International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)

ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-2, Issue-1, January 2014

Performance Analysis of SSFC for Power Quality

Improvement in Wind Smart Grid
Bharathikannan S, Angalaeswari S

the continuing growth of installed capacity. Wind power is

Abstract In the research field of renewable energy quite different from the conventional electricity generation
sources Wind energy conversion systems have become a focal with synchronous generators.
point. This is in no small part due to the rapid advances in the In general, FACTS devices are used in transmission
size of wind generators as well as the development of power control whereas customizing power devices are used for
electronics and their applicability in wind energy extraction.
distribution control. Since the introduction of FACTS
The variation of wind power with the continuous variations of
wind speed can cause significant power quality issues. This
and custom power concept [3], devices such as unified
paper presents a low cost static switched filter compensator for power flow controller (UPFC), synchronous static
power quality enhancement, voltage stabilization and power compensator (STATCOM), dynamic voltage restorer
factor improvement of wind schemes interfaced with Smart (DVR), solid-state transfer switch, and solid-state fault
Grid- Distribution Networks. The proposed FACTS based current limiter are developed for improving power
scheme can also be extended to distributed/dispersed quality and reliability of a system [4], [5]. Advanced
renewable energy interface and utilization systems and can control and improved semiconductor switching of these
be easily modified for other specific stabilization and devices have achieved a new era for power- quality
compensation requirements.
mitigation. The major drawback of these devices, however,
is that they are very expensive [7-9]. To assess the
Index Terms Dynamic Controllers, FACTS, Power
improvement resulting from the application of FACTS
Quality, Static Switched Filter Compensator, Wind Energy.
devices, a basic understanding of under lying
characteristics of power quality events is essential. A
I. INTRODUCTION power quality problem is defined as any variation in
voltage, current or frequency that may lead to an
The wind power industry is one of the fastest expanding equipment failure or malfunction [10-11].
industries as a result of the rapid growth of installed capacity. In a modern electrical distribution system, there has
The wind power over the last 20-30 years has become a been a sudden increase of nonlinear loads, such as
competitive technology for clean energy production. The power supplies, rectifier equipment used in
increasing demand for high quality, reliable and secure telecommunication networks, domestic appliances,
electrical power system with increasing the number of adjustable speed drives, etc. These power-electronic-based
distorting nonlinear loads have led to rise in power loads offer highly nonlinear characteristics. Due to their
quality problems. For power quality improvement, power non-linearity, the loads are simultaneously the major causes
electronic devices such as Flexible AC Transmission and the major victims of power quality problems [12].
System (FACTS) and customizing power conditioning This paper presents a FACTS based static switched filter
devices have introduced a new and emerging technology compensator (SSFC) scheme for effective voltage
providing the power system with versatile new dynamic stabilization, power quality enhancement, losses reduction
control capabilities [1], [2]. and power factor improvement in distribution grid networks
Wind energy has matured to a level of development where with the dispersed wind energy interface. The FACTS SSFC
it is ready to become a generally accepted utility generation is based on controlled complementary switching process
technology. Wind-turbine technology has undergone a between two capacitor banks to be connected with the
dramatic transformation during the last 15 years, developing classical tuned. The switching process is achieved by novel
from a fringe science in the 1970s to the wind turbine of the dynamic control strategies and the pulse width
2000s using the latest in power electronics, aerodynamics, modulation-complementary switching (PWM).Two error
and mechanical drive train designs. In the last five years, the dynamic regulation schemes are utilized with a tri-loop
world wind-turbine market has been growing at over 30% a dynamic error inter coupled control strategy and a VSC
year, and wind power is playing an increasingly important controller. The SSFC-FACTS device scheme has been fully
role in electricity generation, especially in countries such as validated for effective power quality mitigation, voltage
Germany and Spain. The legislation in both countries favors stabilization, losses reduction and power factor correction
using Matlab Simulink environment.
Manuscript received January 13, 2014.
Bharathikannan S, Department Of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, II. PROPOSED TOPOLOGY
Valliammai Engineering College, Chennai, India, +91 8939009793.
The low cost FACTS Static switched filter compensator
Angalaeswari S, Department Of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, scheme, shown in Fig. 1, is a combination of two series
Valliammai Engineering College, Chennai, India, +91 9841812993. capacitor banks (CS1and CS2) and two shunt capacitor

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 PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF SSFC FOR POWER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN WIND SMART GRID

banks (Cm1and Cm2) in parallel with the capacitor element

(CF) of a tuned arm filter (RF, LF and CF). The series
capacitor Cs is connected in series with the line conductors to
offset dynamically part of the feeder inductance. Such
reduction improves the power flow and reduces the feeder
reactive power loss. In this SSFC scheme, two three phase
shunt capacitor banks, Cf1 and Cf2 are connected in parallel
with the two series capacitor terminals. The shunt
capacitor banks provide reactive power compensation and
improve the distribution feeder regulation. The series Fig. 2(a) The Modified VSC
capacitor bank acts as a dynamic voltage booster and inrush
current limiting device. Energy discharge path for the
capacitor is formed by the six pulses diode rectifier with
the resistance (Rf) and inductance (Lf) branch that forms a
tuned arm filter at the rectifiers DC side. The two IGBT
switches (S1and S2) are controlled by two complementary
switching pulses (P1 and P2) that are generated by the
dynamic tri loop error driven modified VSC controller, as
shown in Fig. 2. An intermittent switching process
between the two shunt capacitor banks is achieved by
novel dynamic strategic control. The variable topology of the
FACTS based SSFC can be changed by the complementary
PWM pulses as follow:
Case 1: If P1 is high and P2 is low, the resistor and
inductor will be fully shorted and the combined shunt and
series capacitors will provide the required shunt and
series capacitive compensation to the AC distribution system
Case 2: If P1 is low and then P2 is high, the resistor and
inductor will be connected into the circuit as a tuned arm
filter. Fig. 2(b) Matlab functional model of tri loop error driven dynamic
controller
Regulator A:
As the regulator scheme, shown in Fig. 3 the voltage and
current signals are used in a tri loop error block to provide a
stable voltage and current at all AC buses, also to improve
the power factor. This specific control is achieved by
modulating the admittance of the SSFC.
Regulator B:
This regulator, shown in Fig. 4 is used in a tri loop error
block to suppress any harmonic contents in voltage and
current signals, also consequently to mitigate the
harmonics.

Fig. 1 The FACTS static switched filter compensator scheme

III. CONTROLLER DESIGN

Fig. 3 The tri-loop error driven regulator A
Inter-coupled dynamic control based on two regulators A
and B are proposed to reduce the harmonics, improve the
power factor and stabilize the buses voltage using the
FACTS static switched filter compensator. The tri-loop
error driven dynamic controller is a dual action control
used to modulate the switched filter compensator. The
output total error signal is an input to the modified VSC
controller to regulate the modulating control signal to the Fig. 4 The tri-loop error driven regulator B
PWM switching block as shown in Figs. 2(a) & (b).

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 International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)
ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-2, Issue-1, January 2014
IV. DIGITAL SIMULATION OF THE STUDIED AC
SYSTEM
A. The AC System Configuration
The studied AC system is 11 KV distribution network
with a renewable wind energy source and is connected to 138
kV AC grid through 11/138kV step up transformer. A
hybrid load comprises a linear load, a converter type
nonlinear load and an induction motor load is connected to
the distribution network through 11/4.16kV step down
transformer. Fig. 5 depicts a single line diagram of the
studied AC system. The detailed parameters of the system are
given in Appendix of [18].
B. Results of digital simulation
The Matlab/Simulink digital simulation results for
proposed FACTS-Static Switched Filter Compensation Fig. 5 Single Line Diagram of the sample study
scheme are validated as follow: distribution system with the novel FACTS switched
Case 1: Normal Loading Operation filter compensation schemes
The digital simulation is carried out with and without
the controlled SFC located at load bus for 1.0 seconds in order
to show its performance in voltage stabilization, harmonic
reduction and reactive power compensation at normal
operating condition. The dynamic responses of voltage,
current, power factor at generator bus (Bg), load bus (BL)
and infinite bus (Bi), without and with using the SSFC at
normal operating conditions are shown in Figs. 6- 7.
The frequency spectra of the voltage waveforms are
shown in Figs. 8- 10. It is obvious that the voltage harmonics
are significantly reduced to a level within the limit set by the
IEEE Std.519-1992 regarding the THD of bus voltage at low
voltage system (less than 69 kV) [12]. Also the THD of
current waveform at each bus is decreased as shown in [18]. Fig. 6 The rms voltage at the generator, load and infinite
Case 2: Sudden Change of the Wind Speed and the Load buses without (dashed line) and with
Excursion SSFC (solid line)
In this case study, the digital simulation is carried out with
and without the controlled SFC located at load bus for 1.0
second in order to show its performance under the following
disturbance sequence:
1) At t = 0.1 second, the linear load is removed for a
duration of 0.1 seconds;
2) At t = 0.3 second, the nonlinear load is removed for a
duration of 0.1 seconds;
3) At t = 0.5 second, wind speed suddenly decreased to 9 m/s
for a duration of 0.1 seconds;
4) At t = 0.7 second, wind speed suddenly increased to 21 m/s
Fig. 7 The power factor at the generator, load and infinite buses
for a duration of 0.1 seconds; without (dashed line) and with SSFC (solid line)
5) At t = 0.8 the system is recovered to its initial state.
The rms values of voltage waveforms at generator (Bg),
load (BL) and infinite buses (Bi) under load excursions are
depicted in Fig.11, shows, without using the FACTS SSFC
scheme, the disconnection of the linear and nonlinear loads
have an effect on the value of voltage at the generator and
load buses. It causes a voltage swell. While with using the
controlled FACTS SSFC scheme, there is no effect on the
voltage waveforms. This means that the controlled FACTS
SSFC scheme mitigates the swell event of PQ disturbances.

Fig. 8 The frequency spectrum of voltage waveform at the generator bus, Bs,
without and with the FACTS filter compensator

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 PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF SSFC FOR POWER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN WIND SMART GRID

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International Symposium on Innovations in Intelligent Systems and
V. CONCLUSION Applications ,INISTA 2011, pp 404- 409.

This paper presents a power quality mitigation scheme

based on the Static Switched Filter Compensator (SSFC). The
SSFC is controlled by a dynamic tri-loop error driven
modified VSC controller. The digital simulation model of the
proposed SSFC scheme has been validated for effective power
quality improvement, voltage stabilization and power factor
correction in distribution network with wind energy.
The proposed SSFC scheme can be extended to other
distributed/dispersed renewable energy interface and
utilization systems and can be easily modified for other
specific compensation requirements, voltage stabilization and
efficient utilization. Topology variations and flexible
dynamic control techniques can be utilized in renewable
energy smart grid interface.

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and evaluation of wind turbine blades", Wind Energy, vol. 6, pp
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[3] Robert W. Thresher and Darrell M. Dodge, "Trends in the
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Wind Energy, vol. 1, pp 70-85, 1998.
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