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A Study on Reducing Inrush Current in Kenjeran

150 KV Substation Power Transformer by Installing


VCT-ICL
Dr. Eng I Made Yulistya Negara, S.T., M.Sc. 1), Rudy Prasetyo
Dr. Dimas Anton Asfani, S.T., M.T. 2) Dep. of Electrical Eng. Fac. of Industrial Tech.,
Dep. of Electrical Eng. Fac. of Industrial Tech., Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology,
Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology, Surabaya, Indonesia
Surabaya, Indonesia
E-mail: yulistya@ee.its.ac.id 1), anton@ee.its.ac.id 2)

ABSTRACTReduction of inrush current at power the voltage waveform of the system. There is a new method to
transformers can be done by using the VCT-ICL which is a overcome the shortcomings of these methods which is VCT-
modification of the DC-type reactor inrush current limiter with the ICL (Voltage Compensation Type - Inrush Current Limiter).
addition of VCT components which contribute to reducing This method is a modification of the method with DC-type
distortion in the voltage waveform. Through simulation in ATP- reactor inrush current limiter, the addition of a component of
EMTP program, which obtained three modeling conditions, namely VCT (Voltage Compensation Type) to reduce distortion caused
the existing modeling system (before being installed VCT-ICL), by DC Reactor. [2]
modeling once ICL (DC reactor) installed, and modeling once
VCT-ICL installed. From the modeling results, the comparison II. INRUSH CURRENT
inrush currents and voltages of the three conditions of modeling
can be obtained. The value of the impedance at VCT-ICL When Transformer connected to alternate current voltage
proportional to the value of inrush current is reduced, so the source, the initial current is usually appeared to be higher than
method is flexible enough to reduce inrush currents such as ICL full load normal current. This current is called inrush current.
(DC reactor). However, the simulation results prove that the Based on researches, Inrush current duration is about 5-60
distortion in the voltage waveform occur in conditions after the ICL cycles. If the transformer's primary coil suddenly connected to
(DC reactor) has been installed. Then after VCT mounted on ICL the AC voltage source which is reaching the positive peak
with DC reactor parameter values are the same, the distortion value, the flux wave and the current are reaching to their
generated due to the installation of DC reactor can be reduced. positive maximum value of the rate of change of flux. The
magnetization current will flow up about two times from its
Keywords inrush current; power transformers; VCT-ICL normal current, as shown as figure 1, and then generates
required magnetomotive force (mmf) to create higher flux than
I. INTRODUCTION its normal value. However, most of the transformer are not
designed with sufficient boundaries between normal peak flux
Many phenomena that can occur in the operation of power and saturation limit, so the transformer core will reach its
transformers, one of which is the inrush current. The saturation in the first half cycle. During saturation, the
phenomenon of it causes various problems in the electric disproportional amount of mmf is needed to produce magnetic
power system and power transformers that because the value of flux. This means that the current in the coil that generates mmf
inrush current is quite high. In the short term, transformer which is resulting flux in the core, will rise disproportionately
protection system will undergo of operations as well as work- exceeding the normal peak up to two times.
related errors will decrease the quality of the power distribution
power system. While in the long term, the lifetime of the power When the transformer is disconnected with the AC voltage
transformer will be reduced due to inrush currents gives a source, a number of residual flux is still at the transformer
direct effect on the quality of insulation and transformer core due to its magnetic material characteristic. Residual flux
windings. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the value of the value can be as much as 50% to 90% of the maximum value of
inrush current to address the problems or impacts that may flux during the operation, and the residual flux is also affected
occur due to inrush currents. [1] by the type of transformer cores are used. When an AC
voltage source connected again with a transformer, the
Some of the methods used to reduce the value of the inrush generated flux is based on residual flux which previously
currents, such as SPE (Sequential Phase energization), DC-type existed on the core, to maintain the level of flux in the core,
reactor inrush current limiter, superconducting inrush current which should be near saturation conditions. The transformer
limiter, asymmetric winding configuration, and so forth. can draw current value greater than its full load current.
Among these methods, DC-type reactor inrush current limiter
can effectively reduce the inrush current with increasing the
value of the impedance of a power system. Application of this
method also does not require the addition of a control circuit.
However, this method can produce distortion in the current and
i

e
Figure 3 VCT-ICL Circuit Configuration

According to the nature of the charging and discharging


process of DC reactor, then the operation of VCT ICL can be
divided into three circumstances, which is restricted state,
freewheeling state, and steady state condition which the
equivalent circuit of each state condition can be seen in Figure
Figure 1 Voltage, Flux, and Current Curves when 00 Voltage is given at the 4 and 5.
beginning of initial operation [4]

Based on the design of the transformer, the magnitude of


the inrush current can reach 3.5 to 40 times the rated current
when fully loaded. Inrush current surge looks more like a
sinusoidal wave but mostly leaning towards negative or
positive.

III. VCT-ICL (VOLTAGE COMPENSATION TYPE INRUSH


CURRENT LIMITER) [2]
VCT-ICL is actually a DC reactor acting as an inrush
current limiter that modified by adding the VCT in series
connected. Most of the power transformer in the distribution
system is using three phases system. The technique of Figure 4 Restricted State Condition Equivalent Circuit
installation of the VCT-ICL in three phases system is by
attaching it in each phase, and placing the VCT-ICL between
the 3 phases source and the power transformer. The placement
of the VCT-ICL can be seen in Figure 2.

Figure 5 Freewheeling State Condition Equivalent Circuit


Figure 2 VCT-ICL Installation Scheme Because of the Iin,pk appeared at the moment when t=t 2, the
The main component of the VCT-ICL is a DC reactor, value of DC reactor inductance Ld can be calculated with the
bridge rectifier, and compensating DC voltage source (VCT). following equation:
The output of the compensating DC voltage source is in form
of full wave DC voltage. The components used on the
compensating DC voltage source is a potential transformer (1)
(PT) and full wave rectifier bridge. VCT-ICL circuit
configuration can be seen in Figure 3.

(2)

Where,
(3)
(4) Because the one that will be examined is how the
reduction of inrush current by DC reactor and VCT-ICL, then
on Figure 8 and 9 shows the modeling when using a DC
reactor and VCT-ICL.
(5)

(6)
Whereas to determine the value of Vcomp so there is almost
no distortion on the voltage and current curve at steady state
condition, then the value of Vcomp must satisfy the following
equation: Figure 8 Single Line Diagram modeling after assembling the DC reactor using
ATP simulation software

(7)

Where imax is the peak rated value of terminal current at


steady state condition.

IV. SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS


The power transformer used for modeling is one of the
power transformer in 150 KV Kenjeran switchyard. The
scheme modeled in the ATP can be seen in Figure 6.

Figure 9 Single Line Diagram modeling after assembling the VCT-ICL using
ATP simulation software

Through calculation with equation (2), then the obtained


value of the DC reactor parameters as shown as in Table 1.

TABLE I. DC REACTOR PARAMETER DATA


Data Unit Value
Figure 6 Single Line Diagram of the transformer which will be modeled [5] L mH 1791,645
R Ohm 0,01
A. Modeling Simulation in the ATP-EMTP
B. Simulation Results
Modeling is done using the ATP software and the Single
Line Diagram that have been modeled using ATP can be seen The existing modelling result of inrush current curve had
in Figure 7. The results of this modeling neglect the been shown at Figure 4.1, it presented value of the highest
calculation of the transformer capacitance, but only inrush current at phase one. Value of inrush current peak for
considering the nonlinear inductance of the iron core. Because each phase are 2064 A (phase 1), -788 A (phase 2) and -912,7
the nonlinear inductance of the iron core affects the inrush A (phase 3). Based on inrush current peak, phase 1 is higher
current that produced. than the other phase.
The existing modelling result of terminal voltage curve
had been shown at Figure 10. From Figure 10, had been
shown that when position of phase 1(red color) in first at
energizing or at 0 second, it is in 0-degree position. For the
others phase, it just follows with difference between other
phase is 120 degrees.

Figure 7 Single Line Diagram modeling using ATP simulation software


Figure 10 Curve of 3 phase inrush current before be assembled with VCT-ICL
Figure 13 Curve of phase 3 of terminal voltage before be assembled with
VCT-ICL

Figure 11 Curve of 3 phase inrush current after be assembled with ICL (DC
Reactor)

Figure 14 Curve of phase 3 of terminal voltage before be assembled with ICL


(DC Reactor)

Figure 15 Curve of phase 3 of terminal voltage after be assembled with VCT-


Figure 12 Curve of 3 phase inrush current after be assembled with VCT-ICL ICL
Based on chapter two, inrush current will be at the highest Value of inrush current after had been assembled VCT-ICL
value, if first voltage source when energizing at 0 degree. It is not much different compare when only assembled ICL,
makes the highest result of inrush current peak is phase 1 with because parameter DC reactor is same. Inrush current curve
inrush current peak value is 2064 A. after had assembled with VCT-ICL on existing had shown at
After DC Reactor had been assembled with ICL parameter figure 12. Value of inrush current peak for each phase are 178
specification that be presented on table 1, it had inrush current A (phase 1), -64,3 A (phase 2) and -101,13 (phase 3).
curve that be presented on figure 11. Value of inrush current Based on figure 14 and 15, there are spikes at first period
peak for each phase are 171 A (phase 1), -60,1 A (phase 2) and because it had assembled with DC Reactor. It makes spikes in
-97,2 A (phase 3). voltage wave appear, but only a moment and not in steady
state. When it had assembled with DC Rector, the spikes
appear on longer period compare when after had assembled
with VCT-ICL. The difference between voltage curve when
before assembled VCT-ICL, after assembled ICL, and after
assembled with VCT-ICL be presented on figure 13, 14, and
15.
Figure 16 shown inrush current substitution result with
using VCT-ICL based on the change of Ld value. The
impedance reactor increases, so the inrush current substitution
increases too. It be presented at figure 16. Such as in phase 1,
the Ld value is 3742,557 mH, inrush current decreases until 4
percent. While the Ld value is 1791,645 mH, inrush current
only decreases until 9 percent. So, the method is flexible for
inrush current substitution.

Figure 17 THDv when using D reactor and VCT-ICL

The increasing Rd value makes distortion will increase at


steady state. It shown with red line on figure 17. The using of
DC reactor as inrush current divider did not prevent the
distortion so, using it with the biggest impedance do not
recommend for inrush current limiter.

V. CONCLUSION
This study has shown that VCT-ICL (Voltage
Compensation Type - Inrush Current Limiter) can effectively
reduce the inrush currents which arise when the three-phase
Figure 16 The percent of inrush current based on Ld value transformer being energized. The main advantages of the use
limiter with VCT (Voltage Compensation Type) model is
If secondary transformers had 100 ohm of resistive weight, automatically increases the value of the impedance to
it will generate the current to secondary transformers when withstand inrush currents phenomenon when mounted
loaded situation. If reactor resistance increases, distortion will between circuit breaker and power transformers in the power
be increased too. When using VCT-ICL, THD value can be system. Then the inrush current limiter for the detention can
pushed up to 0,22 percent. The THD value pushing will be maintain peak value of the inrush current and does not cause a
fulfilled if Vcomp value can fulfill the formula (7), if the distortion in the waveform of current or voltage at the load
formula 97) cannot be fulfilled, VCT installation will not time of steady-state conditions.
effective for distortion reduction.
With using VCT-ICL, the limiter when in steady state REFERENCES
position will be approach the position without VCT-ICL. It is [1] Rahnavard, R., Vilazadeh, M., Sharifian, A.A.B, and Hosseini, S.H.
presented with THD value that almost approach 0 percent so, Analitical Analysis of Transformer Inrush Current and Some New
VCT-ICL will not disturb a system in steady state situation be Techniques for Its Reduction.
compared with only using DC Reactor. [2] Tseng, H.T., and Chen, J.F. 2011.Voltage Compensation Type-Inrush
Current Limiter for Reducing Power Transformer Inrush Current. IET
Electric Power Applications. 10.1049/iet- epa.2011.0151.
[3] Inrush Current, URL: http://www.wikipedia.org.
[4] C.E., Lin., C.L., Chen., Huang., and J.
[5] C., Yeh. 1993. Investigation of Magnetising Inrush Current in
Transformers. Part II Harmonic Analysis. IEEE Transaction on
Power Delivery 8, 1:255-263.
[6] Risdaniar, Lasaro Brasta. 2009. Pemodelan dan Simulasi Penerapan
Metode Sequential Phase Energization untuk Mengurangi Arus Inrush
pada Transformator Daya Gardu Induk Kenjeran 150 KV dengan
Software ATP. Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember : Jurusan Teknik
Elektro.

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