Search Results (11)

Renewable power plants connected to low-system-strength grids are increasingly dominated by inverter-based resources (IBRs). Their point of common coupling (PCC) voltage is therefore shaped not only by reactive-power support but also by active-power ramps, network impedance, short-circuit capacity, and converter limits. Conventional Q-V droop control, fixed power-factor control, Volt/VAR control, and fixed active-power/reactive-power (P/Q) decoupling schemes often absorb active-power excursions into the voltage error, which can drive excessive reactive-power injection during fault clearing, post-fault power recovery, and phase-angle disturbances. Here, an active-power–voltage-coupling-aware reactive-power compensation (APVQ-RC) method is proposed for plant-level voltage control. The method estimates local P-V and Q-V voltage sensitivities online, reconstructs an effective voltage error, and produces a capacity-constrained reactive-power reference through smooth coupling activation. The reduced-order evaluation includes estimator conditioning, excitation screening, sensitivity-estimation error and empirical 95% estimator-error intervals, sensitivity to the smoothing factor and window length, measurement noise, converter capability saturation, and computational timing. Under P-V-coupled transients, APVQ-RC reduces voltage overshoot and reactive-power compensation energy while retaining Q-V-like support during voltage-sag-dominated events. Compared with the best scanned fixed P/Q baseline, it reduces overshoot, reactive-power compensation energy, and reactive-power peak by 42.03%, 60.35%, and 8.90%, respectively; the representative single-step calculation time is 0.0188 ms within a 1 ms control cycle. These results indicate millisecond-scale plant-level feasibility within the reduced model, while electromagnetic-transient, hardware-in-the-loop, and field validation remain necessary before deployment. Full article

Presently, there exists a multitude of applications reliant on superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES), categorized into two groups. The first pertains to power quality enhancement, while the second focuses on improving power system stability. Nonetheless, the integration of these dual functionalities into a singular apparatus poses a persistent challenge. Considering this, this paper proposes a multi-functional device based on SMES, encompassing both power quality enhancement and power system stability improvement capabilities. It incorporates power quality enhancement features such as current harmonic filtering, active power smoothing, reactive power compensation, and critical load protection, while also furnishing virtual inertia to bolster grid frequency. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed methodologies. Full article

With the increasing number of electric vehicles (EVs), their uncoordinated charging poses a great challenge to the safe operation of the power grid. In addition, traditional individual-EV scheduling models may be difficult to solve due to the increasing number of constraints. Therefore, this paper proposes a cluster-based EV scheduling model. Firstly, electric vehicle clusters (EVCs) are formed based on the charging and discharging preferences of EV users and the expected time for EVs to leave. Secondly, the EVC energy and power boundary aggregation method based on the Minkowski addition algorithm is proposed. Finally, for the sake of reducing user charging cost and distribution network energy loss, and smoothing the daily load curve, an EVC scheduling model for EV participation in grid auxiliary services is proposed. The optimization model includes the reactive-power compensation of EV charging piles. The simulation results show that the proposed EVC scheduling model can greatly reduce the solution time compared to traditional individual-EV scheduling model. The model has high potential to be applied to large-scale EV scheduling. The reactive-power compensation provided by EV charging piles improves the voltage quality of the grid and enables more EVs to be connected to the grid. Full article

With the increasing proportion of wind power access year by year, it brings many challenges to the voltage stability of power systems. In order to maintain the stability of the voltage in the power grid, it is impossible to take into account the regulation ability and economy when a single reactive power compensation device is installed. In this paper, a combined reactive power compensation device was installed, which is composed of a static var generator (SVG) and a parallel capacitor bank. The SVG has the characteristics of fast and smooth adjustment, and the application of the capacitor bank reduces the overall investment cost and has a great economy. The modal analysis method was used to find the optimal installation position for the reactive power compensation device. The improved particle swarm algorithm was used to optimize the capacity of the optimal reactive power compensation device to ensure the best performance of the compensation device. Finally, by formulating the control strategy of the combined reactive power compensation system, the reliable switching of the compensation device is controlled. The PSCAD simulation software was used to model the power grid in the Hami area, and six different configuration programs were set for static voltage stability simulation verification and three different configurations. The program was simulated and verified for transient voltage stability, and comparative analysis showed that the proposed method was correct, which strongly supports the voltage stability of the region and meets the demand of reactive power compensation of the power grid. This provides a good reference program for other wind power gathering areas. Full article

The topology of the static synchronous compensator of reactive power for a low-voltage three-phase utility grid capable of asymmetric reactive power compensation in grid phases has been proposed and analysed. It is implemented using separate, independent cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverters for each phase. Every inverter includes two H-bridge cascades. The first cascade operating at grid frequency is implemented using thyristors, and the second one—operating at high frequency is based on the high-speed MOSFET transistors. The investigation shows that the proposed compensator is able to compensate the reactive power in a low-voltage three-phase grid when phases are loaded by highly asymmetrical reactive loads and provides up to three times lower power losses in the compensator as compared with the situation when the compensator is based on the conventional three-level inverters implemented using IGBT transistors. Full article

A static VAR compensator (SVC) is a critical component for reactive power compensation in electric arc furnaces (EAFs) that is used to relieve the flicker impacts and maintain the voltage level. A weak voltage profile can not only reduce the power-quality services, but can also result in system instability in severe cases. The cybersecurity of EAFs is becoming a significant concern due to their cyber-physical structure. The reliance of SVC controllers on reactive power measurement and network communications has resulted in a cyber-vulnerability point for unauthorized access to the EAF, which can affect its normal operation. This paper addresses concerns about cyber attacks on EAFs, which can cause network communication issues in measurement data for SVCs. Three significant and different types of cyber attacks that are launched on SVC controllers—a replay attack, delay attack, and false data injection attack (FDIA)—were simulated and investigated. In order to stop the activities of cyber attacks, a secured anomaly detection model (ADM) based on a prediction interval is proposed. The proposed model is dependent on a support vector regression and a new smooth cost function for constructing the optimal and symmetrical intervals. A modified algorithm based on teaching–learning-based optimization was developed to adapt the ADM’s parameters during training. The simulation’s outcomes on a genuine dataset showed the strong capability of the proposed model against cyber attacks in EAFs. Full article

A high proportion of renewable energy connected to the power grid has caused power quality problems. Voltage-sensitive loads are extremely susceptible to voltage fluctuations, causing power system safety issues and economic losses. Considering the uncertainty factor and the time-varying characteristic, a linearized random ZIP model (constant impedance (Z), constant current (I), and constant power (P)) with time-varying characteristics was proposed. In order to improve the voltage quality of the voltage-sensitive loads in the day-here stage in an active distribution network (ADN), a linearized two-stage active and reactive power coordinated stochastic optimization model was established. The day-ahead active and reactive power coordination optimization was to smooth the large voltage fluctuation and develop a reserve plan to eliminate the unbalanced power caused by the prediction error in the day-here optimization. In the day-here real-time redispatch, the voltage was further improved by the continuous reactive power compensation device. Finally, the simulation results on the IEEE-33 bus system showed that the control strategy could better eliminate the unbalanced power caused by the prediction error and obviously improve the voltage of sensitive loads in the real-time stage on the premise of maintaining economic optimality. Full article

The thyristor-controlled reactor (TCR) compensator for smooth asymmetric compensation of reactive power in a low-voltage utility grid is proposed in this work. Two different topologies of compensator were investigated: topology based on a single-cored three-phase reactor and topology with separate reactors for every phase. The investigation of the proposed TCR compensator was performed experimentally using a developed experimental test bench for 12 kVAr total reactive power. The obtained results show that employment of separate reactors for every phase allows us to control the reactive power in every phase independently, and that the TCR compensator with three single-phase reactors is suitable for smooth and asymmetric compensation of reactive power in a low-voltage utility grid. Full article

The increasing integration of renewable energies reduces the inertia of power systems and thus adds stiffness to grid dynamics. For this reason, methods to obtain virtual inertia have been proposed to imitate mechanical behavior of rotating generators, but, usually, these methods rely on extra power reserves. In this paper, a novel ancillary service is proposed to alleviate frequency transients by smoothing the electromagnetic torque of synchronous generators due to change of active power consumed by loads. Being implemented by grid-tied inverters of renewables, the ancillary service regulates the reactive power flow in response to frequency transients, thereby demanding no additional power reserves and having little impact on renewables’ active power generation. Differently from the active power compensation by virtual inertia methods, it aims to low-pass filter the transients of the active power required to synchronous generators. The proposed ancillary service is firstly verified in simulation in comparison with the virtual inertia method, and afterwards tested on processor by controller-hardware-in-the-loop simulation, analysing practical issues and providing indications for making the algorithm suitable in real implementation. The ancillary service proves effective in damping frequency transients and appropriate to be used in grid with distributed power generators. Full article

This paper proposes a modified control scheme for a grid connected microgrid, which is contrived by integrating multiple nanogrids. In the considered system, each nanogrid consists of a generation unit from solar photovoltaic (PV) along with battery energy storage (BES) system and local loads. The nanogrid has the flexibility to operate in microgrid connected mode or islanded operating mode. Similarly, the microgrid can also be operated in grid connected mode or islanded mode. To achieve appropriate load sharing between different nanogrids considering local load demands and source power availability, a modified control scheme is developed. The proposed scheme compensates for the required reactive power, harmonics and unbalanced currents locally which are demanded by the local loads in nanogrids in order to improve the power quality in the microgrid. The smooth transition between the modes of operation of nanogrids and microgrid is achieved with the proposed modified control scheme. In addition, the proposed modified control scheme allows the microgrid and main grid to remain free from transients generated by load disturbances in nanogrid and disturbances in the microgrid respectively. Therefore, the effect of disturbances on voltage and frequency of the microgrid is reduced. A simple control scheme is developed to address the challenging issues for smooth operation of the microgrid such as active power sharing among the sources based on their ratings, power quality enhancement (compensation of harmonic components, unbalanced current and reactive power) and seamless transition between the modes of operation (during islanding from grid and re-synchronisation with grid). The performance of the proposed modified control scheme is verified in a real time simulator during variable loading conditions. Full article

A number of techniques have been proposed to dampen the power system oscillations in the electric power systems. Flexible alternating current transmission system (FACTS) devices are becoming one of them. Among the FACTS family, the static synchronous compensator (STATCOM), a shunt connected FACTS device, has been widely used to provide smooth and rapid steady state, limit transient voltage, and improve the power system stability and performance by absorbing or injecting reactive power. However, the influence ability depends on its placement, control signal, and place of receiving-signal in the network. In order to satisfy these issues, this paper proposes a method for optimal setting and signal position of the STATCOM into the multi-machine power systems with the aim for damping the electromechanical oscillations. This method is developed from the energy approach based on Gramian matrices considering multiple tasks on the Lyapunov equation, in which the observability Gramian matrix is used to seek an optimal location for STATCOM placement. The another is the controllability one used to determine the best local input signal placement that is chosen as a feedback signal for the power oscillation damping (POD) of STATCOM. In addition, the Krylov-based model reduction method is introduced to shorten the calculation time. The proposed method has been verified on the IEEE 24-bus system by analyzing the small-signal stability to search several feasible placements, and then the transient stability is analyzed to compare and determine an optimal placement through testing various cases. The obtained result is also compared with other optimal method. Full article