STATCOM WITH POD CONTROLLER FOR REACTIVE POWER

COMPENSATION
Vijai Jairaj1, Vishnu.J2and Sreenath.N.R3
1
PG Student [Electrical Machines], Department of EEE, Sree Buddha College of Engineering
Pattoor, Kerala, India
2
Assistant professor, Department of EEE, Sree Buddha College of Engineering Pattoor, Kerala,
India
3
PG Student3 [Electrical Machines], Department of EEE, Sree Buddha College of Engineering
Pattoor, Kerala, India
Abstract – The main problem faced by the industrial and commercial load is the power quality issues
during the fault. This is an undesirable phenomenon. The main aim is to introduce STATCOM as a solution
for reactive power. It is connected in shunt for necessary compensation on its load side. To remove the
power quality problems it should be compensated by injecting a current so that it can provide necessary
compensation. For that purpose we are using reactive power compensative devices (FACTS devices).
Among the FACTS devices STATCOM is more preferred. It consists of a voltage source inverter (VSI).
The shunt VSI is connected via a DC link, which includes a DC capacitor. The modeling of Transmission
line is completed using MATLAB SIMULINK. At that time active power is reduced and power quality
problems will dominate. This problem can be eliminated by placing a STATCOM which will supply
shortage of reactive power. This paper utilizes a POD Controller for providing necessary control and thus
for mitigation of power quality problems and hence reactive power compensation can be done which is the
main objective.
Keywords- FACTS, STATCOM, VSI, POD
I. INTRODUCTION
Voltage control is one of the most important aspects in the Transmission line. The main problem
with transmission line is its voltage sag during the fault which is harmful for the equipments connected to
the line. So it is necessary to compensate such voltage variations. When a fault occurs there will be a sudden
dip in voltage at that. This is an undesired phenomenon, can be solved using reactive power compensation
devices like FACTS devices. The shunt devices which can be used for reactive compensation are SVC and
STATCOM. A Static Var compensator (SVC) is a fast acting shunt device which will regulate voltage,
reduce harmonics and stabilize the system. It is also connected near industrial loads to improve power
quality. But STATCOM is more preferred than SVC because it provides more reactive power support at low
voltages. Dc link capacitor will act as a source for compensation.
Different types of controller can be employed. They are proportional controller, proportional plus
integral controller. proportional plus integral plus derivative controller and power oscillation damping
controller. The STATCOM is additionally equipped with a Power Oscillation Damping (POD) control
function. The controller parameters are optimized using parameter identification.
Design of current and voltage controllers has a significant role in modeling of STATCOM. The
STATCOM is applied with the DC link voltage with the help of designed controllers and depending on
spikes and overshoot responses a suitable DC link voltage is applied. Based on the values of DC link
voltage passive components are designed [1].
There are large number of sub modules which are connected in series to build up a controllable
voltage source in a multi-level converter technology. It reduces the number of harmonics generated
compared to SVC devices and also there is no need to install additional fixed harmonic filter bank at

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 International Journal of Modern Trends in Engineering and Research (IJMTER)
Volume 03, Issue 06, [June– 2016] ISSN (Online):2349–9745; ISSN (Print):2393-8161

substation which is the main advantage of multi-level converter technology over redundant modular
converter design [2].
The UPFC system has many advantages like it has the ability to control both real and reactive power
phase angle and reduced maintenance. [3] Shows the ability of UPFC to control both real and reactive
power. With increase in real and reactive power there will be an increase in angle of injection. It explains
how power quality can be improved by the control and performance of UPFC.
This paper utilizes a model of STATCOM to study about stability phenomenon and the performance
of power system. The STATCOM is equipped with a Power Oscillation Damping (POD) control function.
Parameter identification is used for optimization of controller parameters.
II. STATCOM
STATCOM consist of a shunt converter with a dc storage capacitor which is used for compensation.
It will inject current to the transmission line thus it can provide necessary compensation.

Fig.1. STATCOM single line diagram

The major power quality issues [7] faced by domestic and commercial loads are voltage sag and
swell. About 80 % of power quality issues is due to this phenomenon. According to definition, Voltage sag
is the reduction in the AC rms voltage from half of a cycle at power frequency to a few seconds duration.
Similarly Voltage swell is the increase in the rms AC voltage at power frequency from half cycles to a few
seconds.
In this paper, STATCOM is based on three phase voltage source converter. It produces both
capacitive and inductive reactive power internally. By controlling the gate pulses of inverter switches are
being controlled, this voltage source can modify the compensating reactive power and making voltage
smooth. So, by injecting reactive power voltage sag can be mitigated and by absorbing reactive power
voltage swell can be improved.
Fig. 2 shows the three basic operation modes of the STATCOM output current, I, which depends on
varying values of Vi. If Vi = Vs, the reactive power is zero and at that time it does not absorb or supply
reactive power. The STATCOM exhibits a capacitive reactance, when the injecting voltage (Vi) is greater
than the supply voltage (Vs), and it is said to be in capacitive mode of operation. Hence in this mode, the
device supplies capacitive reactive power to the ac system. On the contrary, when the supply voltage (Vs) is
greater than the injecting voltage (Vi), the STATCOM exhibits inductive reactance and hence it is in the
inductive mode of operation. In this mode, the device absorbs inductive reactive power from the ac system.

Fig.2. Basic modes of operation of STATCOM

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III. POD CONTROLLER

Fig.3. POD controller

A POD controller is developed and is tuned to provide an additional damping to stabilize the
power system after severe disturbances. The STATCOM controller parameters are shown in Table 1. The
POD controller constitutes a transfer function which is composed of a transducer with a gain which is
followed by a washout filter. The signal obtained at the output is limited. The transfer function which
constitutes lead-lag filters which can be used for phase compensation of POD controllers
Table.1. POD Parameters

PARAMETER VALUE UNIT

K 1.1008 PU
T1 0..064 Sec
T2 0.145 Sec
T3 0.345 Sec

IV. Modeling of transmission Line

Fig.4. transmission line model

The above figure shows the modelling of transmission line in MATLAB/SIMULINK. A 3 phase
source provides which is generally a generator provides the supply for transmission line the input voltage
will be 11kV and in order to transmit it need to be step-up, step-up transformer is used here. The voltage is
stepped up to a desired voltage and a RL load is connected as load this is modelled to know the variation of
voltage with respect to fault which is applied on the load side.
V. MODELLING OF TRANSMISSION LINE WITH STATCOM
The figure shows the modelling of transmission line with STATCOM. STATCOM consist of
voltage source converter with a DC link capacitor. It will inject current to the line to provide necessary
compensation [2]. There is a controller provided to control the firing of Voltage source converter.

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Volume 03, Issue 06, [June– 2016] ISSN (Online):2349–9745; ISSN (Print):2393-8161

Fig.5. Modeling of transmission line with STATCOM

STATCOM is an important device among FACTS family. It is connected in shunt with transmission
line, also it has a superior performance in lot of aspects such as fast responding speed, voltage stabilization,
power loss is reduced and it also limits the transient voltage.

Fig.6. Modeling of STATCOM

VI. PWM Generator

Fig.7. PWM Generator

The PWM generator generates the gate pulses for the IGBTs of the VSC. Here, the sine and the
triangular waveforms are generated. The sine wave which is of 50Hz is compared with the triangular wave
of 20 kHz. Thus on comparison, the PWM pulses are produced and these pulses are given to gates of the
IGBTs. . Modulation index is defined as the ratio of the magnitude of modulating wave to carrier wave. By
varying the modulation index, the magnitude of the converter output will vary and as well as by varying the
phase angle of the modulating wave, the converter output voltage phase angle will also vary.

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VII. RESULT
A transmission system is modeled using MATLAB/ SIMULINK software. A fault is applied and it
has a resistance of 0.1 ohm and fault transition time between 0.05 and 0.1sec .During the time of fault
voltage sag will occur and there will be a decrease in active power and increase in reactive power during
this time. Results obtained during the simulation shown below so we need to compensate this by using a
STATCOM so the voltage can be improved and the power is also improved. Here for better understanding
simulation time is taken as 0.7. From the voltage waveform at instant of fault STATCOM will inject current
in to the system and thus necessary compensation occurs.

Fig.8. Voltage without STATCOM

Fig.9. Active power without STATCOM

Fig.10. Reactive power without STATCOM

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Volume 03, Issue 06, [June– 2016] ISSN (Online):2349–9745; ISSN (Print):2393-8161

Fig.11. Voltage with STATCOM

VIII. CONCLUSION
Fault is one of the problems faced by power system. During fault the voltage will decrease and there
is a sudden increase in reactive power so we need to compensate this using STATCOM which will inject
current in to the system and hence necessary compensation can be obtained. A POD controller is used for
controlling the gate pulse of IGBT. Thus by POD controller serves a major role in improving power quality.
Hence the compensation is done with STATCOM in SIMULINK platform.
REFERENCES
[1] S.K.Sethy, J.K.Moharana “Design, Analysis and Simulation of Linear Model of a STATCOM for Reactive Power
Compensation with Variation of DC-link Voltage” International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology (IJEIT)
Volume 2, Issue 5, November 2012
[2] M. Pereira, D. Retzmann, J. Lottes, M. Wiesinger, G. Wong, “SVC PLUS: An MMC STATCOM for network and grid
access applications”, IEEE PowerTech Conference, Trondheim, Norway, 2011
[3] Parvej khan, Himmat singh” Power Flow Control In A Transmission Line Through UPFC” International Journal of Emerging
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Volume 2, Issue 12, December 2012)
[4] M. Rama Sekhara Reddy and M.Vijaya Kumar. "Power Quality Improvement in DFIG based Wind Energy Conversion
System using UPFC." IOSR Journal of Engineering (IOSRJEN), vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 46-54, Jan. 2013.
[5] S.Divya, U.Shyamala, Power Quality Improvement In Transmission Systems Using DPFC” IEEE sponsored 2nd
international conference on electronics and communication system (icecs 2015).
[6] Ch.Chengaiah, R.V.S.Satyanarayana” power flow assesment in transmission lines using simulink model with upfc” 2012
International Conference on Computing, Electronics and Electrical Technologies [ICCEET].
[7] R. C. Dugan, M. F. McGranaghan and H. W. Beaty,―Electric Power Systems Quality.‖ 2nd Edition, McGraw Hill, New
York, 2006.

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