Implementation and study of FACTS devices in digital real-time simulator

Abstract

FACTS technology provides potential opportunities to improve the steady state and dynamic stabilities of power systems and can have significant impact on power system planning, operation and control. However, FACTS technology comprises complex power electronics and control system which can also produce technical problems which need to be studied or evaluated before FACTS devices are successfully put into operation. Therefore, a lot of researches on FACTS technology is still required and this thesis is a contribution to the continuing research. Detailed models of the STATCOM, SSSC and UPFC were implemented and tested in MATLAB. These models are more comprehensive than those found in the literature and include detailed representation of the valves and the power electronic components, as well as full control circuit representation. The models are applicable for transient stability studies, and cover a broad range of frequency oscillations. They are also suitable for simulations in unbalanced power system conditions. This thesis proposed and justified novel steady state and transient state models for STATCOM, SSSC and UPFC. The models were successfully validated in the MATLAB environment for various operating conditions and in realistic representative power system networks. The proposed models could be directly implemented in any power simulation software such as the real-time simulator Hypersim which has external programming capabilities for any steady state, dynamic state and transient stability simulations. The proposed models (toolbox) could also provide a better simulation package for the Power System designers in doing network planning or network enhancement under the widely inter-connected power system environment. The developed FACTS device detailed models include all of the control block and power electronic components as well as the voltage-sourced converters. Furthermore the models were modelled independently of the type of control methodologies used, consequently the models can provide an excellent environment and platform for future advanced control methodology studies of FACTS devices.