATCOM controls and
to lower the steady-state output of the DSTATCOM, maximize its
applications. The authors of this paper are not aware of the
VAr reserve for dynamic events and reduce equipment and associ-
ated system operating losses. Modeling, implementation, and simu- SRR concept used in the reactive ( ) control mode for either
lation of an engineering project show that the new control strategy the SVC or STATCOM system either in the published literature
and algorithm are functioning properly as expected. or real transmission system applications. This resulted in an
Index TermsDistributed static compensators (Distributed engineering development project to examine the SRR strategy
STATCOMs or DSTATCOMs), exible ac transmission systems with the -control system.
(FACTS), proportional-plus-integral (PI) controller, reactive For some transmission applications or renewable energy
power regulator, slow reset regulator (SRR), slow susceptance reg- integrations where the -control mode is executed to control
ulator, static compensators (STATCOM), static VAr compensator the VAr ow at a local or remote point in the transmission
(SVC), VAr reserve regulator, voltage regulation.
system, a distributed approach to reactive power control and
voltage support applies STATCOM systems in multiple loca-
I. INTRODUCTION tions where voltage issues and reactive power shortage exist.
This type of STATCOM system design is referred to as the
0885-8977 2015 IEEE. Personal use is permitted, but republication/redistribution requires IEEE permission.
See http://www.ieee.org/publications_standards/publications/rights/index.html for more information.
1992 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 30, NO. 4, AUGUST 2015
Fig. 5. DSTATCOM output response without with the slow reset regulator after
a step change (Increase) in the setpoint (red without the SRR; green with
the SRR).
Fig. 8. VAr ow responses at the POI without the SRR (red Case 1) and with
the SRR (green Case 2; blue Case 3; black Case 4).
Fig. 6. DSTATCOM output response without with the slow reset regulator after
a step change (Decrease) in the setpoint (red without the SRR; green
with the SRR).
TABLE I
SUMMARY OF SIMULATION RESULTS
Fig. 7. DSTATCOM output responses without the SRR (red Case 1) and
with the SRR (green Case 2; blue Case 3; black Case 4).
POI is 15.5 MVAr (Fig. 10). Thus, the benet of using the
allowable VAr ow thresholds is that the steady-state output
of the DSTATCOM and its associated operating losses can be
minimized, and the VAr reserve from the equipment can be
maximized for dynamic events in the system.
When the actual VAr ow is at the threshold, the operation
constraints of the SRR would be zero according to (2)(7) in
Section II-D. Thus, there is no regulation room for the SRR
and it stops regulation, and the DSTATCOM output settles at
the value corresponding to the VAr ow threshold at the POI.
This is shown in Cases 3 and 4 where the DSTATCOM settles
at 2.5 MVAr and 4.2 MVAr, respectively, and the VAr ow at the
POI is 9.9 MVAr and 5.1 MVAr, respectively (Figs. 11 and 12).
As long as the VAR ow thresholds are nonzero, the benet of
the SRR regulation can be seen because the DSTATCOM does
not need to operate at the full capacitive or inductive output, a
condition with little dynamic VAr reserve that usually causes
Fig. 11. Postcontingency power ow with the slow reset regulator (Case 3, the highest operating losses.
allowable VAr ow thresholds at the POI 10 MVAr). These case studies further show that the -control-based
SRR is functioning properly as expected under either the
nonlimiting or limiting VAr ow condition at the POI.
IV. CONCLUSION
This paper presented a new control strategy that applies a
slow reset regulator (SRR) in the DSTATCOM master control
system operating with the -control mode and a new algorithm
for calculating the SRR operation constraints that reect the ac-
tual VAr ow at a local or remote point in a transmission system
and the thresholds for that ow. The new control strategy and
calculation algorithm have been implemented in a dynamic sim-
ulation model of the DSTATCOM operating in the -control
mode in a widely used power system simulator. The imple-
mented control strategy and calculation algorithm were simu-
lated and applied in a real transmission system representing an
engineering project which includes a DSTATCOM-based reac-
tive compensation system and multiple renewable powerplants
where the -control mode was used to regulate the transmis-
Fig. 12. Postcontingency power ow with the slow reset regulator (Case 4, sion VAr ow at a remote point in the transmission system.
allowable VAr ow thresholds at the 5 MVAr). The model testing and case studies showed that the new con-
trol strategy and algorithm are functioning properly as expected.
The SRR slowly drives the output of the DSTATCOM with
Fig. 7 shows the DSTATCOM outputs without the SRR (red the -control mode toward a low target value within several
Case 1) and with the SRR (green Case 2); (blue Case 3); minutes after a system change that results in high VAr output
(black Case 4). Fig. 8 shows the VAr ow responses at the POI of the equipment, while still observing operating parameters,
without the SRR (red Case 1) and with the SRR (green Case thus maintaining a high level of dynamic VAr reserve for trans-
2); (blue Case 3); (black Case 4), which are following the mission voltage stability support under dynamic events. The
changes in the DSTATCOM output in each case while honoring DSTATCOM has been applied to several engineering projects
the VAr ow thresholds at the POI that required 90% to 100% of the equipment MVAr rating for
Without the SRR, the DSTATCOM output settles at approx- such dynamic VAr reserve.
imately 0.77 p.u. (Fig. 7) or absorbs 5.8 MVAr and the VAr
ow at the POI settles at 0.4 MVAr (Fig. 9).
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
With the SRR in operation, the DSTATCOM output is
brought within a 0.05-p.u. bandwidth or 0.4 MVAr ( Fig. 10) The authors would like to thank E. Casale, S. Williams,
when the actual VAr ow at the POI is within the VAr ow K. Mattern, C. Edwards, and T. Tobin of S&C, and J. Sember,
thresholds. This is shown in Case 2 where the VAr ow thresh- formerly with S&C, for their assistance, discussions, and
olds are set to 25 MVAr and the actual VAr ow at the suggestions during the course of this work.
XU et al.: NEW CONTROL STRATEGY FOR DSTATCOMs CONSIDERING TRANSMISSION REACTIVE FLOW CONSTRAINTS 1997
Michael J. S. Edmonds (M99) received the B.Sc. Donna G. Oikarinen (M93) received the B.Sc. de-
(Hons.) degree in electrical engineering from Cardiff gree in electrical engineering from Michigan Tech-
University, Wales, U.K., in 1989. nological University, Houghton, MI, USA.
Currently, he is Vice President of US Business at Currently, she is Senior Electrical Engineer,
S&C Electric Co., Franklin, WI, USA. From 1990 Global Strategic Studies Group, S&C Electric
to 1997, he was with the UK Ministry of Defense Company, Franklin, WI USA, where she has been
& Vosper Thornycroft Controls, Portsmouth, U.K. since 2011, working on power system and harmonic
From 1997 to 2010, he was with Power Technologies studies to analyze systems for capacity, stability,
Inc. (PTI and now Siemens PTI) and Siemens Energy transfer capability, power quality, renewable energy
Automation as Vice President and General Manager. interconnections, and applications for reactive
Mr. Edmonds is a member of the Institute of Elec- compensation systems and large energy-storage
trical Engineers and a Chartered Engineer. applications using S&C inverter-based products. Prior to S&C, she was with
AMSC in the Network Planning and Applications Group, Wisconsin Public
Service Corp., in the areas of transmission planning, substation engineering,
and distribution planning and operations.
Ms. Oikarinen is a member of Tau Beta Pi, Eta Kappa Nu, Omicron Delta
Kappa, and the IEEE Power Engineering Society.