Converter based reactive power

generators: STATCOM

Author: Anant Narula

Date: 2022-02-10
Agenda
➢ Operating principle of rotating synchronous compensator and STATCOM
➢ Converter topologies for STATCOM
➢ Modulation techniques for STATCOM
➢ square-wave mode of operation

➢ pulse-width modulation

➢ Control strategies for STATCOM

➢ Operating V-I characteristic of STATCOM
➢ Loss characteristic of STATCOM
➢ Performance comparison: STATCOM vs. SVC

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Operating principle of rotating synchronous
compensator
V
𝑉−𝐸
➢ 𝐼= ;𝑋 = 𝑋𝑇 + 𝑋𝑠
𝑋
XT
𝐸
1−
➢ 𝑄 = 𝑉𝐼 = 𝑉
𝑉2
𝑋

➢ 𝐸 > 𝑉 (over−excited) ⇒ leading I XS

current ⇒ machine "seen" as capacitor
➢ 𝐸 < 𝑉 (under−excited) ⇒ lagging
current ⇒ machine "seen" as inductor
E G Exciter

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Operating principle of STATCOM System bus
V
➢ Converter produces a set of controllable three-
phase output voltages from input dc voltage XT
source
➢ For a purely reactive power flow, three-phase
output voltage at converter terminal is in phase
I Xf
with ac system voltage
➢ Similar to rotating synchronous compensator, V0
the reactive power exchanged between the
converter and ac system is controlled by VSC
varying the amplitude of the output voltages
produced

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Converter topologies for STATCOM
Current-source converter Voltage-source converter
swa (t ) swb (t ) swc (t )

phase a phase b phase c


u dc
(t )
2 
va (t ) vb (t ) vc (t )

u dc
(t )
2 

ira (t ) irb (t ) irc (t )

  
Rl , Ll Rl , Ll Rl , Ll
u a(t) ub(t) uc(t)
  
ea (t ) eb (t ) ec (t )
     

v0 (t )

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Modulation techniques for STATCOM
swa (t ) swb (t ) swc (t )

ua = va  v0 phase a phase b phase c

 

ub = vb  v0
u dc
load voltages 2 
(t )

u = v  v va (t ) vb (t ) vc (t )
 c c 0 u dc 
(t )
2 

load emf and ia  ib  ic = 0

 ira (t ) irb (t ) irc (t )
currents ea  eb  ec = 0   
Rl , Ll Rl , Ll Rl , Ll

Y-point va  vb  vc u a(t) ub(t) uc(t)

v0 =
  
ea (t ) eb (t ) ec (t )
potential 3      

v0 (t )
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Modulation techniques for STATCOMsw (t) swb (t ) swc (t )
a

phase a phase b phase c


u dc
(t )
2  1 va (t ) 1 1
The phase potentials va, vb, vc can assume vb (t ) vc (t )

two values, depending on the switches state: u dc 

(t )
-1 -1 -1

2 

swa= 1 → va= 0.5udc

ira (t ) irb (t ) irc (t )
swa= -1 → va= -0.5udc   
Rl , Ll Rl , Ll Rl , Ll
u a(t) ub(t) uc(t)
  
ea (t ) eb (t ) ec (t )
     

v0 (t )

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Square-wave mode of operation
The simplest modulation method
to obtain a three-phase voltage system is to
generate three square-wave potentials,
delayed 120° from each other.

  udc / 2, 0  t  180 
va = 
– udc / 2, 180   t  360 

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Naturally sampled PWM
1
switch
+
Reference _ -1

Carrier wave

fundamental output voltage equals

reference voltage

no low-frequency harmonics
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3-phase regular-sampled PWM
1
swa
+
ua* (t ) Sample & Hold ua* (k ) _ -1

1
swb
+
ub* (t ) Sample & Hold ub* (k ) _ -1

1
swc
+
uc* (t ) Sample & Hold uc* (k ) _ -1

Interrupt signal

Carrier wave

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 Control strategies for STATCOM

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Reactive power control with indirect voltage control

*
*

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Reactive power control with indirect voltage control

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Reactive power control with direct voltage control

*
*

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Reactive power control with direct voltage control

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Grid-following control Grid-forming control
Rf , Lf if Xth
+ PCC Xth
EDC _ Rf , Lf if
econv eg + eg
eth EDC _
θPLL econv eth
𝜃p PCC
θPLL abc abc
abc dq dq
dq e*conv

e*conv abc abc

Inner eg if abc
αβ dq dq
Current eg Outer control loops
control
controller if
loop P*g Synchronization loop
i*fd Active power 𝜃p Active power
eg
controller θPLL Phase-locked controller P*g
if eg Outer control loops
loop E*conv e j(θp )
E*g E*conv PCC voltage
i*fq PCC voltage eg controller E*g
controller
if

PCC PCC
Z

Control i*i∗ Control e∗

v* +
system
YZ system _

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Grid-following control strategy
➢ Phase-locked loop (PLL), provides
grid-synchronization
➢ Measures frequency at the point-of-
common-coupling (PCC) and adapts
current injection to provide the desired
active and reactive power
50Hz

➢ Needs an energized grid to

synchronize to

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Grid-forming control strategy
Xth
➢ Grid-forming strategies (GFS) emulate +
Rf , Lf if
eg
EDC _
beneficial functionalities of SG econv
PCC eth
𝜃p
• Grid synchronization can be achieved e*conv
without PLL
• Provision of black-start capability abc
αβ
abc
dq
abc
dq

➢ Do not rely on voltage availability at PCC

to operate 𝜃p Active power
controller P*g
E*conv e j(θp )
E*conv PCC voltage
controller E*g

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Operating V-I area of the STATCOM

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Loss characteristic of a 48-pulse, 100 MVAr
STATCOM

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Performance comparison: STATCOM vs. SVC

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Performance comparison: STATCOM vs. SVC

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Performance comparison: STATCOM vs. SVC
➢ The STATCOM is superior in providing voltage support under large system
disturbances when the system voltage can vary considerably.
➢ STATCOM if equipped with an active power source (energy storage) can also inject
active power. Active and reactive power can be controlled independently of each
other.
➢ Loss vs. reactive power output characteristics are comparable for STATCOM and
SVC (TCR-TSC). Losses are low at zero current (0.1-0.2%) and increase up to 1% at
full rated current.
➢ Overall size of the STATCOM is 30-40% less than that of an SVC, because of the
bulky passive components in the latter one.

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 Thank you for your attention!

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