DIgSILENT

PowerFactory 2018

Technical Reference Documentation

AC Current Source
ElmIac

I N T EG R AT E D P O W E R S Y S T EM A N A LY S I S S O F T WA R E F O R
T R A N S M I S S I O N / D I S T R I BU T I O N / I N D U S T RY / G EN E R AT I O N / I N T EG R AT I O N O F R EN E WA B L E S
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publication may be reproduced or
distributed in any form without written
permission of DIgSILENT GmbH.

December 4, 2017
PowerFactory 2018
Revision 1
Contents

Contents

1 General Description 1

1.1 Model Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2 Load Flow Analysis 2

3 Short-Circuit Analysis 2

4 Harmonic Load Flow 2

5 Frequency Sweep 3

6 Dynamic Simulation 4

6.1 RMS Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

6.1.1 Input signal i0 or I0 is connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

6.1.2 Input signals I A, I B and I C are connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

6.1.3 No signals connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

6.2 EMT Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

6.2.1 Input signal i0 or I0 is connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

6.2.2 Input signals I A, I B and I C are connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

6.2.3 No signals connected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

6.3 Input/Output signals definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

A Parameter Definitions 9

B Signal Definitions 9

List of Figures 10

List of Tables 11

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AC Current Source (ElmIac)
1 General Description

1 General Description
b) Negative Sequence
a) Positive NetworkNetwork
Sequence

The AC Current Source model represents a constant current injection in the system. It should
be connected to three phase AC terminals, as it does not support two phase and single phase
systems. ElmIac can be used for balanced and unbalanced calculations and can be useful for:

• Wind turbine modelling

• HVDC system modelling

• Photovoltaic modelling b) Negative
c) Zero Sequence Sequence Network
Network

• Injection of harmonic currents in the system

• General circuit analysis

I1
1.1 Model Diagrams U1

Figures 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 depict the equivalent positive, zero and negative sequence circuit of
Isetp with thec) AC
the model. In contrast G1 source
Zerovoltage BNetwork
Sequence 1 where it is possible to define negative and
zero sequence voltages, in the AC current source the current injection is always in positive
sequence. The current injection for both balanced and unbalanced calculations is always in
positive sequence, although the negative and zero sequence internal admittances are consid-
ered. a) Positive Sequence Network

I1
I2 U1
U2

Isetp G1 B1
G2 B2

a) Positive Sequence Network

Figure 1.1: Positive
b) Negative sequence
Sequence NetworkAC current source model
I2
I0 U2
U0

Isetp G2 B2
G0 B0

b) Negative Sequence Network

c) Zero Sequence Network
Figure 1.2: Zero sequence AC current source model
I0
U0

Isetp G0 B0

c) Zero Sequence Network

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AC Current Source (ElmIac)
 U1

Isetp G1 B1

4 Harmonic Load Flow

a) Positive Sequence Network

I2
U2

G2 B2

b) Negative Sequence Network

Figure 1.3: Negative sequence AC current source model
I0
U0
2 Load Flow Analysis

The parameters that should be definedGfor 0 loadB0flow calculations are listed in Table A.1. Output
current is given by the following equation:

 (I setp · cosφ + U 1 · G1 ) +  (I setp · sinφ + U 1 · B1 ) if pf is capacitive
I1 = c) Zero Sequence Network (1)
(I setp · cosφ + U 1 · G1 ) −  (I setp · sinφ + U 1 · B1 ) if pf is inductive


I 0 = U 0 · G0 +  U 0 · B0 (2)

I 2 = U 2 · G2 +  U 2 · B2 (3)

Equations 1 to 3 are used for unbalanced load flow calculations. The balanced option only
considers equation 1.

3 Short-Circuit Analysis

For VDE/IEC and ANSI short-circuit calculation there is no defined short-circuit contribution for
AC current sources.

In the Complete Short-Circuit Method data of the internal conductance and susceptance for
positive, negative and zero sequence are needed. The ElmIac behaves as a constant cur-
rent source for symmetrical faults. For unsymmetrical faults, it behaves as a constant current
source in the positive sequence network and as a constant admittance in the negative and zero
sequence networks.

4 Harmonic Load Flow

The AC current source can be used to define harmonic current injections into the network.
Figure 4.1 shows how to define the harmonic currents injection. To define the harmonics it
is possible to select a spectrum which contains the harmonic currents, for more information
regarding how to define a spectrum refer to User’s Manual “Definition of Harmonic Injections”.
The harmonic current can be referred to either the fundamental or rated current.

For the Harmonic Current Definition, the selected type can be chosen between Balanced, Un-
balanced and according to IEC61000 representation as shown in Figure 4.2.

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AC Current Source (ElmIac)
5 Frequency Sweep

Figure 4.1: Harmonic Current Definition

5 Frequency Sweep

In the frequency sweep calculation the internal current of the current source is set to 0 A and 0
deg (open-circuit). The parameter Spectral Density of the Current Magnitude/Angle (didf, dφdf
in p.u./Hz, deg/Hz) and the corresponding frequency dependent characteristic allows for the
definition of an internal current according to equations (4) and (5).

ii (ωh ) = didf · ichar (ωh ) (4)

φIi (ωh ) = dφdf · φI,char (ωh ) − ∆φIi (5)

where

∆φIi = φIi − φIref (6)

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AC Current Source (ElmIac)
6 Dynamic Simulation

Figure 4.2: Harmonic Current Definition Type

didf and dφdf are constant input parameters used to scale the frequency characteristics ichar
and φI,char in (4). The characteristics can be either polynomial (using the PowerFactory ChaPol
object) or a vectorial characteristic (using the ChaVec object) with a frequency scale (using the
TriFreq object). The angle ∆φIi accounts for the angle deviation between the current and the
system reference voltage angle.

A common application is the analysis of the transfer function of a part of the system or the
propagation of a current impulse in frequency domain. To do this the amplitude and phase of
the spectrum current can be defined and using the frequency sweep function, the voltage at the
remote end can be calculated.

6 Dynamic Simulation

For dynamic simulation using the current source, two different models can be distinguished
depending on the connected input signals.

The models are described in the following subsections. For balanced RMS simulation only the
positive sequence equations are used.

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AC Current Source (ElmIac)
6 Dynamic Simulation

6.1 RMS Simulation

In the RMS simulation, depending on the connected input signals, there are two ways to control
the current amplitude, angle and frequency of the current source.

The angle phii is used in both models and its derivative is changed if there is a frequency
change:


 2 · π · Fn · (f 0 − fref ) if input signal f0 is connected


d phii 
= 2 · π · F 0Hz − 2 · π · Fn · fref if input signal F0Hz is connected (7)
dt 



0 if it is the reference element


where f 0 and F 0Hz are input signals and Fn is the nominal frequency in Hz. Note that the
signal fref is automatically connected to the reference machine.

6.1.1 Input signal i0 or I0 is connected

The positive sequence current set-point is calculated depending which of the input signals is
connected:

 i0 · Inom · ei·(phii+dphii) if input signal i0 connected
i1setp = (8)
I0 · ei·(phii+dphii) if input signal I0 connected


where Inom is nominal current of the current source and phii is current angle input signal.

The positive sequence current behind the internal admittance is controlled, the resulting current
depends on the admittance value and on the voltage the element is connected to. The main
equations that need to be satisfied, are (i2setp and i0setp are zero):
√
i1setp = i1 · Inombus − (G1 +  2 · π · Fnom · C1 ) · u1 · U nombus/ 3
√
0 = i2 · Inombus − (G2 +  2 · π · Fnom · C2 ) · u2 · U nombus/ 3 (9)
√
0 = i0 · Inombus − (G0 +  2 · π · Fnom · C0 ) · u0 · U nombus/ 3
where U nombus is the nominal
√ voltage of the connected busbar and Inombus is defined as:
Inombus = 1/U nombus/ 3.

6.1.2 Input signals I A, I B and I C are connected

This model can be used to independently control magnitude and phase of the A, B and C current
components.

If the input signals I A, I B and I C are connected, the complex currents iA , iB and iC are
calculated as follows:
iA = I A · ei·phiA
iB = I B · ei·phiB (10)
i·phiC
iC = I C · e

The angle for phase A (phiA) can be configured with the input signal dphii ( in rad) as:
phiA = phii + dphii (11)

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AC Current Source (ElmIac)
6 Dynamic Simulation

For the angles of phases B and C, two additional signals are available. The angles are relative
to the angle of phase A:
π
phiB = phiA + phii B ·
180◦ (12)
π
phiC = phiA + phii C ·
180◦
If the two angle signals phii B and phii C are not connected, PowerFactory uses a 120◦ shift to
calculate the two angles:
π
phiB = phiA − 120◦ ·
180◦ (13)
◦ π
phiC = phiA + 120 · ◦
180

The complex currents are then transformed to sequence components by using the symmetri-
cal component transformation. These currents are the set-point currents that are used in the
following equations:
√
i1setp = i1 · Inombus − (G1 +  2 · π · Fnom · C1 ) · u1 · U nombus/ 3
√
i2setp = i2 · Inombus − (G2 +  2 · π · Fnom · C2 ) · u2 · U nombus/ 3 (14)
√
i0setp = i0 · Inombus − (G0 +  2 · π · Fnom · C0 ) · u0 · U nombus/ 3

6.1.3 No signals connected

If no input signals are connected, the model is equivalent to the model described in Section
6.1.1 using the input signal I0. This is possible since all input signals (also I0) of the RMS
simulation are initialised from the results provided by the Load Flow calculation.

6.2 EMT Simulation

Very similar as in the RMS simulation, the EMT model being used depends on the connected
signals and there are two ways to control the current amplitude, angle and frequency of the
current source.

The two available EMT models transform the phase voltages available from the EMT simulation
to αβγ components.

The angle phii is used in both of the models and its derivative is changed if there is a frequency
change:

2 · π · Fn · f 0 if input signal f0 is connected
d phii 
= (15)
dt
2 · π · F 0Hz if input signal F0Hz is connected


where f 0 and F 0Hz are input signals and Fn is the nominal frequency in Hz.

6.2.1 Input signal i0 or I0 is connected

The α and β setpoint currents are calculated depending which of the input signals is connected:

 i0 · Inom · ei·(phii+dphii) if input signal i0 connected
iαβsetp = (16)
I0 · ei·(phii+dphii) if input signal I0 connected


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AC Current Source (ElmIac)
6 Dynamic Simulation

where Inom is the nominal current of the current source and phii is current angle input signal.

For the EMT model, the following equations are valid:

d uα √
iαsetp = iα · Inombus − (G1 · uα + C1 · ) · U nombus/ 3
dt
d uβ √
iβsetp = iβ · Inombus − (G1 · uβ + C1 · ) · U nombus/ 3 (17)
dt
d uγ √
0 = iγ · Inombus − (G0 · uγ + C0 · ) · U nombus/ 3
dt
where uαβ = uα +  · uβ and uγ are the αβγ components of the terminal voltage, U nombus
is the nominal
√ voltage of the connected busbar and Inombus is calculated as: Inombus =
1/U nombus/ 3.

6.2.2 Input signals I A, I B and I C are connected

For calculating the set-points, the input signals I A, I B and I C are internally first transformed
to αβγ values Iinputα , Iinputβ and Iinputγ . The set-points are:
√
iαsetp = Iinputα / 2
√
iβsetp = Iinputβ / 2 (18)
√
iγsetp = Iinputγ / 2

The following equations need to be satisfied:

d uα √
iαsetp = iα · Inombus − (G1 · uα + C1 · ) · U nombus/ 3
dt
d uβ √
iβsetp = iβ · Inombus − (G1 · uβ + C1 · ) · U nombus/ 3 (19)
dt
d uγ √
iγsetp = iγ · Inombus − (G0 · uγ + C0 · ) · U nombus/ 3
dt

6.2.3 No signals connected

If no input signals are connected, the model is equivalent to the model described in Section
6.2.2. This is possible since all input signals of the EMT simulation are initialised from the
results provided by the Load Flow calculation.

6.3 Input/Output signals definition

The use of input and output signals from the dynamic model shown in Figure 6.1 could be used
to control the current injection into a system. This is useful to model a current impulse source
or to define a lightning current standard model.

With the help of a composite model and using a Fourier source ElmFsrc harmonic currents
can be injected during an EMT simulation. For more information please refer to Fourier Source
Technical Reference.

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AC Current Source (ElmIac)
6 Dynamic Simulation

i0
I0
f0
F0Hz
I_A
I_B RMS
Simulation xspeed
I_C
phii_B
phii_C
i0
dphii
I0
fref
f0
F0Hz
I_A
I_B RMS
Figure 6.1: Input/Output Definition of AC Current
Simulation Source (RMS-Simulation)
xspeed
I_C
i0
phii_B
I0
phii_C
f0
dphii
F0Hz
fref EMT
I_A Simulation
I_B
I_C
dphii
i0
I0
f0
F0Hz
EMT
I_A Simulation
I_B
I_C
dphii

Figure 6.2: Input/Output Definition of AC Current Source (EMT-Simulation)

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AC Current Source (ElmIac)
B Signal Definitions

A Parameter Definitions

Table A.1: Parameters of AC Current Source

Parameter Description Unit

loc name Name
outserv Out of Service
chr name Characteristic Name
for name Foreign Key
bus1 Terminal (StaCubic)
bus1 bar Terminal
cpZone Zone
cpArea Area
Ir Rated Current A
isetp Positive Sequence Current Setpoint p.u.
cosini Positive Sequence Power Factor
i cap Positive Sequence Reactive Power
G1 Positive Sequence Internal Conductance S
B1 Positive Sequence Internal Susceptance S
G2 Negative Sequence Internal Conductance S
B2 Negative Sequence Internal Susceptance S
G0 Zero Sequence Internal Conductance S
B0 Zero Sequence Internal Susceptance S
dcurdf Spectral Density of Current Magnitude p.u./Hz
fchardcur Frequency Dependency A
dphidf Spectral Density of Current Angle deg/Hz
fchardphi Frequency Dependency
phmc Harmonic Current Injections
icurref Harmonic Current Injections Referred to
iAstabint A-stable integration algorithm
cTypHmc Harmonic Current Injections: Type of Harmonic Sources
Inom Harmonic Current Injections: Rated Current

B Signal Definitions

Table B.1: Input/Output signals

Name Description Unit Type Model

i0 Current-Input p.u. IN RMS, EMT
I0 Current-Input kA IN RMS, EMT
f0 Frequency-Input p.u. IN RMS, EMT
F0Hz Frequency-Input Hz IN RMS, EMT
IA Current, Magnitude kA IN RMS, EMT
IB Current, Magnitude kA IN RMS, EMT
IC Current, Magnitude kA IN RMS, EMT
phii B Current, Angle, Phase b deg IN RMS
phii C Current, Angle, Phase c deg IN RMS
dphii Additional Angle rad IN RMS, EMT
fref Reference Frequency p.u. IN RMS
xspeed Frequency p.u. OUT RMS

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AC Current Source (ElmIac)
List of Figures

List of Figures

1.1 Positive sequence AC current source model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.2 Zero sequence AC current source model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.3 Negative sequence AC current source model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

4.1 Harmonic Current Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

4.2 Harmonic Current Definition Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

6.1 Input/Output Definition of AC Current Source (RMS-Simulation) . . . . . . . . . . 8

6.2 Input/Output Definition of AC Current Source (EMT-Simulation) . . . . . . . . . . 8

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AC Current Source (ElmIac)
List of Tables

List of Tables

A.1 Parameters of AC Current Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

B.1 Input/Output signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

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AC Current Source (ElmIac)