Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Abstract — The paper presents capabilities of DSTATCOM liberalization of the electricity market, development in DG
systems used to improve power quality (PQ) in low voltage (LV) technology, constrains in the extension of electrical
grids with distributed energy resources (DERs). For the case transmission networks, consumer demand for increasing the
study a typical rural network has been selected in which, on one reliability of supply and environmental protection concern.
hand DER installing is the most probable and on the other hand, These favorable conditions should assure the growth of number
integration process may cause the biggest problems. Selected of distributed energy resources (DERs) installed in the
single-phase DERs of varying power are connected into the network. DERs produce power on a customer’s site or at a
network which introduce PQ disturbances such as voltage
local distribution utility and supply electrical energy to the
variations, harmonics and asymmetry. To mitigate deviations in
local distribution network. This feature has some economic
power quality DSTATCOM compensator operating in current
control mode has been applied. Models of the network together
advantages: allows reducing transmission and distribution
with the selected DERs and compensator system have been costs, generates waste heat that can be used by the customer
developed in the PSCAD/EMTDC environment. Simulation has (CHP), and may be better positioned to use inexpensive fuels
been performed for the analysis of the network performance and such as landfill gas. Installing DERs may delay the need to
the assessment of compensation effectiveness. The possibility of upgrade distribution assets in case distribution grid operates
using the DSTATCOM operating in voltage control mode for near its capacity limits or needs to be upgraded.
reducing voltage dips coming from the supplying network has
Different types of DG technologies are in use today. They
also been studied. Control circuits have been designed for these
can be grouped dependently on the fuel applied: microturbines,
two modes of operation. Description of the study network, their
element models and some selected results of simulation are fuel cells or reciprocating engines are based on gas,
presented in the paper. photovoltaics, wind or hydro sources use renewable energy.
Distributed generation is characterized by some specific
Keywords: distributed generation, DSTATCOM, power quality, features:
simulation
• rather free location in the network area
• natural variability of power dependently on availability
I. INTEGRATION OF DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES and variability of the primary energy.
WITH ELECTRICAL POWER NETWORK
Optimization of DG sources efficiency requires
In Poland like in other European countries special support interconnection to the electrical power network, converting
systems and mechanisms have been developed in the recent energy available at the moment and transmitting it into the grid.
years [1, 2, 3] which according to the EU policy [4, 5] promote It can be presumed that the integration of considerable number
increasing the share of distributed generation (DG) in energy of DERs into the grid may cause difficulties with maintaining
market. There are few factors which imply this trend: the required power quality (PQ). DERs may generate
This work has been supported by the Polish State Committee for
Scientific Research under Contracts No. 11239/T10/2003/25.
disturbances such as voltage variations, asymmetry or For the above reasons a typical rural overhead network was
harmonics. The problems may be heightened by disturbing taken into consideration which diagram is depicted in Figure 1.
loads if they are installed in the grid. The low voltage (LV) grid is radial, TN-C arranged and is
supplied from a distributed transformer 20/0,4 kV of nominal
It is obvious that DER interconnection should not disturb power equal 63 kVA. The medium voltage (MV) grid with
normal operation of loads and the network itself. Power quality isolated neutral forms link arrangements but operates normally
indices should remain in the range required by standards and as radial. The high voltage (HV) network has a meshed
local regulations [1, 6]. On the other hand faults occurring in configuration which is represented by two transmission lines
the power system should not interrupt the sources operation. supplying the distribution station. The remaining part of the
Therefore, DG integration may need some control devices to be HV network is represented by equivalent voltage sources
applied in the network which will facilitate the integration which reactance reflect the short-circuit power at the points of
process and assure the required power quality. The authors connection.
propose DSTATCOM compensator to be used for that purpose.
DSTATCOM (Distribution STATCOM) is a shunt connected The following load devices are distributed along the LV
device of the configuration of 6-pulse semi-conductor bridge feeders:
like in conventional STATCOM (Static Synchronous
Compensator) systems applied in HV transmission networks • Loads 2÷5 – three-phase, balanced, of total constant
[7]. These two groups of devices differ in power, the type of power equal 30 kW and 12 kVAr
semi-conductor switches applied and their control systems. • Load 1 - single-phase (connected in phase C) of
DSTATCOM controllers are designed for distribution grids and maximum power equal 4 kW and 1,5 kVAr.
are the members of Custom Power devices family [8] which
provides solutions to the present problems with the quality of It has been accepted that single-phase DERs are installed in
supply that are faced by utilities and customers the grid which use energy of sun and wind. This type of DG
technology seems to be the most probable to be applied
II. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY NETWORK because of the energy availability and the fact that investors are
not subjected to any substantial constraints of installation and
Problems with the integration of DERs are likely to emerge
exploitation process. The worst operation conditions are
first of all in rural or local weak distribution grids. Supplied
assumed, i.e. the DERs are connected to different phases at the
from distribution transformers of relatively small capacity,
end of the feeder. Small wind turbine of nominal power 10 kW
such grids deliver energy to only few customers who use
is connected to phase A, and produces the active power in the
mostly single-phase load devices which power is sometimes
range of 30÷100% of the nominal one with constant tgφ = 0,4.
equal a dozen or so percent of the transformer power.
Photovoltaic source of 5 kW is connected to phase B and
Moreover, the rural networks may operate near power quality
produces power in the range 20÷100% of its nominal power.
limits. In these circumstances connection of a single-phase
In order to secure the required PQ and keep the supplying
energy source of power comparable or even bigger that the
voltage characteristics in the permissible range DSTATCOM
power of existing loads on the spot may cause power quality
compensator is installed in the grid.
characteristics to exceed their permissible values. Furthermore,
the values of PQ indices may vary considerably because of the
variation of generated power.
0,4 kV
Load 1
WT
PV
C. Simulation studies
The studies focused on the assessment of capabilities of the
DSTACOM system in compensating disturbances produced by
loads and DERs connected to the grid. Power quality indices
such as RMS voltage level and unbalance factor, measured at
the point of common coupling, were investigated for the three
cases: before and after connection of DERs, and with DERs
connected and the 4-leg DSTATCOM in operation. The
method of assessment was similar to that given in [6] however,
the time of results aggregation was reduced to 0,5 s and the
period of observation was shortened to 30 s. Nevertheless,
results are representative and can be extended to longer period
of operation. Outcomes of the simulations are gathered in
Figures 3-5, in which the levels of RMS phase and line-to-line
voltages are presented as well as the voltage unbalance factor Figure 4. RMS phase voltages and voltage unbalance factor at the PCC after
K2U. DERs connection
Figure 3. RMS phase voltages and voltage unbalance factor at the PCC Figure 5. RMS phase voltages and voltage unbalance factor at the PCC after
before DERs connection DERs connection and with DSTATCOM in operation
b c
In this case 3-leg DSTATCOM has been used. The 1 ,0
UU[p.u.]
applied. First one elaborates the amplitude modulation factor of
[jw]
0 ,6
0.60
phase DERs to the grid may deteriorate power quality
0.40
considerably.
0.20
DSTATCOM system is an efficient mean for mitigation of
0.00
PQ disturbances introduced to the grid by DERs. DSTATCOM
0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00
Time (s) compensator is a flexible device which can operate in current
control mode for compensating voltage variation, unbalance
Figure 6. Phase voltages RMS variations on LV busbars and reactive power and in voltage control mode as a voltage
during three-phase short-circuit in 110 kV network stabilizer. The latter feature enables its application for
compensation of dips coming from the supplying network.
1 ,2
c
Configuration of the system in these two cases is different;
b
1 ,0 unbalance compensation in 4-wire network requires 4-leg
device to be applied, whereas the remaining tasks may be
0 ,8
a
effectively performed by 3-leg compensator.
U [jw]
U [p.u.]
0 ,6
The method of simulation is very useful and effective in the
0 ,4 analysis of operation of electrical power networks with DERs.
0 ,2
Having the appropriate models one can perform simulation
studies to assess the performance of additional “custom
0 ,0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
power” equipment used to protect end-users from effects of
l [k m ] disturbances, which in modern electrical network cause many
technical and economical problems. Such studies may help to
Figure 7. Phase voltage RMS values on LV busbars during three-phase facilitate the integration process of DERs with the supplying
short-circuit occurred in l distance from A station: network.
a) without DSTATCOM, b) with DSTATCOM in operation and MV/LV
transformer of 4,5 % leakage reactance c) with DSTATCOM in operation and
MV/LV transformer of 10 % leakage reactance
[7] R. Mieński, R. Pawełek, I. Wasiak, “Shunt Compensation for Power
REFERENCES Quality Improvement Using a STATCOM Controller: Modeling and
Simulation”, IEE Proceedings - Generation, Transmission &
[1] Act of 10 April 1997: Polish Energy Law. Law Gazette (Dziennik Distribution, vol. 151, No. 2., pp. 274-280, 2004.
Ustaw), 1997, No 54, Item 348 (with late changes)
[8] A.Ghosh, G.Ledwich, “Power Quality Enhancement Using Custom
[2] The Ordinance of the Ministry of Economy dated 20 December 2004, Power Devices”, Kluwer Academic Publisher, 2002.
concerning detailed rules of the connection to the grid, operation and
maintenance of transmission and distribution networks. Law Gazette [9] H.Akagi, Y. Kanazawa, A. Nabae, “Instantaneous reactive power
(Dziennik Ustaw), 2005, No 2, Item 6 compensators comprising switching devices without energy storage
components”, IEEE Trans. Industry Applications, vol. IA-20, No. 3, pp.
[3] The Ordinance of the Ministry of Economy, dated 19 December 2005, 625-630, 1984.
concerning detailed scope of the obligation of acquisition and
application for redeeming of the guarantees of origin, payment of the [10] T.Furuhashi, S.Okuma, Y. Uchikawa, “A study on the theory of
substitute price and purchase of electricity and heat generated in instantaneous reactive power”, IEEE Trans. Industrial Electronics, , vol.
renewable sources. Law Gazette (Dziennik Ustaw), 2005, No 261, Item 37, No. 1, pp. 86-90, 1990.
218 [11] A Ghosh., G..Ledwich, “Load compensating DSTATCOM in weak AC
[4] Directive No 2001/77/WE of 27 September 2001. Directive on the system”, IEEE Trans. Power Delivery, vol.18, No. 4, pp. 1302-1309,
Promotion of Electricity Produced from Renewable Energy Sources in 2003.
the Internal Electricity Market [12] F.Z. Peng, J.S. Lai, “Generalized Instantaneous reactive power theory
[5] Directive No 2004/8/WE of 11 February 2004. Directive of the for three-phase power systems”, IEEE Trans. Instrumentation &
European Parliament and of the Council on the Promotion of Measurements, vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 293-297, 1996.
Cogeneration Based on a Useful Heat Demand in the Internal Energy [13] Introduction to PSCAD/EMTPDC. Manitoba HVDC Research Centre
Market and amending Directive 94/42/EEC INC, March 31, 2000.
[6] EN 50160: Voltage Characteristics of Electricity Supplied by Public [14] Mienski R., Gburczyk P., 2005k. „Small Wind Turbine Simulator”, 8th
Distribution Systems, 1994 International Conference on Electrical Power Quality and Utilisation,
Cracow (Poland), 21-23 September.