Distributed Generation PDF
Distributed Generation PDF
Distributed Generation PDF
Distributed
Generation
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Preface xi
About the authors xiii
1 Introduction 1
1.1 The development of the electrical power system 1
1.2 Value of distributed generation and network pricing 3
1.3 SmartGrids 5
1.4 Reasons for distributed generation 6
1.5 The future development of distributed generation 8
1.5.1 Business as usual future 9
1.5.2 Smart networks 10
1.5.3 Benefits of integration 10
1.6 Distributed generation and the distribution system 11
1.7 Technical impacts of generation on the distribution system 12
1.7.1 Network voltage changes 12
1.7.2 Increase in network fault levels 15
1.7.3 Power quality 15
1.7.4 Protection 16
1.7.5 Stability and fault ride through 18
1.8 Economic impact of distributed generation on the
distribution system 18
1.9 Impact of distributed generation on the transmission system 19
1.10 Impact of distributed generation on central generation 19
References 20
Glossary 259
Index 263
Preface
Public electricity supply was originally developed in the form of local generation
feeding local loads, the individual systems being built and operated by independent
companies. During the early years, up to around 1930, this proved quite sufficient.
However, it was then recognised that an integrated system, planned and operated by
a specific organisation, was needed to ensure an electricity supply that was both
reasonably secure and economic. This led to large centrally located generators
feeding the loads via transmission and distribution systems.
This trend may well have continued but for the need to minimise the envir-
onmental impact of energy use (particularly CO2 emissions) and concern over the
security of supply of imported fossil fuels. Consequently, governments and energy
planners are now actively developing alternative and cleaner forms of energy
production, these being dominated by renewables (e.g. wind, solar, biomass), local
CHP plant and the use of waste products. In many countries this transformation of
electricity supply is managed through energy markets and privately owned, regu-
lated transmission and distribution systems.
The economics and the location of sustainable energy sources have meant that
many of these generators have had to be connected into distribution networks rather
than at the transmission level. A full circle has therefore evolved with generation being
distributed round the system rather than being located and dispatched centrally.
It is now recognised that the levels of information and control of the state of
distribution networks are inadequate for future low-carbon electricity supply sys-
tems and the SmartGrid concept has emerged. In addition to much greater use of
ICT (Information and Control Technology), a SmartGrid will involve load custo-
mers much more in the operation of the power system. The distribution network
will change its operation from passive to active, and the distributed generators will
be controlled to support the operation of the power system.
Over several decades, models, techniques and application tools have been
developed for central generation with traditional transmission and distribution
networks and there are many excellent texts that relate to and describe the assess-
ment of such systems. However, some very specific features of distributed gen-
eration, namely that large numbers of relatively small generators are distributed
around the system, often connected into relatively weak distribution networks,
mean that existing techniques and practices have had to be reviewed and updated to
take these features into account. The questions raised by large numbers of dis-
tributed generators and their control within a deregulated commercial environment
xii Distributed generation
(virtual power plants), active network management and microgrids are also
addressed.
This book is the outcome of the authors experience in teaching courses on
Distributed Generation to undergraduate and MSc students in the United Kingdom,
the United States and Sri Lanka. Many universities are now offering courses on
Renewable Energy and how sustainable, low-carbon generation can be integrated
effectively into the distribution system. There is a great demand from employers for
graduates who have studied such courses but, in almost all countries, a critical
shortage of students with a strong education in Electrical Engineering and Power
Systems. Hence the book has four tutorial chapters (with examples and questions)
to provide fundamental material for those without a strong electrical engineering
background. Non-specialists may then benefit from the main body of the text once
they have studied the tutorial material.
Finally, no book, including this, could be produced in isolation, and we are
indebted to all those colleagues and individuals with whom we have been involved
in university, industry and in a number of professional organisations. Particular
thanks are due to TNEI Ltd for the use of IPSA and the Manitoba HVDC Centre for
the PSCAD/EMTDC simulation programs used in the examples in Chapters 3 and 4.
RWE npower renewables and Renewable Energy Systems (RES) generously made
available a number of photographs. Also we would like to thank Beishoy Awad for
all his help with the drawings.
About the authors
Nick Jenkins was at the University of Manchester (UMIST) from 1992 to 2008. He
then moved to Cardiff University where he is now Professor of Renewable Energy.
His previous career included 14 years industrial experience, of which five years
were spent in developing countries. He is a Fellow of the IET, IEEE and Royal
Academy of Engineering. In 2009 and 2010 he was the Shimizu Visiting Professor
at Stanford University where he taught a course on Distributed Generation and the
Grid Integration of Renewables.
Janaka Ekanayake joined Cardiff University as a Senior Lecturer in June 2008
from the University of Manchester, where he was a Research Fellow. Since 1992 he
has been attached to the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and was promoted to
Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 2003. He is a Senior Member of
IEEE and a Member of IET. His main research interests include power electronic
applications for the power system, and renewable energy generation and its
integration. He has published more than 25 papers in refereed journals and has co-
authored two books.
Goran Strbac is Professor of Electrical Energy Systems at Imperial College,
London. He joined Imperial College in 2005 after 11 years at UMIST and 10 years
of industrial and research experience. He led the development of methodologies
that underpinned the new UK distribution and transmission network operation, plus
design standards and grid codes to include distributed generation. He has conducted
impact assessments of large-scale penetration of renewables on the UK generation,
transmission and distribution networks for the UK Energy Review and also for the
last two Energy White Papers.
Chapter 1
Introduction
Central power
station
Distribution network
Central power
station
Central power
station
most of Europe and 750 kV in North America and China. The transmission system is
used to transport the electrical power, sometimes over considerable distances, and it
is then extracted and passed down through a series of distribution transformers to
final circuits for delivery to the customers. The transmission and distribution circuits
are mainly passive with control of the system provided by a limited number of large
central generators [1,2]. From around 1990, there has been a revival of interest in
connecting generation to the distribution network and this has come to be known as
distributed generation (DG) or the use of distributed energy resources (DER).1
The name Distributed Generation can be considered to be synonymous and
interchangeable with the terms embedded generation and dispersed generation,
which are now falling into disuse. In some countries a strict definition of distributed
generation is made, based either on the rating of the plant or on the voltage level to
which it is connected. However, these definitions usually follow from particular
national, technical documents used to specify aspects of the connection or operation
of distributed generation and not from any basic consideration of its impact on the
power system. This book is concerned with the fundamental behaviour of generation
connected to distribution systems and so a rather broad description of distributed
generation is preferred to any particular limits based on plant size, voltage or prime
mover type.
Distributed generation may be connected at a number of voltage levels from
120/230 V to 150 kV. Only very small generators may be connected to the lowest
voltage networks, but large installations of some hundreds of megawatts are con-
nected to the busbars of high voltage distribution systems (Figure 1.2).
1
The term distributed energy resources includes both distributed generation and controllable load.
Introduction 3
G G G G G G G G
Extra high voltage
transmission network
High voltage
transmission network
DG
Large
scale
Medium voltage
distribution network
DG DG
Generation size Energy market & Relative price of wholesale & retail
network level electricity
Wholesale Wholesale
~23 p/kWh
energy market electricity price
>1 GW Transmission
Domestic
<1 MW LV Distribution ~812 p/kWh consumer supply
price
Figure 1.3 Value chain for electricity from central generation to LV distribution.
Prices are for relative comparison only and can also be considered to
be in US cents or Euro cents
electricity). By the time electricity reaches the end consumer, the relative value of
electricity has increased, and the price, depending on the voltage level in the net-
work, is now 412 p/kWh (the retail price of electricity). This increase in the value
of electricity up to the point of consumption is driven primarily by the added cost of
network transmission and distribution services required to deliver power from
central generators to customers elsewhere in the network.
Distributed generation is located closer to the consumer and has fewer
requirements for the transport services of the transmission and distribution net-
works. In essence, distributed generation is delivering power direct to demand at an
equivalent value of 412 p/kWh, i.e. the costs avoided by not using the network.
However, this network cost reduction, generated by the favourable location of some
generators, is not fully recognised within the present commercial and regulatory
framework. As a consequence, non-conventional generation invariably competes
with conventional generation in the wholesale markets at a price (23 p/kWh) that
may be significantly lower than the true value of electricity delivered from a
location close to demand.
The same example is also relevant for the treatment of demand. Customers
taking energy from the network at the right location in the network (i.e. close to
generation) have less requirement for network services. Yet for most consumers, all
the power they receive is priced at the fixed retail rate, occasionally reflecting
differences in time of use but never fluctuating in response to location and the
distance between generation and the consumer.
Introduction 5
1.3 SmartGrids
Throughout the world, energy policy is developing rapidly with the aims of pro-
viding electrical energy supplies that are
1. Low or zero-carbon to reduce the production of greenhouse gases and mitigate
climate change.
2. Secure and not dependent on imported fossil fuel.
3. Economic and affordable by industry, commerce and all sections of society.
These objectives of energy policy converge in the use of distributed generation;
renewables and cogeneration (combined heat and power, CHP). Recently, the name
SmartGrids [3] has become common to describe the future power network that will
make extensive use of modern information and communication technologies to
support a flexible, secure and cost-effective de-carbonised electrical power system.
SmartGrids are intelligently controlled active networks that facilitate the integration
of distributed generation into the power system. It is hard to envisage a de-
carbonised electrical power system, supplied from renewable energy sources and
constant output generation (perhaps nuclear and fossil plant with carbon capture and
storage) without greater involvement of the load in its operation. Hence an impor-
tant aspect of the SmartGrid concept is demand side participation.
Demand side participation is an important potential means of increasing flex-
ibility and controllability in the power system. Controllable loads such as charging
electric vehicles and heat pumps with thermal storage will allow increased utili-
sation of renewable energy. More radically, it is anticipated that the battery energy
storage of electric vehicles may be used to inject power into the system at times of
high generation cost or to facilitate islanded operation of distribution networks. The
role of smart metering and how the customers will wish to control their loads and
take part in the operation of the power system is an important topic of investigation
with trials being undertaken in many countries at present.
The European Technology Platform for SmartGrids has published a definition
of a SmartGrid [3].
6 Distributed generation
The electrical power sector is seen as offering an easier and more immediate
opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emission than, for example, road or air
transport and so is likely to bear a large share of any emission reductions. The
UK share of the European Union target is only 15% of all energy to come from
renewables by 2020 but this translates into some 35% of electrical energy. This
target, set in terms of annual electrical energy, will result at times in very large
fractions of instantaneous electrical power being supplied from renewables, per-
haps up to 6070%.
Most governments have financial mechanisms to encourage the development
of renewable energy generation with opinion divided as to whether feed-in-tariffs,
quota requirements (such as the UK Renewables Obligation), carbon trading or
carbon taxes provide the most cost-effective approach, particularly for the stimulus
of emerging renewable energy technologies. Established technologies include wind
power, micro-hydro, solar photovoltaic systems, landfill gas, energy from munici-
pal waste, biomass and geothermal generation. Emerging technologies include tidal
stream, wave-power and solar thermal generation.
Renewable energy sources have a much lower energy density than fossil fuels
and so the generation plants are smaller and geographically widely spread. For
example wind farms must be located in windy areas, while biomass plants are
usually of limited size due to the cost of transporting fuel with relatively low energy
density. These smaller plants, typically of less than 50100 MW in capacity, are
then connected into the distribution system. It is neither cost-effective nor envir-
onmentally acceptable to build dedicated electrical circuits for the collection of this
power, and so existing distribution circuits that were designed to supply customers
load are utilised. In many countries the renewable generation plants are not planned
by the utility but are developed by entrepreneurs and are not centrally dispatched but
generate whenever the energy source is available.
Cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) schemes make use of the
waste heat of thermal generating plant for either industrial process or space heating
and are a well-established way of increasing overall energy efficiency. Transport-
ing the low temperature waste heat from thermal generation plants over long dis-
tances is not economic and so it is necessary to locate the CHP plant close to the
heat load. This again leads to relatively small generation units, geographically
distributed and with their electrical connection made to the distribution network.
Although CHP units can, in principle, be centrally dispatched, they tend to be
operated in response to the heat requirement or the electrical load of the host
installation rather than the needs of the public electricity supply system.
Micro-CHP devices are intended to replace gas heating boilers in domestic
houses and, using Stirling or other heat engines, provide both heat and electrical
energy for the dwelling. They are operated in response to the demand for heat and
hot water within the dwelling and produce modest amounts of electrical energy that
is used to offset the consumption within the house. The electrical generator is, of
course, connected to the distribution network and can supply electricity back to the
network, but financially this is often unattractive with low rates being offered for
electricity exported by microgenerators.
8 Distributed generation
Business as usual
Capacity
DER SmartGrids
Passive
control
Today
Distribution
networks
DER DER
Passive
control
networks
Central Central
generation Central
generation
generation
Cost
BaU
Today
Smart
Time
The future based on the concepts of SmartGrids will require a more sophisti-
cated commercial structure to enable individual participants, distributed generators
and demand customers or their agents to trade not only energy but also various
ancillary services. The development of a market with hundreds of thousands of
active participants will be a major challenge.
Traditionally, distribution systems have been designed to accept power from the
transmission network and to distribute it to customers. Thus the flow of both real
power (P) and reactive power (Q) has been from the higher to the lower voltage
levels. This is shown schematically in Figure 1.6 and, even with interconnected
distribution systems, the behaviour of such networks is well understood and the
procedures for both design and operation long established.
P, Q P, Q
Load
P, Q? P, Q?
P, Q
=
pv
P +/ Q
P, +/ Q
CHP S In
The change in real and reactive power flows caused by distributed generation
has important technical and economic implications for the power system. In the
early years of distributed generation, most attention was paid to the immediate
technical issues of connecting and operating generation on a distribution system
and most countries developed standards and practices to deal with these [5,6].
In general, the approach adopted was to ensure that any distributed generation did
not reduce the quality of supply voltage offered to other customers and to con-
sider the generators as negative load. The philosophy was of fit-and-forget where
the distribution system was designed and constructed so that it functioned cor-
rectly for all combinations of generation and load with no active control actions,
of the generators, loads or networks, being taken. This approach, with the dis-
tribution system configuration determined at the planning stage and with no
operational control, is in contrast to that adopted on the transmission system
where active control of the central generators by the system operator in real time
is necessary.
The voltage profile of a radial distribution feeder is shown in Figure 1.8 with
the key volt drops identified:
MV feeder LV feeder
C Permissible
A Minimum load voltage rise
Voltage D for
distributed
Maximum load generator
1 pu B Allowable
voltage
variation
Figure 1.8 shows that the ratio of the MV/LV transformer has been adjusted at
its installation, using off-circuit taps so that at times of maximum load the most
remote customer will receive acceptable voltage. During minimum load the voltage
received by all customers is just below the maximum allowed. If a distributed
generator is now connected to the end of the circuit, then the flows in the circuit
will change and hence the voltage profile. The most onerous case is likely to be
14 Distributed generation
when the customer load on the network is at a minimum and the output of the
distributed generator must flow back to the source [8].
For a lightly loaded distribution network the approximate voltage rise (DV)
caused by a generator exporting real and reactive power is given by (1.1):2
PR XQ
V 1:1
V
where P = active power output of the generator, Q = reactive power output of the
generator, R = resistance of the circuit, X = inductive reactance of the circuit and
V = nominal voltage of the circuit.
In some cases, the voltage rise can be limited by reversing the flow of reactive
power (Q). This can be achieved either by using an induction generator, under-
exciting a synchronous machine or operating an inverter so as to absorb reactive
power. Reversing the reactive power flow can be effective on medium voltage
overhead circuits which tend to have a higher ratio of X/R of their impedance.
However, on low voltage cable distribution circuits the dominant effect is that of
the real power (P) and the network resistance (R). Only very small distributed
generators may generally be connected out on low voltage networks.
For larger generators a point of connection of the generator is required either at
the low voltage busbars of the MV/LV transformer or, for even larger plants,
directly to a medium voltage or high voltage circuit. In some countries, simple
design rules have been used to give an indication of the maximum capacity of
distributed generation which may be connected at different points of distribution
system. These simple rules tend to be rather restrictive and more detailed calcula-
tions can often show that more generation can be connected with no difficulties.
Table 1.2 shows some of the rules that have been used.
2
See Section 3.3.1 for the derivation of this equation.
Introduction 15
generator power rating. Multiples as high as 20 or 25 have been required for wind
turbines/wind farms in some countries, but again these simple approaches are very
conservative. Large wind farms using fixed-speed induction generators have been
successfully operated on distribution networks with a ratio of network fault level to
wind farm rated capacity as low as 6.
Some distribution companies use controls of the on-load tap changers at the
distribution transformers, based on a current signal compounded with the voltage
measurement. One technique is that of line drop compensation [7] and, as this relies
on an assumed power factor of the load, the introduction of distributed generation
and the subsequent change in power factor may lead to incorrect operation if the
distributed generation on the circuit is large compared to the customer load.
may lead to significant, if infrequent, voltage drops. Also, some forms of prime mover
(e.g. fixed speed wind turbines) may cause cyclic variations in the generator output
current, which can lead to so-called flicker nuisance if not adequately controlled.
Conversely, however, the addition of rotating distributed generation plant acts to
raise the distribution network fault level. Once the generation is connected and the
short-circuit level increased, any disturbances caused by other customers loads, or
even remote faults, will result in smaller voltage variations and hence improved power
quality. It is interesting to note that one conventional approach to improving the power
quality in sensitive, high value manufacturing plants is to install local generation.
Similarly, incorrectly designed or specified distributed generation plant, with
power electronic interfaces to the network, may inject harmonic currents which can
lead to unacceptable network voltage distortion. The large capacitance of extensive
cable networks or shunt power factor correction capacitors may combine with the
reactance of transformers or generators to create resonances close to the harmonic
frequencies produced by the power electronic interfaces.
The voltages of rural MV networks are frequently unbalanced due to the
connection of single phase transformers. An induction generator has very low
impedance to unbalanced voltages and will tend to draw large unbalanced currents
and hence balance the network voltages at the expense of increased currents in the
generator and consequent heating.
1.7.4 Protection
A number of different aspects of distributed generator protection can be identified
as follows:
Protection of the distributed generator from internal faults
Protection of the faulted distribution network from fault currents supplied by
the distributed generator
Anti-islanding or loss-of-mains protection
Impact of distributed generation on existing distribution system protection
Protecting the distributed generator from internal faults is usually fairly
straightforward. Fault current flowing from the distribution network is used to
detect the fault and techniques used to protect any large motor or power electronic
converter are generally appropriate. In rural areas with limited electrical demand, a
common problem is ensuring that there will be adequate fault current from the
network to ensure rapid operation of the relays or fuses.
Protection of the faulted distribution network from fault current from the dis-
tributed generators is often more difficult. Induction generators cannot supply
sustained fault current to a three-phase balanced fault, and their sustained con-
tribution to asymmetrical faults is limited. Small synchronous generators require
sophisticated exciters and field forcing circuits if they are to provide sustained fault
current significantly above their full load current. Insulated gate bipolar transistor
(IGBT) voltage source converters often can only provide close to their continuously
rated current into a fault. Thus, it is usual to rely on the distribution protection and
fault current from the network to clear any distribution circuit fault and hence
Introduction 17
isolate the distributed generation plant. The distributed generator is then tripped on
over/under voltage, over/under-voltage protection or loss-of-mains protection.
Loss-of-mains protection is an important issue in a number of countries, par-
ticularly where auto-reclose is used on the distribution circuits. For a variety of
reasons, both technical and administrative, the prolonged operation of a power
island fed from the distributed generation but not connected to the main distribution
network is considered unacceptable. Thus a relay is required which will detect
when the distributed generator, and perhaps a surrounding part of the network, has
become islanded and will then trip the generator. This relay must work within the
dead time of any auto-reclose scheme if out-of-phase reconnection is to be avoided.
Although a number of techniques are used, including rate-of-change-of-frequency
(ROCOF) and voltage vector shift, these are prone to maloperation if set sensitively
to detect islanding rapidly.
The neutral grounding of the generator is a related issue as in a number of
countries it is considered unacceptable to operate an ungrounded power system and
so care is required to ensure a neutral connection is maintained.
Distribution
network
A B
Load
Distributed generation alters the power flows in the network and so will alter net-
work losses. If a small distributed generator is located close to a large load, then the
network losses will be reduced as both real and reactive power can be supplied to the
load from the adjacent generator. Conversely, if a large distributed generator is
Introduction 19
located far away from network loads, then it is likely to increase losses on the
distribution system. A further complication arises due to the changing value of
electrical energy as the network load increases. In general there is a correlation
between high load on the distribution network and the operation of expensive central
generation plant. Thus, any distributed generator that can operate in this period and
reduce distribution network losses will make a significant impact on the costs of
operating the network.
At present, distributed generation generally takes no part in the voltage
control of distribution networks. Thus, in Great Britain, distributed generators
will generally choose to operate at unity power factor in order to minimise their
electrical losses and avoid any charges for reactive power consumption, irre-
spective of the needs of the distribution network. Some years ago in Denmark an
alternative approach was developed with distributed CHP schemes operating at
different power factors according to the time of day. During periods of peak loads
reactive power was exported to the network, while during low network load they
operated at unity power factor.
Distributed generation can also be used as a substitute for distribution network
capacity. Clearly, distributed generators cannot substitute for radial feeders, as
islanded operation is not generally acceptable, and network extensions may be
required to collect power from isolated renewable energy schemes. However, most
high voltage distribution circuits are duplicated or meshed and distributed genera-
tion can reduce the requirement for these assets.
In a similar manner to the distribution system, distributed generation will alter the
flows in the transmission system. Hence transmission losses will be altered, gen-
erally reduced, while in a highly meshed transmission network it may be demon-
strated that reduced flows lead to a lower requirement for assets. In Great Britain,
the charges for use of the transmission network are presently evaluated based on a
measurement of peak demand at the transformer linking the transmission and dis-
tribution networks. When distributed generation plant can be shown to be operating
during the periods of peak demand, then it is clearly reducing the charges for use of
the transmission network.
The main impact of distributed generation on central generation has been to reduce
the mean level of the power output of the central generators but, often, to increase
its variance. In a large electrical power system, consumer demand can be predicted
accurately by the generator dispatching authority. Distributed generation will
introduce additional uncertainty in these estimates and so may require additional
reserve plant. It is now conventional to predict the output of wind farms, by fore-
casting wind speeds, and distributed CHP plants, by forecasting heat demand. Over
20 Distributed generation
a long period, forecasting the output of wind farms shows significant benefit and so
is useful for energy trading. These forecasts are, however, less useful for dis-
patching conventional generators where a very high level of reliability of the
forecasts is required.
As distributed generation is added to the system, its output power must dis-
place an equal output of central generators in order to maintain the overall load/
generation balance. With limited output of distributed generators, the effect is to
deload the central generators but maintain them and their controllable output, on
the power system. However, as more and more distributed generation is added it
becomes necessary to disconnect central generation with consequent loss of con-
trollability and frequency regulation. A similar effect will be encountered with
reduction in reactive power capability as central generators are displaced and dif-
ficulties maintaining the voltage profile of the transmission network may be
anticipated.
References
1. Blume S.W. Electric Power System Basics for the Nonelectrical Profes-
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2. Von Meier A. Electric Power Systems: A Conceptual Introduction. Hoboken,
NJ: John Wiley and Sons; 2006.
3. Commission of the European, Union Smart Grids Technology Platform.
European Technology Platform for the Electricity Networks of the Future.
Available from URL http://www.smartgrids.eu/ [Accessed February 2010].
4. Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). Developing a UK Smart
Grid. ENSG Vision Statement. Available from URL http://www.ensg.gov.uk/
assets/ensg_smart_grid_wg_smart_grid_vision_final_issue_1.pdf [Accessed
February 2010].
5. IEEE 1547. IEEE Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources with
Electric Power Systems; 2003.
6. Electricity Network Association Engineering Recommendation G59/1.
Recommendations for the Connection of Embedded Generation Plant to the
Public Electrical Suppliers Distribution Systems; 1991.
7. Lakervi E., Holmes E.J. Electricity Distribution Network Design. London:
Peter Peregrinus for the IEE; 1989.
8. Masters C.L. Voltage rise: The big issue when connecting embedded gener-
ation to long 11 kV overhead lines. IET Power Engineering Journal. 2002;
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Chapter 2
Distributed generation plant
2.1 Introduction
With the increasing efforts worldwide to de-carbonise energy supply, a wide vari-
ety of generating plant types is being connected to electrical distribution networks.
Examples include the well-established technologies of combined heat and power
(CHP), wind turbines and photovoltaic systems. In addition there are many newer
technologies, such as fuel cells, solar thermal, micro-CHP and the marine renew-
able technologies as well as flywheel and flow battery storage that are at various
stages of demonstrating their commercial viability.
22 Distributed generation
Table 2.1 A summary of CHP schemes in the United Kingdom in 2008 [1]
Distribution
system
Synchronous Generator
generator transformer
between 200 and 300 C [4] depending on its use, is passed to the industrial process
or through a heat exchanger for use in space heating.
In contrast, in a pass-out (or extraction) condensing steam turbine (Figure 2.2),
some steam is extracted at an intermediate pressure for the supply of useful heat
with the remainder being fully condensed. This arrangement allows a wide range of
Distribution
system
Synchronous Generator
Heat supply to industrial process generator transformer
heat/power ratios. In Denmark all the large town and city district-heating schemes
(150350 MWe) use this type of unit which, taking into account the capacity that is
reduced for heat load, can be dispatched in response to the electrical power demand
of the public utilities.
Figure 2.3 shows how the waste heat from a gas turbine may be used. Gas
turbines using either natural gas or distillate oil liquid fuel are available in ratings
from less than 1 MWe to more than 100 MWe although at the lower ratings internal
combustion reciprocating engines may be preferred for CHP schemes. In some
industrial installations, provision is made for supplementary firing of the waste heat
boiler in order to ensure availability of useful heat when the gas turbine is not
operating or to increase the heat/power ratio. The exhaust gas temperature of a gas
turbine can be as high as 500600 C and so, with the large units, there is the
potential to increase the generation of electrical power by adding a steam turbine
and to create a combined-cycle plant (Figure 2.4). Steam is raised, using the exhaust
gases of the gas turbine passed through a waste heat boiler, which is fed to either a
back-pressure or pass-out condensing steam turbine. Useful heat is then recovered
from the steam turbine.
Process heat/steam
Stack gases
Fuel
Figure 2.3 CHP scheme using a gas turbine with waste heat recovery
In CHP schemes using a combined cycle, some 67% of the energy in the fuel is
transformed into electrical power or useful heat but with a lower heat/power ratio
than single-cycle gas turbines (see Table 2.1). Combined-cycle CHP plants, because
of their complexity and capital cost, tend to be suitable for large electric and heating
loads such as the integrated energy supply to a town or large industrial plant [5].
Although in the United Kingdom installed CHP capacity is dominated by plants
with ratings greater than 10 MWe, there are presently over 1000 CHP installations
with ratings less than 1 MWe and some 500 with ratings less than 100 kWe. These
plants of less than 100 kWe are typically skid-mounted units consisting of a reci-
procating four-stroke engine driving a three-phase synchronous, or in some cases,
asynchronous generator, with a heat recovery system to extract heat from
the exhaust gases, the cooling water and the lubrication oil [6]. For larger engines
(i.e. approaching 500 kW), it becomes economic to pass the exhaust gas, which may
be at up to 350400 C, to a steam-raising waste heat boiler. The heat available from
the cooling jacket and the lubrication oil is typically at 7080 C. The fuel used is
Distributed generation plant 25
Distribution system
Steam
Compressor Turbine
Exhaust gases
Distribution system
Reciprocating engine
Synchronous Generator
or induction transformer
generator
Figure 2.5 CHP scheme using a reciprocating engine with heat recovery
usually natural gas, sometimes with a small addition of fuel oil to aid combustion,
or, in some cases, digester gas from sewage treatment plants. Typical applications
include leisure centres, hotels, hospitals, academic establishment and industrial
processes. Landfill gas sites tend to be too far away from a suitable heat load and so
the engines, fuelled by the landfill gas, are operated as electrical generating sets only
and not in CHP mode.
The economic case for a CHP scheme depends both on the heat and electrical
power load of the host site and critically on the so-called spark spread, the
26 Distributed generation
difference between the price of electricity and of the gas required to generate it.
A wide spark spread makes CHP schemes more attractive. Commercial viability
also depends on the rate received for exporting electrical power to the utility and this
can be very low for small installations.
CHP units are typically controlled, or dispatched, to meet the energy needs of
the host site and not to export electrical power to the utility distribution system [7].
It is common for CHP units to be controlled to meet a heat load, and in district-
heating schemes, the heat output is often controlled as a function of ambient tem-
perature. Alternatively, the units can be controlled to meet the electrical load of the
host site and any deficit in the heat requirement is met from an auxiliary source.
Finally, the units may be run to supply both heat and electricity to the site in an
optimal manner, but this is likely to require a more sophisticated control system
that is able to compensate for the changes in heat and electrical load as well as in
the performance of the CHP plant over time.
Although CHP schemes are conventionally designed and operated to meet
the energy needs of the host site, or a district-heating load, this is a commercial/
economic choice rather than being due to any fundamental limitation of the tech-
nology. As commercial and administrative conditions change, perhaps in response
to the policy drivers described in Chapter 1, it may be that CHP plants will start to
play a more active role in supplying electrical energy and ancillary services to the
electricity distribution system.
CHP units for individual houses or small commercial properties, so-called
micro-CHP, are also commercially available. These typically use small internal
combustion or Stirling cycle engines coupled to simple induction generators
although variable speed generators connected through a power electronic interface
are also used. Some designs use the reciprocating motion of the piston directly to
drive a linear electrical generator. Prototypes also exist of domestic fuel-cell CHP
units, which produce direct current and so require a power electronic interface. In
general micro-CHP units are more suited to larger dwellings with a significant heat
demand and are less attractive for small, very well insulated houses.
Heat energy is much easier and cheaper to store than electrical energy and so
heat stores can be used to increase the flexibility of the operation of CHP units. In
Denmark, the direct relationship between heat and electrical power production from
reciprocating engine CHP units was a concern, as it would have imposed significant
additional load variations on the larger power generating units when the dispersed
CHP units responded to the varying demand for district heating. Therefore, large
heat stores were constructed for each district-heating scheme to accommodate
approximately 10 hours of maximum heat production [3]. One benefit of the heat
stores is that they allow the CHP units to be run for reduced periods but at rated
output, and hence maximum efficiency. Also, the times of operation can be chosen
to be at periods of maximum electrical demand and so the CHP generation can
respond to the needs of the electrical power network and receive a higher price for
their electricity. An additional advantage of large heat stores is that, with electric
heaters, they can use excess energy from intermittent renewables (e.g. wind power)
when there is a surplus of electrical energy and its value is low.
Distributed generation plant 27
1
Capacity (or load) factor is the ratio of annual energy generated to that which would be generated with
the plant operating at rated output all year. UK onshore wind farms have a capacity factor of around
27%.
28 Distributed generation
12 12
Discharge (m3/s)
Discharge (m3/s)
10 10
8 8
6 6
4 4
2 2
0 0
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D
(a) Month 1977 (b) Month 1977
99.9
.01 .05 .1 .2 .5 1 2 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 95 98 99 99.5 99.8 99.95
1000
500
400
300
200
Percentage of average discharge
100
50
40
30
20
10
5
4
3
2
1
.01 .05 .1 .2 .5 1 2 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 95 98 99 99.5 99.8 99.95
99.9
Percentage of time discharge exceeded
the output of the hydro scheme might correlate with the day-to-day load demand on
the power system.
The power output of a hydro turbine is given by the simple expression:
P QHhrg 2:1
where P = output power (W), Q = flow rate (m3/s), H = effective head (m), h = overall
efficiency, r = density of water (1000 kg/m3) and g = acceleration due to gravity.
Distributed generation plant 29
A high effective head is desirable as this allows increased power output while
limiting the required flow rate and hence cross section of penstock (the pressurised
pipe bringing water to the turbine). Various forms of turbine are used for differing
combinations of flow rate and head [11]. At lower heads, reaction turbines operate
by changing the direction of the flow of water. The water arriving at the turbine
runner is still under pressure, and the pressure drop across the turbine accounts for a
significant part of the energy extracted. Common designs of reaction turbine
include Francis and propeller (Kaplan) types. At higher heads, impulse turbines are
used, for example Pelton or Turgo turbines. These operate by extracting the kinetic
energy from a jet of water that is at atmospheric pressure. For small hydro units
(<100 kW) a cross-flow impulse turbine, where the water strikes the runner as a
sheet rather than a jet, may be used. Typically, reasonable efficiencies can be
obtained with impulse turbines down to 1/6th of rated flow, whereas for reaction
turbines efficiencies are poor below 1/3rd of rated flow. This has obvious impli-
cations for rating of plant given the variable resource of some catchments, and
these reductions in efficiency with flow rate are taken into consideration when
calculating annual energy yield.
Small-scale hydro schemes may use induction of synchronous generators. Low
head turbines tend to run more slowly and so either a gearbox or a multi-pole gen-
erator is required. One particular design consideration is to ensure that the turbine-
generator will not be damaged in the event of the electrical connection to the network
being broken and hence the load lost and the turbine-generator over-speeding [8].
This consideration favours the use of robust, squirrel-cage induction generators over
wound rotor synchronous machines for simple, small-scale hydro systems.
Increasingly variable speed hydro-generator sets are used to match the operating
characteristic of the turbine to the variable flow rates experienced during different
hydrological conditions. Just as with variable speed wind turbines, this requires the
use of power electronics to interface the generator to the 50/60 Hz network.
1
P Cp rV3 A 2:2
2
relatively weak electrical distribution networks. The difference in the density of the
working fluids (water 1000 kg/m3 and air 1.25 kg/m3) shows clearly why a wind
turbine rotor of a given rating is so much larger than a hydro turbine. A 2 MW
wind turbine will have a rotor diameter of some 6080 m mounted on a 6090 m
high tower. The force exerted on the rotor is proportional to the square of the wind
speed and so the wind turbine must be designed to withstand large forces during
high winds. Most modern designs use a three-bladed horizontal-axis rotor as this
gives a good value of peak Cp together with an aesthetically pleasing design.
The power coefficient (Cp) is a measure of how much of the energy in the wind
is extracted by the turbine rotor. It varies with rotor design and the relative speed of
the rotor and the wind (known as the tip speed ratio) to give a maximum practical
value of approximately 0.40.452 [12].
Figure 2.8 is the Power Curve of a wind turbine that indicates its output at
various wind speeds. At wind speeds below cut-in (*5 m/s), no significant power
is developed. The output power then increases rapidly with wind speed until it
reaches its rated value and is then limited by some control action of the turbine.
This part of the characteristic follows an approximately cubic relationship between
wind speed and output power although this is modified by changes in Cp. Then at
the shutdown wind speed (25 m/s in this case), the rotor is parked, or allowed to
idle at low speed, for safety.
Cut
in
0 25
Wind speed (m/s)
Figure 2.9 shows a typical annual distribution of hourly mean wind speeds
from a UK lowland site, and by comparison with Figure 2.8, it may be seen that
the turbine will only be operating at rated output for some 1015% of the year.
Depending on the site wind speed distribution, the turbine may be shut down due to
low winds for up to 25% of the year, and during the remaining period the output
will fluctuate with wind speed. Figures 2.8 and 2.9 can be combined to calculate
2
The absolute maximum Cp that any rotor can achieve is known as the Betz Limit and is 16/27 or 0.59.
Distributed generation plant 31
15
14
13
12
11
10
Probability (%)
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Wind speed (m/s)
Figure 2.9 Distribution of hourly mean wind speeds of a typical lowland site
Ten minute mean power exported from a wind farm rated at 28.6 MW
30
25
Exported power (MW)
20
15
10
0
30/08/09 04/09/09 09/09/09 14/09/09 19/09/09 24/09/09 29/09/09 04/10/09
Date
Figure 2.10 Real power output of a wind farm over one month
[data from RES]
the annual energy yield from a wind turbine, but they provide no information as to
when the energy is generated. Figures 2.10 and 2.11 show time series of the power
outputs of a wind farm in the United Kingdom, while Figure 2.12 shows the
capacity factors of a number of wind farms by season.
The wind speed distribution of Figure 2.9 is formed from hourly mean wind
speeds, and the Power Curve is measured using 10-minute average data. There are also
32 Distributed generation
Ten minute mean reactive power imported by a wind farm rated at 28.6 MW
8
Imported reactive power (MVAr)
0
30/08/09 04/09/09 09/09/09 14/09/09 19/09/09 24/09/09 29/09/09 04/10/09
4
Date
Figure 2.11 Reactive power import of a fixed speed induction generator wind
farm over one month [data from RES]
40
35
30
25
20
%
15
10
0
Jan Feb Mar April May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
important higher frequency effects that, although they do not significantly influence
the energy generated, are important for their consequences on the wind turbine
machinery and on network power quality. With some designs of fixed speed wind
turbines, it has been found to be rather difficult to limit the output power to the rated
value indicated by the horizontal section of the Power Curve (Figure 2.8), and transient
overpowers of up to twice nominal output have been recorded in some instances.
Therefore, when considering the impact of the turbines on to the distribution network,
it is important to establish what the maximum transient output power is likely to be.
The torque from a horizontal-axis wind turbine rotor contains a periodic compo-
nent at the frequency at which the blades pass the tower. This cyclic torque is due to the
variation in wind speed seen by the blade as it rotates. The variation in wind speed is
Distributed generation plant 33
due to a combination of: tower shadow, wind shear and turbulence. In a fixed speed
wind turbine, this rotor torque variation is then translated into a change in the output
power and hence a voltage variation on the network. These dynamic voltage variations
are often referred to as flicker because of the effect they have on incandescent lights.
The human eye is very sensitive to changes in light intensity particularly if the varia-
tion occurs at frequencies around 10 Hz. For a large wind turbine the blade passing
frequency will be around 12 Hz, and although the eye is less sensitive at this fre-
quency, it will still detect voltage variations greater than about 0.5%. In general the
torque fluctuations of individual wind turbines in a wind farm are not synchronised and
so the effect in large wind farms is reduced as the variations average out.
Although reliable commercial wind turbines can be bought from a variety of
manufacturers, there is still considerable development of the technology particu-
larly as the size and ratings of turbines increase. Some of the major differences in
design philosophy include: (1) fixed or variable speed operation, (2) direct drive
generators or the use of a gearbox and (3) stall or pitch regulation [12,13].
Fixed speed wind turbines using induction generators are simple, and it may be
argued, robust. It is not usual to use synchronous generators on network-connected
fixed speed wind turbines, as it is not practicable to include adequate damping in a
synchronous generator rotor to control the periodic torque fluctuations of the aero-
dynamic rotor. Some very early wind turbine designs did use synchronous gen-
erators by including mechanical damping in the drive trains (e.g. by using a fluid
coupling), but this is no longer a common practice. Figure 2.13(a) shows a
simplified schematic representation of a fixed speed wind turbine. The aerodynamic
rotor is coupled to the induction generator via a speed increasing gearbox. The
induction generator is typically wound for 690 V, 1000 or 1500 rpm operation.
Pendant cables within the tower connect the generator to switched power factor
correction capacitors and an anti-parallel soft-start unit located in the tower base. It
is common to by pass the soft-start thyristors once the generator flux has built up,
excited from the network voltage. The power factor correction capacitors are either
all applied as soon as the generator is connected or they are switched in progres-
sively as the average output power of the wind turbine increases. A local transfor-
mer, typically 690 V/33 kV in UK wind farms is located either inside the tower or
adjacent to it.
With variable speed operation it is possible, in principle, to increase the energy
captured by the aerodynamic rotor by maintaining the optimum power coefficient over
a wide range of wind speeds, and perhaps more importantly, also reduce mechanical
loads. However, it is then necessary to decouple the speed of the rotor from the fre-
quency of the network through some form of power electronic converter. A simple
approach (Figure 2.13(b)) is to use a wound rotor induction generator with con-
trollable, external rotor resistors. The external resistors alter the shape of the torque
speed curve and so allow the generator, and rotor, speed to increase by up to 10%. An
obvious disadvantage is that power is dissipated in the resistors as heat and so wasted.
Hence a development was to use a wound rotor induction generator but with back/back
voltage source converters in the rotor circuit (Figure 2.13(c), DFIG, doubly fed
induction generator). Power flows from the generator out to the network when the
generator operates above synchronous speed but back towards the rotor at below
synchronous speed [13,14].
34 Distributed generation
Induction
generator Transformer
Capacitor
(a)
External resistor
Transformer
Wound rotor
induction generator
Capacitor
(b)
Figure 2.13 Wind turbine architectures [14]. (a) Fixed speed induction generator
wind turbine. (b) Variable slip wind turbine. (c) Doubly fed induction
generator wind turbine. (d) Full power converter wind turbine.
(e) Full power converter wind turbine (diode rectifier).
If a wide range of variable speed operation is required, then the arrangement shown
in Figure 2.13(d) may be used. Two voltage source converter bridges are used to inter-
face the wind turbine drive train to the network. The network-side bridge is commonly
used to maintain the voltage of the DC link and control reactive power flows with the
network. The generator-side converter is used to control the torque on the rotor and
Distributed generation plant 35
Pitch
controller
Wound rotor
induction generator
DFIG
IGBT PWM
converters
Crowbar
Torque Voltage or
control PF control
(c)
Pitch
controller Synchronous
or induction
generator Grid side
Generator converter
side converter
(d)
Pitch
controller Grid side
converter
Diode
rectifier
DC link
controller
Synchronous
generator
Grid side
controller
(e)
Onshore
Onshore substation
AC grid
HVAC transmission cable
Offshore wind
Offshore
farm
substation
STATCOM
Figure 2.14 Offshore wind farm using AC transmission to shore (note the
STATCOM to control reactive power and hence voltage of the
onshore network)
Onshore Offshore
Onshore convertor DC link convertor
AC grid
ndc
Offshore wind
farm
Maintaining Maintaining AC
DC link voltage magnitude
voltage and frequency
Figure 2.15 Offshore wind farms using voltage source HVDC transmission to
shore
equipment. For many years, its main application was off-grid for high-value, small
electrical loads that were a long way from the nearest distribution network (e.g.
vaccine refrigerators and remote communication systems). More recently, stimu-
lated by support through feed-in-tariffs its use as grid-connected distributed gen-
eration has increased dramatically particularly in Germany and Spain, while Japan
also has a very active programme of installation.
A number of large (megawatt scale) demonstration projects have been con-
structed in the past, but interest in Europe is now focused on smaller installations.
The photovoltaic modules may be roof mounted or incorporated into the fabric of
buildings in order to reduce overall cost and space requirements. Thus, these rather
small PV installations (typically from 1 to 50 kW) are connected directly at cus-
tomers premises and so to the LV distribution network. This form of generation is
Distributed generation plant 39
truly distributed with very large number of residences and commercial buildings
being equipped with photovoltaic generators.
Outside the earths atmosphere, the power density of the solar radiation, on
a plane perpendicular to the direction to the sun, is approximately 1350 W/m2.
As the sunlight passes through the earths atmosphere the energy in certain wave-
lengths is selectively absorbed. Thus both the spectrum and power density change
as the light passes through the atmosphere.
A term known as the air mass (AM) has been introduced to describe the ratio
of the path length of the solar radiation through the atmosphere to its minimum
value, which occurs when the sun is directly overhead. For the standard testing of
photovoltaic modules, it is conventional to use a spectrum corresponding to an air
mass of 1.5 (AM 1.5) but with the power density adjusted to 1000 W/m2. A cell
temperature of 25 C is also assumed. These are the conditions under which the
output of a photovoltaic module is specified and tested in the factory. They may
differ significantly from those experienced in service.
500
6 12 18 24
Time of day
Figure 2.16 Solar irradiance (and daily solar energy) on a flat plane at 48 north
500
400
W/m2
300
200
2.68 kWh/m2
2.89 kWh/m2
2.39 kWh/m2
1.49 kWh/m2
2.51 kWh/m2
100
0
6Jan 0:00 6Jan 12:00 7Jan0:00 7Jan12:00 8Jan0:00 8Jan12:00 9Jan0:00 9Jan12:00 10Jan0:00 10Jan12:00 11Jan0:00
Data credit: Stanford Solar and Wind Energy Project, LI-COR Pyranometer
pronounced in the United Kingdom. Figure 2.17 shows the effect of cloud on solar
irradiance in California.
A description of the physics of photovoltaic energy conversion is given by a
number of authors, for example Green [16], Van Overstraeton and Mertens [17] and
Markvart [18]. However, an initial understanding of the performance of a solar cell
may be obtained by considering it as a diode in which light energy, in the form of
photons with the appropriate energy level, falls on the cell and generates electron-
hole pairs. The electrons and holes are separated by the electric field established at
the junction of the diode and are then driven round an external circuit by this junc-
tion potential. There are losses associated with the series and shunt resistance of the
cell as well as leakage of some of the current back across the pn junction. This
leads to the equivalent circuit of Figure 2.18 and the operating characteristic of
Figure 2.19. Note that Figure 2.19 is drawn to show the comparison with a con-
ventional diode characteristic. The current produced by a solar cell is proportional
to its surface area and the incident irradiance, while the voltage is limited by the
forward potential drop across the pn junction.
Series losses
I = kE
Shunt losses
Current (mA)
Dark diode
Open-circuit
voltage
Voltage (V)
Light-
generated
current
Diode under
illumination
Maximum
Short-circuit power
current
4A
Max power
1000 W/m2
point
I (A)
700 W/m2
500 W/m2
21 V V (Volts)
In order to produce higher voltages and currents the cells are arranged in ser-
ies/parallel strings and packaged into modules for mechanical protection. These
robust and maintenance-free modules then have an electrical characteristic by
convention, as shown in Figure 2.20.
The maximum power output of the module is obtained near the knee of its
voltage/current characteristic. However, the output voltage, but not the current, of
the module is reduced at increased cell temperature and so the maximum output
power can only be obtained using a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) stage
on the input to the converter. A number of techniques are used to maintain operation
42 Distributed generation
at the maximum power point of the characteristic including Hill Climbing, known
sometimes as Perturb and Observe, whereby the inverter makes a small change (e.g.
increase) in the voltage applied to the module and looks to see if more power is
obtained. If more power is obtained from the module, the voltage is increased fur-
ther, if not a small decrease in voltage is made. This operates continuously.
Figure 2.21 shows the schematic diagram of an inverter for a small PV grid-
connected system. (Note that the term grid-connected is often used rather loosely to
describe small distributed generation systems, which are connected to a local utility
distribution network and not to the interconnected high voltage interconnected grid
network.) The inverter typically consists of: (1) an MPPT circuit, (2) an energy storage
element, usually a capacitor, (3) a DC:DC converter to increase the voltage, (4) a DC:
AC inverter stage, (5) an isolation transformer to ensure DC is not injected into the
network and (6) an output filter to restrict the harmonic currents passed into the net-
work, particularly those near the device switching frequencies. Very small inverters
(up to say 200 W) may be fitted to the back of individual modules, the so-called AC
module concept or larger inverters used for a number of modules, the string inverter
concept. Usually PV inverters operate at unity power factor (producing only real
power, W and not reactive power, VARs). They do not take part in system voltage
control with the low X/R ratio of LV distribution circuits leading to reactive power
flows having a very limited effect on the magnitude of network voltage.
Although all current commercial photovoltaic cells operate on the same gen-
eral principles, there are a number of different materials used. The early cells used
mono-crystalline silicon, and this is still in common use. Very large single crystals
of silicon are grown as cylinders and then cut into circular wafers and doped. The
single crystal is expensive to form but allows high efficiencies, and overall module
efficiencies up to 20% may be obtained. An alternative technique, again using bulk
silicon, is to cast poly-crystalline cubes and then cut these into square wafers.
Although a cheaper process, poly-crystalline modules are typically some 4% less
efficient due to the random crystal structure of the cells. Both mono- and poly-
crystalline silicon cells are in general use and the choice between them is generally
made on commercial grounds.
The bulk, purified silicon is expensive and so much effort has been expended
on the thin film devices where only a small volume of active material is deposited
on a cheaper, inert substrate. The active materials commonly used include
Distributed generation plant 43
amorphous silicon and cadmium telluride, but a large number of other materials
have been investigated. Thin film materials are less efficient than bulk silicon, and
in the past, the performance of some cells degraded over time. However, thin film
solar cells are extensively used in consumer products and are offered by a number
of manufacturers for general application. Research is under way on the 3rd gen-
eration of solar cells using rather different principles, but these are not yet com-
mercially significant.
2.4 Summary
References
Solar Array, RES Group Head Office Beaufort Court, Hertfordshire, England
Hybrid thermal/photovoltaic solar energy panels. The system produces electrical
energy and hot water [RES]
3.1 Introduction
a small diesel generator set would normally use a synchronous generator while a
wind turbine may employ a squirrel-cage induction generator, called a fixed speed
induction generator (FSIG) in this book, a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG)
or full power converter (FPC) connected generator. DC sources or those generating
at high frequency such as photovoltaic systems, fuel cells or micro-turbines
require a power electronic converter to interface them into the power system. The
performance and characteristics of these different types of power plant differ
significantly.
The performance of networks with distributed generation is studied using
computer programs:
load or power-flow programs to evaluate the steady-state voltages at busbars
and power flows in circuits;
fault calculators to determine the fault currents caused by different types of
faults; and
stability studies to determine the stability of the power system and/or dis-
tributed generators, normally following a fault.
j Xs R
EF
Z 0:1 j1:0 pu
and with a realistic value of Xs of 1.5 pu on the machine rating then, again on
100 MVA base
Xs j30 pu
Turbine
Generator Total source
XS impedance
C Infinite busbar
V = 1 pu
F = 50 Hz
V V, I
MVAr
cos f
AVR Transducers
MW
MVAr/cos f
Speed set point
Governor
MW set point
Thus it can be seen immediately that jXs j jZj and to a first approximation,
the synchronous generator will have a very small effect on network voltage (point
C). As a small generator cannot affect the frequency of a large interconnected
power system, then the distributed generator can be considered to be connected
directly to an infinite busbar.
Figure 3.2 is an over-simplification in one important respect in that the other
loads on the network are not shown explicitly and these may alter the voltage at the
point of connection of the generator considerably. In some smaller power systems,
changes in total system load or outages on the bulk generation system will also
cause significant changes in frequency.
48 Distributed generation
a
Speed or frequency (per unit)
1.01
P2
a
1.0
P1
b
0.99
P3
b
Output power
A similar characteristic can be set up for voltage control (Figure 3.4) with the
axes replaced by reactive power and voltage. Again, consider the droop line (ab).
At 1 pu voltage no reactive power is exchanged with the system (operating point
Q1). If the network voltage rises by 1% then the operating point moves to Q2 and
reactive power is imported by the generator, in an attempt to control the voltage rise.
Similarly if the network voltage drops the operating point moves to Q3 and reactive
power is exported to the system. Translating the droop lines to (a0 b0 ) or (a00 b00 )
allows the control to be reset for different condition of the network. The slope of
both the frequency and voltage droop characteristics can also be changed if required.
These frequency and voltage droop characteristics describe simple proportional
control systems. In practice, governor and automatic voltage regulator (AVR) con-
trols are much more complex and will include integral terms to eliminate steady-
state error. However, the principle remains that this type of controller is intended to
control the network variables (i.e. frequency or voltage) and so is appropriate for
larger generators.
Distributed generators and their connection to the system 49
1.0
Q1
b
0.99
Q3
b
It should be noted that the control scheme shown in Figure 3.2 pays no attention
to the conditions on the power system. The generator real power output is controlled
to a set point irrespective of the frequency of the system, while the reactive power is
controlled to a particular MVAr value or power factor irrespective of network vol-
tage. Clearly for relatively large distributed generators, or groups of smaller dis-
tributed generators, which can have an impact on the network this is unsatisfactory
and more conventional control schemes that provide voltage support are likely to be
appropriate [6]. These are well-established techniques used wherever a generator
has a significant impact on the power system but there remains the issue of how to
influence the owners/operators of distributed generation plant to apply them.
Operating at non-unity power factor increases the electrical losses in the generator
while varying real power output in response to network frequency will have impli-
cations for the prime mover and steam supply, if it is operated as a CHP plant. As
increasing numbers of small distributed generators are connected to the network it
will become important to coordinate their response both to steady-state network
conditions and during disturbances. This requirement for the distributed generation
to provide network support is already evident in the transmission network connec-
tion Grid Codes that are applied to the connection of large wind farms. These
require that large wind farms operate under voltage control (rather than reactive
power or power factor control) to maintain the local voltage particularly during
network disturbances and also have the capability of contributing to system fre-
quency response. It is likely that as distributed generation becomes an ever more
significant fraction of the generation on the power system, then such requirements
will become more widely applied.
Network
Prime mover
Generator
Induction
generator
Transmission Connection
Key
basic theory of induction generators and their application in small hydro generators
in Scotland in the 1950s.
In order to improve the power factor, it is common to fit local power factor
correction (PFC) capacitors at the terminals of the generator (Figure 3.6). These have
the effect of shifting the circle diagram, as seen by the network, downwards along
the y-axis. It is conventional to compensate for all or part of the no-load reactive
power demand although, as real power is exported, there is additional reactive power
drawn from the network.
Generator Source
transformer impedance
Induction PFC
generator capacitor
Soft-start unit
Bypass contactor
Figure 3.7 Soft-start unit for an induction generator (one phase only shown) [9]
a back-to-back pair of thyristors that are placed in each phase of the generator
connection. The soft start is operated by controlling the firing angle of the thyristors
so building up the flux in the generator slowly and then also limiting the current that
is required to accelerate the drive train. Once the full voltage has been applied,
usually over a period of some seconds, the bypass contactor is closed to eliminate
any losses in the thyristors. These soft-start units can be used to connect either
stationary or rotating induction generators, and with good control circuits, can limit
the magnitudes of the connection currents to only slightly more than full-load cur-
rent. Similar units are, of course, widely used for starting large induction motors.
If a large induction generator, or a number of smaller induction generators, is
connected to a network with a low short-circuit level then the source impedance,
including the effect of any generator transformers, can become significant. Hence,
the equivalent circuit (of Tutorial Chapter II) can be extended, as shown in Figure 3.8
to include the source impedance in the stator circuit.
Zs X1 R1 R2 X2
I1 I0 I2
1
V PFC Xm R2 1
s
2 MVA
Generator
2 MW Generator transformer Source
impedance
Generator ZS
#1
400 kVAr
PFC
Transmission
system
Generator
#2
400 kVAr
PFC
Generator
#10
400 kVAr
PFC
merely changing the base MVA of the calculation. This has the effect of increasing
the effective impedance of the connection to the infinite busbar by the number of
generators (i.e. ten).
Figure 3.10 (left) shows the torqueslip curve of 10 and 30, 2 MW generators.1
Increasing the number of turbines in the wind farm effectively increases the impact
of the source impedance. The ten 2 MW turbines will operate satisfactorily on the
200 MVA fault-level connection but increasing the number of turbines to 30 is not
possible.
With 30 turbines, the pull-out torque has dropped significantly to just below
1 pu (2 MW per turbine) due to the greater effect of the source impedance when
the additional generators are connected. This would lead to instability with the
generators no longer being able to transmit the torque applied by the prime mover.
1
The 10 2 MW turbines are represented by a 20 MW coherent generator and results given on a
20 MVA base. Similarly the 30 2 MW turbines are represented by a 60 MW coherent generator with
results given on a 60 MVA base.
54 Distributed generation
2 0.7
1.5 0.65
0.6
1
0.5
0.5
0 0.45
0.5 0.4
0.35
1
0.3
1.5
0.25
2 0.2
0.95 0.96 0.97 0.98 0.99 1 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Rotor speed (pu) Active power (pu)
The addition of the power factor correction capacitors translates the circle diagram
towards the origin, but the increase in number of connected machines demands more
reactive power at a given active power output, as shown in Figure 3.10 (right).
Figure 3.11 shows the variation of reactive power drawn with slip and it may be
seen that, if the 10 2 MW turbines all accelerated beyond their pull-out torque (at
around 2% slip) then some 40 MVAr (2 pu 20 MVA base) would be demanded
from the network. This will clearly lead to voltage collapse in the network although,
in practice, the generators would have tripped on over-speed or under voltage.
This steady-state stability limit might be thought of as analogous to that of a
synchronous generator (II.6). If the steady-state stability limit of a synchronous
3
2.5
Reactive power (pu)
1.5
1
Slip at pull-
0.5 out torque:
10 2 MW
0
0.05 0.04 0.03 0.02 0.01 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05
Slip
Figure 3.11 Variation of reactive power drawn from network with slip (10
2 MW coherent induction generators solid and 30 2 MW
coherent induction generators dotted)
Distributed generators and their connection to the system 55
generator is exceeded, the rotor angle increases beyond 90 and pole slipping
occurs. With an induction generator, when the pull-out torque is exceeded, excess
reactive power is drawn to collapse the voltage and the generator accelerates until
the prime mover is tripped.
For large wind farms on weak networks, including large offshore installations
which will be connected to sparsely populated coasts, this form of instability may
become critical. The voltage change in a radial circuit with an export of active
power and import of reactive power is often estimated approximately by:
PR XQ
DV 3:1
V
2
Note that as reactive power is imported by the induction generator, Q is negative with respect to the
convention used in Section 3.3.1.
56 Distributed generation
If the connection to the network is lost, the slip is small and as the stator
leakage reactance and resistance are much less than the magnetising reactance, so
the equivalent circuit of Figure 3.6 can be reduced to that of Figure 3.12 [2,8]. The
magnetising reactance is shown as variable as its value changes with current due to
magnetic saturation. Figure 3.12 represents a parallel resonant circuit with its
operating points given by the intersection of the reactance characteristics of the
capacitors (the straight lines) and the magnetising reactance that saturates at high
currents. Thus, at frequency f1 the circuit will operate at a while as the frequency
(rotational speed of the generator) increases to f2 the voltage will rise to point b. It
may be seen that the voltage rise is limited only by the saturation characteristic of
the magnetising reactance. Self-excitation may be avoided by restricting the size of
the power factor correction capacitor bank to less than that required to make the
circuit resonant at any credible generator speed (frequency) while its effect can be
controlled by applying fast acting over-voltage protection on the induction gen-
erator circuit. Many presently available power system analysis programs do not
include a representation of saturation in their induction machine models and so
cannot be used to investigate this effect. In the detailed models found in electro-
magnetic programs, saturation can be included if data is available. However, as
self-excitation, and indeed any form of islanded operation of induction gen-
erators, is a condition generally to be avoided, detailed investigation is not neces-
sary for most distributed generation schemes.
a
V jXc jXm
Capacitor
characteristic
Rotor circuit
For a given injected voltage Vr Vdr jVqr , the performance of the DFIG
wind turbine in steady state was obtained using the equivalent circuit shown in
Figure 3.15.
58 Distributed generation
X1 R1 R2/s X2
I1 I0 I2
Vs Xm Vr /s
Figure 3.16 shows the torque-slip curve of a 2 MW generator with three dif-
ferent rotor-injected voltages. The torque-slip characteristic for maximum power
extraction is also shown in the figure. When the wind speed is high (hence the torque
demanded by the speed control system shown in Figure 3.14 is high), the machine
operates in super-synchronous speeds (point A of Figure 3.16). For lower wind
speeds the machine operates in sub-synchronous speeds (point B of Figure 3.16).
5 Vr = 0.05 + j0.01 pu
4 FSIG
Vr = +0.05 j0.002 pu
3
2
Torque (pu)
1
0 A B
1 Torque for
maximum power
2
extraction
3
4
5
0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
Slip
Figure 3.16 Torqueslip curve for different rotor injections when a 2 MW DFIG
is connected to a 200 MVA busbar
In a large wind farm, each DFIG wind turbine will be subjected to different
wind speeds and the rotor-injected voltages that will be determined by the max-
imum power extraction controller are different. The torquespeed characteristic
looks very different from machine to machine. Therefore, the analysis of a network
with a DFIG wind farm may require detailed modelling of a number of generators.
In contrast, for fixed speed induction generator based wind turbines the rotor-
injected voltages are zero, as the rotors are all short circuited. Thus the torque
speed characteristics of all the machines are approximately the same. This allows
the representation of a number of generators by a single coherent machine.
Distributed generators and their connection to the system 59
Eg j XIs
Vs
Is
Vr
Pm Ps Pr
Twr Tws Pr 3:2
Pr Twr ws sTws sPs
EXAMPLE 3.1
For the wind farm shown in Figure E3.1, discuss how to achieve the Grid
Code reactive power requirements, shown in Figure E3.2. Assume that each
DFIG wind turbine has the capability curve shown in Figure 3.18.
Rated MW MW
100%
132/66 kV
90 MVA
10 %, X/R = 10
50%
20%
185 mm2 Cable
10 km
R = 0.1 /km MVAr
X = 0.132 /km
C = 0.16 F/km A E C D B
To 9 To 10 To 9
2 MW 2 MW 2 MW
turbines turbines turbines
The system shown in Figure E3.1 was simulated using the load flow of
the IPSA computer package. Figure E3.3 shows the active and reactive power
at the point of connection of the wind farm for different turbine operating
points. The solid lines show the Grid Code reactive power requirements
(Figure E3.2 translated for the wind farm). The two dotted curves are for 0.95
leading and lagging operation of all wind turbines. Points A and B are for
100% and 90% of power output respectively with the maximum reactive
power capability of all wind turbines. The shaded area, bounded by curve AB
Distributed generators and their connection to the system 61
and the Grid Code requirement, indicates an area where the wind farm cannot
fulfil the Grid Code requirements.
55
A
50
45 B
All generators
Active power (MW)
40 at 0.95 leading
35
30 All generators
at 0.95 lagging
25
20
15
10
30 20 10 0 10 20 30
Reactive power (MVAr)
Figure E3.3 Active and reactive power at the point of connection of the
wind farm
0.8
0.6
0.4
Reactive power (pu)
0.2
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Active power (pu)
Local
transformer
Wind turbine
Generator Network
generator
converter converter
For large (>400 MW) offshore wind farms a long way offshore (>100 km), it
may be cost effective to use HVDC (high voltage DC). HVDC can use one of the
two technologies, current source converter (CSC) and voltage source converter
(VSC), as shown in Figure 3.20. The CSC-based HVDC schemes are preferred for
applications where power flow is very large (up to 3000 MW) and where there are
synchronous generators to provide a commutating voltage at each end of the DC
link. For distributed generation and for DC interfaces of moderate power wind
farms, VSCs are becoming the preferred choice.
For assessing their impact on the power system, VSCs can be represented by a
voltage behind a reactor as shown in Figure 3.21. This representation can be used for
VSC HVDC as well as full power converter wind turbines and even some photo-
voltaic systems.
Generally a phase locked loop (PLL) is employed to obtain the grid or gen-
erator side voltage (busbar B) phase angle and frequency. A controller then turns
ON and OFF the switches in the VSC to generate a voltage at busbar A with a phase
angle relative to busbar B (depending on the control strategy). For system studies,
neglecting higher-order harmonics generated by the VSC, this is represented by two
voltage sources with reactive coupling between them.
With a VSC, sinusoidal current can only be injected if the IGBTs are switched
rapidly. This leads to electrical losses, which may not be as commercially significant
in a large motor drive as they will be in a distributed generation scheme. Thus, for
large generators alternative arrangements may be considered including the use of
multi-level inverters to combine a number of voltage sources or by combining mul-
tiple inverters together through transformers of differing vector groups to form multi-
phase inverters. The technique chosen will depend on an economic appraisal of the
capital cost and the cost of losses, and as technology in this area is developing rapidly
Distributed generators and their connection to the system 63
Grid
transformer
Grid
transformer
Figure 3.20 Power electronic converter interfaces for large wind farms
Control and
firing pulse PLL
generation
Power X
A B
VSC Wind turbine
generator or grid
so the most cost-effective technique at any rating will change over time. Future
developments of power electronic converters for distributed generation plant may
involve the use of soft-switching converters to reduce losses, resonant converters are
already used in small photovoltaic generators, and include other converter topologies
that eliminate the requirement for the explicit DC link.
64 Distributed generation
P jQ
I 3:3
VS
VR VS IR jX 3:4
Combining (3.3) and (3.4), and assuming the sending end voltage (VS) as the
reference (i.e. VS VS 0 ):
P jQ
VR VS R jX
VS
3:5
RP XQ XP RQ
VS j
VS VS
jX R
P+jQ
VS VR
Sending Receiving
end end
Network equivalent
VS
V
IX
VR
I IR
Phasor diagram
The right-hand side of (3.5) has sending end voltage, VS, a component of
voltage drop in phase with VS and a component of voltage drop perpendicular to
VS. From the phasor diagram shown in Figure 3.22:
RP XQ
jDVj 3:6
VS
XP RQ
jdVj 3:7
VS
For a distribution circuit |dV| is normally neglected as the angle between VR and VS
is very small. This approximation then allows a simple scalar approximate calcu-
lation of voltage drop (rise).
In a transmission circuit as X R, the R terms in (3.6) and (3.7) are neglected.
These direct calculations are only possible if the sending end voltage and the
sending end powers are known (so defining the current directly). Often the quantities
known are the sending end voltage, VS, and the receiving end active and reactive
powers. This demands an iterative approach to find the receiving end voltage. If the
receiving end active and reactive powers are P0 and Q0 respectively, then:
P0 jQ0
I 3:8
VR
EXAMPLE 3.2
A 10 MW load of 0.9 power factor (pf) lagging (absorbing (VArs)) is con-
nected to a 33 kV system through a cable of resistance 1.27 W and reactance
1.14 W. What is the receiving end voltage?
Answer:
Select: base MVA = 10 MVA and base voltage = 33 kV
Active power of the load: 10 MW = 1 pu
Since cos f = 0.9, f = 25.8
Reactive power of the load = 10 tan25:8 = 4.8 MVAr = 0.48 pu
Impedance base = 33 103 2 =10 106 108:9 W
66 Distributed generation
1 1 j0:48
VR 1 0:012 j0:01
1
0:9830:2
1
Substituting VR again in (3.9):
2 1 j0:48
VR 1 0:012 j0:01
0:983 0:2
0:982 0:23
n1 n
The above iterative procedure can be repeated until jVR VR j e,
where e is a constant of convergence.
P2 + jQ2
Bus 1 V1
V Bus 2
Z12 V2
I12 I21
I13 I23
Z13 Z23
I31 I32
V3
Bus 3
P3 + jQ3
If the current from the generator is I1, by applying Kirchhoffs current law to
Bus 1:
V1 V2 V1 V3
I1 I12 I13 3:10
Z12 Z13
Defining the admittance as the reciprocal of the impedance (thus Y12 1=Z12 and
Y13 1=Z13 ), (3.10) was rewritten as:
I1 Y12 V1 V2 Y13 V1 V3
3:11
Y12 Y13 V1 Y12 V2 Y13 V3
I2 I21 I23
Y12 V2 V1 Y23 V2 V3 3:12
Y12 Y23 V2 Y12 V1 Y23 V3
where I2 is the negative value of the load current drawn by the load P2 jQ2.
By applying Kirchhoffs current law to Bus 3:
I3 I31 I32
Y13 V3 V1 Y23 V3 V2 3:13
Y13 Y23 V3 Y13 V1 Y23 V2
where I3 is the negative value of the load current drawn by the load P3 jQ3.
Equations (3.11), (3.12) and (3.13) in matrix form:
2 3 2 32 3
I1 Y12 Y13 Y12 Y13 V1
4 I2 5 4 Y12 Y12 Y23 Y23 54 V2 5 3:14
I3 Y13 Y23 Y13 Y23 V3
|{z}
Admittance matrixy
X
N X
N
Ik yki Vi ykk Vk yki Vi 3:15
i1 i1
i6k
where yki is the element in the kth row and ith column of the admittance matrix.
68 Distributed generation
From (3.15):
Ik 1 XN
Vk y Vi 3:16
ykk ykk i1 ki
i6k
For a load:
Pk jQk
Ik 3:17
Vk
From (3.18):
2 3
1 1 6Pk jQk X
N
0 7
Vk 4 0
yki Vi 5
ykk V k i1
i6k
1
Now solve for Vk for all the busbars. The iterative process can be accelerated
1
if all the calculated values of Vk are used for subsequent calculations. For example
1 1
when calculating V3 , the calculated value of V2 is used.
The process is repeated until:
n1 n
Vk Vk e
2 3
1 6P3 jQ3 X
3
7
V3 4 y3i Vi 5 3:20
y33 V3 i1
i63
f1 V2 ; V3 C1 3:21
f2 V2 ; V3 C2 3:22
0 0 0 0
f1 V2 DV2 , V3 DV3 C1 3:23
0 0 0 0
f2 V2 DV2 , V3 DV3 C2 3:24
70 Distributed generation
0 0 0 @f2 0 @f2
f2 V2 , V3 DV2 DV3 C2 3:26
@V 0 @V 0
2 V 3 V
2 3
In matrix form:
" # " # " #
0 0 @f1 @f1 0
C1 f1 V2 , V3 @V2 @V3 DV2
0 0 @f2 @f2 0 3:27
C2 f2 V2 , V3 @V2 @V3 0
V2 , V0 DV3
|{z3}
Jacobian matrix 4;5
0 0
Equation (3.27) is solved to obtain DV2 and DV3 . Then V2 and V3 were updated as:
1 0 0
V2 V2 DV2
1 0 0
V3 V3 DV3
n1 n
The same procedure was repeated until jVk Vk j e, where e is a constant of
convergence.
For a large meshed network where there are PV buses and PQ buses, the formation
of Jacobian matrix is more complex and more details can be found in References 4 and 5.
EXAMPLE 3.3
A large generator, G1,3 is connected to Bus 1 of Figure E3.4 and maintains the
voltage of that bus at 1:10 . Two loads connected to Bus 2 and 4 are 1 j0.5 and
0.5 j0.25 pu respectively. DG1 (a distributed generator) generates active power
of 0.5 pu and absorbs reactive power of 0.2 pu. All the per unit quantities are on a
10 MVA base. Use the GaussSeidel method to determine the busbar voltages.
Figure E3.4
3
In a study of Distributed Generation G1 represents the main power system.
Distributed generators and their connection to the system 71
Bus 1 is chosen as the slack bus. Therefore, (3.18) was applied to Buses 2, 3
and 4.
For Bus 2:
2 3
1 6P2 jQ2 X
4
7
V2 4 y2i Vi 5
y22 V2 i1
i62
1 1 j0:5
10 20j1:10 2040jV 2040jV
V2
3 4
50 100j
3:28
4
In (3.18), it was assumed that P and Q are flows from the busbar to the load. For the DG1,
P flows towards the busbar and Q flows from the busbar.
72 Distributed generation
1
Similarly to (3.29) but assuming that V2 has already been calculated:
" #
1 1 0:5 j0:2 1
V3 20 40j V2 3:30
20 40j V0
3
For Bus 4:
2 3
1 6P4 jQ4 X
4
7
V4 4 y4i Vi 5
y44 V4 i1
i64
1 0:5 j0:25
20 40j V2
20 40j V4
Similarly as (3.30):
" #
1 1 0:5 j0:25 1
V4 20 40j V2 3:31
20 40j 0
V4
To solve (3.29), (3.30) and (3.31) the Gauss-Siedal method is used. With
0 0 0
V2 , V3 and V4 equal to 1:00 , from (3.29):
1 1 1j0:5
V2 1122j 2040j1:00 2040j1:00
50 100j 1:00
1:0120:3
1 0
With V2 1:012 0:3 and V3 1:00 , from (3.30):
1 1 0:5 j0:2
V3 20 40j 1:012 0:3
20 40j 1:00
1:0130:3
1 0
With V2 1:012 0:3 and V4 1:00 , from (3.31):
1 1 0:5 j0:25
V4 20 40j 1:012 0:3
20 40j 1:00
1:002 0:8
The following table shows the values of busbar 2, 3 and 4 voltages. The
iterations were repeated until all voltages converged.
Distributed generators and their connection to the system 73
Iteration V2 V3 V4
1 1:012 0:3 1:0130:3 1:002 0:8
2 1:018 0:5 1:0190:2 1:008 0:9
3 1:023 0:6 1:0240 1:013 1:0
4 1:027 0:7 1:028 0:1 1:017 1:1
.. .. .. ..
. . . .
19 1:043 1:0 1:044 0:4 1:033 1:4
20 1:043 1:0 1:044 0:4 1:033 1:4
EXAMPLE 3.4
In the circuit shown in Example IV.2 (in Tutorial Chapter IV), calculate the
fault current resulting from a fault at the end of the line.
Answer:
The per unit equivalent circuit is given by:
j 0.15 j 0.1
1 pu 0.918 + j 4.59
74 Distributed generation
Sb 100 106
Ib p p 1749:5 A
3VL 3 33 103
EXAMPLE 3.5
The drawing shows the synchronous generator of a solar thermal power plant
connected to a radial system.
220 kV
Grid in-feed
50 km 25 km 5 km
Using a 100 MVA base, change all the parameters into per unit. A three-
phase short circuit fault occurs at the 69 kV busbar of the 69/22 kV trans-
former substation. Calculate the fault current in per unit and amperes that
flows from the infinite busbar and the generator.
Answer:
X00 is the reactance of the generator at the moment a fault occurs. On 100
MVA base X00 = 0.2 100/10 = j2 pu.
The following table gives the base impedance (ZB) and the per unit
reactance of each line, neglecting resistance.
5
If all network resistances are neglected, the resulting fault currents will be slightly high and so
the calculation is generally conservative. The j operator may be ignored.
Distributed generators and their connection to the system 75
1 pu
j0.31 j 0.18 j0.52
1 pu
j 0.375 j 0.258
j2
Fault current flowing from the infinite busbar = 1/(0.31 0.18 0.525)
= 0.985 pu.
Fault current flowing from the generator = 1/(2 p0.375
0.258) = 0.38 pu.
The base current on 220 kV network is 100106 = 3 220103 262:4A.
Therefore, the fault current flowing from the infinite busbar = 0.985
262.4 = 258.5 A. p
The base current on the 22 kV network is 100 106 = 3 22 103
2624:3 A.
Therefore, the fault current flowing from the infinite busbar = 0.38
2624.3 = 997.2 A.
networks: positive, negative and zero. The relationship between the phase voltages
and sequence network voltages is given by (IV.33) and repeated here:6
2 3 2 32 3
VA0 1 1 1 VA
1
4 VA1 5 4 1 l l2 54 VB 5 3:32
3
VA2 1 l2 l VC
X IA
A A
X IB
B B
X IC
C C
6
l ej2p=3 or 120 phase shift.
Distributed generators and their connection to the system 77
From (3.36), it may be seen that each component voltage drop only depends on
that component current and the reactance.
Figure 3.25 shows the cross section of a cable. As the three conductors are
equally spaced, the cable may be considered a symmetrical element with similar
distribution of magnetic flux around each conductor. For such a symmetrical non-
rotating element, the positive and negative sequence inductances are equal.
Conductor
Sheath
The flux that links with the sheath (which is earthed) determines the zero
sequence inductance, with a different value to the other two sequence components.
A section of an overhead line is shown in Figure 3.26. In this case flux linkages
between different phases are not equal and therefore the positive and negative
sequence inductances are different [5].
Shield wire
Conductor
A-phase
Conductor
B-phase
Conductor
C-phase
opposite direction to the rotor. Therefore with respect to the rotor that magnetic
field rotates at twice the rotor speed. These differences lead to different positive
and negative sequence impedances.
Consider an ideal, balanced three-phase source shown in Figure 3.27 where
neutral point, N, is earthed through an impedance Zn.
IA
A
VA
VB N VC
IB
B
IC
Zn C
The internal generated voltages of each phase are given by the following three
equations where E is the rms value of the internal voltage and:
9
EA E0 E =
EB E 120 E240 l2 E 3:37
;
EC E 240 E120 lE
From (3.32) and (3.37) (note that from Figure IV.8 of the Tutorial Chapter IV
1 l l2 0, 1 2l3 3 and 1 l2 l4 0):
2 3 2 32 3 2 3
VA0 1 1 1 E 0
1
4 VA1 5 4 1 l l2 54 l2 E 5 4 E 5 3:38
3
VA2 1 l2 l lE 0
From (3.38), it is clear that the ideal three-phase source does not produce any
negative or zero sequence voltages. Therefore, a three-phase source can be repre-
sented by three sequence networks where the positive sequence network has a voltage
equal to EA E and the negative and zero sequence networks have zero voltages.
Three sequence voltages are represented behind the internal impedance of the
source. With positive sequence impedance of Z1, the positive sequence network
with respect to the neutral was obtained as:
Finally with zero sequence impedance of Z0, the zero sequence network with
respect to earth was obtained as:
Since the impedance between the neutral and earth is Zn, then:
VN IA IB IC Zn 3:42
VN 3IA0 Zn 3:43
Three sequence networks for a three-phase source are shown in Figure 3.28. If
the source is delta connected or star connected without a neutral then Z0 ! 1.
Z0
Z1
VA1 Z2 VA2 Z0 VA0
EA 3Zn
For a transformer, the positive and negative sequence impedances are equal.
Depending on the connection used for the primary and secondary of the transfor-
mer, the zero sequence component current is transferred from the primary to sec-
ondary or is blocked (Table 3.1).
Once the sequence component networks of the power system are known, then
the asymmetrical currents are obtained by connecting the networks in different
arrangements. The connection of three sequence networks depends on the type of
the fault:
A line-to-earth fault through a fault impedance, Zf, is shown in Figure 3.29.
80 Distributed generation
VA
IA
Zs
Zf
EA
N
IB
Zn
IC
V1 V2
V1 V2
X
Zero sequence current
enters the transformer from
V1 V2 the primary side but will not
flow to the secondary side
as the unearthed star blocks
the zero sequence current.
X
V1 V2
In this case, the fault current in the B and C phases are zero and fault current
only flows in A phase. From symmetrical components, when IB IC 0:
2 3 2 32
3
IA0 1 1 1 IA
6 7 16 76 7
4 IA1 5 4 1 l l2 54 0 5
3
IA2 1 l2 l 0 3:45
1
;IA0 IA1 IA2 IA
3
VA IA Zf 3:46
Z0
Z1
VA1 Z2 VA2 Z0 VA0
EA 3Zn
3Zf
The formation of the sequence networks for other types of faults are given in
Appendix (A3.1).
82 Distributed generation
EXAMPLE 3.6
For the circuit shown, on 50 MVA base the sequence impedances of the
components are:
A single phase to earth fault occurred at the mid point of the line. Find
the fault current.
33 kV Circuit
Grid 400
MVA
Answer:
Positive sequence network:
The fault level at the grid in-feed = 400/50 pu = 8 pu.
Source impedance = 1/8 pu = 0.125 pu.
Transformer impedance = 0.1 pu.
Line impedance = 0.6/2 = 0.3 pu.
Therefore, the total positive sequence impedance to the fault:
j 0.525 pu
1 pu Fault
point
j 0.4 pu
Fault
point
Fault
point
Z0 j0:75=2 j0:375 pu
For a single phase to earth fault, three sequence networks are connected in
series. Assuming that the fault impedance Zf = 0, the equivalent circuit for a
line-to-earth fault is given by:
j 0.525 pu
1 pu Fault
point
j 0.4 pu
j 0.375 pu
1 1
IA0 IA1 IA2 IA 0:77 pu
3 0:525 0:4 0:375
84 Distributed generation
Sb 50 106
Ib p 874:78 A
3Vb 3 33 103 = 3
Bus 7
Distributed generator
Table 3.5 Load data (all loads have a lagging power factor)
7
Note that for a load, lagging power factor means it absorbs reactive power.
86 Distributed generation
P = 8.0
Q = 2.5
Bus 7
DG
P = 7.99
Q = 2.5
Bus 7
DG
Figure 3.32 Power flows in peak and minimum loading conditions (P in MW and
Q in MVAr)
factor, the voltage profile is improved. The voltage profile can be improved further
by operating the distributed generator at 0.95 lagging pf (exporting VArs). The
converse is true when the distributed generator operates at a leading power factor
(importing VArs). Under minimum loading conditions the case without the dis-
tributed generator shows minimum losses and a good voltage profile. The connec-
tion of the distributed generator increases the voltages at the busbars and excess
power is now transmitted back to the grid thus increasing the losses.
2. Effect on load compensation
As shown in Table 3.6, the voltages at remote busbars when the distributed gen-
erator is not in operation are below the limit. It is customary to use line drop
compensation (LDC) on the automatic voltage controller (AVC) of the on-load tap
changing (OLTC) transformer to address this [16]. The LDC controls the voltage at
a remote point downstream of the OLTC transformer. One concern utilities have
over distributed generator connection is possible interaction with LDC when the
distributed generator feeds power back to the grid. This is a reversal of the con-
ventional power flow to which the AVC with LDC is designed to respond.
This case was simulated by designing the AVC with LDC to maintain the
voltage at Bus 6 at 0.95 pu. Figure 3.33 shows the voltages at each busbar for peak
loading condition without the distributed generator and minimum loading condition
with the DG (operating at 0.95 lagging pf). As can be seen from the top diagram of
Figure 3.33, the voltage at Bus 6 has increased from 0.932 to 0.953, thus showing
the expected LDC operation. However, when the DG is connected the voltage at
P = 7.99
Q = 1.98
Bus 7
DG
Bus 6 becomes much higher than the reference setting. This can be explained using
the voltage reference signal to the AVC that is given by Reference 16:
Vref VM IP R IQ X 3:49
where Vref is the reference signal to the AVC, VM is the measured voltage of the
transformer secondary, IP and IQ are the active and reactive component of the
current flowing from secondary side to primary side of the generator respectively,
and R and X are the compensation resistance and reactance respectively.
When the DG is connected, both active and reactive currents of line section 2-3
reverse (see the lower diagram of Figure 3.33), whereas the power in other lines
remains the same as in the previous case (but lower values due to minimum loading).
The dominant effect comes from the line section 2-3 where IP, IQ, R and X are much
greater than that of other line sections. The reverse power on this line section increases
the reference setting of the AVC.
Thus, for this example, LDC continues to work satisfactorily with a distributed
generator connected to one of the outgoing circuits. This may not always be the
case with multiple outgoing circuits or if the sign of the IQ X term is made negative
to give negative reactance compounding [16].
3. Fault studies
A three-phase fault was applied to Bus 5 with and without DG and fault current flows in
MVA are shown in Figure 3.34. It can be seen that with DG the fault current flowing
through switchgear at busbars 3 and 4 has increased from 72 MVA to 91 MVA.
1.005
Fault
Without DG
28.72
Fault
MVA
Bus 7
DG
DG connected to Bus 3
Grid supply Vs
STATCOM-ES
Terminal voltage
Vs
+1.25
+0.75
+0.25
0.25
0.75
1.25
0.759 0.763 0.767 0.771 0.775 0.779
Injected current and switch current
I_switch Is
+0.04
0.04
0.759 0.763 0.767 0.771 0.775 0.779
Time (s)
Line-to-line fault
For a line-to-line fault as shown in Figure 3.37, IA 0, IB IC If and
VB VC If Zf .
IA
Zs
EA
N
IB
Zn VB
If
IC Zf
VC
If l l2 IA1 3:53
Substituting for If from (3.53) into (3.51) and divided by l l2 , the fol-
lowing equation was obtained:
From (3.50) and (3.54), the connection of sequence networks for a line-to-line
fault was obtained (Figure 3.38).
Zf
IA1 IA0
IA2
Z1 Z 0
VA1 Z2 VA2 Z0 VA0
ER 3Zn
Line-to-line-to-earth fault
For a line-to-line-to-earth fault shown in Figure 3.39, VB VC 0.
92 Distributed generation
VA
IA
Zs
EA
N
Zn IB
VB
IC
VC
IA1 IA0
IA2
Z1 Z0
VA1 Z2 VA2 Z0 VA0
ER 3Zn
References
4.1 Introduction
loss of mains and the generator then disconnected. Finally, the addition of dis-
tributed generation to a distribution network may alter the flows of network fault
current in subtle ways and so lead to maloperation of conventionally designed
distribution network protection systems.
When the insulation fails in a power system and a short-circuit fault occurs,
excessive currents, perhaps as high as 20 times the load current, will flow.1 These
high currents may further damage the plant in which the insulation failure has
occurred or damage the other items of equipment through which the fault current
flows. These large fault currents can lead to fires or create hazardous voltages and
are not allowed to persist for more than a second or two. Electrical protection
schemes are used to isolate rapidly the faulty piece of plant while maintaining the
sound pieces of equipment in service in order to ensure minimum disruption of
supplies to customers. The large short-circuit currents disturb the operation of the
power system, particularly by depressing the voltage, and so faults are isolated
rapidly to maintain both voltage quality and stability of the system.
Different protection schemes have been developed to protect items of plant or
sections of the distribution network. It is conventional to divide the distribution net-
work into a number of zones to ensure discrimination is obtained and only the smallest
possible section of network is isolated for any fault. Most distribution network pro-
tection is designed to respond to fault current that is supplied by the large central
generators. These are electrically remote from faults on the distribution system and so
the magnitude of fault currents is determined mainly by the impedance of the trans-
mission and distribution networks. Thus, in traditional distribution network protection
design, the fault currents are well defined and quite easy to calculate. The addition of
generation located within the distribution network leads to more complex flows of
fault current that no longer comes only from the transmission network. In addition
many of the new types of generation use either induction generators or are connected to
the network through power electronic converters, whose ability to provide fault current
is determined both by the capability of the inverter and also by their control systems.
1
The terms short circuit and fault are used interchangeably in this chapter.
2
The short circuit or fault level is the short-circuit or fault current that would flow in the event of a short
circuit or fault multiplied by the nominal prefault voltage at that point of the network.
Fault currents and electrical protection 97
that approaches the short-circuit rating of the switchgear and other components of
the system. This is typically the case in the centres of cities and in industrial plants
where the short-circuit level is kept high to minimise voltage changes caused by the
high currents drawn when connecting large loads and starting large motors. If the
short-circuit level is already high, then adding any distributed generation may lead
to excessive short-circuit levels. In these circumstances the distributed generator
will be refused permission to connect to the network.
The rapid and reliable detection of faults using short-circuit current from dis-
tributed generators is difficult due to their relatively small ratings and the long
clearance times of distribution protection systems with only small fault currents. A
small distributed generator, with the same per unit machine parameters on its rating
as that of a large generator, will provide fault current only in proportion to the
machine sizes and ratings. Distribution networks are often protected with time-
delayed over-current protection that, because of the way it is set (or graded), can
require fault currents considerably higher than the circuit continuous rating in order
to operate quickly. Thus, the ability of a small generator to provide adequate fault
current requires careful attention during the design of the distributed generation
scheme.
component. The short-circuit time constants (T0 and T00 ) and the armature
time constant (Ta) are not fixed values but depend on the location of the fault. In
particular,
X00 Xe
Ta 4:2
wR a Re
where Xe = external reactance (to the fault), Re = external resistance (to the fault),
Ra = armature resistance.
Synchronous machine impedances have X/R ratios that are much larger than
those of distribution circuits. Hence, a fault close to a synchronous generator will
have an armature time constant (Ta) and DC component that lasts much longer than
for a remote fault. This is an important consideration for distributed generation
schemes. Traditional, passive distribution systems, fed from high-voltage (HV)
networks through a succession of transformers and circuits with some resistance
can be considered to have fault currents with a very rapid decay of the DC offset
and an essentially constant AC component. In contrast, faults close to generators, or
large motors, will have slower decaying DC offset and decaying AC components.
This is recognised in IEC or BS EN 60909 [6] that recommends two different
calculation approaches for these two situations, i.e. the far-from-generator-short-
circuit and the near-to-generator-short-circuit. Engineering Recommendation
G74 [7] also discusses the various computer-based modelling approaches that may
be used to represent this effect.
Figure 4.1 shows a simulation of the response of a synchronous generator to a
close-up and remote fault. (For clarity, only the phase with maximum offset is
shown.) Obviously the fault current is much larger for the close-up fault than for
the remote fault. The close-up fault shows the longer decay in the DC component
and the reducing AC component. The remote fault shows the very rapid decay of
the DC component and only a very small reduction in the AC current with time.
A circuit breaker close to a synchronous generator has a more onerous duty when
breaking fault current than one in a passive distribution network and so old dis-
tribution circuit breakers, which were never intended to be used close to synchronous
generators, may need to be changed when distributed generation is installed.
Figure 4.2 shows a curve that is a typical of those supplied by manufacturers to
describe the fault current capability of a small synchronous generator on to a three-
phase fault at its terminals. In this case the current is expressed in rms values with
logarithmic scales on the axes. It may be seen that the expected decay occurs up to,
say, 200 ms but then the excitation system operates to boost the fault current back
up to three times full-load output (by increasing EF in (4.1)). This is necessary as
distribution protection is usually time-graded and so sustained fault current is
required if current operated protection is to function effectively. This ability to
boost the fault current depends critically on the excitation scheme that has been
chosen. Depending on the generator design, a 3 per unit (pu) sustained fault current
on to a terminals short circuit may require field forcing to an internal voltage of
810 times that needed at no-load.
Fault currents and electrical protection 99
15
Sub-transient
10
Current (pu)
Transient
5
Steady state
0
5
0 100 200 300 400 500
Time (ms)
(a) Close-up fault
15
10
Current (pu)
5
0 100 200 300 400 500
Time (ms)
(b) Remote fault
Figure 4.1 Fault current of a synchronous generator (phase with maximum offset)
10 3 Full load
Current (kA)
Full load
1
0.1
0.001 0.01 0.1 1.0 10
Time (s)
X1 R1 R2 sX2
I1 I2
V1 E1 Er2 Vr
Figure 4.3 Induction machine equivalent circuit (motor convention). The rotor is
short circuited in a squirrel-cage machine, Vr is then zero.
If a fault occurs on the power system, the terminal voltage, V1, will be reduced
(the magnitude of the reduction depends on the location of the fault). However,
immediately after the fault, the magnetic field, f, will not change, thus E1 will be
same as its pre-fault value. So the stator current will be reversed and the induction
machine feeds into the fault. The magnitude of fault current will depend on the
relative magnitudes and phases of E1 and V1.
Under normal operating conditions or for a remote fault (where V1 is suffi-
ciently large to supply the magnetising current), the stator produces a magnetic field
which rotates at ws. When the rotor is rotating at wr, there will be relative motion
between the rotor conductors and the stator magnetic field equal to ws wr sws .
Thus the magnitude of the rotor-induced emf Er2 is given by:
where f is the magnetic field at the air gap and k is a proportional constant.
3
For a single-cage rotor construction, the rotor resistance and reactance are essentially constant. How-
ever for a double-cage (deep bar) rotor construction, the rotor resistance decreases with the slip, and the
rotor reactance increases with the slip [9]. During normal operation the slip (s) is small (around 1%)
and the frequency of the induced rotor currents is low. Hence, the currents are distributed across the
depth of the rotor bars to give a low value of resistance and a high value of reactance. When the slip
approaches 1 (locked rotor conditions) the currents are concentrated near the surface of the rotor by the
skin effect, and the rotor resistance increases and the rotor reactance decreases.
Fault currents and electrical protection 101
Er2
I2 4:4
R2 jsX2
The situation is different for a three-phase fault at the terminals of the induction
generator. Due to the fault, V1 becomes zero. The magnetic field (f) will not diminish
immediately after the fault but will cease to rotate. As the rotor continues to rotate at
wr, the relative movement between the rotor conductors and the magnetic field is
equal to wr. Thus the magnitude of the rotor-induced emf Er2 fault is given by [9,11]:
Then, the frequency of the rotor-induced emf is equal to wr/2p. Therefore, the
rotor reactance will be (wr/ws)X2 (as the locked rotor value X2 is calculated for the
synchronous frequency, ws/2p). Thus, the rotor current during a fault is given by:
Er2 fault
I2 fault 4:6
R2 jwr =ws X2
I2 fault 1=s
4:7
I2 1 jX2 =R2
2.5
Fault current (kA)
1.5
0.5
0.5
1.5
2.5
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Time (s)
Figure 4.4 Fault current of an induction generator with a three-phase fault at its
terminals (phase shown with minimum DC offset)
102 Distributed generation
An expression similar to (4.1) may be used to describe the fault current con-
tribution of an induction generator to a three-phase fault at its terminals. However,
due to difficulties with obtaining data it is often reduced to:
V1 00
It coswt let=T coslet=Ta 4:8
X00
where (see Figure II.15 for resistances and reactances)
X20 Xm
X00 X1
X20 Xm
X00
T00
wR20
X00
Ta
wR1
X20 and R20 are the stator-referred rotor reactance and resistance.
As for a synchronous generator, any external impedance involved must be
added to the stator impedance.
Unbalanced faults on the network may lead to sustained fault currents from
induction generators and in some cases a rise in current on the unfaulted phase(s).
Appropriate computer simulations are required for an accurate representation of the
behaviour of an induction generator feeding a sustained unbalanced fault.
The fault current from an induction generator is generally not relied upon for
the operation of any protective relays. Therefore, when a fault occurs on a dis-
tribution system connected to an induction generator, the fault current from the
network source is used to operate the distribution system over-current protection.
This isolates the generator and so over-voltage, over-frequency or loss-of-mains
relays are then used to trip its local circuit breaker and prime mover. This sequential
tripping of the generator using voltage, frequency or over-speed protection is
necessary as the induction generator is not capable of providing reliable, sustained
fault current.
25 15
17 9
9 3
kA
kA
1 3
7 9
15 15
9.9 10 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 9.9 10 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5
Time (s) Time (s)
Stator current Rotor current
Figure 4.5 Simulation of fault current of a DFIG without crowbar operation [13]
104 Distributed generation
Practical DFIG converters are often designed to carry only a limited over-load
current. Therefore, excessively large rotor currents are not allowed to flow in the
rotor circuit. In order to protect the power electronic converters, a crowbar is often
employed that short circuits the rotor circuit through an impedance. The subsequent
operation of the DFIG is then very similar to an induction generator with increased
rotor impedance (rotor impedance plus crowbar impedance). Therefore, (4.8) can
be used for the DFIG fault current with increased R20 and/or X20 (this depends on the
crowbar impedance, but typically a resistor is used in the crowbar circuit) and
w 1 sws .
Fault currents of the network, after the connection of a new distributed generator,
may be greater than the short-circuit capability of the existing switchgear and
cables. This may require replacing the switchgear (and other equipment) with that
of a higher short-circuit rating. However, such upgrades are not easy due to:
(a) high replacement cost, (b) disruption to the supply during the construction
period and (c) the short-circuit ratings of presently available plant may soon
become inadequate. Other than replacing the existing switchgear, there are several
Fault currents and electrical protection 105
methods that can be used to reduce the fault current in the power system to an
acceptable level. These methods include: (a) network splitting, (b) current limiting
reactors, (c) current limiting fuses and (d) fault current limiters [16,17].
series with the line, a superconducting cylinder (which forms a single turn second-
ary) and an iron core. The primary winding in this device is usually wound over the
superconducting cylinder. Therefore, the superconductor acts as a magnetic shield
or screen preventing primary winding flux from entering the iron. This can be
visualised as a transformer with a short-circuited secondary thus giving negligible
impedance in series with the line [18]. During a fault the superconductor moves to
its normal state, thus the transformer primary reactance acts in series with the line.
A saturated-core SFCL and some MFCL designs operate essentially on the same
basic principle. A simple construction of a saturated-core FCL is shown in Figure 4.6.
Arrangement for biasing
the core into saturation
Capacitor
Reactor 1
Thyristor
switch Reactor 2
33 kV
A
F2
Transformer
protection
33/11 kV
Point of common
coupling (PCC)
B
Interface
protection 11 kV
F1
C
IEEE1547/G59
protection
DG
11 kV/400 V Generator
protection
Loads
the distributed generator and part of the network may then operate as an island.
This condition is generally unacceptable, and protection based on rate of change
of frequency (ROCOF) is used to detect this loss of mains and trip the generator.
Star
winding
E/F
protected zone is between the neutral current transformer (CT) and phase CTs),
IA IB IC IN . Therefore, the current through the differential relay is zero. If
there is an earth fault within the protected zone, IA IB IC 6 IN and a current
flows through Relay 87, thus tripping the generator.
Stator
IA
IN IB
IC
Low
Differential
87 relay
EXAMPLE 4.1
The star point of a 6.6 kV three-phase alternator is earthed through a non-
inductive resistance of 1.75 W. The reactance of the alternator is j5 W/phase,
and its resistance is negligible. As shown in Figure E4.1 circulating current
protection is used and the relay is set to operate at 0.5 A. Determine the CT
ratio, which will ensure 90% of the winding is protected. With the CT ratio
calculated, what percentage of the winding is protected if the value of the
earthing resistor is increased to 3 W? Assume that the generator is connected
through a deltastar transformer to the network (delta on the generator side).
Answer:
The deltastar transformer blocks zero sequence current from flowing into
the fault from the distribution network, thus fault current circulates between
the generator earth and the faulted section of the winding (see Figure E4.1).
Since 90% of the winding is protected, the fault current for 10% of the
stator winding is less than the current required for relay operation.
Fault currents and electrical protection 111
Stator
If
If
If 0
Low I f
87
Figure E4.1
Assuming that the reactance of the alternator and its internal voltage are
10% of their fully rated values:
10 6:6 103
Phase voltage of the 10% of the winding p 381:05V
100 3
10
Reactance of the 10% of the winding 5 0:5 W
100
From I = V/Z, the fault current for 10% of the winding is given by:
381:05
If 209:4 A
1:752 0:52 1=2
The relay operates when the neutral current exceeds 0.5 A. Therefore for
90% of the winding to be protected
0.5 < 209.4/CT ratio
CT ratio < 418.73
Therefore a CT ratio of 400/1 was selected.
When the value of the earthing resistor is increased to 3 W, consider that
x% of the winding is protected. Then the fault current is greater than the
current required for relay operation for (100 x)% or higher of the stator
winding. Similarly to the previous case:
p
100 x=100 6:6 103 = 3
> 0:5 400 A
32 100 x=100 52 1=2
x < 83:7
Figure 4.11 shows a generator with high impedance grounding and a delta-
connected step-up transformer. The high impedance ground connection is made using a
distribution transformer so that the value of the loading resistor referred to the primary
limits the earth-fault current. This arrangement allows the use of a more robust, lower
value resistance [32]. For phase-ground faults on the generator windings, the current is
not adequate to operate a differential relay. Hence, a voltage relay is used across the
secondary of the distribution transformer. The detection of faults near the generator
neutral requires a low over-voltage relay setting. However, the voltages associated with
the low earth-fault currents may be comparable to voltages caused by 3rd harmonic
currents in the neutral and so the relay is made insensitive to 3rd harmonic voltages.
Loading Over-voltage
resistor relay
Combined phase and earth-fault protection for a generator stator can be achieved
by differential protection [32]. A high impedance relay or a relay with a biasing coil
can be applied for differential protection as shown in Figure 4.12. In both cases,
incoming current is compared with the outgoing current. If there is a phase-to-phase
fault or a phase-to-earth fault within the protected zone, there will be a difference in
the two currents and that is used to activate the relay. The high impedance relay is
normally provided with a stabilising resistor to prevent nuisance tripping.
The stators of distributed generators are often provided with thermal protec-
tion. The winding temperature can increase beyond a preset value, normally around
120 C, due to a sustained over-load or due to a failure of the cooling system.
Fault currents and electrical protection 113
Stator Stator
Thermal sensors embedded in the stator windings are then used to activate an alarm
or trip the machine. The difference of the input and output temperature of the
cooling fluid may also be used to detect overheating. For small generators, a
replica type thermal estimation device may be provided to estimate the actual
machine temperature using load current measurements.
Field Field
Exciter Exciter
winding winding
Relay Relay
V VV V2 P jQ V2 P jQ
Z
I P jQ P2 Q2 S2
V2
cos f j sin f
S
Under normal operation, cos f varies in between 0.9 lagging and 0.9 leading
(this depends on the capability of the generator), thus sin f is small. However,
when the excitation is lost as the machine draws a large amount of reactive power,
sin f increases, thus changing the impedance seen by the relay. This change in
impedance is used to detect the loss of excitation.
4.4.1.4 Loss of prime mover
When the prime mover fails, a generator can continue to operate as a motor. In this
condition, a steam turbine might over-heat due to the reduction of steam flow
across the turbine blades or loss of cooling system. In the cases of an engine-driven
system, prime mover failure may be due to mechanical damage and continuous
rotation by the generator may aggravate the situation. In a low head hydro turbine,
continuous rotation may lead to cavitation of the blades.
Fault currents and electrical protection 115
Stator
51
51
51
main generator protection. It is also used to detect faults on the interface to the
distribution network. To coordinate the operation of this relay with the downstream
relays of the interface, sufficient delay should be introduced. Further, the pickup of
the relay should be set to about 175% of the generator-rated current to accom-
modate transient currents due to a slow-clearing external fault, the starting of a
large motor, or the re-acceleration current of a group of motors.
In order to obtain the required delay and pickup current, an inverse definite
minimum time (IDMT) relay designated Type 51 is normally employed. This relay
has two adjustments, namely [32]:
1. The pickup current setting of values between 50% and 200% in 25% steps. The
100% current setting normally corresponds to the rating of the relay.
2. The operating time can be adjusted by changing the time multiplier setting
(TMS). TMS can be adjusted between 0.05 s (a smaller value of 0.025 is
possible in most numerical relays) and 1.0 s.
Due to the high pickup current setting, this over-current scheme may not
work for many faults on the distribution network. For example for a three-phase
fault at F1 on the network shown in Figure 4.8, the fault current provided by the
distributed generator decays below the pickup level of the Type 51 relay in
approximately 52 ms as shown in Figure 4.15. As the time delay of the Type 51
relay may be as high as 500 ms, the relay will not provide protection against three-
phase faults.
8
7
6
Current (pu)
5
4
3
2 Pickup current of the relay
1
0
0 100 200 300 400 500
Time (ms)
Ipickup1 Ipickup3
Ipickup2 Ipickup4
to a fault), the pickup value of the relay is decreased proportionally. For example,
at a voltage of 25% or below, the pickup value drops to Ipickup2. The voltage-
controlled approach has high pickup value (Ipickup3) when the voltage is above a
preset voltage (6080%) and the pickup current is reduced to a lower value
(Ipickup4) for voltage below the preset voltage (Figure 4.16(b)).
For the network shown in Figure 4.8, a three-phase fault at F1 reduces the
voltage seen by relay C almost to zero. If a voltage-controlled over-current relay is
employed, a pickup current (Ipickup4) of 50% of the rated may be set to operate the
relay. During normal operation as the voltage is approximately 1 pu, the Ipickup3 can
be set to a high value (e.g. 175%).
A-Phase
10.0
7.5
5.0
Voltage (kV)
2.5
0.0
2.5
5.0
7.5
10.0
2.975 3.000 3.025
4
This is a time delay introduced to take into account the circuit-breaker tripping time and any errors in
the relays.
5
According to IEEE 242-2001, when fault current of more than 20 times the CT name-plate rating are
anticipated, a different CT ratio should be selected.
120 Distributed generation
132/33 kV
OCR1
1
A
F2
33/11 kV
2
OCR2
B
OCR3
3 11 kV
OCR4
F1 DG
11 kV/400 V
Loads
EXAMPLE 4.2
Part of a distribution system is shown in Figure E4.2. All calculations are
carried out in per unit with Sbase = 100 MVA and Vbase = 11 kV.
Fault in-feed
100 MVA 3.3 kV
11 kV 11 kV 5 MVA, 10%
Fault current B
path
III
F
0.4 pu 5 MVA, 10%
A
IV
I
II
Figure E4.2
Fault currents and electrical protection 121
The 11 kV feeder (between busbar I and II) and the 11 kV/415 V transfor-
mers are protected using two IDMT relays (A and B). The relays are standard
inverse type whose characteristic is defined by t 0:14 TMS=PSM0:02 1
with the usual notation.6 The CT ratios at A and B are both 200:5.
1. If the plug settings of relays A and B are set to 150% and the TMS of
relay B is set to 0.05, calculate the TMS that should be set on relay A to
achieve a grading margin of 0.3 s.
2. Now a generator of 4.5 MVA, X0 0:25 pu (on the machine base) is
connected to busbar IV.7 What alterations are required on the over-cur-
rent protection scheme to achieve correct grading?
100 106
1. Sbase 100MVA;Vbase 11kVand so Ibase p 5249A
3 11103
The short-circuit current at bus II = 1/(1 0.4 ) = 0.708 pu = 3749 A.
Relay A B
Fault current for 3749 A 3749 A
a fault at F8
CT ratio 200:5 200:5
Plug setting 1.5 200 = 300 A 1.5 200 = 300 A
PSM (fault 3749/300 = 12.5 3749/300 = 12.5
current/PS)
Operating time t 0:14 1=12:50:02 1 t 0:14 1=12:50:02 1
for TMS = 1 2.7 s 2.7 s
As the TMS on relay B is 0.05, the actual operating time of that relay for
a fault at F = 0.05 2.7 = 0.135 s.
For proper grading, relay B should operate at least 0.3 s earlier than
relay A for a fault at F.
Therefore, the actual operating time of relay A 0.3 0.135 =
0.435 s.
As the operating time of the relay with TMS = 1 is 2.7 s, in order to
achieve the above operating time TMS of relay A should be 0.435/2.7
= 0.16.
Therefore, the value of TMS that should be set on relay A is 0.175.9
2. When the generator is connected to busbar IV, the fault current seen by
relay B increases.
The reactance of the transformer is 0.1 100/5 = 2 pu.
The reactance of the generator is 0.25 100/4.5 = 5.6 pu.
6
PSM is the ratio between the fault current and the plug setting.
7
The transient reactance X0 is used due to the delay in operation of the IDMT relays.
8
Point F and busbar II are within the same substation and therefore the fault current is the same
as that of Bus II.
9
In a numerical relay, TMS can be set in steps of 0.025, and 0.175 is the nearest value to 0.16. If
a lower value such as 0.15 is selected then the required grading margin cannot be achieved.
122 Distributed generation
The per unit equivalent circuit with the DG is given in Figure E4.3.
III
Fault current B 2 pu
path 1
F
0.4 pu Fault current 5.6 pu
1 pu
1 pu A path 2
I 1 pu
2 pu
II
IV
Figure E4.3
For a fault at F, the short-circuit current flows through two paths each
having impedance of 1.4 pu (1 0.4) and 7.6 pu (2 5.6). When calculating
the fault current, these impedances act in parallel giving an equivalent
fault impedance of 1.18 pu. Therefore, the short-circuit current = 1/1.18 = 0.85
pu = 4440 A.
As fault current divided by 20 is greater than the CT rating at B, a higher
rated CT should be selected (IEEE 242-2001).
Now select 300:5 CT at B. The new fault current at F and change in CT
ratio demand recalculating the TMS of relay A to provide grading margin
of 0.3 s.
Relay A B
Fault current for 3749 A 4450 A
a fault at F
CT ratio 200:5 300:5
Plug setting 1.5 200 = 300 A 1.0 300 = 300 A 10
PSM 3749/300 = 12.5 4450/300 = 14.8
Operating time t 0:14 1=12:50:02 1 t 0:14 1=14:80:02 1
for TMS = 1 2.7 s 2.5 s
The actual operating time of relay B for a fault at F = 0.05 2.5 = 0.125 s.
The actual operating time of relay A 0.3 0.125 = 0.425 s.
As the operating time of the relay with TMS = 1 is 2.7 s, in order to achieve
the above operating time TMS of relay A should 0.425/2.7 = 0.157.
The value of time multiplier setting of relay B need not to be changed.
10
As the CT ratio is increased the same sensitivity as the previous case can be obtained by
reducing the plug setting to 1.0.
Fault currents and electrical protection 123
Irelay If1
Zs Z1 If2 Z2 If
Grid A
in-feed Impedance
relay (Vrelay) DG Reach before
Reach after DG connected
DG connected
Assume that before the distributed generator is connected, the setting of the
impedance relay is Z1 Z2 . After DG is connected, the voltage seen by the relay
and current through the relay for a fault within its zone of protection is given by:
Since the impendence seen by the relay within the original protected zone of
zone 1 is now increased above the setting of the relay, the impedance relay will not
provide protection for the entire zone, thus under-reaching its protected zone.
A4.1 Appendix
Transformers:
25 MVA, 132/33 kV transformer, reactance = 10.0%
10 MVA, 33/11 kV transformer, reactance = 12.5%
2.5 MVA, 11/0.4 kV transformer, reactance = 5.0%
Lines:
33 kV line, length = 5 km and resistance = (0.011 j0.03) W/km
11 kV line, length = 2 km and resistance = (0.242 j0.327) W/km
Inter-tie of the DG, length = 4 km and resistance = (0.242 j0.327) W/km
DG:
4.51 MVA, Xs 2:95 pu, Xd0 0:25, X00d 0:17, Td0 0:47 and Td00 0:054 [30]
Fault in-feed:
900 MW
Load:
1 MW at 0.9 pf lagging
References
5.1 Introduction
needed for the impacts of distributed generation on the electricity system devel-
opment to be determined, covering two key areas the:
ability of distributed generation to displace the capacity of incumbent con-
ventional generation and contribute to generation capacity adequacy
ability of distributed generation to substitute for distribution network capacity
and hence contribute to delivery of network security
Peak
demand Generation 100%
Probability available at peak Generation
forecast
Capacity margin
Risk of insufficient generation (LOLP)
Figure 5.1 illustrates the relationship between the total capacity of installed
generation and the system LOLP performance. It is clear that the higher the
130 Distributed generation
installed capacity of generation (higher capacity margins) the lower the LOLP (this
moves the generation availability curve to the right and LOLP reduces). The gen-
eration capacity is considered adequate if the evaluated LOLP of a system (or
future system in the planning domain) meets the threshold level.
This approach to planning and design of generation systems worked satisfac-
torily for several decades. Various reliability indices have been applied in different
systems to evaluate adequate levels of generation capacity. More common indices
include reserve margin, loss of load probability (LOLP), loss of load expectation
(LOLE), expected energy not served (EENS) while less common indices include
loss of energy probability, frequency and duration of failures, effective load car-
rying capability and firm equivalent capacity. It should be noted that the popularity
of an index is not necessarily based on it giving a more accurate assessment of
system reliability rather it was mostly due to the ease of its use and required input
or data for its assessment.
Examples of applied reliability indices:
The North American Electricity Reliability Council (NERC) reports the use of
LOLP, LOLE and reserve margin to evaluate the adequacy of their regional
generation portfolios. Many of the regional reliability councils (regions) in
NERCs jurisdiction apply either LOLP (1 in ten years) or LOLE (0.1 day/year
or 2.4 hour/year) [1].
In Australia the reliability standard for generation and bulk supply are
expressed in terms of the maximum permissible unserved energy or the max-
imum allowable level of electricity at risk of not being supplied to consumers.
This is 0.002% of the annual energy consumption for the associated region or
regions per financial year [2].
France [3] and Republic of Ireland [4] apply LOLE criteria of 3 and 8 hours/
year, respectively, to plan their generation systems.
These traditional planning approaches have been common practice for several
decades in particular for a centrally planned thermal dominated system.
1
This assumes that there is no correlation between peak demand and the level of wind output (which is
generally conservative as wind farms in Europe tend to produce higher levels of output during winter
peak periods).
Integration of distributed generation in electricity system planning 131
50
Non-diverse wind source
Diverse wind source
Capacity credit (% of wind installed)
40
30
20
10
0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Wind penetration level (% of peak demand)
Figure 5.2 The capacity credit of wind generation versus the level of wind
penetration in the UK electricity system
132 Distributed generation
As wind generation has a relatively low capacity credit, it will displace pro-
portionately more energy produced by conventional generation than the capacity of
conventional generation. This will result in reduced utilisation of conventional
plant. More generally, the relationship between energy and capacity displaced, and
the resulting impact on average utilisation of the incumbent conventional genera-
tion, can be shown to be the primary driver for system costs associated with gen-
eration capacity:
!
DCg
DCDG 1 E CgIo 5:1
Dg
30 MW
50 50 G
MW MW
Group demand 50 MW
If the demand in this example were to grow to 55 MW, the supplying network
would no longer be adequate, thus requiring the distribution network planners to
seek some form of network reinforcements. Figure 5.4 illustrates two different
approaches available to the planning engineers, which would secure sufficient
additional capacity to make the network adequate. If the contribution of distributed
generation is ignored, a third transformer would need to be installed to meet the
security shortfall (Figure 5.4(A)). Alternatively, the distributed generator could
potentially substitute for network reinforcement (Figure 5.4(B)).
(A) (B) 30 MW
30 MW
50 50 T3 G 50 50 G
MW MW MW MW
Figure 5.4 Network (A) and generation (B) solutions to a distribution network
security of supply shortfall
MW 132 kV
100
33/66 kV
11kV
10
0.4 kV
than 100 MW, the networks should be able to not only provide supply continuity to
customers following a single circuit outage (with no loss of supply), but also pro-
vide significant redundancy to enable supply restoration following a fault on
another circuit superimposed on the existing outage, i.e. n2 security.
Hypothetical
G
perfect circuit
Same EENS
GD GD
n!
Pfrg pr qnr 5:2
r!n r!
Pij Pi Pj 5:3
Consider the case of three identical units each having a capacity C and availability
p. Using (5.1), the resulting capacity outage probability table is shown in Table 5.2.
Table 5.2 Capacity outage probability table for three identical units
In the case of three non-identical units having capacities C1, C2 and C3 with
availabilities of p1, p2 and p3 respectively, the resulting capacity outage probability
table is shown in Table 5.3.
Load is usually presented using the standard load duration curve (LDC),
schematically presented in Figure 5.7. The specified period of time T, i.e. total
horizontal axis, can be any time period of concern, e.g. one whole year, one season,
one month, etc. The time units along the horizontal axis are usually hourly values.
LDC represents the variation in load over a specified period of time in terms of the
time duration the demand exceeds a particular load level (the demand exceeds load
level L for t time units).
Integration of distributed generation in electricity system planning 137
Table 5.3 Capacity outage probability table for three non-identical units
load
t T Time
Now, we can evaluate EENS for a group of generators supplying a load given
by a load duration curve:
each state of the capacity outage probability table is superimposed on the LDC
individually as shown for one state i in Figure 5.8;
load
capacity on
energy not supplied, Ei outage
capacity
available
the energy not supplied Ei whilst in this capacity state is determined as the area
below the LDC and above the capacity available;
this value of energy is weighted by the probability of being in this capacity state;
these weighted values of energy are summated P over all capacity states;
from the concept of expectation, EENS Ei :pi .
Finally, the capacity of the perfect circuit is calculated assuming that this
capacity is constant, exists continuously and creates the same expected energy not
supplied when this capacity level is imposed on the LDC. This capacity is defined
as the effective output of the generation and the effective generation contribution is
calculated as a ratio of effective output to maximum output.
This methodology can be used to determine the contributions that generating
systems having different number of units and hence unit capacity (the total system
capacity was kept constant), and different unit availabilities, make to system
security. The results are shown in Figure 5.9.
100
90
80
Contribution (%)
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Availability (%)
Number of units
1 2 3 4 5 6 8 10
scaling factor to calculate the level output that can be guaranteed against the total
capacity of the generator.
ti Generation pattern
Power
Generation
level, Gi
Assumed Tm
0 T
this can be repeated for all generation levels between the lowest and highest
generation levels, from which a generation model can be determined. Each
capacity state is given by Gi and the cumulative probability by CPi and all
states are mutually exclusive;
the individual state probabilities are determined from the cumulative prob-
abilities. These states are imposed on the LDC in the same way as done for non-
intermittent generation.
This procedure was implemented to determine the contribution to network
security that can be expected from intermittent generation, such as wind and hydro.
As shown in Table 5.5, the longer the time period over which a certain level of
output is expected the lower the capacity contribution of the intermittent generator.
For example, if the time over which the support is required is 30 minutes, 28% of
the installed capacity of wind generation can be relied upon while this value
reduces to 11% for the time period of 24 hours.
2 x 45 MVA transformers
1.3 cyclic rating factor
.95 power factor Non-intermittent Wind farm
units 2 x 20 MW 10 MW
~ ~
Load
References
6.1 Introduction
1
The time horizon and assumptions on the locations of users, their future development and use patterns
need to be defined for the future costs to be quantified.
Pricing of distribution networks with distributed generation 145
The objective of distribution network pricing is to send signals to users on the costs
they impose on network operation and/or development. Hence it follows that in
order to calculate efficient network investment related prices, it is necessary to first
establish future network investment costs. Future network investments and the
associated costs are the outcome of network planning. Therefore, there is a close
link between network pricing and network planning. In other words network
planning is a key step in network pricing. Network prices then reflect the impact
that individual users have on the costs of the planned network.
Network planning is driven mainly by planning standards (security and safety
standards) and incentive mechanisms within the regulatory framework that may
drive investment (quality of supply, losses and incentives to connect distributed
generation). In general, the main investment drivers in distribution network design
are as follows:
1. Network security: the need to satisfy network security requirements by
investing in adequate network capacity
2. System fault levels: the requirement for adequately rated switchgear and net-
work components
3. Network losses: the need to strike an optimal balance between operating costs
and network investment
4. Service quality expenditure: the requirement to improve network performance
indicators, e.g. in the United Kingdom, Customer Interruption and Customer
Minute Lost indices
CB Contribution from
distributed
generation
Contribution from
central generation
2
Fault-level analysis is carried out routinely during network design and can be implemented easily in
the pricing exercise.
148 Distributed generation
Type of conductor
These results indicate that the optimal utilisation of distribution circuits, par-
ticularly at lower voltage levels, should be quite low. In addition, the optimal
design of circuits taking the cost of losses into account satisfies the vast majority of
security requirements at no additional cost, in cable networks up to 33 kV and
overhead lines throughout distribution systems. This result is a combination of two
effects. The first is the relatively large cost of losses due to the coincidence of high
electricity price with high demand. The second is the relative fall in the price of
cables and overhead lines due to maturity of the technology and increase in com-
petition in the manufacture of this equipment.
As losses may drive investment in circuits, then charging for use of the network
on the basis of peak demand as at present may not be appropriate as losses are
present at all times. The question of the availability of distributed generation may be
less important than is often thought if losses are considered to drive network design.
Pricing of distribution networks with distributed generation 149
In this optimisation, the capacity determined for transport applies to cables and
overhead lines only. Ratings of other items of plant such as transformers and circuit
breakers are determined on the basis of other considerations.
In this section, we discuss the fundamental principles on which charges for the
use of distribution networks with distributed generation can be evaluated. We first
discuss the link between network planning and network pricing and then introduce
two main approaches for evaluating network costs. It is also demonstrated that
efficient network pricing will have time-of-use charges to reflect the fact that dif-
ferent operating conditions have different impacts on the design of individual cir-
cuits, in distribution networks with distributed generation. Finally we discuss the
allocation of network costs showing that the users, given their pattern of operation
and location, may tend either to increase the rating of an individual network circuit
and hence they would pay for the use of that circuit, or tend to reduce the rating of
the circuit in which case they would get paid for the use of the network.
demand profiles. An assumption would be made that the system would operate
in perpetuity in this condition. The optimal network is then costed at the
modern equivalent asset value, and the resulting charges can be interpreted to
reflect the long-term cost that each particular user imposes on the network.
2. Dynamic network development models, where the network evolves from the
existing capacity of the present network over a specific time horizon; the
network reinforcements would then be identified assuming an evolving gen-
eration background (including commissioning of new plant and closures of old
plant) and evolving demand (load growth) across a number of years in future.
During the simulation, the timing of future reinforcements of individual net-
work circuits is then recorded. The annuitised net present value of all indivi-
dual circuit reinforcements is then calculated and these future reinforcement
costs (in an annuitised form) are then attributed to corresponding circuits to be
allocated to users in different locations in relation to their impacts. This is
based on the view that pricing should reflect future reinforcement costs that
will be incurred: it is only future network costs that can be saved if demand/
generation is not undertaken. The unused capacity or headroom of an indivi-
dual circuit will be important when determining the time in the future when
reinforcement is required. The larger the headroom, the further into the future
reinforcement will be required. The resulting charges would then reflect the
net present value of costs of all future network reinforcements that each par-
ticular user will impose on the network.
(i.e. their operation contributes to an increase in the critical flow), would pay
for the use of that circuit, while users who tend to reduce the rating of the circuit
(i.e. their operation reduces the critical flow) would get paid for the use of the
network. Network charges then may be positive and negative, depending on whe-
ther the user pays or gets paid for the use of the network.
Given that the topology of typical distribution network is radial, this allocation
can be quite simple. If the critical flow through a distribution network circuit is
towards the grid supply point (i.e. towards the transmission network), that circuit is
classified as generator dominated, meaning that all downstream generators should
then pay for the use of this circuit during the period when the critical flow occurs.
Downstream demand would hence get paid, as an increase in demand would reduce
the critical flow through the particular circuit under consideration. On the other
hand, when the critical flow on a particular circuit is downstream, this circuit is
classified as demand dominated and hence demand pays for use of this circuit while
downstream generators get paid.
Winter peak
1 2
Grid supply
35 MW
point
Demand
40 MW
Small
generator 5 MW
Summer off-peak
1 2
Grid supply
10 MW
point
Demand
10 MW
Small
generator 20 MW
Summer demand
%
100
75
50
25
t (hours)
0 4 8 12 16 20 24
Winter demand
%
100
75
50
25
t (hours)
0 4 8 12 16 20 24
Winter peak
1 2
Grid supply
25 MW
point
Demand
40 MW
Large
generator 15 MW
Grid supply
50 MW
point
Demand
10 MW
Large
generator 60 MW
Table 6.2 Generation and demand profiles for two-bus system as shown
in Figure 6.2
1. Maximum demand and minimum generation (for both summer and winter
peaks). The generation output is equal to the generation contribution to net-
work security, as discussed in Chapter 5.
2. Minimum demand and maximum generation (summer and winter off-peak).
The generation output is equal to the capacity of the generator.
The peak and off-peak demand levels and the circuit flows are shown in Figure 6.2.
In Figure 6.2 the direction of the critical flow is determined by the demand, and
hence the circuit is characterised as demand dominated (DD). In accordance with
the concept of optimal costing, the use of the circuit between busbar 1 and busbar 2
is charged only during the period of maximum loading of the circuit. Clearly, if
an additional unit of power flows through the circuit during its maximum loading
154 Distributed generation
(i.e. the winter peak period), this will require reinforcement of the circuit. When the
circuit is loaded below its maximum capacity (all the remaining three periods), an
additional unit of power will not lead to reinforcement, and hence the plant capacity
charge is zero. Increasing demand at busbar 2 during the time of critical loading will
require reinforcement of the circuit, hence demand should be charged for the use of
this asset. On the other hand, increasing generation output during the critical loading
condition (winter peak) will reduce the critical flow, thus benefiting the system.
Generation should therefore be rewarded for conferring this benefit on the system.
A summary of the overall payments for the two-bus system in Figure 6.2 is
given in Table 6.3.
Table 6.3 Nodal, time-of-use network price and user payments for system
in Figure 6.2
Note that negative payment for the generator in this case represents a revenue
stream.
Consider now the same system, but with a larger distributed generator. We
now repeat the same computations to find the critical flow, nodal prices and user
payments with a larger distributed generator.
The resulting flows show that, unlike in the system shown in Figure 6.2 where
the critical flow is determined by demand, the critical flow in this case is deter-
mined by generation. Hence, the circuit is classified as generation-dominated (GD)
circuit (Table 6.4).
Table 6.4 Generation and demand profiles for the two-bus system shown
in Figure 6.4
The computed nodal, time of use DUoS prices and associated user payments
are shown in Table 6.5. Note that for consistency of the calculation of revenues and
costs to different parties our nomenclature assumers that demand charges are
positive and generation charges are negative.
Table 6.5 Nodal, time-of-use network price and annual user payments
We now compare the two cases and Table 6.6 gives a summary of the final
results from cases shown in Figures 6.2 and 6.4.
It is clear from Table 6.6 that the use-of-system charge is location and time-
of-use specific:
When the connected distributed generation is small, which leads to a demand-
dominated circuit, the direction and the magnitude of the critical flow is
determined by maximum demand. The nodal use-of-system charge is positive
and demand pays for using the circuit. The demand charge applies in the winter
peak period and is related to the peak demand. The generator gets paid
according to its contribution to security (during the maximum demand period).
In all other periods the DUoS charges are zero.
When the connected distributed generation is large, the opposite situation
applies. The system is generation dominated and the direction and magnitude
of the critical flow is determined by maximum generation output and minimum
demand. The nodal use-of-system charge is negative because the circuit is
generator dominated and hence the generator pays for use of the asset, with
respect to installed capacity (maximum generation), while demand gets paid
with respect to minimum demand at the time of peak generation output, i.e.
summer nights. In all other periods the DUoS charges are zero.
Winter peak nodal Summer off-peak Generator payment Demand payment Annual net payment
price (/kW) nodal price (/kW) (price generation (price demand (goes to pay for the
busbar 2 busbar 2 in period) (000) in period) (000) asset) (000)
For the system shown 7 0 35 280 245
in Figure 6.2
For the system shown 0 7 420 70 350
in Figure 6.4
Pricing of distribution networks with distributed generation 157
G
132 kV
CHP
5 MW F 33 kV
(15 MW)
50 MW
(12.5 MW)
E
33 kV
D 11 kV
10 MW
(2.5 MW)
Wind farm
0.2 MW
(1 MW)
13 MW 13 MW 2.3 MW
D 11 kV
10 MW
(2.5 MW)
3 MW 3 MW 0.6 MW
1.6 MW 1.6 MW
(0.4 MW) (0.4 MW)
Wind farm
0.2 MW
(1 MW)
It can be observed that critical loading for the 11 kV feeder, 33 kV/11 kV and
132 kV/33 kV transformers is driven by maximum demand, while critical loading of
the 33 kV circuits is driven by maximum generation, and these occur at different
periods (time of use). The assets whose capacity is driven by maximum demand
minimum generation condition (winter daytime) such as 11 kV feeders, 33 kV/11 kV
3
Note that the critical flows determine the reference (optimal) ratings of the associated plant. The
reference rating of 11 kV and 33 kV circuits are 2 3 MW and 2 12.7 MW respectively. Due to the
topology of 11 kV circuits, one feeder must cope with all 11 kV loads when one of the 11 kV feeders
loses supply from the 33 kV/11 kV substation and the normally open point is closed. The optimal rating
of the 132 kV/33 kV substation is 2 58 MW. These reference ratings of the individual network
components (transformers and lines at various voltage levels) can be compared with the plant ratings of
the existing network.
Pricing of distribution networks with distributed generation 159
and 132 kV/33 kV transformers, are then classified as demand dominated (DD),
while the capacity of 33 kV feeders are driven by minimum demandmaximum
generation condition (summer night time) and are hence classified as generator
dominated (GD).
Given the direction of the critical flows and knowing the direction of demand-
and generation-driven flows (Figure 6.6), it is easy to see how demand and gen-
eration at various voltage levels will pay or get paid for the use of individual
network circuits. For example, an incremental increase in load of the demand
connected to an 11 kV feeder, during the maximum demand periods, will increase
the loading on the 11 kV feeder, 33 kV/11 kV and 132 kV/33 kV transformers.
Therefore, this demand will be charged for the use of these circuits and the total
charge will be based on maximum demand of 3.2 MW.
For the generation-dominated 33 kV circuit, the relevant critical period is
determined by the coincidence of maximum generation and minimum demand.
Hence, demand connected at 11 kV will be rewarded for the use of this 33 kV
circuit, based on the load during minimum demand of 0.8 MW and the corre-
sponding reward to demand will be obtained during the summer night periods.
Consider now charges for the wind farm. The wind farm will be rewarded for
the use of the 11 kV network and 33 kV/11 kV and 132 kV/33 kV transformers and
will be charged for the use of 33 kV circuits. The rewards for using these circuits
will be based on the generator effective contribution to network capacity, i.e. 0.2
MW and apply during winter daytime. On the other hand, the charges for the use of
33 kV circuit will be based on the maximum generation output (1 MW) and applied
during summer night periods.
In order to evaluate network charges for individual users, per unit annuitised
capacity costs (/kW/year) are allocated to each item of plant in the network. For
illustrative purposes, the estimate annuitised typical costs of 132 kV circuits, 132
kV/33 kV transformers, 33 kV circuits and 33 kV/11 kV transformers for typical
urban network in the United Kingdom are used.
The system is presented again in Figure 6.7 with all critical loadings
highlighted.
The typical annuitised costs of individual circuits are shown next to the net-
work model in Figure 6.7. DUoS exit charges for demand customers connected at
various points in the network are also listed. The polarity of charges is adopted to
be positive for downstream and negative for upstream power flows respectively.
Consider now the 132 kV/33 kV transformer. This is demand-dominated plant
since the direction of the power flow is downstream. Hence, all downstream
demand and generation customers pay and are paid 5.2 /kW/year respectively for
the use of this particular plant during maximum demand conditions, while charges
are zero during the minimum demand period.
The next plant to be considered is the 33 kV circuit. This is a generation-
dominated plant since the direction of the critical power flow is upstream. Hence,
all downstream generation and demand customers pay and are paid 6.7 /kW/year
respectively for the use of this plant during maximum generation condition, while
zero is charged during the maximum demand period.
160 Distributed generation
5.2 /kW
58 MW
CHP
5 MW F 33 kV 5.2 /kW 0 /kW
(15 MW)
50 MW 6.7 /kW
12.7 MW
E 5.2 /kW 6.7 /kW
33 kV
4.3 /kW
13 MW
D 11 kV 9.5 /kW 6.7 /kW
10 MW 11 /kW
3 MW
8 x 0.4 =
3.2 MW 20.5 /kW 6.7 /kW
Wind farm
0.2 MW
(1 MW)
As shown in Figure 6.7, the total DUoS exit charges for demand customers
connected to the 33 kV busbar of the 33 kV/11 kV transformer is 5.2 /kW/year
applied during the maximum demand period (5.2 /kW/year for the use of the
132 kV/33 kV transformer and 0 /kW/year for the use of the 33 kV circuit), and
DUoS entry charges of 6.7 /kW/year during minimum demand period (0 /kW/year
for the use of the 132 kV/33 kV transformer and 6.7 /kW/year for the use of the
33 kV circuit use).
The 33 kV/11 kV transformer is demand-dominated plant since the direction of
the critical power flow is downstream. Hence, all downstream demand customers
are charged and all downstream generation customers are paid 4.3 /kW/year for
the use of this particular plant during maximum demand conditions, while the
charges are zero during the minimum demand period.
Therefore, the total entry charges for the generation connected to the 11 kV busbar
of the 33 kV/11 kV transformer are 9.5 /kW/year during maximum demand period
(5.2 /kW/year for the use of the 132 kV/33 kV transformer, 0 /kW/year for the use
of the 33 kV circuit and 4.3 /kW/year for the use of the 33 kV/11 kV transformer,
and 6.7 /kW/year during minimum demand period (0 /kW/year for the use of the
132 kV/33 kV transformer) 6.7 /kW/year for the use of the 33 kV circuit and 0 /kW/
year for the use of the 33 kV/11 kV transformer).
Pricing of distribution networks with distributed generation 161
Table 6.7 On-peak demand DUoS prices and revenues from demand and
generation customer
Table 6.8 Off-peak demand (peak generation) DUoS prices and revenues from
demand and generation customers
during peak generation periods. The costs of the individual plant items for the
reference rating are given in Table 6.9.
In this particular case, the total annual revenue received for the demand-
dominated plant is 390500/year, as shown in Table 6.7. (This is exactly equal to
the total costs of the individual plant items as shown in Table 6.9, i.e. 390500 =
301600 55900 33000.) On the other hand, the total annual revenue received
from DUoS charges during the off-peak demand period is 85090, as shown in
Table 6.8. This is exactly equal to the total cost of generation-dominated circuit.
The on- and off-peak demand DUoS related expenditure of individual users is
presented in Table 6.10. The total annual DUoS revenue equals the total annuitised
cost of the reference network.
References
1. Curcic S., Strbac G., Zhang X.-P. Effect of losses in design of distribution
circuits. Generation, Transmission and Distribution, IEE Proceedings.
2001;148(4):343349.
2. Boiteux M. La tarification des demandes en pointe: applicationde la
theorir de la vente au cout marginal. Revue General de Electricite. 1949;
58:321340.
3. Farmer E.D., Cory B.J., Perera B.L.P.P. Optimal pricing of transmission and
distribution services in electricity supply. Generation, Transmission and
Distribution, IEE Proceedings. 1995;142(1):18.
Pricing of distribution networks with distributed generation 163
7.1 Introduction
Traditionally, power networks have been supplied from large, rotating syn-
chronous generators that act as constant frequency and voltage sources. Hence, the
entire operating philosophy of the power system has been developed around
maintaining nearly constant voltage and, in the event of a short circuit, providing
fault current to operate protective relays. A rather small number of these large
rotating generators (some hundred units in Great Britain) are fitted with controls to
maintain frequency, voltages and reactive power flows, ensure stability and provide
damping of the power system.
Much distributed generation, either static or rotating, is connected to the net-
work through power electronic converters via a DC link. In their simplest form, the
power electronic converters simply inject real power at unity power factor into the
network to maximise the output of the generator. They only provide close to load
current into a network fault and the DC link decouples the generators from the
network and so removes the effect of their spinning inertia.
The connection of generators via power electronic converters allows much greater
flexibility and controllability than if a direct connection of a generator to the network is
made. Hence these new forms of distributed generation, with their different operating
characteristics, offer the possibility of new generator control philosophies as well as
new system operating practices. The historical investment in the traditional power
system is so great that its basic operating philosophy of constant voltages and fre-
quency is most unlikely to change quickly, but already there is interest in using vari-
able speed generators to provide injections of power at times of system frequency
excursions using their stored kinetic energy as well as increased system damping [6].
The present limited penetration of distributed generation, operated to inject
power with little consideration of the state of the power system, is already causing
restrictions to the amount of renewable energy and CHP that may be connected. It is
also leading to difficulties in the generation systems and transmission networks in
some European countries, e.g. at times of high wind power and low load or during
network disturbances. Therefore the present fit-and-forget philosophy, where dis-
tributed generators are viewed as negative loads and the distribution system is
operated in the traditional manner, will be superseded by active integration of dis-
tributed generation through active network management. This will result in a blur-
ring of the traditional distinction between transmission and distribution networks as
distributed generation is controlled for the benefit of the power system by a dis-
tribution system operator. This gives particular challenges in Great Britain with its
clear regulatory distinction between the suppliers of electrical energy and distribu-
tion network operators. The most effective way to coordinate and control a very large
number of small generators and loads (perhaps up to 105 units) has yet to be deter-
mined although their aggregation into virtual power plants has been suggested.
The attractions of distributed generation to enable individuals to engage more
closely with their energy supply should not be overlooked [7]. This is a rather
fundamental question and may well become more pressing as climate change and
energy security assume greater significance. It has similarities to the debate as to
whether it is better for individual computers to hold their own software or to use it
from a central source as required.
Distributed generation and future network architectures 167
The transformation of the distribution network from passive to active operation has
already started with demonstrations and early examples of the use of active network
management. Although some of these techniques may seem rather obvious and
straightforward, they allow considerable increase in the distributed generation that
can be connected. The penalty is some increased complexity in distribution net-
work control but this is manageable for individual schemes. A more serious diffi-
culty comes with the dramatically increased complexity when a number of these
individual active network management schemes are installed in the same section of
network. The individual, ad-hoc active network management solutions are not
coordinated with each other and their combined behaviour becomes difficult to
predict. Then a system-wide solution becomes necessary. A number of trails and
demonstrations are being developed [810] but so far there is no generally agreed
approach to system-wide active network management.
Generator
10 MW 0? MW
10 MW
Load
210
MW
are unlikely to coincide often with times of minimum load and so a wind farm
capacity of greater than 12 MW, up to 20 MW, can be installed and the generation
managed actively. The generation is then operated with either the power flows in the
connecting circuits or in the load monitored. If excessive flow in the connecting
circuits (more than the 10 MW firm capacity) is detected, the wind farm output is
reduced. The choice of wind farm size is based on a cost-benefit calculation to
determine the most cost-effective capacity of wind farm considering the wind
resource and load, both of which can be estimated over a long period with confidence.
A development of this generator output control concept is to monitor the state
of the connecting circuits and to use more of their thermal capacity. Here it is
assumed that normally both circuits are in service, giving a capacity of 20 MW. This
would then allow a wind farm of between 22 MW and 30 MW to be connected,
depending on the degree of curtailment of generator output that is considered
acceptable. If one of the circuits trips or is out of service, the wind farm output is
reduced to a maximum of 10 MW plus the load. The special protection scheme trips
the circuit for a fault and immediately reduces the output of the wind farm.
It may be seen through these simple examples that the increase in capacity of
distributed generation which may be considered for connection is significant. Of
course, issues such as voltages, stability and protection need detailed study and may
well become limiting factors. However, experience has shown that significantly
increased capacities of generation may be connected, particularly on MV circuits of
33 kV and above, if active management of this type is used.
A key administrative barrier is the basis on which the offer of connection is
made to the developer of the generation scheme. Once the fit-and-forget philosophy
is abandoned, the generator no longer has access to the network for all of its output,
all of the time. The connection of a larger generator, with some restriction on its
operation, may well be in the developers commercial interest, but there is a degree
of risk introduced as to how much energy it will be able to export. This may lead to
difficulties in financing the project. It is also likely that electrical losses in the
connecting circuits will be increased as the circuits become more heavily loaded.
winter months when the thermal capacity of overhead line circuits is increased by
the low ambient temperatures and increased wind speeds over the conductors. These
ambient conditions are monitored and used to calculate the capacity of the overhead
line (particularly the sag of the conductors) to allow increased current to flow.
DMSC
P,Q,V,
P,Q,V,
A
P,-Q
P,Q,V,
PQ
PV
S CHP
PQ
Figure 7.3 shows how real-time measurements from the network may be
combined with historical load data in an under-determined distribution state esti-
mator to give a representation of the voltage magnitudes within the network. These
voltages and power flows are then used by a controller, either using a simple voting
system or an optimal power flow algorithm, to determine the best control action to
be taken [11,12].
170 Distributed generation
Remote State
Control On Load Tap
Terminal Unit Estimation
Scheduling Changer
(SE)
Remote Distributed
Terminal Unit Generator P,Q
Primary
substation Regional IP
controler
Regional Regional
controler controler
Breaker
life GSM
expiring
PLC
measurements on the distribution network and so its state can only be estimated
using historical load data and the limited number of measurements that are present.
Once the data from the Smart Meters becomes available it will, in principle, be
possible to use the type of state estimator found on the transmission network (over-
determined with more measurements than states) to give a much more robust and
accurate picture of the distribution system.
To date, distributed generation has generally been used to displace energy from
conventional generating plants but not to displace their capacity. Small distributed
generators are not visible to system operators and are controlled to maximise
energy from renewable sources or in response to the heat needs of the host site and
not to provide capacity for the power system. Continuation of this way of operating
the power system will lead to very large generation plant margins, under-utilisation
of assets and low operating efficiencies. The concept of virtual power plants has
been developed to increase the visibility and control of distributed generation, and
to allow very large numbers of these small units to be aggregated so that they can
take part in the various markets for energy and ancillary services [14].
In a virtual power plant (VPP), distributed generators together with responsive
loads are aggregated into controllable units. These aggregated groups of generators
are visible to the power system operator, can be controlled to support system
operation and can trade effectively in energy markets. In short, they behave on the
power system in a manner similar to that of large transmission-connected generation.
Through aggregation into a VPP
individual distributed generators can become visible, gain access to energy
markets and so maximise revenue opportunities.
system operation benefits from effective use of the capacity of distributed
generators and increased efficiency of operation.
400 kV 400 kV
400 kV
132 kV G G
P,Q
VPP
P,Q (G/L)
33 kV 11 kV
G L G L
Figure 7.5 Aggregation of generators (G) and loads (L) into a virtual power plant [14]
Table 7.1 outlines some examples of generator and controllable load para-
meters that can be aggregated and used to characterise the VPP.
Table 7.1 Examples of generation and controllable load parameters that are
aggregated to characterise a virtual power plant
The VPP can be used to facilitate trading in the wholesale energy markets, but
can also provide services to support transmission system management through, for
example, various types of reserve, frequency and voltage regulation. In the devel-
opment of the VPP concept, these activities of market participation and system
management and support are described respectively as commercial and techni-
cal activities, which define the two roles of commercial VPP (CVPP) and technical
(TVPP).
Distributed Generation
CVPP
INPUTS
Operating parameters CVPP
Marginal costs
CVPP OUTPUT
Metering data
Aggregates capacity PX & forward
Load forecasting data from Distributed contracts
Generators DG schedules,
OTHER INPUTS Optimises revenue parameters and
Market intelligence e.g. from contracting DG costs for TVPP
price forecasts portfolio output and
Locational data/network offering services
modelling
Figure 7.6 shows the CVPP inputs and outputs, each distributed generator that
is included in the CVPP submits information on its operating parameters and mar-
ginal cost characteristics. These inputs are aggregated to create the single CVPP
profile representing the combined capacity of all distributed generators in the port-
folio. With the addition of market intelligence, the CVPP will optimise the revenue
of the portfolio making contracts in the power exchange (PX) and forward markets,
and submitting information on the distributed generation schedules and operating
costs to system operators.
In systems allowing unrestricted access to the energy markets, i.e. with no net-
work constraints, CVPPs can aggregate distributed generation from any geographic
location. However, in markets where energy resource location is critical, the CVPP
portfolio will be restricted to include only generators and loads from the same loca-
tion (e.g. distribution network area or transmission network node). In these instances,
174 Distributed generation
a VPP can still represent distributed generation from various places, but aggregation
of resources must occur by location, resulting in a set of generation and load port-
folios defined by geographic location. This scenario may be expected in, for example,
(transmission system) locational marginal pricing based markets and in markets
where a zonal approach is taken to participation.
A CVPP can include any number of distributed generators and individual
generators, and loads are free to choose a CVPP to represent them. The commercial
VPP role can be undertaken by a number of market actors including incumbent
energy suppliers, third party independents or new market entrants.
Distributed Generation
INPUTS (provided via
CVPP)
Operating schedule OUTPUT
TVPP Characterisation of
Bids & Offers / marginal Uses individual DG aggregated DG/
cost to adjust position inputs to manage local network capabilities
Operating parameters network in terms of generator
Aggregates portfolio of operating parameters
DG inputs to (seeTable 7.1).
OTHER INPUTS
Real-time local network characterise network at
status transmission boundary
Loading conditions
Network constraints
information, etc.) and forms the TVPP characteristics. The TVPP is defined at its
point of connection to the transmission system, using the same parameters as
transmission-connected plant (e.g. as outlined in Table 7.1). This TVPP profile and
marginal cost calculation (reflecting the capabilities of the entire local network) can
be evaluated by the transmission system operator along with other bids and offers
from transmission-connected plants, to provide real-time system balancing.
Operating a TVPP requires local network knowledge and network control cap-
abilities. Hence, the distribution system operator (DSO) is likely to be best placed to
carry this role. With this TVPP capability, the DSO role can evolve to include active
management of the distribution network, analogous to that of a transmission system
operator. It is likely that the DSO would continue to be a local monopoly and any
additional active management responsibilities would be regulated activities.
It is important to recognise that the market and regulatory framework sur-
rounding distribution network operation and development is still evolving and that
increasing penetration of distributed generation will lead to further unbundling and
decentralisation of system management functions. This will affect the way in which
the concepts of CVPP and TVPP are implemented.
7.4 MicroGrids
Microgrids lack a number of attributes around which large central power sys-
tems have been developed. On a high-voltage transmission system, the reactance
(X) of the circuits is much greater than the resistance (R). This allows effective de-
coupling of control of the flows of real power (P) and reactive power (Q). If the
resistance of a circuit is ignored (a reasonable assumption for the high-voltage
network), it can be assumed that reactive power flows in a circuit are controlled by
the magnitudes of voltages at each end of the circuit and real power flows are
determined by the relative angles of the voltages. P and Q flows can then be con-
sidered independently. This simplifying assumption cannot be made on a microgrid
where the resistance of the circuits may exceed their inductive reactance.
Frequency in a high-voltage power system is determined by the balance of
generation and loads either taking kinetic energy from the spinning generators and
loads or by supplying energy that accelerates the spinning machines. The speed with
which the system frequency changes, when a large load is connected or a generator
trips, is determined by the total inertia of all the spinning machines on the system. In a
microgrid, many of the microgenerators either produce DC or are connected through
power converters that decouple the generator from the AC voltage. If the loads are
static (or connected though converters), then no spinning masses are directly con-
nected to the microgrid circuits and so in islanded operation the frequency must be
synthesised through the converter control systems.
In all the microgrid experiments conducted to date, it has been found necessary
to use electrical energy storage to ensure stable operation when the microgrid is
disconnected from the distribution network and to accommodate load changes
when the microgrid is operating in islanded mode. Both flywheels and battery
energy storage systems have been used [1820].
Recently microgrid research has been extended to consider networks of other
energy carriers (heat and gas systems fed from biogas). The objective is to supply
energy to urban areas in an integrated manner and so reduce carbon emissions
(Figure 7.8).
Medium voltage
network Low voltage
network
Parking
area
District heat
station
Key
Parking
area
PV Small wind
Storage
Flywheel
~ CHP
DMS
DMS
MV LV Fuel cell
MGCC
MGCC
~
Micro turbine
20 kV MV network
0.4 kV
Overhead line.
Circuit breaker 4 120 mm2 AI XLPE
twisted cable
3+N
Single residential consumer Pole-to-pole
3 , Is = 40 A, 40
distance = 35 m Other lines
Smax = 15 kVA,
S0 = 5.7 kVA 3+N+PE
4 6 mm2 Cu Possible neutral bridge to
30 m an adjacent LV network
40 40 2
Storage
4 16 mm2 Cu 40
(Flywheel or batteries)
3 ,30 kW 30 m 3 70 mm2 Al XLPE
10 Circuit breaker 54.6 mm2 AAAC 3 50 mm2 Al + 35 mm2 Cu
twisted cable XLPE
Group of four residences 3+N+PE 10
4 3,Is = 40A,
4 25 mm2 Cu
6 x 1, Is = 40A, 30 m
Smax = 47 kVA, 40 40 Photovoltaics
S0 = 25 kVA 1, 3 kW
Fuel cell 1+N+PE
3, 10 kW
40
Feeder A
AC DC
DC AC
Microturbine
Battery Fuel DC
cell AC
Battery
Feeder B
Static switch
AC DC
DC AC
Microturbine Battery
Feeder C
MV
Loads
During islanded operation, a microgrid establishes its own voltage and fre-
quency and maintains acceptable power quality. One or more of the microgenerators
are then grid formers. In a traditional power system, frequency is controlled by the
large central power plants and the transmission grid voltage is regulated by trans-
former tap changers and reactive power from these generators. It is difficult to keep
the islanded microgrid stable due to the varying loads and intermittent output of the
Fuel
PV Remote
Two gas cell
engines measuring and
control system
DC DC
AC AC
Utility
network
AC bus
AC
DC
DVR Loads
High power
quality loads DC bus
Battery DC DC
DC DC
DC
PV Loads
f(HZ)
V(V)
f0
V0
f V
f1 V1
P Q
P (kW) Q (kVAR)
fref Vmref
Pref + f + fout + Vmout
Qref + V
Pmeasured Qmeasured
Pf QV
droop gain droop gain
(a) (b)
A reverse droop control method (PV and Qf) has also been applied because
of the resistive nature of the microgrid.
In masterslave control the slave modules receive instructions from the master
through communication channels. Two masterslave control modes have been
investigated. One used a single microsource as the master, and the other used a
central controller to supervise microsources and loads. The central controller con-
cept has been widely used in microgrid demonstration projects.
A flywheel storage unit has been used as the master to regulate the frequency
and voltage of the islanded microgrid, and the other micro sources were slaves
whose outputs were operated under PQ control. The master unit used fP and VQ
droop control as shown in Figure 7.14. An energy storage unit with large capacity
was required in this scheme.
A central controller has been used for steady-state microgrid control with
dynamic control delegated to the microsources. A microgrid central controller was
used to coordinate the set points of the microsource controllers. These set points
were then used by the individual microsource control systems. The frequency and
voltage were primarily regulated by the microsource master, and the microgrid
central controller changed the set points if the frequency and voltage exceeded their
limits.
The various research and demonstration projects to develop microgrids have
provided much valuable information and experience. However, they have also high-
lighted the advantages of an interconnected power system. Under present commer-
cial conditions, it is only in unusual circumstances that the benefits from islanded
operation of a small, low voltage microgrid are likely to justify the complexity and
costs.
References
1. Dondi P., et al. Network integration of distributed power generation. Jour-
nal of Power Sources. 2002;106:19.
2. Djapic P., et al. Taking an active approach. IEEE Power and Energy
Magazine. JulyAug. 2007;5(4):6877.
3. Pecas Lopes J.A., et al. Integrating distributed generation into electric power
systems: A review of drivers, challenges and opportunities. Electric Power
Systems Research. 2007;77(9):11891203.
4. Bayod-Rujula A.A. Future development of the electricity systems with dis-
tributed generation. Energy. 2009;34:377383.
5. Bollen M.H.J., et al. The active use of distributed generation in network
planning. CIRED 20th International Conference on Electricity Distribution;
Prague, 811 June 2009, Paper 0150.
6. Hughes F.M., Anaya-Lara O., Jenkins N., Strbac G. Control of DFIG-based
wind generation for power network support. IEEE Transaction on Power
Systems. 2005;20(4):19581966.
182 Distributed generation
7. Borbely A.M. (ed.). Distributed Generation: The Power Paradigm for the
New Millennium. CRC Press; 2001.
8. Dadamo C., Jupe S., Abbey C. Global survey on planning and operation of
active distribution networks Update of CIGRE C6.11 working group
activities. Electricity Distribution, 2009, 20th International Conference and
Exhibition; 811 June 2009, Paper 0555.
9. Lund P. The Danish Cell Project Part 1: Background and general approach.
IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting; 2007, Florida.
10. Cherian S., Knazkins V. The Danish Cell project Part 2: Verification of
control approach via modeling and laboratory tests. IEEE Power Engineer-
ing Society General Meeting; 2007, Florida.
11. Hird M., Helder L., Li H., Jenkins N. Network voltage controller for dis-
tributed generation. IEE Proceeding Generation, Transmission and Dis-
tribution. 2004;151(2):150156.
12. Thornley V., Hill J., Lang P., Reid D. Active network management of vol-
tage leading to increased generation and improved network utilisation. IET-
CIRED Seminar SmartGrids for Distribution; 2324 June 2008, Frankfurt.
13. Taylor P., et al. Integrating voltage control and power flow management in
AuRA-NMS. IET-CIRED Seminar SmartGrids for Distribution; 2324 June
2008, Frankfurt.
14. Pudjianto D., Ramsay C., Strbac G. Virtual power plant and system inte-
gration of distributed energy resources. Renewable Power Generation, IET.
2007;1(1):1016.
15. Barnes M., et al. Real-World MicroGrids an overview. System of Systems
Engineering, 2007. SoSE07. IEEE International Conference; 1618 April
2007, pp. 18, San Antonio, TX.
16. Hatziargyriou N., Asano H., Iravani R., Marnay C. Microgrids: An overview
of ongoing research, development, and demonstration projects. IEEE Power
and Energy Magazine. August 2007, pp. 7894.
17. Barnes M., Dimeas A., Engler A. MicroGrid laboratory facilities. Interna-
tional Conference on Future Power Systems; November 2005, pp. 16.
18. European Research Project More MicroGrids. [Online]. Available from http://
www.microgrids.eu/default.php
19. Xiao Z., Wu J., Jenkins N. An overview of microgrid control. Intelligent
Automation and Soft Computing. 2010;16(2):199212, ISSN 1079-8587.
20. Lasseter R.H. MicroGrids and distributed generation. Journal of Energy
Engineering American Society of Civil Engineers. 2007;133(3):144149.
21. Nikkhajoei H., Lasseter R.H. Distributed generation interface to the CERTS
microgrid. IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery. 2009;24(3):15981608.
22. Pecas Lopes J.A., Moreira C.L. Defining control strategies for MicroGrids
islanded operation. IEEE Transactions on Power Systems. 2006;21(2):
916924.
Tutorial I
AC electrical systems
I.1 Introduction
(t) T
Vm
Peak value
Time
Peak-to-
peak
value
Vm
DC current AC current
Heat Heat
i = IDC i = Im sinw t
t
t
For DC: VDC IDC R. Therefore, the power dissipated as heat is: P VDC
IDC I2DC R.
For AC: If the current through the resistor is it Im sinwt, then vt
Im R sin wt.
The instantaneous power dissipation is: pint t vt it I2m R sin2 wt.
RT
The average power dissipation: Pave 1=T 0 I2m R sin2 wtdt.
Substituting sin2 wt 1 cos2wt=2, the following equation is obtained:
Z
1 1 cos2wt
T
Pave I2m R dt
0T 2
Z T Z T
1 1 I2 R
Im R dt
2
I2m R cos2wtdt m I:1
2T 0 2T 0 2
I2m R
I2DC R
2 I:2
Im
IDC p
2
The value of the AC current, that gives the same heating effect as a DC current
intopa resistor, is termed the root mean square (rms) current and has the value
Im = 2 for a sine wave. Alternating voltages and currents are usually expressed by
their rms values.
y axis describes Vb. The length of the vector, OA or OB, corresponds to the peak
value of the sinusoidal signal (Vm) and the angle between the vectors OA and OB
corresponds to the angle between any identical points in the two waveforms.
Va Vb
Vm
O A
f q
O f
w
B
Degrees 90 180 270 360
Radians p p 3 2
2 2
If the rotation of vectors OA and OB are at w rad/s, then the angle q (from the
origin) of the sinusoidal waveform Va at time t is equal to wt rad. Therefore, the
equation for the sinusoidal signal Va is va t Vm sin q Vm sinwt. Similarly
the equation for the sinusoidal signal Vb is vb t Vm sinwt f.
From Figure I.3: The period of the signal Va is 2p=w.
If the frequency of the signal is f, then: 1=f 2p=w; i.e. w 2pf .
The vectors OA and OB which rotate at the same angular velocity as the sinu-
soidal signal and which represent the magnitude and the angle of the sinusoidal
signals are called phasors. The angle between two phasors describes how far ahead or
behind a point on one sinusoidal signal is to the same point of the other signal and is
called the phase angle. If the phasors of two signals coincide with each other, then the
two signals are in phase. If one is ahead of the other signal by an angle f (measured
anti-clockwise) then it leads the second one by angle f. If one is behind the other
signal by an angle f (measured clockwise) then it lags the second one by angle f.
Two phasors (OA and OB) which represent signals Va and Vb can be written in
two forms as given in Table I.1. Even though the lengths of phasors OA and OB in
Figure I.3 are equal to the peak value of sinusoidal signal, in phasor representation,
rms values are more usually used.
Im
w
Vj = Vf
V sinf
f
Re
V cosf
v I
I i
V
AC V R
t
Figure I.5 Time domain and phasor representation of voltage and current in R
Z t Z
1 1 t Vm
it vdt Vm sinwtdt cos wt
L 0 L 0 wL
Vm
sinwt p=2
wL
The voltage and current waveforms for the inductive circuit are shown in
Figure I.6. The current through the inductor lags the voltage by 90 . If the voltage
phasor is V and current phasor is I, then V=I wL90 jwL. The quantity jwL is
the impedance of the inductor and has the unit of ohms. The magnitude of the
impedance, i.e. XL wL, is referred to as inductive reactance, also with units of
ohms. When the inductor is represented by its reactance, then Ohms law can be
applied to the phasors of voltage and current.
V
v
I
I i
AC V L t
Figure I.6 Time domain and phasor representation of voltage and current in L
d
it C Vm sin wt
dt
wCVm cos wt I:4
wCVm sinwt p=2
AC electrical systems 189
v V
I i
AC V C
t
Figure I.7 Time domain and phasor representation of voltage and current in C
If the voltage phasor is V and the current phasor is I, V=I 1=wC 90
1=jwC. The quantity 1=jwC is the impedance of the capacitor and has the unit of
ohms. The magnitude of the impedance, i.e. XC 1=wC, is referred to as the
capacitive reactance, again with the unit of ohms. When the capacitor is represented
by its reactance, then Ohms law can be applied to the phasors of voltage and current.
I.5.4 RL in an AC circuit
A series RL circuit is shown in Figure I.8. The current through the circuit is limited
by the impedance of the circuit, given by Z R jXL . The phase angle between the
applied voltage and current is given by tan1 wL=R.
VL VR = IR
V
I f
VL = j I XL
VL L V = VR + VL
I VR
V V = I(R + j XL) = IZ
VR R Z
XL = L
f
R
EXAMPLE I.1
Calculate the resistance and inductance or capacitance in series for each of
the following impedances, assuming the frequency to be 60 Hz:
(a) 50 j30 W
(b) 4060 W
Answer:
(a) 50 j30 W = R jwL
Comparing: R 50 W and wL 30 W
When the frequency is 60 Hz: w 2pf 2p 60 377 rad=s
Therefore, L 30=377 79:6 103 H 79:6 mH
190 Distributed generation
EXAMPLE I.2
A voltage vt 170 sin377t volts is applied across a winding having a
resistance of 2 W and an inductance of 0.01 H. Write down an expression for
the rms values of the voltage and current phasors in rectangular notation.
Draw the phasor diagram.
Answer:
R 2 W and L 0:01 H
Since the voltage is vt 170 sin377t:
p
w 377 rad=s
Voltage as a phasor = 170= 20 120:20 120:2j0 V
wL 377 0:01 3:77 W
Impedance of the winding = 2 j3:77 W 4:2762:05 W
Current as a phasor 120:20 =4:2762:05 28:13 62:05 13:18
j24.85 A
62 V = 120.2 0 V
I = 28.13 62 V
Phasor diagram
EXAMPLE I.3
An impedance of 2 j6 W is connected in series with two impedances of 10 j4
W and 12 j8 W, which are in parallel. Calculate the magnitude and the phase
angle of the main current when the combined circuit is supplied at 200 V.
Answer:
Zt
Z2
Z1 = 2 + j 6
Z1
Z3 Z2 = 10 + j 4
Z3 = 12 j 8
Zp
200 V
Z2 Z3 10 j412 j8
Zp 6:95 j0:19
Z2 Z3 10 j4 12 j8
AC electrical systems 191
If vt Vm sin wt, the average power dissipation in the resistor is given by:
ZT ZT ZT
1 V2m V2m 1 cos2wt
Pave ptdt sin wt dt
2
dt
T RT RT 2
0 0 0
V2 V2
m I2 R I:6
2R R
If it Im sin wt, the average power dissipation in the inductor is given by:
ZT
wLI2m
Pave sin wt cos wt dt 0 I:8
T
0
Figure I.9 shows the instantaneous power associated with two circuits one having
a pure resistor and the other having a pure inductor. In the circuit having a resistor, the
instantaneous power varies at double the frequency of the voltage and current with a
positive average value. The power of this circuit converts electrical energy into heat
and is called active power. In the circuit having an inductor, the instantaneous power
alternates with a zero average value. The power associated with energy oscillating in
and out of an inductor is called reactive power. The active power is measured in watt or
kilowatt, and the reactive power is measured in Var or kiloVar.
192 Distributed generation
Voltage Voltage
0 0
Current
Current
Instantaneous power
Instantaneous power
0
Time Time
(a) For a circuit with a pure resistor (b) For a circuit with a pure inductor
Figure I.9 Instantaneous power for a circuit with a resistor and an inductor
I*
I
L IP V S = VI* Q
V
R
Iw L f
IR
IQ P
I
(a) (b) (c)
Instantaneous
power = i
Active power
component
= iP
P
wt
Reactive power
component = iQ
Figure I.11 Active and reactive power associated with an inductive load
p
It is conventional to define S, the apparent power, as VI* (see Figure I.10(b)
where I* is shown). In Figure I.10(c), S P2 Q2 VI . S is measured in volt-
ampere or kilovolt-ampere. The cosine of the angle f (cos f) is called the power
factor of the circuit.
Most industrial and large commercial electricity consumers have pre-
dominantly inductive loads. For a given applied voltage and real power load,
the current drawn is high if the power factor is low. This in turn increases the size of
the distribution cables required both within the consumer premises and on the uti-
lity side, the size of the transformers and losses in cables and transformers.
EXAMPLE I.4
A single-phase motor of 10 kW operates at a power factor of 0.8 lagging
when connected to a 230 V, 50 Hz supply. It is proposed to improve the
power factor to 0.9 lagging by connecting a capacitor across the load. Cal-
culate the kVAr rating of the capacitor.
Answer:
As shown in Figure I.7, for a capacitor f 90 and therefore from (I.9) and
(I.10), P 0 and Q VI; that is a capacitor acts as a source of reactive power.
Therefore, if a capacitor is connected across the motor, a part of the reactive
power drawn by the motor is supplied by the capacitor, thus reducing reactive
power drawn from the AC mains. This is called power factor correction.
194 Distributed generation
Power factor angle before correcting the power factor = cos1 0.8 = 36.87
Power factor angle after correcting the power factor = cos1 0:9 25:84
S = VI*
Q1
Q2
25.84
36.87
P = 10 kW
Reactive power drawn from the supply before power factor correction2
Q1 10 tan 36:87
7:5 kVAr
Reactive power drawn from the supply after power factor correction
Q2 10 tan 25:84
4:84 kVAr
That is a capacitor connected across the motor should supply the reactive
power of Q1 Q2 locally. Thus, the kVAr rating of the capacitor
Q1 Q2
7:5 4:84 2:66 kVAr
If three coils, shown in Figure I.12(a), which are physically displaced 120 are
supplied with a three-phase AC voltage, then the resultant voltage in each coil is
displaced in time by 120 as shown in Figure I.12(b).
In a three-phase system, the voltage in B phase lags the voltage in A phase by
120 (2p=3 rad) and the voltage in C phase lags the voltage in A phase by 240
(4p=3 rad). The three-phase system can be represented by the phasor diagram of
Figure I.13. The corresponding mathematical description of the three-phase system
is also given in that figure.
2
From (I.9) and (I.10), Q = p tan f.
AC electrical systems 195
A
A B C
B C
ws
C B
(a) (b)
Stationary
observer VA
w vA (t) = vA = Vm sinw t VA = V 0
120 vB = Vmsin (w t 2p/3) VB = V 120
IA VAB
A
VAN 30
VAB VAN
IB
B VB 30
IC VAB
C
N
VAN = VA VN N
VCN
VAB = VAN VBN VBN
The phasor diagram in Figure I.14 shows the line voltage VAB. Assuming that
the rms value of the magnitude of phase voltages VAN, VBN and VCN is Vp and the
rms value of the magnitude of line voltages VAB, VBC, VCA is VL, then from the
phasor diagram:
IA
A
IAB IAB
VAB
30
IB IA
B
IC
C IB 30 IRY
If the three-phase voltages are
balanced:
vAB = Vm sinwt N
IC
vBC = Vm sin (wt 2/3) IB
vCA = Vm sin (wt 4/3)
The relationship between the line and phase currents can be obtained by
assuming the three phase currents are balanced (i.e. the connected
ploads
are equal).
From Figure I.15, the magnitude of the line current is equal to 3 times the mag-
nitude of the phase current.
Loads can also be connected in star or delta. If the loading on each phase is equal,
then that load is called a balanced three-phase load. Figure I.16(a) and (b) shows
balanced star-connected and delta-connected loads.
IA IA
Zf
Zf
Zf
Zf
IB Zf
Zf
IB IC
IC
Star connection Delta connection
(a) (b)
VAN Zf
IN
Zf
IB Zf
IC
When the load is balanced, the current in the neutral wire is zero.
IN IA IB IC
VAN VBN VCN
Zf Zf Zf I:12
Vm
sin wt sinwt 2p=3 sinwt 4p=3 0
Zf
However, when the loads are not balanced (i.e. the three loads are not equal),
then there will be a current flowing through the neutral wire.
IA
I1 Zf
I3
Zf
IB
Zf
I2
IC
IA I1 I3 ; IB I2 I1 and IC I3 I2 I:13
IL 2 Ip cos 30
p I:14
IL 3Ip
AC electrical systems 199
IA
I1
I2 30
I3
120
IC
120 I2
I3
I1
IB
The power in a three-phase load is the sum of the power consumed in each phase.
Consider the load shown in Figure I.17.
For the load connected to the A phase:
vAN Vm sin wt
Vm sin wt I:15
iA Im sinwt f
Zf
where Im Vm =Z.
For the other phases:
3 Vm Im
Vm Im cos f 3 p p cos f 3Vp Ip cos f I:17
2 2 2
200 Distributed generation
When (I.17) is compared with (I.9) for a single-phase case, it can be seen that
the total three-phase instantaneous power is equal to the addition of active power in
the three phases. Therefore, the active power, P, measured in watt for a three-phase
circuit is given by:
It is shown in Table I.2 that the power relationships for both star- and delta-
connected loads are equal.
EXAMPLE I.5
A three-phase, wye-connected generator is driven from a water turbine that
produces 15 kW mechanical shaft power. It is connected to a 500 V (VL),
three-phase, 60 Hz supply. The generator has an efficiency of 95% and
operates at a power factor of 0.85 lagging (exporting VArs). Calculate
(a) The output apparent power and hence the current in the connecting
circuit
(b) The active and reactive components of the current
(c) The reactive power
Answer:
P 14:25 103
(b) The line current, IL p p 19:36 A
3VL cos f 3 500 0:85
Active component of the current = IL cos f 19:36 0:85 16:45 A
Reactive component of the current = IL sin f 19:36 sincos1 0:85
10:2 A
p p
(c) Reactive power, Q 3VL IL sin f 3 500 10:2 8:83 kVAr
EXAMPLE I.6
A 60 Hz, wye-connected synchronous generator has a 0.5 W/phase synchro-
nous reactance and a negligible armature resistance. It is connected to a three-
phase 690 V (VL) system and is exporting 300 kW at a power factor of 0.85
lagging. Calculate the line current, the internal voltage and the power angle
of the generator.
Answer:
E 690 V
Generator
jXS
IL
300 kW
p
P 3VL IL cos f
p
300 103 3 690 IL 0:85
690
E IL jXs p 0
3
295:32 32:8 j0:5 398:37
147:6657:2 398:37
80 j124:12 398:37
494:214:55 V
I.13 Problems
1. If v 10 sinwt p=3 and i 2 sinwt p=6, find (a) the rms value of
voltage and current, (b) the phasor expression in polar form and (c) phase shift
between the current and voltage.
(Answers: (a) 7.07 V, 1.41 A; (b) 7:0760 , 1:41 30 and
(c) voltage leads the current by 90 )
2. A 60 mF loss-free capacitor is connected in parallel with a coil having an
inductance of 0.1 H and a resistance of 10 W. The network is connected across
an AC voltage V 100 V at a frequency of 100 Hz. Draw the circuit and
calculate the value of the current in each branch and its phase relative to the
supply voltage. Sketch the calculated currents on a phasor diagram.
(Answers: Current through: capacitor 0:377 90 , coil 0:157 81 )
3. A load having a series connected resistor of 5 W and a reactor of 2 W is
connected across a 240 V AC supply.
(a) Find the active and reactive power consumption of the load and its power
factor.
(b) What is the value of power factor correction capacitor in Farad required
to improve the power factor to 0.95?
(Answers: (a) P = 9.93 kW, Q = 3.97 kVAr and power factor = 0.93;
(b) 0.26 F)
4. A star-connected load having 10 W resistance per phase is connected to a
three-phase 400 V supply. Calculate the current and power drawn by the load.
(Answers: I = 23.09 A; P = 5.33 kW)
5. A balanced delta-connected load of pure resistance of 10 W per phase is
connected in parallel with a balanced star-connected load having impedance
5 j2 W per phase. Both loads are connected to a 400 V three-phase supply.
Calculate the current drawn by each load and hence calculate the total current
drawn by the loads.
(Answers: current drawn by: delta load = 69:280 ,
star load = 42:88 21:8 , total load = 110:26 8:3 )
1. Hughes E., Hiley J., Brown K., McKenzie-Smith I. Electrical and Electronic
Technology. Prentice Hall; 2008.
2. Grainger J.J., Stevenson W.D. Power System Analysis. McGraw-Hill; 1994.
3. Walls R., Johnston W. Introduction to Circuit Analysis. West Publishing
Company; 1992.
Tutorial II
AC machines
II.1 Introduction
AC electrical machines can act as generators to convert mechanical energy into
electrical energy or motors to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. For
example, in a hydro power station, the kinetic and potential energy in the water are
converted into mechanical rotational energy by the turbine and then into electricity
by a generator. On the other hand, an AC motor in a factory provides mechanical
energy when supplied with AC. In principle, an electrical machine of the same
construction can be used as either a motor or a generator.
There are two major types of AC machine, synchronous and asynchronous
(sometimes known as induction machines). In a synchronous machine, the rotor is
204 Distributed generation
supplied by DC or has permanent magnets mounted on it. The stator carries a three-
phase winding. In an induction machine, both rotor and stator carry three-phase
windings.
Armature Axis of
A Stator windings A phase C A
B C B N C B N C
N
Axis of
Rotor ws phase A
S B B B
C C S C S
Axis of
A Air gap A A
phase B
(a) Permanent magnet (b) Cylindrical rotor (c) Salient pole
In cylindrical rotor and salient pole machines, the rotor is fed with DC
through slip rings, as shown in Figure II.2.
A B C
Slip rings
Three-phase AC
Brushes
If
Vf
The DC on the rotor circuit (or the permanent magnets) produces a mag-
netic field, fRotor, that is fixed to the rotor. As the rotor rotates at synchronous
speed (ws), the rotor magnetic field also rotates at the same speed.
2. Stator construction and its magnetic field
Figure II.1 also shows the stator of an AC machine. The stator core consists of
slotted ring shape laminations that are stacked and bolted together to form a
cylindrical core. The slots on this cylindrical structure carry the armature
winding. Even though only three armature windings (AA0 , BB0 and CC0 )
are shown in Figure II.1 for simplicity, in a real machine the stator has several
armature coils in each phase.
When the rotor rotates, the magnetic field produced by the field winding
sweeps the three-phase armature windings. This in turn induces three voltages
in three windings, AA0 , BB0 and CC0 (initially assumed to be open circuit),
which are displaced by 120 . At the position shown in Figure II.1(c), the
induced voltage of the A phase is at its positive maximum and as the rotor
rotates its magnitude reduces. Once the rotor rotates by 180 the induced
voltage comes to its negative maximum. Hence, the frequency of the induced
voltage is directly proportional to the speed of rotation of the rotor and is given
by f = ws/2p.
If the armature windings are connected to a balanced three-phase load, the
resulting three-phase currents are also displaced by 120 as shown in Figure II.3.
Current
A B C
Im
Im 2
Time
Im 2
Im
t0 t1 t2
When t = 0 (Figure II.3) the current in phase A is Im and the currents in phases
B and C are equal to (Im/2). The currents in phases A, B and C produce compo-
nents of the stator magnetic field, fA, fB and fC. The magnitudes of these flux
components are proportional to the number of ampere-turns, NIm, NIm/2 and NIm/2
(where N is the effective number of turns of each phase of the stator winding) and act
along the axis of phases A, B and C (see Figures II.1(c) and II.4). These three
magnetic fields combine and produce a resultant stator magnetic field, fStator, at t = 0
as shown in Figure II.4. The distribution of this flux in the air gap is also shown in
206 Distributed generation
Figure II.5(a). Similarly, the resultant magnetic fields produced by the stator
current at t = t1 and t2 are shown in Figure II.5(b) and (c).
fB
fC
Figure II.4 Resultant stator magnetic field in the air gap at t = 0 (The x axis
shows the air gap, around the circumference of the machine.)
A A A
B B C B C
C
C B
C C B
B
A A
A
During the time t1 = (p/6ws), the flux waveform has moved by p/6. This is the
speed of the stator magnetic field and is equal to synchronous speed. In normal
operation the rotor, and hence the field winding, rotates synchronously with the
flux developed by the stator. The relative angle between the rotor flux axis and the
stator field, the rotor angle (sometimes known as the load angle), is determined by
the torque applied to the shaft.
B C
N
S S
C N B
In general if there are p number of poles, the relationship between the electrical
(qe) and mechanical (qm) angles is given by:
p
q e qm II:1
2
By dividing both sides of (II.1) by time, one can obtain a relationship between
the mechanical and electrical rotational speeds:
p
we wm II:2
2
Assuming that the torque applied on the rotor by a turbine is Tm and electro-
magnetic torque is Te, then from power balance:
Tm wm Te we II:3
p
Tm Te II:4
2
Direct-drive wind turbine generators are directly connected to the aerodynamic
rotor. Hence, they have large number of poles and operate a low mechanical rota-
tional speed but with high mechanical torque.
Stator
(Armature)
EF
B
C
If
Vf
Rotor
Further, a part of the flux produced by the rotor is not linked with the stator and that
component is called leakage flux. This component is also represented by a reactance.
Finally voltage drop across the stator resistance is also taken into account when
developing the equivalent circuit. The equivalent circuit is shown in Figure II.8.
Synchronous
reactance (Xs)
A
IA
Stator
Armature Stator
Stator leakage
reaction reactance
(Armature) reactance
jXA jXI R
IB
I
B
C EF V
IC
If
Vf
Rotor
(a) Synchronous machine on load (b) Equivalent circuit
V EF jIXs II:5
The power factor of the power delivered to the network is simply cos f, while the
rotor or load angle (the angle by which the rotor is in advance of the stator voltage) is
given by d.
EF
EF
jIXs jIXs
I d
f d f
V
V I
(a) Under-excited mode (b) Over-excited mode
Figure II.9 Phasor diagram of synchronous generator (f: power factor angle,
d: rotor angle)
EF V EF d V0 EF sin d EF cos d V
I j
jXs jXs Xs Xs
S VI
EF sin d EF cos d V
V jV
Xs Xs
P jQ
Therefore:
EF V sin d
P II:6
Xs
EF V cos d V2
Q II:7
Xs
In normal operation, the rotor angle d is usually less than 30 . Hence the real
power output (P) is proportional to the rotor angle (d). Increasing the torque on the
rotor shaft increases the rotor angle (d) and results in more active power exported to
the network, as shown in (II.6). As the rotor angle is a function of the load on the
rotor shaft, it is also known as the load angle.
Again with a rotor angle of less than 30 , cos (d) remains approximately
constant. Increasing the field current and hence increasing the magnitude of EF
results in export of reactive power, as shown in (II.7).
The phasor diagrams of Figure II.9 show two different values of excitation
(determined by the magnitude of EF).
1. Under-excited EF < V
This gives a leading power factor (using a generator convention and the
direction of I as shown in Figure II.8(b)), importing reactive power.
210 Distributed generation
2. Over-excited: EF > V
This gives a lagging power factor (using a generator convention and the
direction of I as shown in Figure II.8(b)), exporting reactive power.
It may be noted that if the direction of the definition of the current I is reversed,
and the machine considered as a motor rather than a generator, then an under-excited
motor has a lagging power factor and an over-excited motor has a leading power
factor. Of course, if torque is still applied to the shaft, then active power will be
exported to the network and if EF > V then reactive power will still be exported
irrespective of whether the same machine is called a motor or a generator. Therefore,
it is often helpful to consider export/import of real and reactive power than leading/
lagging power factors that rely on the definition of the direction of the current flow.
EF EFV/Xs
jIXs VI
d d
f V V2/Xs
I P
Under-excitation y
.
limit z
VI . Stator limit
x
d f
Under-excited O Over-excited Q
absorbing VArs exporting VArs
generator shaft and hence the rotor angle, while reactive power is adjusted by varying
the field current and hence the magnitude of EF. For example at point (x) both real
and reactive power are exported to the network, at (y) rather more real power is being
exported at unity power factor, while at (z) real power is exported and reactive power
is imported.
Three-phase V, I
rotor measurements
Power factor
AVR
controller
Excitation
power supply
current is controlled directly by the thyristor rectifier but, of course, if the generator
terminal voltage is depressed too low then excitation power will be lost.
A B C
V, I
measurements
Slip rings
Three-phase AC
Brushes
Generator
controled
thyristor
Power supply rectifier
Power factor
AVR
controller
In addition to the main types described, there are a large number of innovative
designs of excitation systems, which have been developed over the years particu-
larly for smaller generators. These include the use of magnetic circuits for the no-
load excitation and current transformer compounding for the additional excitation
required as current is drawn. Although such techniques may work robustly on
standalone systems, they are almost impossible to model for studies of distributed
generation schemes. For larger generators and their excitation systems the manu-
facturers are usually able to supply the so-called IEEE exciter models. These refer
to the structure of excitation system models that have been developed by the IEEE
and are included in most power system analysis programs.
EXAMPLE II.1
A 13.8 kV(VL), 20 MVA, 50 Hz, three-phase, star-connected synchronous
generator has a synchronous reactance of 1.5 W/phase and negligible resis-
tance. It supplies 10 MW at a power factor of 0.8 lagging (exporting VArs) to
an infinite busbar held at 13.8 kV. What is the internal voltage and power
angle of the generator?
Answer: p
The line voltage of the infinite busbar is 13.8 kV and P 3VL IL cos f
P 10 106
Hence IL p p 523 A
3VL cos f 3 13:8 103 0:8
Angle of load current = cos1(0.8) = 36.87
AC machines 213
Since the power factor is lagging and the generator exporting VArs:
IL 523 36:87
From (II.5):
EF V jIXs
13:8 103
p 0 523 36:87 j1:5
3
7967:4 784:553:13
7967:4 470:7 j627:6
8438:1 j627:6
8461:44:25
p
Therefore, the magnitude of the generator internal voltage = 8461:4 3
14:66 kV Rotor angle = 4.25 .
EXAMPLE II.2
A 12 kV(VL), 120 MVA, 50 Hz, three-phase, star-connected synchronous
generator has a synchronous reactance of 0.3 W/phase and negligible resis-
tance. It is connected to an infinite busbar and supplies 60 MW at power
factor of 0.85 lagging. If the excitation of the machine is increased by 20%
and the mechanical power input by 25%, determine the subsequent rotor
angle at which the machine operates.
Answer:
The line voltage of the infinite busbar is 12 kV, and the generator supplies
60 MW at a lagging power factor of 0.8.
P 60 106
IL p p 3396:2 A
3VL cos f 3 12 103 0:85
EF V jIXs
12 103
p 0 3396:2 31:8 j0:3
3
6928:2 1018:8658:2
6928:2 536:9 j865:9
7515:156:6
A A
B C B C
a
b c
c b
a
C B C B
A A
A B C Stator
terminals
Three-phase AC
Slip rings
Brushes
a b c
Rotor
terminals
windings as shown in Figure II.13(b). The terminals of the three windings, con-
nected in star or delta, are taken out through slip rings ((Figure II.13(b)
bottom). In wound-rotor induction motors, and some variable speed wind turbines,
these windings are often short circuited through a set of resistors.
To describe the operation of the induction machine, it is easier to start with
motoring operation. When the stator windings are connected to a three-phase sup-
ply, a rotating magnetic field is set up as described for a synchronous machine. This
rotating magnetic flux (fStator) cuts the rotor conductors, which are stationary at
start-up, and induces a voltage. Since the rotor consists of three-phase windings (or
a squirrel cage that forms a three-phase winding), the induced voltage in each rotor
phase will be displaced in space by 120 . Normally in induction machines, all three
phases in the rotor are short circuited and therefore the induced voltage in the rotor
produces a circulating current. Three-phase currents flowing in the rotor will also
produce a rotating magnetic field (fRotor). There will be an alignment force
between stator and rotor magnetic fields, thus creating a torque proportional to:
T / fStator fRotor sin q II:8
where q is the angle between the two fluxes.
The rotor then accelerates to its running speed (wr) slightly less than syn-
chronous speed, ws. Since wr < ws, there is still relative movement between the
rotor conductors and the stator flux, thus maintaining the rotor current and flux.
The normalised value of the difference between the running speed of the rotor and
the synchronous speed is defined as the slip and given by:
ws wr
s II:9
ws
1
From Faradays law: E Ndf=dt. If f is sinusoidal as shown in Figure II.4, then f fm sin ws t.
Therefore, E Nfm ws sin ws t; E / ws .
216 Distributed generation
From (II.10) and (II.13), Er2 sE2 and from (II.11) and (II.14), the frequency
of the rotor-induced voltage when the rotor is running is sf
If the rotor reactance is Xr2 :
X1 R1 R2 sX2
I1 I0 I2
V1 f sE2 sf
sE2
I2 II:16
R2 jsX2
E2 E2
I2 II:17
R2 =s jX2 R2 R2 1=s 1 jX2
Now by transforming the rotor quantities into the stator and by considering
(II.17), the stator referred equivalent circuit of an induction machine is obtained.
This is the familiar (Steinmetz) induction motor equivalent circuit and is shown in
Figure II.15.
AC machines 217
X1 R1 R2 X 2
I1 I0 I2
V1 Xm
( )
1
R2 1
s
In Figure II.15, R02 is the rotor resistance referred to the stator side, X02 is the
rotor leakage reactance referred to the stator side, Xm is the magnetising reactance
(represents the current required to set up the air-gap flux) and R02 1 s=s
represents the mechanical load in the case of a motor or turbine input in the case of
a generator.
The usual simple analysis of this circuit relies either on moving the magne-
tising branch to the supply terminals (the so-called approximate equivalent circuit)
or by using a Thevenin transform to eliminate the shunt branch.
Considering the approximate equivalent circuit, the current flowing in the rotor
circuit is given simply by:
V
I2 II:18
R1 R02 =s jX1 X02
The total power supplied to the rotor (from the stator through the air gap) is the
sum of the copper losses and the developed mechanical power.
If the electromagnetic torque is Te, the power transferred to the rotor is:
Pmech Te wr II:20
Te ws Te wr 3I22 R02
II:22
Te ws wr 3I22 R02
3I22 R02
;Te II:23
sws
218 Distributed generation
3V2 R02
Te II:24
sws R1 R02 =s2 X1 X02 2
20
15
Motoring
10 mode
Torque (kNm)
10 Generating
mode
15
20
0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Slip
Figure II.16 shows that for this example (2 MW, 690 V induction generator)
the pull-out torques in both the motoring and generating regions are in excess of
200% (100% torque = 2 106/314.16 = 6.37 kNm, where 314.16 is the speed in
rad/s for a two-pole induction generator). The normal operating locus of an
induction machine may also be described in terms of real and reactive power (in a
similar manner to the synchronous machine operating chart of Figure II.10). This is
the well-known circle diagram and is shown in Figure II.17. Compared to a syn-
chronous machine, the major difference is that an induction generator can only
operate on the circular locus and so there is always a defined relationship between
real and reactive power. Hence, independent control of the power factor of the
output of a simple induction generator is not possible. For example, at point (B) the
generator is exporting active power but importing reactive power, while at point
(A) no power is exported but the no-load reactive power is absorbed. It may be seen
that the power factor decreases with reducing load.
AC machines 219
0.9
Reactive Power (MVAr)
0.8
B
0.7
0.6
A
0.5 Importing real Exporting real
power power
0.4
0.3
0.2
2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
Real power (MW)
EXAMPLE II.3
The speed of a 400 V, 35 kW, 50 Hz, four-pole induction motor at the rated
load is 1455 rev/min. What is the
EXAMPLE II.4
A three-phase 400V(VL), 50 Hz induction machine has a stator impedance
of 0.05 j0.41 W/phase, a rotor impedance referred to the stator side of
0.055 j0.42 W/phase and a magnetising reactance of j8 W/phase.
(a) Find the slip at the maximum torque and hence the maximum slip in both
motoring and generating regions. Sketch the shape of the torque-slip
curve indicating the motoring and generating regions. Mark the normal
operating regions of an induction generator.
220 Distributed generation
(b) Calculate the total no-load reactive power that is drawn (at s = 0). (The
magnetising reactance may be moved to the terminals of the circuit.)
(c) Calculate the size (in F) of the power factor correction capacitors that
would be connected across the motor terminals to give a no-load power
factor of 1.
(d) The machine operates at a slip of 0.04. Calculate the current in the
rotor circuit and hence the real and reactive power flows in the network
connection (assuming the capacitor calculated in (c) is in place.)
Answer:
R1 = 0.05 W, X1 p
= 0.41
W, R02 0:055 W, X02 0:42 W, Xm = 8 W and phase
voltage 400= 3 230:9 V.
(a) From (II.24):
At s = 0.066,
3 230:92 0:055
Te
314:16 0:066 0:05 0:055=0:0662 0:41 0:422
325:7 Nm
AC machines 221
Torque (Nm)
288.8 Motoring
region
0.066
0.066
Slip
Normal
Generating operating region
region 325.7
(b) From Figure II.15, on no-load (i.e. with s = 0) one can see that the rotor
circuit is open circuited. When the magnetising reactance is moved to the
terminals:
The reactive power drawn by one phase = V2/Xm = 230.92/8 = 6.67
kVAr
Therefore, no-load reactive power = 3 6.67 = 20 kVAr
(c) If the per phase capacitor connected to provide no-load reactive power
completely (thus unity power factor operation) is C:
V2 wC 2 p 50 C 230:92 6:67 kVAr
6:67 103
;C 398mF
2 p 50 230:92
(d) At a slip of 0.04, from (II.18), the stator current is given by:
230:9
0:05 0:055=0:04 j0:41 0:42
125:15 j78:4 A
The apparent power in the stator circuit = 3VI* = 3 230.9 (125.15
j78.4) = 86.7 j54.3 kVA
The real power exported to the network = 86.7 kW.
The reactive power import is 54.3 kVAr in the stator circuit plus 20 kVAr
in the magnetising branch minus 20 kVAr supplied by the capacitor. That is
reactive power import is 54.3 kVAr.
II.4 Problems
1. Hughes E., Hiley J., Brown K., McKenzie-Smith I. Electrical and Electronic
Technology. Prentice Hall; 2008.
2. Chapmen S.J. Electrical Machinery Fundamentals. McGraw-Hill; 2005.
3. Hindmarsh J. Electrical Machines and Their Applications. Pergamon Press;
1994.
Tutorial III
Power electronics
III.1 Introduction
Power electronic converters are presently used to interface many forms of renew-
able generation and energy storage systems to distribution networks, while the use
of power electronics is likely to increase in the future as this technology is also an
important element of SmartGrids and active distribution networks. The develop-
ment of high power electronic converters benefits from recent rapid advances in
power semiconductor switching devices and in the progress being made in the
design and control of variable speed drives for large motors.
224 Distributed generation
Depending on their electrical conduction properties, elements are divided into three
main categories: conductors, insulators and semiconductors.
III.2.1 Conductors
Elements through which electricity conducts easily are called conductors. Metals
such as copper, silver and aluminium are good conductors. In these elements, the
electrons in the outer orbits, which are called the valance electrons, are loosely
bonded to the nucleus. Each valance electron inside a conductor has a different
energy level, thus their cumulative energy level is represented by a band, the
valance band (Figure III.1). When external energy in the form of heat, electricity or
light is applied, these electrons break from the nucleus and move to the conduction
band. These are now free electrons that can move easily when subjected to a small
electric field. In a conductor the valance and conductance bands overlap.
A free electron migrates from one atom to another and replaces a valance electron
in the second atom while leaving a positive charge on the first one. This movement of
free electrons provides the electric current inside the conductor. Conventionally the
direction of current flow is considered as being in the opposite direction to the electron
flow and is in the direction of the movement of positive ions.
Energy
External
energy
Free electron
Conduction
e Free electrons
band
e Valance
electron Valance Valance
e e
band electrons
e Outer orbit
III.2.2 Insulators
The elements that do not conduct under normal conditions are called insulators. In
good insulators the valance electrons are tightly bonded to the nucleus and there-
fore a large amount of energy is required to break an electron from the atom. The
gap between the valance and conduction bands of an insulator is large. High energy
is required to move an electron from the valance band to the conduction band.
Therefore, an insulator subjected to a low voltage may have a small number of free
electrons that are insufficient to create any current flow. However, if the same
material is subject to a very large voltage, then there will be sufficient free elec-
trons to initiate a current. Thus, an insulator that is used to cover a low voltage
conductor of an electric cable may not be suitable for a high voltage cable.
III.2.3 Semiconductors
A semiconductor, in its intrinsic state, has the properties of neither a conductor nor
an insulator. Silicon (Si) is the most commonly used semiconductor for power
electronic devices. Intrinsic Si atoms form covalent bonds with their neighbouring
atoms as shown in Figure III.2. As the temperature of the material increases, some
of the covalent bonds break thus creating free electrons and holes. Both free elec-
trons and holes contribute to the current flow.
Free electron
Hole e
An electron breaks from
e e e e the covalent bond
e e e e e e e e
e e e e
Si
e e e e
e e e e e e e e
e e e e
e e e e
e e e e e e e e
e e e e
Energy
Free electrons
Conduction
band
Valance Holes
band
Free
electron
e e e
e e e e
e e Donor
Si
e e
e e e e
e e
Si Si
III.3 PN junction
By combining a P-type semiconductor with an N-type semiconductor a PN junction
is formed. When P-type and N-type semiconductors are combined, due to the dif-
ference in the concentration of carriers (free electrons or holes) across the junction,
Power electronics 227
Hole
e e
e e e
e Si e Acceptor
e e
e e e e
e Si e Si
Conduction
band Free electrons
Valance
Holes
band
the negative terminal of the battery. If the potential of the battery, E, is higher than the
potential difference across the depletion layer, then the free electron on the N side and
the holes on the P side will gain enough energy to overcome the potential barrier across
the depletion layer, thus creating a current flow from the P side to the N side.
P N
P N
III.4 Diode
The device made from a single PN junction is called a diode. The symbol of a diode is
shown in Figure III.9, where the direction of the arrow shows the direction of the flow
of current. The P terminal is called the anode and the N terminal is called the cathode.
The VI characteristic of a diode is shown in Figure III.10. The voltage Vg is
called the cut-in voltage, i.e. the voltage required to push electrons against the
I
Anode Cathode
potential difference of the depletion layer. The value of Vg depends on the material
used and is approximately 0.6 V for Si.
IF(A)
IF
VF
VF(V)
0 V
EXAMPLE III.1
What is mean by rectification? Using suitable diagrams explain the operation
of a single-phase rectifier.
Answer:
The conversion of an alternating current (bi-directional signal) into a direct cur-
rent (uni-directional signal) is called rectification. As diodes let the current flow
only in one direction, one of the main applications of a diode is rectification.
A half wave rectifier uses a single diode as shown in the following figure.
During the positive half cycle of the AC voltage, the anode voltage is greater
than the cathode voltage and the diode is in the forward biased region. During
the negative half cycle the diode goes to the reverse biased region, thus
blocking the AC input voltage.
Diode
Vs Vo
Vs
Vo
230 Distributed generation
EXAMPLE III.2
Describe the operation of the full wave bridge rectifier shown in the following
figure.
A B
D1
D3 C D
D2
D4 Load
I H
F E
Answer:
During the positive half cycle, current flows in the path ABCDEFGHIA. That
is during this cycle, diodes D1 and D2 are forward biased and diodes D3 and D4
are reverse biased as shown in the following figure (top). During the negative
half cycle, diodes D3 and D4 are forward biased and diodes D1 and D2 are reverse
biased (see figure (bottom)) and current flows in the path IHCDEFGBAI. That
is during both positive and negative half cycles, the current through the load is in
the same direction, thus giving a uni-directional voltage across the load.
A B
V C D
G
I H
F E
During the positive half cycle
A B
V C D
G
F E
During the negative half cycle
The diode is an uncontrolled device that is when it is forward biased, current flows
through it and there is no control over the current flow. In many power electronic
applications controllable devices are required. In controllable devices, apart from
Power electronics 231
the main current flowing terminals, a third terminal is used to control the device.
Depending on the control techniques used, switching devices can be broadly cate-
gorised into: current-controlled devices and voltage-controlled devices.
1. Transistor [1,3,4]
A commonly used current-controlled device is the transistor. The transistor consists
of two PN junctions formed by sandwiching P-N-P or N-P-N layers as shown in
Figure III.11. In both types of transistor, the current through the collector and
emitter terminals can be controlled by the base current. However, this control
action only exists when the transistor is properly biased, that is by connecting
appropriate voltages across the three terminals. Different biasing arrangements are
employed for transistors. Figure III.12 shows a commonly used biasing arrange-
ment, common-emitter biasing and the corresponding VI characteristics. From the
VI characteristics, three operating regions can be recognised: active region, cut-
off region and saturation region. In the active region, a small base current can
control the collector current. As IB increases, at some point the base current loses
Collector Collector
P N
N P
Base Base
P N
Emitter Emitter
Collector Collector
Base Base
Emitter Emitter
Figure III.11 Structure of a P-N-P and N-P-N transistor and their symbols
232 Distributed generation
IC
Active region
IC
Saturation region
Rc
IB
IB RB
VCE
VC
VBE
VBB IE
Cut-off region
VCE
control over the collector current. In this region (called the saturation region), the
transistor acts as a closed switch. If IB is reduced to a certain minimum, then IC
becomes zero and VCE increases. This operation is equivalent to an open switch and
this operating region is called cut-off region. In moderate or high power applica-
tions, transistors are not operated in the active region because of the rather high
conduction losses of the device.
2. Thyristor [3,4]
The thyristor is a P-N-P-N device (Figure III.13) that can be turned ON by applying a
gate pulse. Once the device is ON the gate loses its control and the device will naturally
turn OFF when the current from the anode to cathode becomes very small. Thyristors
are used in power applications such as induction motor drives and in very large power
applications such as current source high voltage DC schemes. Thyristors with ratings
up to 8.5 kV, 4000 A are currently available. As shown in Figure III.13, thyristor can be
represented by two transistors, one a P-N-P and the other an N-P-N.
Anode Anode
P Anode
N
IC
Gate
P
Gate IB IG
N Cathode Gate
Cathode
Cathode
Anode current
Forward
conduction state
Forward
Holding
current
blocking
Anodecathode
Reverse voltage
blocking
Gate
Anode
Cathode
control terminal is very small these devices can directly be controlled using inte-
grated circuits and microcontrollers.
1. MOSFET [1,3,4]
The field effect transistor (FET) has very similar applications to the transistor. The main
difference is the way the device is turned ON and OFF. As the transistor is a current-
controlled device, a small base current can control the collector current. On the other
hand, in a FET a voltage applied across the gate and source can control the drain current.
There are two types of FETs: junction field effect transistor (JFET) and metal oxide
semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). Only the MOSFET is treated in this
text as they are generally used for medium power switching applications relevant to the
scope of this book. Figure III.16 shows the typical structure and symbol of a MOSFET.
Gate oxide
N N
G
P
Substrate
There are two MOSFET types, namely, depletion type and enhancement
type. Depending on the semiconductor type used for the substrate, each type of
MOSFET is also categorised as N-type and P-type. Typical transfer characteristic
of an N-type enhancement MOSFET is shown in Figure III.17. For a gate voltage
of less than a threshold (typically 2 V), the device will not conduct. Once the gate
voltage is increased beyond its threshold the device starts conducting and the drain
current shows a quadratic characteristic with respect to the gate voltage.
2. IGBT [3,4]
The IGBT is a hybrid switch that consists of a MOSFET on its gate side and a
transistor in its conduction path. Its equivalent circuit and symbol is shown in Figure
III.18. One of the main disadvantages of a MOSFET is that its conduction losses are
comparatively high when compared with that of a similar rated transistor. However, as
a MOSFET is a voltage-controlled device that only draws very small gate current, it
offers easy driving and lower losses in the driving circuits. Therefore, the IGBT offers
the advantages of both transistors and MOSFETs. The IGBT has become a popular
choice for medium power applications, and is now widely used for motor drives, wind
power conversion systems and many other forms of distributed generation.
Power electronics 235
10
6
ID (mA)
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
VGS (V)
Collector Collector
Gate
Gate
Emitter Emitter
EXAMPLE III.3
The following figure shows a thyristor phase-controlled circuit. Draw the
waveform of Vo and Io when tan1 w L=R a, where a is the thyristor gating
trigger angle.
io
L
v = Vm sinwt Vo
Gate signals
R
236 Distributed generation
Answer:
If both thyristors are ON with a firing angle a 0 (this is equivalent to L
and R being directly connected to the source), then the current io is given by:
1 wL
io Io sinwt f; where f tan
R
vo
io
EXAMPLE III.4
A permanent magnet DC motor having an armature resistance of 2 W is con-
nected to a 240 V battery via a DC chopper circuit (a transistor or a MOSFET
switch which is operated in ONOFF mode). On no load, the maximum speed
possible is 1000 rev/min and then machine draws 1 A. For the DC motor
induced voltage is proportional to the speed of rotation of the rotor.
Ra = 2
IDC
240 V VDC_Ave E
VDC
240 V
VDC_Ave
T1
IDC
T
VDC Ave d 240 V where d is the duty ratio of the switch, which is
given by T1/T.
As the induced voltage is proportional to the speed, the maximum speed
(1000 rev/min) is possible with the maximum armature voltage. Thus,
chopper switch should operate with unity duty ratio.
vdc Load
vL
2 S2
vL
Square wave
VF Fundamental
vdc/2 sinusoidal component
+vdc/2
S1-ON S1-ON
S2-OFF S2-OFF
1. Harmonics
From Fourier analysis, it can be shown that a square wave signal is formed by the
addition of infinite number of sinusoids. The Fourier series of the square wave is
Power electronics 239
given by:
4VDC X1
sin nwt
vL
p n 1;3;5 n
VF VF VF VF
VF sin wt sin 3wt sin 5wt sin 7wt sin 9wt:::
3 5 7 9
III:1
to S1
to S2
Comparator Inverter
Carrier triangular
waveform (2kHz)
+vDC/ 2 Fundamental
sinusoidal component
vDC/ 2
2. Losses
Each pulse of the PWM waveform has two transients, turn ON transient and turn
OFF transient, shown in Figure III.21 (for clarity the transient times are exaggerated
in the figure).
Current (A)
ION IOFF
Voltage (V)
VS
VON
tC
tON tOFF
Figure III.21 Typical turn ON and turn OFF transients of switching devices
The total power dissipation is the sum of the switching transition losses (turn
ON and turn OFF) and the ON state conduction loss. For the switching transitions
Power electronics 241
shown in Figure III.21, the total loss is approximately given by (III.2) [3]:
V S I ON tON V S I ON tOFF
Total losses V ON I ON tC fs III:2
6 6
where fs is the switching frequency (frequency of the carrier signal) of the PWM
signal.
From (III.2), it is clear that the total loss increases with the switching
frequency.
a
Mid-point b
o
(neutral)
c
III.7 Problems
1. Milliman J., Halkias C.C. Integrated Electronics: Analog and Digital Circuits
and Systems. Mc Graw-Hill; 1972, ISBN 0-070-423156.
2. Markvart T. Solar Electricity. Wiley; 1994, ISBN 0-471-941611.
3. Williams B.W. Power Electronics: Devices, Drives, Applications and Passive
Components. MacMillan Press; 1992, ISBN 0-333-57351X.
4. Mohan N., Undeland T.M., Robbins W.P. Power Electronics Converters,
Applications and Design. 2nd edn. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.;
1995, ISBN 0-471-58408-8.
Tutorial IV
Power systems
IV.1 Introduction
The power system converts mechanical energy into electrical energy using gen-
erators, then transmits the electricity over long distances and finally distributes it to
domestic, industrial and commercial loads. Generation is at a low voltage (400 V to
around 25 kV) and then the voltage is stepped up to transmission voltage levels
(e.g. 765 kV, 400 kV, 275 kV) and finally stepped down to distribution voltages
(e.g. 13.8 kV, 11 kV or 400 V). Each of these conversion stages takes place at a
substation with a number of different pieces of equipment to: (a) transform the
system voltage (power transformers), (b) break the current during faults (circuit
breakers), (c) isolate a section for maintenance (isolators) after breaking the cur-
rent, (d) protect the circuit against lightning overvoltages (surge arresters) and
(e) take voltage and current measurements (voltage transformers VT and current
transformers CT). In addition to this primary plant, which carries the main cur-
rent, secondary electronic equipment is used to monitor and control the power
system as well as to detect faults (short-circuits) and control the circuit breakers.
Practical AC power systems use three phases that are of the same magnitude
and displaced 120 degrees electrical from each other as discussed in Tutorial I.
When the three phases are thus balanced, no current flows in the neutral and so at
higher voltages only three phase conductors are used and the neutral wire is
omitted. In order to represent the power system in control diagrams and reports, a
single line representation is used; the three-phase lines are shown by a single line.
Typical single line diagram symbols used for a balanced power system are given in
Table IV.1 and a single line diagram is shown in Figure IV.1.
df
E2 N2 wN2 fm cos wt IV:2
dt
Power systems 245
Symbol Description
Generator
M Motor
Busbar
Resistor
Reactor
Capacitor
Circuit breaker
132 kV
Gen 1 Y
132/33 kV
13/132 kV
Gen 2
Y
33 kV
13/132 kV
V1 E1 E2
N1 N2
N1:N2
Coil Magnetic
core
Dividing (IV.1) by (IV.2), the following relationship is obtained for the ratio of
the magnitudes of E1 and E2:
E1 N1
IV:3
E2 N2
N2
E1 I1 E2 I2 E1 I2
N1
I1 N2
IV:4
I2 N1
In a real transformer, a small amount of flux links only with the primary and
that component of the flux is called the leakage flux. A similar leakage flux exists
on the secondary side.
For analysis of a transformer, it is convenient to use an equivalent circuit.
Figure IV.3 shows the equivalent circuit of the transformer where R1 and R2 rep-
resent the resistances of the primary and secondary windings, X1 and X2 represent
the reactances of the windings due to leakage fluxes, Xm represents the reactance of
the mutual flux, Rc represents the core losses, and E1 and E2 are the internal voltage
on each coil.
R1 X1 X2 R2 I2
I1
V1 Rc Xm E1 E2 V2
N2:N2 Ideal
Magnetising
branch transformer
The primary leakage reactance may also be referred to the secondary side in a
similar manner:
N2 2
X10 X1 IV:7
N1
XL RL I2
I1
V1 E1 E2 V2
N1:N2 Ideal
transformer
In this way the secondary voltage may be altered (with a constant primary voltage).
On load tap changers use a combination of diverter and selector switches to change
the transformer ratio while it passes current and is on load (Figure IV.5). Off load tap
changers can be operated with voltage on the transformer (but no current flowing),
while off circuit tap changers can only be operated when the transformer is isolated.
EXAMPLE IV.1
A 50 kVA transformer has 400 turns on the primary and 40 turns on the
secondary. The primary and secondary resistances are 0.3 W and 0.01 W
respectively, and the corresponding leakage reactances are j1.1 W and j0.035
W respectively. Calculate the equivalent impedance referred to the primary.
Answer:
Since the resistance and reactance are transformed from the secondary to the
primary, the transformation is based on the square of the primary to sec-
ondary turns ratio, thus if the equivalent impedance referred to the primary is
RLp jXLp:
2
N1
RLp R1 R2
N2
400 2
0:3 0:01
40
1:3 W
N1 2
XLp X1 X2
N2
400 2
1:1 0:035
40
4:6 W
Power systems 249
Sb
Ib p IV:9
3Vpb p
Vb = 3 Vb = 3 V 2
Zb p b IV:10
Ib Sb = 3Vb Sb
33 103 2
Zb 10:86 W
100 106
E1 V1 IV:11
E2 V2 jI2 XL IV:12
250 Distributed generation
I1 XL I2
V1 E1 E2 V2
N1:N2 Ideal
transformer
p
By dividing (IV.11) by VL1 = 3 (as the equation is a per-phase equation):
jI2 XL
E2;pu V2;pu p 1 pu IV:14
VL2 = 3
XL, pu
I1, pu
V1, pu V2, pu
IV.3.2 Generators
As discussed in Tutorial II, a generator also has an internal impedance where the
resistive component is very small compared to the inductive component. The
internal impedance of the generator is generally represented by a percentage, which
is the internal reactance in pu on the machine base multiplied by 100.
EXAMPLE IV.2
Using a 10 MVA base, change all the parameters in the following circuit into
per unit and draw the simplified equivalent circuit.
Distribution line
12.5 kV 12.5:33 kV impedance = 10 + j 50
10 MVA 15 MVA
35% 15%
Answer:
Assume voltage bases of: 12.5 kV for the primary side of the transformer and
33 kV for the secondary side of the transformer.
On 10 MVA base, the generator reactance is 35% = j 0.35 pu.
The transformer impedance is equal to j 0.15 pu on a 15 MVA base.
From (IV.20), on a 10 MVA base it is equal to j 0.15 10/15 = j 0.1 pu.
252 Distributed generation
i 0.35 j 0.1
1 pu 0.092 + j 0.46
EXAMPLE IV.3
A schematic diagram of a radial network with a distributed generator is
shown here. Calculate the terminal voltage of the synchronous generator if
the voltage at busbar A at 30 kV. Use a 100 MVA base.
Busbar A
j 50
25 MW
0.8 pf lagging
11:132 kV 132:33 kV
Vs 50 MVA 50 MVA
X = 10% X = 12%
Answer:
On Vb = 132 kV and Sb = 100 MVA, Zb is given by:
132 103 2
Zb 174:24 W
100 106
The 11:132 kV transformer impedance on 100 MVA base = j0.1 (100/
50) = j0.2 pu.
The 132:33 kV transformer impedance on 100 MVA base = j0.12
(100/50) = j0.24 pu.
The line impedance (j 50 W) on 132 kV, 100 MVA base = j50/174.24 =
j0.287 pu.
Since cos f = 0.8, f = 36.87
Therefore, reactive power absorbed by the main system = (25/cos f)
sin f = (25/0.8) 0.6. = 18.75 MVAr
Load power in pu = (P jQ)/Sb = (25 j18.75)/100 = 0.25 j0.1875 pu.
As the voltage at busbar A is 30 kV, on a 33 kV base it is 30/33 pu =
0.909 pu. Defining this voltage as the reference voltage:
VL IL 0:25 j0:1875
0:909 IL 0:25 j0:1875
IL 0:275 j0:206
Power systems 253
Now for the radial distribution system, the following equation was written
in pu:
120 120
1
See Figure I.13 in Tutorial I.
254 Distributed generation
VA1 V1 0 V1 e j0
VB1 V1 120 V1 ej2p=3 V1 e j4p=3 IV:22
VC1 V1 240 V1 ej4p=3 V1 e j2p=3
VB1 VA1 l2
IV:23
VC1 VA1 l
VA2 V2 0 V2 e j0
VB2 V2 240 V2 e j4p=3 V2 e j2p=3 IV:24
j2p=3
VC2 V2 120 V2 e V2 e j4p=3
Then:
VB2 VA2 l
IV:25
VC2 VA2 l2
EXAMPLE IV.4
Using a phasor diagram show that the three unbalanced currents IA =
200 10 , IB = 250 100 and IC = 150 200 can be represented by the
addition of positive, negative and zero sequence currents.
Answer:
IA2
IA IA1
IC1
IC
IC2
Power systems 255
In matrix form:
2 3 2 32 3
VA 1 1 1 VA0
4 VB 5 4 1 l2 l 54 VA1 5 IV:28
VC 1 l l2 VA2
If VA, VB and VC are known then the three sequence component may be
found by:
2 3 2 31 2 3
VA0 1 1 1 VA
4 VA1 5 4 1 l2 l 5 4 VB 5 IV:29
VA2 1 l l2 VC
is considered:
2 32 3 2 3
1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 l l2 1 l l2
4 1 l2 l 54 1 l l2 5 4 1 l l2 1 2l3 1 l2 l4 5
2 2
1 l l 1 l l 1 l l 1 l l
2 2 4
1 2l3
IV:30
Figure IV.9 shows how phasors are rotated with the l operator. From the figure it
may be seen that (1 l l2) = 0, (1 2l3) = 3 and (1 l2 l4) = 0.
1 3
x
4 2
From (IV.30):
2 3 2 3 2 3
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0
4 1 l2 l 5 41 l l2 5 3 4 0 1 05 IV:31
1 l l2 1 l2 l 0 0 1
IV.5 Problems
2
[A] [B] = 3[I], [A] [B]/[A] = 3[I]/[A], [B] = 3[A]1, [A]1 = 1/3[B]
Power systems 257
respectively. If its secondary output voltage is 120 V when the output current
is 10 A at 0.8 lagging power factor, calculate the input voltage.
(Answers: 420.6 V)
2. For the circuit shown in Figure IV.Q2, using per unit representation on 25
MVA base calculate the current in the line and the internal generator voltage in
pu. Assume that the voltage at the infinite busbar is held at 1 pu.
(Answers: I = 0.2 j0.04 pu; EF = 1.13 14.1 )
P = 5 MW
Q = 1 MVAr
Lagging
8 + j20
12.5 kV 12.5:33 kV
10 MVA 12.5 MVA
30% 10%
Figure IV.Q2
3. Convert the part of the distribution network shown in Figure IV.Q3 into a per-
unit equivalent circuit on a 5 MVA base.
11:0.4 kV
11 kV 630 kVA
1.8 20 8% 0.4 kV
11 kV
20 MVA 1.8 20
25%
0.4 kV
1 MVA
16%
Figure IV.Q3
rotor circuit. Widely used in wind turbines to give variable speed operation of
around 30% of synchronous speed.
DUoS, distribution use of system charge: Charge made to generation and load
customers for the use of the distribution network to transport electrical energy.
EENS: Expected energy not supplied.
Embedded generation: Synonymous with distributed generation.
Fault level: The fault level at a given point in a power network is the product of
the three-phase fault current and the pre-fault voltage. It is a measure of the
magnitude of the fault current that would result from a balanced three-phase fault
at that point. The fault level is higher for networks that are more heavily meshed
and increases as the point considered moves closer to generators. Synonymous
with short-circuit level.
Fit-and-forget: The philosophy of planning distribution networks so that they can
accommodate any anticipated combination of loads and distributed generation
without active control of the network.
Flicker: Used to describe high frequency (up to 10 Hz) variations in network
voltage magnitude which may give rise to noticeable changes in light intensity or
flicker of incandescent lamps.
Fuel cells: An electrolyte cell supplied continuously with chemical material,
stored outside the cell, which provides the chemical energy for conversion to
electrical energy.
FPC, full power converter: Variable speed system whereby all the power from
the generator is rectified to DC and then inverted to AC through two voltage
source converters rated at the full output of the generator. It allows variable
speed operation over a wide speed range and full control of real and reactive
power exported to the network.
Generation reserve: Generation reserve is used to balance generation and demand
following the unexpected breakdown of plant or after a demand or renewable
energy output forecast error.
Geothermal plant: Generation plant that uses heat from the earth as its input.
Grid supply point: A grid supply point is a substation where the transmission
network is connected to the sub-transmission or distribution network. In
England, this connection is usually made by transformers that step the voltage
down from 400 kV or 275 kV to 132 kV.
Harmonic distortion: Distortion of the network voltage or current from a true
sinusoid.
Induction generator: Synonymous with asynchronous generator.
Intertie: A line or group of lines that connect two power systems that are operated
by different companies.
LOEE: Loss of energy expectation, i.e. the expected energy that will not be sup-
plied due to those occasions when the load exceeds the available generation. It
encompasses the severity of the deficiencies as well as their likelihood.
Glossary 261
LOLE: Loss of load expectation, i.e. the average number of days on which the
daily peak load is expected to exceed the available generating capacity. Alter-
natively it may be the average number of hours during which the load is expected
to exceed the available capacity. It defines the likelihood of a deficiency but not
the severity, nor the duration.
LOLP: Loss of load probability, i.e. the probability that the load will exceed
the available generation capacity. It defines the likelihood of a deficiency but not
the severity.
Load factor: Synonymous with capacity factor. The energy produced by a gen-
erator (usually measured over a year) divided by the energy that would have been
produced if the generator were operating constantly at its rated output.
Loss-of-mains protection: Electrical protection applied to an embedded generator
to detect loss of connection to the main power system. Synonymous with anti-
islanding protection.
Neutral grounding: The connection of the neutral point of a three-phase power
system to ground (or earth).
Neutral voltage displacement: Electrical protection relay technique used to
measure the displacement of the neutral point of a section of the power system.
Used particularly to detect earth faults on networks supplied from a delta-con-
nected transformer winding.
OCGT: Open cycle gas turbine.
Permanent outage: An outage associated with damage faults that require the
failed component to be repaired or replaced.
Photovoltaic: The physical effect by which light is converted directly into elec-
trical energy.
Power: Electrical power is the product of a current and a voltage. In AC circuits,
this product is called apparent power. The angle difference between the current
and voltage waveforms is called the phase angle and the cosine of this phase
angle is called the power factor. The real power is the electrical power that can
be transformed into another form of energy. It is equal to the product of the
apparent power and the power factor. Reactive power is not transformed into
useful work and is a mathematical construct used to represent the oscillation of
power between inductive and capacitive elements in the network. It is equal to
the product of the apparent power and the sine of the phase angle. A purely
active load (i.e. a load such as an electric heater that consumes only real power)
has a power factor of 1.0. Practical loads usually have a power factor smaller
than 1.0. A load with a power factor of 0.0 would be purely reactive and would
not transform any electrical energy into practical work.
Quality of supply: Perfect quality of supply in the most general sense means an
undistorted waveform without any interruptions of any duration. Some organi-
sations however associate quality only with waveform distortions, e.g. harmo-
nics, voltage sags, etc. Others associate it with short and/or long interruptions of
supply.
262 Distributed generation
Fixed speed wind turbines 33, 34f doubly fed induction. See Doubly
Flow duration curve (FDC) fed induction generators
hydro generation and 278, 28f (DFIG)
Forward biased PN junction 2278, FPC connected. See Full power
228f converter (FPC), connected
Four-pole synchronous machine generators
207f with high impedance 112, 112f,
FPC. See Full power converter (FPC) 113f
Frequency, under/over, voltage and induction. See Induction generators
117 mechanical analogues of 51f
Frequency (f ) 184 per-unit system and 251
Full power converter (FPC) and power electronic converters
connected generators 613 104
wind turbines 345, 34f36f synchronous. See Synchronous
Full wave bridge rectifier, operation generators
of 230 terminal voltage of 2523
Generator stator
G59 107, 117 overcurrent and 10912
Gas turbine protection of 10913
CHP scheme and 24, 24f with thermal protection 11213
with waste heat recovery 24, 24f Global economic optimality 149
Gate turn off (GTO) thyristor 233 Greenhouse gas emissions 67
symbol of 233 Grid Codes requirement 8, 18
GaussSiedal method 689, 70, 72 reactive power 59, 601
GD. See Generator dominated (GD) in wind farms 50, 107
Generation capacity Grid-connected mode
LOLP and 130 of microgrid operation 175,
of micro-CHP 133 178
reliability indices for 130 GTO. See Gate turn off (GTO)
in thermal generation systems, thyristor
adequacy in 12830
Generation-dominated (GD) circuit Harmonics 23840
159 strategies to minimise 239
Generation output Hazardous voltages, fault current and
load and 146, 150 96
Generator dominated (GD) feeders Heat stores, CHP and 26. See also
159 District heating
Generator output High voltage direct current (HVDC)
reduction, special protection transmission, offshore wind farms
schemes for 1678, 168f and 37, 38f
Generator rotor, protection of use of 62
11314, 113f HVDC. See High voltage direct current
Generators (HVDC)
differential protection of 11213, Hydro generation
112f, 113f FDC and 278, 28f
Index 269