Electric Power / Controls

Static Synchronous
Compensator (STATCOM)
Courseware Sample
86371-F0

A






ELECTRIC POWER / CONTROLS

STATIC SYNCHRONOUS COMPENSATOR (STATCOM)

Courseware Sample
by
the staff
of
Lab-Volt Ltd.
Copyright 2012 Lab-Volt Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, in any form or by any means, without the prior
written permission of Lab-Volt Ltd.
Printed in Canada
August 2012

A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) v
Safety Symbols
The following safety symbols may be used in this manual and on the Lab-Volt
equipment:
Symbol Description

DANGER indicates a hazard with a high level of risk which, if not
avoided, will result in death or serious injury.

WARNING indicates a hazard with a medium level of risk which,
if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.

CAUTION indicates a hazard with a low level of risk which, if not
avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury.

CAUTION used without the Caution, risk of danger sign ,
indicates a hazard with a potentially hazardous situation which,
if not avoided, may result in property damage.

Caution, risk of electric shock

Caution, hot surface

Caution, risk of danger

Caution, lifting hazard

Caution, hand entanglement hazard

Direct current

Alternating current

Both direct and alternating current

Three-phase alternating current

Earth (ground) terminal

Protective conductor terminal

Frame or chassis terminal
Safety Symbols
vi Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
Symbol Description

Equipotentiality

On (supply)

Off (supply)

Equipment protected throughout by double insulation or
reinforced insulation

In position of a bi-stable push control

Out position of a bi-stable push control


A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) vii
Foreword
Static synchronous compensators (STATCOMs) are part of the flexible alternating
current transmission systems (FACTS) device family. Their primary purpose is to
supply a fast-acting, precise, and adjustable amount of reactive power to the
ac power system to which they are connected. STATCOMs achieve this by adjusting
the magnitude and polarity (phase) of the reactive component of the current flowing
through their ac side. This enables STATCOMs to control the amount and direction of
flow of the reactive power exchanged with the ac power system.
STATCOMs can be used for voltage compensation at the receiver end of
ac transmission lines, thus replacing banks of shunt capacitors. When used for this
purpose, STATCOMs offer a number of advantages over banks of shunt capacitors,
such as much tighter control of the voltage compensation at the receiver end of the
ac transmission line and increased line stability during load variations.
STATCOMs are also commonly used for dynamic power factor correction
(i.e., dynamic reactive power compensation) in industrial plants operating with large
random peaks of reactive power demand. STATCOMs increase the power factor of
the plant, minimize the voltage fluctuations at the plant input (which prevents damage
to the equipment), and reduce the plants operating costs.
This course, Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOMs), teaches the basic
concepts of voltage compensation in ac transmission lines and power factor
correction in large industrial plants using STATCOMs. Students are introduced to the
operation of STATCOMs, and their different components. They also learn how a
STATCOM achieves automatic voltage control and automatic reactive power control.
Finally, the theory presented in the manual is verified by performing circuit
measurements and calculations.

Figure 1. STATCOM substation and close-up of the converter valves (photo courtesy of ABB).
Foreword
viii Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A

Figure 2. Voltage-source converter (VSC) devices such as STATCOMs are used in offshore
wind farms to ensure that the quality of the power produced by the wind farm is optimal. The
above picture shows the Lillgrund wind farm in Sweden ( Siemens AG 2012, all rights
reserved).

A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) ix
Table of Contents
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) ........................ 1
DISCUSSION OF FUNDAMENTALS ........................................................ 1
Voltage compensation of ac transmission lines ....................... 1
Introduction to static synchronous
compensators (STATCOMs) .................................................... 4
Fundamentals of STATCOM operation .................................... 8
Layout of a STATCOM substation ......................................... 12
Comparison between STATCOMs and SVCs........................ 13
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a
STATCOM .................................................................................... 17
DISCUSSION .................................................................................... 17
Voltage compensation of ac transmission lines using a
STATCOM .............................................................................. 17
Automatic voltage control ....................................................... 19
PROCEDURE ................................................................................... 22
Set up and connections .......................................................... 22
Voltage compensation at the receiver end of an
ac transmission line using a STATCOM ................................ 28
Precision of the voltage compensation achieved by
a STATCOM during load variations .......................................... 28
Speed of the voltage compensation achieved by
a STATCOM during load variations .......................................... 31
Voltage compensation using a STATCOM at the receiver
end of an ac transmission line containing a shunt-
capacitor substation ............................................................... 33
Exercise 2 Dynamic Power Factor Correction Using a STATCOM ........... 41
DISCUSSION .................................................................................... 41
Power factor correction in industrial applications ................... 41
Using STATCOMs for dynamic power factor correction ........ 43
Automatic reactive power control ........................................... 45
PROCEDURE ................................................................................... 47
Set up and connections .......................................................... 47
Industry operation without dynamic power factor
correction ................................................................................ 53
Industry operation with dynamic power factor correction ....... 55
Appendix A Equipment Utilization Chart ....................................................... 63
Appendix B Glossary of New Terms .............................................................. 65
Appendix C Impedance Table for the Load Modules ................................... 67
Table of Contents
x Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
Appendix D STATCOM Controller Operation ................................................ 69
Automatic voltage control ....................................................... 69
AC bus line voltage control loop ................................................ 71
DC bus voltage control loop ...................................................... 72
Automatic reactive power control ........................................... 72
Reactive power control loop ...................................................... 74
DC bus voltage control loop ...................................................... 75
Index of New Terms ............................................................................................. 77
Bibliography ......................................................................................................... 79
We Value Your Opinion!....................................................................................... 81

Sample Exercise
Extracted from
Student Manual


A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 1

When you have completed this manual, you will be familiar with the operation of
static synchronous compensators (STATCOMs) used either for voltage
compensation in ac transmission lines or for dynamic power factor
correction (i.e., dynamic reactive power compensation) in large industrial
applications such as arc furnaces, rolling mills, and traction systems. You will
also learn the main differences between a STATCOM and an SVC.
The Discussion of Fundamentals covers the following points:
Voltage compensation of ac transmission lines
Introduction to static synchronous compensators (STATCOMs)
Fundamentals of STATCOM operation
Layout of a STATCOM substation
Comparison between STATCOMs and SVCs
Voltage compensation of ac transmission lines
AC transmission lines are used to transfer electrical power from power
generating stations to the distribution system, which then supplies electrical
power to consumers. Since the power generating stations in an ac power
network can be quite far from the centers of energy consumption,
ac transmission lines often have to transfer electrical power over great distances.
This complication, coupled with the fact that ac transmission lines are primarily
inductive, has many effects on the operation of ac transmission lines.
One of the main effects of this complication is a significant voltage drop occurring
at the receiver end of ac transmission lines. Consider, for example, the simplified
equivalent circuit of an ac transmission line transferring power from a generating
station to a distribution station shown in Figure 3. In the figure, the line inductive
reactance X
L
is represented by the inductance and the distribution station is
represented by the load. It is easy to deduce that, when power is transferred
across the ac transmission line, the voltage E
L
across the inductance is equal to
the line current I
L
multiplied by the line inductive reactance X
L
(E
L
= I
L
X
L
). The
voltage E
Loud
across the load (receiver voltage) is equal to the generating station
voltage E
ucn.
(sender voltage) minus the voltage E
L
across the
inductance (E
Loud
= E
ucn.
-E
L
). Therefore, the higher the line current I
L
and the
line inductive reactance X
L
, the higher the voltage drop E
L
across the line and the
lower the voltage E
Loud
across the load.
Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM)
Introduction
MANUAL OBJECTIVE
DISCUSSION OUTLINE
DISCUSSION OF
FUNDAMENTALS

AC transmission line.
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
2 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A


Figure 3. Simplified equivalent circuit of an ac transmission line transferring power from a
generating station (sender end) to a distribution station (receiver end).
The voltage drop occurring across the ac transmission line must be continually
compensated in order to maintain the receiver voltage equal to the sender
voltage. This is commonly achieved using capacitors connected in parallel to the
line at the receiver end. When an ac transmission line is particularly long,
substations containing parallel-connected (shunt) capacitors must be added at
regular intervals along the line (see Figure 4 for an example of a bank of shunt
capacitors used to compensate the voltage at the substations installed along an
ac transmission line).
However, using shunt-capacitor substations for voltage compensation of long
ac transmission lines has some drawbacks. The primary drawback is potential
difficulty in coordinating operation at all substations along the line to achieve
proper voltage compensation. This is due to the often laborious and relatively
lengthy process of finding the correct combination of capacitive reactance values
necessary to compensate the voltage all along a long ac transmission line. The
longer the time it takes to achieve proper voltage compensation at each segment
of the ac transmission line, the more voltage fluctuations are created across the
line and, more importantly, at the receiver end of the line. In actual ac power
networks, voltage fluctuations at the receiver end of the line must be kept to a
minimum, as many electrical devices are quite sensitive to voltage variations.
The voltage fluctuation drawback is further accentuated in actual ac power
networks by the fact that the load at the receiver end of an ac transmission line
tends to vary constantly. Tight control of shunt capacitor switching at the various
substations is thus required to minimize the magnitude and duration of the
voltage fluctuations occurring at the receiver end of the line after any load
change. Despite this, perfect compensation of the voltage across the line is rarely
achieved, even with tight control of capacitor switching at the various substations.
This is due to the selection of shunt capacitors available at each substation being
generally limited. Therefore, it is not always possible to set the reactance of each
shunt capacitor to the exact value required to maintain the receiver voltage at the
nominal value under any load condition.
All of these drawbacks illustrate that voltage compensation over a long
ac transmission line using shunt capacitors in several substations distributed
along the line, although effective, has some minor shortcomings. These
shortcomings generally limit the level of stability of operation that can be
achieved for ac transmission lines. Because of this, it is sometimes necessary to
use means other than shunt-capacitor substations to compensate the voltage all
along long ac transmission lines.
E
ucn.
X
L

E
Loud

Sender
end
Receiver
end
E
L
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 3

Figure 4. Bank of shunt capacitors used to compensate the voltage at substations installed
along an ac transmission line.
A number of different systems have been developed to diminish or eliminate the
drawbacks of using shunt capacitor substations for voltage compensation of
ac transmission lines. These systems are part of the flexible ac transmission
systems (commonly abbreviated as FACTS) device family. When used in
ac power networks, FACTS technologies serve the purpose of increasing the
stability, controllability, and power transmission capacity of the network. Because
of this, FACTS technologies are a key element in the development of a smart
grid (i.e., a grid that is more reliable, efficient, and responsive than conventional
grids). This manual covers one of the most common FACTS devices, the static
synchronous compensator (commonly abbreviated as STATCOM).
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
4 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A

Figure 5. STATCOM substation in East Claydon, United Kingdom.
Introduction to static synchronous compensators (STATCOMs)
Static synchronous compensators (STATCOMs), which are part of the FACTS
device family, consist primarily of a three-phase PWM rectifier/inverter that can
be shunt-connected to any system in order to dynamically compensate the
reactive power requirement of the system. Similar to a three-phase PWM
rectifier/inverter, a STATCOM is a voltage-source converter which converts
dc power into ac power of variable amplitude and phase angle. By varying the
amplitude and phase angle of the three-phase ac currents at its ac side, a
STATCOM can supply a variable and precise amount of reactive power to the
ac power system to which it is connected. This feature can be used to ensure
that the voltage across the ac power system connected to the STATCOM is
maintained at the nominal value or to ensure that the power factor of a large
industrial application is maintained at unity.
It is generally accepted that
inductive components ab-
sorb reactive power and
capacitive components
supply reactive power,
although reactive compo-
nents actually exchange
reactive power and neither
absorb nor supply reactive
power.
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 5
STATCOMs are commonly used to maintain a constant voltage across
ac transmission lines. Similar to a shunt-capacitor substation, a STATCOM
increases the power transfer capacity of an ac transmission line when added.
However, STATCOMs have a number of advantages over shunt-capacitor
substations, most notably:
Tighter control of the voltage compensation across the ac transmission
line
Increased line stability during transients (i.e., during sudden changes in
the load at the receiver end of the ac transmission line), due to the
superior quickness of the STATCOM response
STATCOMs are also commonly used for dynamic power factor correction
(i.e., dynamic reactive power compensation) in industrial applications operating
with large random peaks of reactive power demand (the most common being
plants using arc furnaces). When left unchecked, such peaks in reactive power
demand significantly increase the plants energy costs. This is due to most
electrical providers not only charging a customer for the amount of active power
consumed, but also for the amount of reactive power exchanged with the
ac power network (in some cases, customers can also be billed proportionally to
the magnitude of the highest peak of reactive power demand). Other undesirable
effects of large random peaks of reactive power demand include voltage
fluctuations at the plant input and in the ac power network, as well as a reduction
in the productivity of the industrial application.
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
6 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A

Figure 6. STATCOM designed for dynamic power factor correction in an industrial application
using an arc furnace, in northern Finland (photo courtesy of ABB).
By shunt-connecting a STATCOM to the input of an industrial plant operating
with large random peaks of reactive power demand, it is possible to minimize the
amount of reactive power that the ac power network supplies to the industry. The
STATCOM achieves this by monitoring the reactive power demand of the plant
and supplying the correct amount of reactive power in order to dynamically
compensate the reactive power demand. The advantages of adding a STATCOM
to the plant in this case are summarized below:
Increased power factor of the plant (and thus reduction in the plants
energy bill)
Elimination (or at least a major reduction) of voltage fluctuations at the
plant input and in the ac power network, thus increasing the productivity
of the application
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 7

Figure 7. Industrial plants using arc furnaces operate with large random peaks of reactive
power demand, which have undesirable effects in the plant itself and in the ac power network.
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
8 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
Fundamentals of STATCOM operation
Figure 8 shows the block diagram of a typical STATCOM.


Figure 8. Block diagram of a typical STATCOM.
Figure 8 shows that a STATCOM primarily consists of a three-phase step-down
transformer and a three-phase PWM rectifier/inverter (i.e., a three-phase bridge,
a three-phase filter, line inductors, and a controller). A large capacitor (C
Bus
) is
used as a dc power source for the three-phase PWM rectifier/inverter.
As seen in the last section, STATCOMs are used to supply reactive power to the
ac power system to which they are connected, either for voltage compensation or
See the Lab-Volt course
Three-Phase PWM Recti-
fier/Inverter for more infor-
mation on three-phase
PWM rectifier/inverter op-
eration.
Static synchronous compensator (STATCOM)
Three-phase,
step-down
transformer
Line
inductors
Three-
phase filter
Three-phase
bridge
C
Bus
Transmission line Load
Y
PWM rectifier/inverter
controller
(current control loop)
Duty cycle control
Reactive current
command
Active current
command
Three-phase PWM rectifier/inverter
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 9
for dynamic power factor correction (i.e., dynamic reactive power compensation).
This is achieved by controlling the amplitude and phase angle of the three-phase
current flowing through the ac side of the STATCOM. When the current flowing
through the ac side of the STATCOM leads the voltage across its ac side by 90,
the STATCOM acts as an inductor and absorbs reactive power from the
ac power system. Conversely, when the current flowing through the ac side of
the STATCOM lags behind the voltage across its ac side by 90, the STATCOM
acts as a capacitor and supplies reactive power to the ac power system. The
magnitude of the current flowing through the ac side of the STATCOM
determines the amount of reactive power the STATCOM exchanges with the
ac power system. This enables the STATCOM to supply or absorb precisely the
right amount of reactive power required in order to compensate the reactive
power requirement of the ac power system.

Figure 9. Single phase of the converter valves in a STATCOM.
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
10 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A

Figure 10. Single converter valve unit in a STATCOM.
Figure 8 also shows that, in a STATCOM, a large capacitor (C
Bus
) is used to
supply dc power to the three-phase PWM rectifier/inverter. The voltage across
this capacitor must be maintained to a value that is high enough for the
STATCOM to be able to exchange reactive power with the ac power
network (i.e., to a value high enough for the STATCOM to be able to produce
ac voltage at the value required). The voltage across the capacitor is maintained
at the required value by continually adjusting the magnitude and polarity of the
active component of the current at the ac side of the STATCOM. When the
voltage across the capacitor needs to be increased, the STATCOM adjusts the
magnitude and polarity of the active component of the current flowing through its
ac side so that active power is drawn from the ac power system and converted to
dc power in order to charge the capacitor. Conversely, when the voltage across
the capacitor needs to be decreased, the STATCOM adjusts the magnitude and
polarity of the active component of the current flowing through its ac side so that
active power is returned to the ac power system, thereby discharging the
capacitor.
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 11

Figure 11. Capacitors in a STATCOM (photo courtesy of ABB).

Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
12 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
Layout of a STATCOM substation
Figure 12 shows the typical layout of a STATCOM substation used for voltage
compensation of ac transmission lines. The numbered boxes in the figure are
identified below.
1. STATCOM main building: contains converter valves, control and
protection systems, and dc capacitors
2. Energy storage building (optional)
3. Line inductors
4. Heat exchanger and cooling system
5. Three-phase, step-down transformer
6. AC high-voltage equipment

Figure 12. Artist rendering of a STATCOM substation with energy storage capability (photo
courtesy of ABB).
Most of the primary components of a STATCOM (the converter valves, control
and protection systems, and dc capacitors) are located in the main STATCOM
building on the left of Figure 12. The remaining electrical equipment required for
STATCOM operation are installed in the open beside the STATCOM main
building.
5
1
2
3
4
6
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 13
An energy storage building is located in the back, near the main STATCOM
building. This building is optional and is not a required component of a
STATCOM. The main purpose of an energy storage building is to allow the
STATCOM to store electrical power received from a generating station
(e.g., wind farm, solar panels) or from the ac power network. The STATCOM
substation can then store electrical energy during periods of high energy
production or low energy consumption, and return the stored energy back to the
ac power network during periods of low energy production or peak energy
consumption. This demonstrates the improved use and flexibility of power
systems associated with FACTS technologies.

Figure 13. High-power lithium-ion battery used for storing electrical energy in STATCOM
substations with energy storage capability (photo courtesy of ABB).
Comparison between STATCOMs and SVCs
Both the static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) and the static var
compensator (SVC) are FACTS devices that are commonly used for voltage
compensation, reactive power compensation, and power factor correction. Both
STATCOMs and SVCs are commonly installed across ac transmission lines or in
industrial applications operating with large random peaks of reactive power
demand. Depending on the design criteria of the system to which they are
connected, either a STATCOM or an SVC can be more efficient, practical or
simply cheaper to use than the other, and thus better suited for that particular
application.
STATCOMs and SVCs each possess characteristics that differentiate one from
the other during normal operation. The main operating characteristic differences
between STATCOMs and SVCs are summarized in the following table.
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
14 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
Table 1. Differences in the main operating characteristics of comparable STATCOMs and
SVCs.
Characteristic STATCOM SVC
E I characteristic
Good performance in
undervoltage conditions
Limited performance in
undervoltage conditions
Response time 1 to 2 sine wave cycles 2 to 3 sine wave cycles
Installation size
About 40% to 50% the size of
an SVC installation
About 200% to 250% the size of
a STATCOM installation
Installation cost
About 120% to 150% the cost of
an SVC installation
About 66% to 83% the cost of a
STATCOM installation
One of the main differences between STATCOMs and SVCs is that STATCOM
operation in undervoltage conditions is just as good as in normal conditions,
while SVC operation in undervoltage conditions is limited. This difference is
crucial, since under low-voltage conditions is precisely where the reactive power
compensation of a STATCOM or an SVC is most needed. This operating
difference gives an advantage to STATCOMs over SVCs.
Another important advantage STATCOMs possess over SVCs is faster response
time. STATCOMs begin to compensate the reactive power requirements of a
system approximately 1 cycle before SVCs. In dynamically variable
systems (such as ac transmission lines or industrial applications operating with
large random peaks of reactive power demand), this faster response time can
have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the reactive power
compensation. For example, the use of a STATCOM is often necessary in
industrial applications operating with large random peaks of reactive power
demand in order to reduce the light flicker phenomenon to an acceptable
level (see Exercise 2 for more information on light flicker). Because of these
factors, STATCOMs have an advantage over SVCs in systems requiring a
critically fast response time.
Finally, the installation size and costs differ between STATCOMs and SVCs.
STATCOM installations are smaller in size than SVC installations, but are
significantly more expensive. Size and cost can be a decisive factor in choosing
between a STATCOM and an SVC, depending on the available space and
budget for any given application. For example, if the large size of an SVC
installation is not feasible for a particular application, it might be necessary to
install a STATCOM even if it is more expensive than an SVC.
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 15

Figure 14. SVC installations are larger in size than STATCOM installations for a given power
rating. The above figure shows an SVC installation in Norway (photo courtesy of ABB).

Figure 15. The small size of STATCOMs often makes it possible to transport the STATCOM in
a trailer truck. The above picture shows a 50 Mvar STATCOM in a trailer before its installation
at a power substation ( Copyright 2012 Guc Kalitesi).

Figure 16. The STATCOM from Figure 15 is installed at a power substation in Turkey, ready to
be used for voltage compensation ( Copyright 2012 Guc Kalitesi).
Introduction Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Discussion of Fundamentals
16 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
In summation, STATCOMs are capable of operating at lower voltages, are able
to operate at faster speeds, and can be smaller in size than SVCs, but are also
more expensive. The cost of STATCOMs can be a restrictive factor when the
installation of an SVC yields acceptable results. As STATCOM technology
becomes more and more widespread and installation prices for STATCOMs
drop, it is expected that STATCOM technology will gradually replace SVC
technology in most applications due to its superior performance.

Figure 17. The small size of STATCOMs allows them to be constructed at the manufacturing
plant, then shipped to the required location. The above picture shows a STATCOM being
loaded in a heavy cargo aircraft (photo courtesy of ABB).

A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 17

When you have completed this exercise, you will be familiar with the operating
principles of STATCOMs used for voltage compensation of ac transmission lines.
You will learn how a STATCOM controller designed for automatic voltage control
compensates the voltage across the ac power system to which the STATCOM is
connected.
The Discussion of this exercise covers the following points:
Voltage compensation of ac transmission lines using a STATCOM
Automatic voltage control
Voltage compensation of ac transmission lines using a STATCOM
In the Introduction to this manual, you learned that a significant voltage drop
occurs at the receiver end of ac transmission lines. The magnitude of this voltage
drop increases with the length of the line, as well as with the load at the receiver
end of the line. Such a voltage drop cannot be tolerated in ac power networks.
This is due to many electrical devices such as motors, relays, and lighting
equipment working properly only under stable voltage conditions (close to the
voltage for which they are rated).
One way to compensate for the voltage drop occurring across an ac transmission
line is to add substations containing shunt capacitors along the line. Adding
shunt-capacitor substations in such a way produces the effect of dividing an
ac transmission line into many segments of shorter length. Each substation
serves the purpose of compensating the voltage drops across the
ac transmission line (i.e., maintaining a constant voltage across each segment of
the ac transmission line).
Figure 18 illustrates a typical ac transmission line used to transfer large amounts
of electrical power over a long distance from a power generating station to the
distribution network (which, in turn, distributes the electrical power to
consumers).
Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a
STATCOM
Exercise
1

EXERCISE OBJECTIVE
DISCUSSION OUTLINE
DISCUSSION
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Discussion
18 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A


Figure 18. Typical ac transmission line used to transfer large amounts of electrical power over
a long distance from a power generating station to the distribution network.
As Figure 18 shows, the ac transmission line is divided into three segments of
equal length by two shunt-capacitor substations used for voltage compensation.
The voltage at each substation is compensated by switching shunt capacitors in
and out to maintain the voltage along the ac transmission line as close as
possible to the nominal value of the ac power network voltage. As mentioned in
the Introduction to this manual, shunt-capacitor substations have certain
drawbacks, such as the difficulty in coordinating all substations and perfectly
compensating the voltage across each segment of the ac transmission line.
However, since the shunt-capacitor substations are located along the
ac transmission line, and thus do not directly supply power to consumers, it is not
necessary for the voltage at the shunt-capacitor substations to be perfectly
compensated at all times.
On the other hand, the voltage at the end of the third segment (i.e., the receiver
end) of the ac transmission line in Figure 18 is compensated using a STATCOM
substation, instead of a shunt-capacitor substation. This is due to the numerous
advantages STATCOMs offer over shunt-capacitor substations, most notably a
tight and fast compensation of the voltage across the line. Since the receiver end
station is located at the end of the ac transmission line, it is important for the
voltage at this station to be as perfectly compensated as possible before the
electrical power is distributed to consumers; hence, a STATCOM substation is
used here instead of a shunt-capacitor substation.
Due to its fast and precise compensation of the voltage at the receiver end of an
ac transmission line, a STATCOM substation is able to compensate for the
voltage fluctuations occurring across the line (generated by switching shunt
capacitors in and out in substations), and then compensate for the voltage
fluctuations caused by the variation of the load (i.e., the electrical power demand
of the consumers).
To obtain a level of precision in the voltage compensation comparable to a
STATCOM while using a shunt-capacitor substation at the receiver end of an
ac transmission line, a large number of capacitors of different reactance values
would need to be installed in the shunt-capacitor substation. This would give the
shunt-capacitor substation a large variety of possible shunt capacitor
combinations and, therefore would enable the shunt-capacitor substation to
precisely compensate the voltage at the receiver end of the ac transmission line.
Such a shunt-capacitor substation, however, would be just as costly as a
STATCOM substation (if not more so), while having a response time that is much
slower than a STATCOM substation. This is why, for fast and precise voltage
X
L

Receiver end
station
(STATCOM)
X
L
X
L

Shunt-capacitor
substations
Sender end (to power
generating station)
Receiver end (to
distribution network)
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Discussion
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 19
compensation at the receiver end of an ac transmission line, STATCOM
substations are much more efficient than shunt-capacitor substations.
It would be possible to replace all the shunt-capacitor substations in the
ac transmission line of Figure 18 with STATCOM substations to achieve even
more effective voltage compensation. However, even though STATCOMs are
more efficient than shunt-capacitor substations in every aspect, it is not common
practice to systematically replace shunt-capacitor substations with STATCOM
substations. This is primarily due to a STATCOM substation being much more
costly (about 6 times more) than a shunt-capacitor substation possessing a
comparable power rating. Since the use of shunt-capacitor substations to
compensate the voltage along ac transmission lines already yields acceptable
results, replacing all shunt-capacitor substations in an ac transmission line with
STATCOM substations would not be cost effective.

Figure 19. STATCOM substations can be used for fast-acting, precise, and adjustable voltage
compensation of ac transmission lines ( Copyright 2012 Guc Kalitesi).
Automatic voltage control
When a STATCOM is used for compensating the voltage across an ac power
system (typically ac transmission lines), the voltage across the STATCOM is
regulated using a voltage control loop implemented in the STATCOM
controller (see Figure 20). This controller monitors the voltage across the
STATCOM side of the step-down transformer, the current flowing through the
STATCOM side of the step-down transformer, and the voltage across the dc side
of the STATCOM. Using these measured values, the STATCOM controller
determines the switching signals to be applied to the three-phase bridge in order
to ensure that the line voltages measured across the STATCOM side of the step-
down transformer are equal to the ac bus line voltage command (the value of this
command being set so that the resulting voltage across the STATCOM is at the
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Discussion
20 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
required value), and that the voltage measured across the dc side of the
STATCOM is equal to the dc bus voltage command. The block diagram of
a STATCOM designed for voltage compensation (i.e., automatic voltage control)
is shown in Figure 20.


Figure 20. Block diagram of a STATCOM designed for voltage compensation.
As Figure 20 shows, three voltage sensors measure line voltages E
A-B
, E
B-C
,
and E
C-A
across the STATCOM side of the step-down transformer, two current
sensors measure the currents I
A
and I
B
flowing through the STATCOM side of
the step-down transformer, and a voltage sensor measures dc voltage E
C

across the dc side of the STATCOM. These voltage and current values are sent
to the STATCOM controller.
The STATCOM controller compares the measured line voltages to the ac bus
line voltage command E
AC Rc].
, and determines the error in the measured line
voltages across the STATCOM side of the step-down transformer. The
STATCOM controller also compares the measured dc voltage E
C
to the dc bus
voltage command E
C Rc].
, and determines the error in the measured voltage
across the dc side of the STATCOM. Using these calculated error values and the
measured voltage and current values, the STATCOM controller determines the
switching signals to be applied to the three-phase bridge so that the amount of
reactive power the STATCOM exchanges with the ac power system to which it is
connected ensures that the line voltages measured across the STATCOM side of
the step-down transformer are equal to the ac bus line voltage command, and
that the amount of active power flowing through the STATCOM makes the
voltage measured across the dc side of the STATCOM equal to the dc bus
voltage command. Note that line voltage E
A-B
is also used to provide the phase
angle (0) information required to perform mathematical calculations in the
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Discussion
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 21
controller. The operation of a STATCOM controller designed for automatic
voltage control is covered in more detail in Appendix D.

Figure 21. The voltage across a STATCOM designed for automatic voltage compensation is
controlled using a voltage control loop. This ensures that the voltage across the STATCOM is
maintained virtually constant ( Copyright 2012 Guc Kalitesi).

Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure Outline
22 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
The Procedure is divided into the following sections:
Set up and connections
Voltage compensation at the receiver end of an ac transmission line
using a STATCOM
Precision of the voltage compensation achieved by a STATCOM during
load variations. Speed of the voltage compensation achieved by
a STATCOM during load variations.
Voltage compensation using a STATCOM at the receiver end of an
ac transmission line containing a shunt-capacitor substation

High voltages are present in this laboratory exercise. Do not make or
modify any banana jack connections with the power on unless otherwise
specified.
Set up and connections
In this section, you will set up a circuit consisting of an ac transmission line
supplying power to a resistive load, with a STATCOM at the receiver end of the
line for voltage compensation. You will then set up the measuring equipment
required to study the operation of the STATCOM when it is used for voltage
compensation.
1. Refer to the Equipment Utilization Chart in Appendix A to obtain the list of
equipment required to perform this exercise.
Install the required equipment in the Workstation.
2. Make sure the ac and dc power switches on the Power Supply are set to the
O (off) position, then connect the Power Supply to a three-phase ac power
outlet.
3. Connect the Power Input of each Data Acquisition and Control Interface to
a 24 V ac power supply. Turn both 24 V ac power supplies on.
Connect the Low Power Input of the IGBT Chopper/Inverter to the Power
Input of any of the Data Acquisition and Control Interface modules.
4. Connect the USB port of each Data Acquisition and Control Interface to a
USB port of the host computer.
5. Turn the host computer on, then start the LVDAC-EMS software.
In the LVDAC-EMS Start-Up window, make sure that both Data Acquisition
and Control Interface modules are detected. Make sure the Computer-Based
Instrumentation and STATCOM Control functions are available for either or
PROCEDURE OUTLINE
PROCEDURE
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 23
both of the Data Acquisition and Control Interface modules. Also, select the
network voltage and frequency that correspond to the voltage and frequency
of your local ac power network, then click the OK button to close the LVDAC-
EMS Start-Up window.
6. Before you begin connecting the equipment, record in the space below the
serial number of the Data Acquisition and Control Interface (DACI) you will
use to control the STATCOM and the serial number of the DACI you will use
for data acquisition.
Serial number of the DACI controlling the STATCOM:
Serial number of the DACI used for data acquisition:
Connect the equipment as shown in Figure 22 and Figure 23. Use the Power
Supply to implement the three-phase ac power source. Use the capacitors in
the Three-Phase Filter module to implement the line capacitors. Note that
points A1, A2, A3, and A4 in Figure 22 are connected to the corresponding
points in Figure 23.
a
In Figure 22 and Figure 23, voltage and current inputs shown in blue represent
inputs from the Data Acquisition and Control Interface used to control the
STATCOM while voltage and current inputs shown in red represent inputs from
the Data Acquisition and Control Interface used for data acquisition. Note that
the inputs used for control cannot be used for data acquisition, and vice versa.
This circuit represents an ac transmission line that is voltage compensated at
the receiver end of the line using a STATCOM substation. The resistive load
in the circuit represents the electrical power demand of the consumers. By
adjusting the resistance of the resistive load, it is then possible to vary the
intensity of the electrical power demand.
In the circuit of Figure 22 and Figure 23, line capacitors are connected in
parallel at the receiver end of the ac transmission line to partially compensate
for the voltage drop occurring across the line. This reduces the amount of
reactive power which the STATCOM must supply in order to achieve voltage
compensation at the receiver end of the ac transmission line.
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
24 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A


Local ac power network
Line
inductive
reactance X
L

()
Resistive loads R
1
, R
2
, R
3

()
Voltage
(V)
Frequency
(Hz)
1
st
2
nd
3
rd
4
th
5
th
6
th

120 60 120 600 400 300 240 200 171
220 50 400 2200 1467 1100 880 733 629
240 50 400 2400 1600 1200 960 800 686
Figure 22. Circuit for studying the operation of a STATCOM used for voltage compensation of
an ac transmission line supplying power to a resistive load.
X
L

X
L

X
L

Three-Phase Transmission
Line module
R
1

R
2

R
3

L1
L2
L3
N
Resistive load
A1 A2 A3
To STATCOM
A4
AC power network, transmission line, line capacitors, and load
X
C,Inc
X
C,Inc
X
C,Inc

Line capacitors
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 25


Figure 23. Circuit for studying the operation of a STATCOM used for voltage compensation of
an ac transmission line supplying power to a resistive load.
A1
A2
Three-Phase Transformer Bank module
Static synchronous compensator
T
o

a
c

p
o
w
e
r

n
e
t
w
o
r
k

1 2
A3
A4
Line Inductors module IGBT Chopper/Inverter module
Switching control signals
from the control DACI
3 4
5 6
12
11
7
8
9
10
C
Bus
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
26 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
7. Connect the Digital Outputs of the Data Acquisition and Control Interface
used for controlling the STATCOM to the Switching Control Inputs of the
IGBT Chopper/Inverter using a DB9 connector cable.
Make sure the Dumping switch on the IGBT Chopper/Inverter is set to
the I position. This allows power to be dissipated in a dump resistor inside
the IGBT Chopper/Inverter in the event of an overvoltage across the IGBT
Chopper/Inverter. This additional protection has no effect on the STATCOM
operation.
8. Make sure the I/O toggle switch on the Three-Phase Transmission Line is set
to the I position.
On the Three-Phase Transmission Line, set the inductive reactance selector
to the value indicated in the table of Figure 22 corresponding to your local
ac power network voltage and frequency.
Make the necessary switch settings on the Resistive Load to obtain
the 1
st
resistance value indicated in the table of Figure 22 corresponding to
your local ac power network voltage and frequency.
a
Appendix C lists the switch settings required on the Resistive Load, the
Inductive Load, and the Capacitive Load in order to obtain various
resistance (or reactance) values.
9. In LVDAC-EMS, open the STATCOM Control window. A dialog box appears.
Select the serial number of the Data Acquisition and Control Interface that is
used to control the STATCOM (recorded in step 6), then click the OK button
to close the dialog box and open the STATCOM Control window.
In the STATCOM Control window, make the following settings:
Set the Control Mode parameter to Automatic Voltage Control. This
control mode allows the voltage of the ac power system to which
the STATCOM is connected to be automatically compensated and
maintained at a specified value (e.g., at the voltage of your local
ac power network). In order to implement this control mode, the Data
Acquisition and Control Interface used for controlling the STATCOM
requires voltage inputs E1, E2, E3, and E4, as well as current
inputs I3 and I4, to be connected as shown in the circuit of Figure 22
and Figure 23.
Make sure the DC Bus Voltage Command parameter is set to 200 V.
This dc voltage value is high enough to allow the STATCOM to be
able to exchange reactive power with the ac power system to which
it is connected (i.e., is high enough for the STATCOM to be able to
produce ac voltage at the required value).
Make sure the AC Bus Line Voltage Command parameter is set
to 83 V. With this line voltage command value, the
STATCOM controller automatically adjusts the amount of reactive
power supplied or absorbed by the STATCOM so that the line
voltage across the STATCOM side of the three-phase transformer is
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 27
maintained at 83 V. Due to the transformer voltage ratio and
configuration (Y-), the measured line voltage across the ac power
system connected to the STATCOM should be close to your local
ac power network line voltage.
Make sure the Active Current Controller Prop. Gain (Kp1) is set
to 0.1.
Make sure the Active Current Controller Int. Gain (Ki1) is set to 4.
Make sure the Reactive Current Controller Prop. Gain (Kp2) is set
to 0.3.
Make sure the Reactive Current Controller Int. Gain (Ki2) is set to 10.
Make sure the DC Bus Voltage Controller Prop. Gain (Kp3) is set
to 5.
Make sure the DC Bus Voltage Controller Int. Gain (Ki3) is set to 10.
Make sure the AC Bus Line Voltage Controller Prop. Gain (Kp4) is
set to 2.5.
Make sure the AC Bus Line Voltage Controller Int. Gain (Ki4) is set
to 10.
Make sure the Static Synchronous Compensator function is Stopped.
10. In LVDAC-EMS, open the Metering window. A dialog box appears. Select the
serial number of the Data Acquisition and Control Interface used for data
acquisition (recorded in step 6), then click the OK button to close the dialog
box and open the Metering window.
In the Metering window, open the Acquisition Settings dialog box, set the
Sampling Window to 8 cycles, then click OK to close the dialog box. This
enables better accuracy when measuring the different parameters (e. g.,
reactive power) of the STATCOM.
Make the required settings in order to measure the rms values (ac) of the line
voltage E
S
(input E1) at the sender end of the ac transmission line, and the
line voltage E
R
(input E2) at the receiver end of the ac transmission line. Also
set a meter to measure the three-phase reactive power
S1A1.
the STATCOM
exchanges with the ac power system to which it is connected [metering
function PQS2 (E2, I2) 3~].
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
28 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
Voltage compensation at the receiver end of an ac transmission line
using a STATCOM
In this section, you will vary the resistance of the resistive load and record, for
each value, the three-phase PWM rectifier/inverter active current and reactive
current, the reactive power exchanged by the STATCOM, the sender voltage,
and the receiver voltage. You will analyze the results and determine how precise
is the voltage compensation achieved by the STATCOM during load variations.
You will then use the Oscilloscope to record the transient in the receiver voltage
and current when the resistive load decreases and when the resistive load
increases. Using the signals recorded on the Oscilloscope, you will determine
how fast the STATCOM achieves voltage compensation during load variations.
Precision of the voltage compensation achieved by a STATCOM during load variations
11. On the Power Supply, turn the three-phase ac power source on.
12. In the STATCOM Control window, start the static synchronous compensator
by clicking the Start/Stop button or by setting the Status parameter to
Started.
13. In the STATCOM Control window, adjust the AC Bus Line Voltage Command
parameter so that the receiver voltage E
R
indicated in the Metering window is
as close as possible to the nominal value of your local ac power network
voltage.
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 29
14. Fill in the first column in Table 2 using the resistance values indicated in the
table of Figure 22 corresponding to your local ac power network voltage and
frequency.
Table 2. Three-phase PWM rectifier/inverter active current I
d Rect.Inu.
and reactive current I
q Rect.Inu.
, reactive power Q
STAT.

exchanged by the STATCOM, sender voltage F
S
, and receiver voltage F
R
for different resistive load values when the
STATCOM compensates the voltage at the receiver end of an ac transmission line.
Resistive loads
R
1
, R
2
, R
3

()
Active current
I
d Rect.Inu.

(A)
Reactive
current
I
q Rect.Inu.

(A)
Reactive
power Q
STAT.

(var)
Sender
voltage F
S

(V)
Receiver
voltage F
R

(V)
1
st
=
2
nd
=
3
rd
=
4
th
=
5
th
=
6
th
=
15. Record in Table 2 the three-phase PWM rectifier/inverter active
current I
d Rcct.In.
and reactive current I
q Rcct.In.
(indicated in the STATCOM
Control window) in the appropriate cells of the row corresponding to the
current resistance of resistive loads R
1
, R
2
, R
3
.
Also, record in Table 2 the reactive power
S1A1.
exchanged by
the STATCOM, the sender voltage E
S
, and the receiver voltage E
R
(indicated
in the Metering window) in the appropriate cells of the row corresponding to
the current resistance value of resistive loads R
1
, R
2
, R
3
.
16. Make the necessary switch settings on the Resistive Load to obtain
successively the other resistive load values indicated in the first column of
Table 2 corresponding to your local ac power network voltage and frequency.
For each resistive load value, repeat step 15.
17. In the STATCOM Control window, stop the static synchronous compensator
by clicking the Start/Stop button or by setting the Status parameter to
Stopped.
On the Power Supply, turn the three-phase ac power source off.
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
30 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
18. From the results recorded in Table 2, can you conclude that the STATCOM
perfectly compensates the voltage across the ac power system to which it is
connected (i.e., the receiver voltage E
R
)? Explain briefly.





Compare the precision of the voltage compensation achieved using
the STATCOM to that which can be achieved using a battery of shunt-
capacitors. What can you conclude? Explain briefly.







19. From the results recorded in Table 2, explain how the STATCOM
compensates the voltage across the ac power system to which it is
connected (i.e., the receiver voltage E
R
).








Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 31
Speed of the voltage compensation achieved by a STATCOM during load variations
20. Make the necessary switch settings on the Resistive Load to obtain
the 1
st
resistive load value indicated in Table 3 corresponding to your local
ac power network voltage and frequency.
Table 3. Values of resistive loads R
1
, R
2
, and R
3
to be used for observing the speed of the
voltage compensation achieved by the STATCOM during load variations.
Local ac power
network
Resistive loads R
1
, R
2
, R
3

()
Voltage
(V)
Frequency
(Hz)
1
st
2
nd

120 60 200 600
220 50 733 2200
240 50 800 2400
21. On the Power Supply, turn the three-phase ac power source on.
22. In the STATCOM Control window, start the static synchronous compensator
by clicking the Start/Stop button or by setting the Status parameter to
Started.
23. In LVDAC-EMS, open the Oscilloscope. Make the appropriate settings in
order to observe the waveform of the voltage E
R
(input E2) and
current I
R
(input I2) at the receiver end of the ac transmission line.
a
It is recommended to set the time base to 0.1 s/div.
On the Oscilloscope, set the trigger type to Hardware, the trigger source to
the channel used to observe the waveform of the receiver voltage E
R
, and
the trigger level to approximately 10 V higher than the peak value of the
receiver voltage. Adjust the horizontal position of the trigger point to
about 4 divisions of the left-hand side of the oscilloscope screen.
a
These settings ensure that the Oscilloscope begins to record data only when
the peak value of the receiver voltage E
R
increases above its nominal peak
value (i.e., when the load at the receiver end of the line decreases).
On the Oscilloscope, click the Single Refresh button.
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
32 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
24. Make the necessary switch settings on the Resistive Load to obtain
the 2
nd
resistive load value indicated in Table 3 corresponding to your local
ac power network voltage and frequency. This simulates a large decrease in
the power demand of the consumers.
a
For optimal results, modify the switch settings simultaneously on the three legs
of the Resistive Load in order to avoid operation with an unbalanced load as
much as possible.
On the Oscilloscope, save all recorded voltage and current waveforms to the
first memory. The recorded waveforms will be used for comparison later in
the exercise.
25. On the Oscilloscope, set the trigger source to the channel used to observe
the receiver current I
R
, and the trigger level to approximately 0.05 A higher
than the peak value of the receiver current. Click the Single Refresh button.
a
These settings ensure that the Oscilloscope begins to record data only when
the peak value of the receiver current I
R
increases above its current peak
value (i.e., when the load at the receiver end of the line increases).
26. Make the necessary switch settings on the Resistive Load to obtain
the 1
st
resistive load value indicated in Table 3 corresponding to your local
ac power network voltage and frequency. This simulates a large increase in
the power demand of the consumers.
a
For optimal results, modify the switch settings simultaneously on the three legs
of the Resistive Load in order to avoid operation with an unbalanced load as
much as possible.
On the Oscilloscope, save all recorded voltage and current waveforms to the
second memory. The recorded waveforms will be used for comparison later
in the exercise.
27. Using the voltage and current waveforms saved in the memories of the
Oscilloscope, can you conclude that the STATCOM compensates the voltage
across the ac power system to which it is connected (i.e., the receiver
voltage E
R
) almost instantaneously? Explain briefly.






Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 33
28. In the Metering window, measure the line voltage E
S
at the sender end of the
ac transmission line. Record the value below as it is required in the next
section of this exercise.
Sender line voltage E
S
= V
29. In the STATCOM Control window, stop the static synchronous compensator
by clicking the Start/Stop button or by setting the Status parameter to
Stopped.
30. On the Power Supply, turn the three-phase ac power source off.
Voltage compensation using a STATCOM at the receiver end of an
ac transmission line containing a shunt-capacitor substation
In this section, you will set up a circuit consisting of a long ac transmission line
that supplies power to a resistive load, and is voltage compensated using a
shunt-capacitor substation located at the middle of the line as well as
a STATCOM located at the receiver end of the line. You will set the resistance of
the resistive load and the reactance of the shunt capacitors to preliminary values.
You will then use the Oscilloscope to record the transient in the receiver voltage
and current when the resistive load increases and when the voltage
compensation provided by the shunt capacitors increases. Using the signals
recorded on the Oscilloscope, you will determine how fast the STATCOM
achieves voltage compensation during voltage fluctuations. For each resistance
value of the resistive load and reactance value of the shunt capacitors, you will
also record the voltage at the shunt-capacitor substation and the voltage at the
receiver end of the ac transmission line. Finally, you will analyze these voltage
values.
31. Modify the equipment connections to obtain the circuit shown in Figure 24
and Figure 25. Note that, in this circuit, the three-phase ac transmission line
consists of two segments instead of one, with a shunt-capacitor substation
after the first line segment. Also, voltage input E1 is used to measure the
voltage at the shunt-capacitor substation instead of the sender voltage. The
connections of the various STATCOM components remain the same. Use
the capacitors in the Capacitive Load module to implement the shunt-
capacitor substation.
a
In Figure 24 and Figure 25, voltage and current inputs shown in blue represent
inputs from the Data Acquisition and Control Interface used for STATCOM
control while voltage and current inputs shown in red represent inputs from the
Data Acquisition and Control Interface used for data acquisition. Note that the
inputs used for control cannot be used for data acquisition, and vice versa.
The circuit shown in Figure 24 and Figure 25 represents a long
ac transmission line that supplies power to a resistive load and is voltage
compensated using a shunt-capacitor substation (manually controlled)
located at the middle of the line as well as a STATCOM located at the
receiver end of the line. The resistive load in the circuit represents the
electrical power demand of the electricity consumers. By adjusting the
resistance of the resistive load, it is possible to vary the intensity of the
electrical power demand.
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
34 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A


Local ac power network
Line
inductive
reactance X
L

()
R
1
, R
2
, R
3

()
X
SC1
, X
SC2
, X
SC3

()
Voltage
(V)
Frequency
(Hz)
1
st
2
nd
1
st
2
nd

120 60 120 600 400 600
220 50 400 2200 1467 2200
240 50 400 2400 1600 2400
Figure 24. Circuit for studying the operation of a STATCOM used for voltage compensation of
an ac transmission line containing a shunt-capacitor substation.
X
L

X
L

X
L

Three-Phase
Transmission Line module
R
1

R
2

R
3

L1
L2
L3
N
Resistive load
A1 A2 A3
To STATCOM
substation
A4
Three-Phase
Transmission Line module
Shunt capacitor
substation
AC Power network, transmission line with shunt-capacitor substation, line capacitors, and load
X
SC1
X
SC2
X
SC3

X
L

X
L

X
L

Line capacitors
X
C,Inc
X
C,Inc
X
C,Inc
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 35


Figure 25. Circuit for studying the operation of a STATCOM used for voltage compensation of
an ac transmission line containing a shunt-capacitor substation.
A1
A2
Three-Phase Transformer Bank module
Static synchronous compensator
T
o

a
c

p
o
w
e
r

n
e
t
w
o
r
k

1 2
A3
A4
Line Inductors module IGBT Chopper/Inverter module
Switching control signals
from the control DACI
3 4
5 6
12
11
7
8
9
10
C
Bus
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
36 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
32. Make sure the I/O toggle switch on the second Three-Phase Transmission
Line is set to the I position.
On the second Three-Phase Transmission Line, set the inductive reactance
selector to the value indicated in the table of Figure 24 corresponding to your
local ac power network voltage and frequency.
Make the necessary switch settings on the Resistive Load and on the
Capacitive Load to obtain the first resistance value (for resistors R
1
, R
2
,
and R
3
) and the first reactance value (for capacitors X
SC1
, X
SC2
, and X
SC3
),
respectively, indicated in the table of Figure 24 corresponding to your local
ac power network voltage and frequency.
33. In the Metering window, make sure that two meters are set to measure the
rms values (ac) of the line voltage E
SC
(input E1) at the shunt-capacitor
substation and the line voltage E
R
(input E2) at the receiver end of the
ac transmission line.
34. In the STATCOM Control window, make the following settings:
Set the AC Bus Line Voltage Controller Prop. Gain (Kp4) to 2.
Set the AC Bus Line Voltage Controller Int. Gain (Ki4) to 5.
35. On the Power Supply, turn the three-phase ac power source on.
36. In the STATCOM Control window, start the static synchronous compensator
by clicking the Start/Stop button or by setting the Status parameter to
Started.
37. In the STATCOM Control window, adjust the AC Bus Line Voltage Command
parameter so that the receiver voltage E
R
indicated in the Metering window is
approximately equal to your ac power network voltage.
38. In the Metering window, measure the line voltage E
SC
at the shunt-capacitor
substation and the line voltage E
R
at the receiver end of the ac transmission
line. Record both values below.
Line voltage E
SC
= V
Line voltage E
R
= V
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 37
39. On the Oscilloscope, set the trigger source to the channel used to observe
the receiver current I
R
, and the trigger level to approximately 0.05 A higher
than the peak value of the receiver current. Click the Single Refresh button.
a
These settings ensure that the Oscilloscope begins to record data only when
the peak value of the receiver current I
R
increases slightly above its nominal
peak value (i.e., when the load at the receiver end of the line increases).
40. Make the necessary switch settings on the Resistive Load to obtain the
second resistance value indicated in the table of Figure 24 corresponding to
your local ac power network voltage and frequency. This simulates an
increase in the power demand of the consumers.
a
For optimal results, modify the switch settings simultaneously on the three legs
of the Resistive Load in order to avoid operation with an unbalanced load as
much as possible.
On the Oscilloscope, save all recorded voltage and current waveforms to the
first memory. The recorded waveforms will be used for comparison later in
the exercise.
41. In the Metering window, measure the line voltage E
SC
at the shunt-capacitor
substation and the line voltage E
R
at the receiver end of the ac transmission
line. Record both values below.
Line voltage E
SC
= V
Line voltage E
R
= V
42. On the Oscilloscope, set the trigger source to the channel used to observe
the waveform of the receiver voltage E
R
, and the trigger level to
approximately 10 V higher than the peak value of the receiver voltage. Click
the Single Refresh button.
a
These settings ensure that the Oscilloscope begins to record data only when
the peak value of the receiver voltage E
R
increases above its current peak
value (i.e., when the voltage compensation provided by the shunt-capacitor
substation increases).
43. Make the necessary switch settings on the Capacitive Load to obtain the
second reactance value indicated in the table of Figure 24 corresponding to
your local ac power network voltage and frequency.
a
For optimal results, modify the switch settings simultaneously on the three legs
of the Capacitive Load in order to avoid operation with unbalanced shunt
capacitors as much as possible.
On the Oscilloscope, save all recorded voltage and current waveforms to the
second memory. The recorded waveforms will be used for comparison later
in the exercise.
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Procedure
38 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
44. In the Metering window, measure the line voltage E
SC
at the shunt-capacitor
substation and the line voltage E
R
at the receiver end of the ac transmission
line. Record both values below.
Line voltage E
SC
= V
Line voltage E
R
= V
45. Considering the values of voltages E
SC
and E
R
you recorded above, does
varying the load at the receiver end of the ac transmission line (i.e., varying
the electrical power demand) have any significant effect on the voltage E
R
at
the receiver end of the line?
Yes No
Considering the values of voltages E
SC
and E
R
you recorded above, does
adjusting the reactances X
SC1
, X
SC2
, and X
SC3
of the shunt capacitors in the
shunt-capacitor substation have any significant effect on the voltage E
R
at the
receiver end of the line?
Yes No
46. Using the voltage and current waveforms stored in the memories of the
Oscilloscope, can you conclude that the STATCOM perfectly and almost
instantaneously compensates the voltage E
R
at the receiver end of a long
ac transmission line containing a shunt-capacitor substation? Explain briefly.








47. In the STATCOM Control window, stop the static synchronous compensator
by clicking the Start/Stop button or by setting the Status parameter to
Stopped.
48. On the Power Supply, turn the three-phase ac power source off.
49. Close LVDAC-EMS, then turn off all the equipment. Disconnect all leads and
return them to their storage location.
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Conclusion
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 39
In this exercise, you familiarized yourself with the operating principles of
STATCOMs when they are used for voltage compensation of ac transmission
lines. You learned how a STATCOM controller designed for automatic voltage
control compensates the voltage across the ac power system to which the
STATCOM is connected.
1. What are the two primary advantages of STATCOMs over shunt-capacitor
substations when they are used for voltage compensation of ac transmission
lines?




2. Which component acts as the dc power source in a STATCOM? How is it
possible to adjust the voltage across that component? Explain briefly.










3. What are the primary advantages of STATCOMs over SVCs?




CONCLUSION
REVIEW QUESTIONS
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM Review Questions
40 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
4. Describe how shunt-capacitor substations and STATCOM substations are
distributed along a typical voltage-compensated ac transmission line. Explain
briefly.








5. Is it common practice to replace all the shunt-capacitor substations along an
ac transmission line with STATCOM substations? Explain briefly.






Sample
Extracted from
Instructor Guide

Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 1
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission
Lines Using a STATCOM

14. The results are presented in the following table.
Three-phase PWM rectifier/inverter active current I
d Rect.Inu.
and reactive current I
q Rect.Inu.
, reactive power Q
STAT.
exchanged by
the STATCOM, sender voltage F
S
, and receiver voltage F
R
for different resistive load values when the STATCOM compensates
the voltage at the receiver end of an ac transmission line.
Resistive loads
R
1
, R
2
, R
3

()
Active current
I
d Rect.Inu.

(A)
Reactive
current
I
q Rect.Inu.

(A)
Reactive
power Q
STAT.

(var)
Sender
voltage F
S

(V)
Receiver
voltage F
R

(V)
1
st
= 600 -0.08 0.46 65.2 208 208
2
nd
= 400 -0.07 0.32 49.0 208 209
3
rd
= 300 -0.06 0.12 24.8 208 209
4
th
= 240 -0.05 -0.14 -3.90 208 209
5
th
= 200 -0.07 -0.46 -38.4 208 209
6
th
= 171 -0.10 -0.93 -84.6 208 210
18. Yes, as the results in the above table indicate, the STATCOM maintains the
voltage across the ac power system to which it is connected (i.e., the
receiver voltage E
R
) virtually equal to the ac power network voltage (i.e., the
sender voltage E
S
) no matter the power demand of the consumers (i.e., no
matter the resistive load value).
As the results in the above table indicate, the STATCOM precisely
compensates (within about 1% of nominal voltage value) the voltage across
the ac power system to which it is connected. On the other hand, a battery of
shunt capacitors rarely achieves precise voltage compensation of the
ac power system to which it is connected. This is because the selection of
shunt capacitors available for voltage compensation is limited. Therefore,
a STATCOM generally achieves a much more precise voltage compensation
of an ac power system than a battery of shunt capacitors.
19. The STATCOM compensates the voltage of the ac power system to which it
is connected (i.e., the receiver voltage E
R
) by adjusting the magnitude and
polarity of the reactive component of the current flowing through its
ac side (i.e., the reactive current component of the three-phase PWM
rectifier/inverter). This way, the STATCOM supplies or absorbs just the right
amount of reactive power required to maintain the voltage across the system
virtually equal to the ac power network voltage, no matter the power demand
of the consumers (i.e., no matter the resistive load value).
ANSWERS TO
PROCEDURE STEP
QUESTIONS
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM
2 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
24. The resulting waveforms are shown below.

Receiver voltage F
R
and receiver current I
R
when the STATCOM compensates the voltage at
the receiver end of an ac transmission line after the load decreases.

Oscilloscope Settings
Channel-1 Input ................................... E2
Channel-1 Scale ........................200 V/div
Channel-1 Coupling ............................ DC
Channel-2 Input ..................................... I2
Channel-2 Scale ............................ 1 A/div
Channel-2 Coupling ............................ DC
Show Cursors .......................... Horizontal
Time Base ................................... 0.1 s/div
Trigger Type ............................. Hardware
Trigger Source ................................... Ch1
Trigger Level ................................... 295 V
Trigger Slope .................................. Rising
Receiver voltage E
R

Receiver current I
R
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 3
26. The resulting waveforms are shown below.

Receiver voltage F
R
and receiver current I
R
when the STATCOM compensates the voltage at
the receiver end of an ac transmission line and the load increases.
27. Yes. The voltage and current waveforms stored in the memories of the
Oscilloscope show that the STATCOM perfectly compensates the voltage
fluctuations at the receiver end of the ac transmission line in less than
approximately 3-4 cycles, no matter the load variation.
28. Sender line voltage E
S
= 2u8 V
38. Line voltage E
SC
= 200 V
Line voltage E
R
= 207 V

Oscilloscope Settings
Channel-1 Input ................................... E2
Channel-1 Scale ........................200 V/div
Channel-1 Coupling ............................ DC
Channel-2 Input ..................................... I2
Channel-2 Scale ............................ 1 A/div
Channel-2 Coupling ............................ DC
Show Cursors .......................... Horizontal
Time Base ................................... 0.1 s/div
Trigger Type ............................. Hardware
Trigger Source ................................... Ch2
Trigger Level .................................... 0.5 A
Trigger Slope .................................. Rising
Receiver voltage E
R
Receiver current I
R
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM
4 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
40. The resulting waveforms are shown below.

Receiver voltage F
R
and receiver current I
R
when the STATCOM compensates the voltage at
the receiver end of an ac transmission line after the load increases.
41. Line voltage E
SC
= 191 V
Line voltage E
R
= 208 V

Oscilloscope Settings
Channel-1 Input ................................... E2
Channel-1 Scale ........................200 V/div
Channel-1 Coupling ............................ DC
Channel-2 Input ..................................... I2
Channel-2 Scale ............................ 1 A/div
Channel-2 Coupling ............................ DC
Show Cursors .......................... Horizontal
Time Base ................................... 0.1 s/div
Trigger Type ............................. Hardware
Trigger Source ................................... Ch2
Trigger Level .................................. 0.42 A
Trigger Slope .................................. Rising
Receiver voltage E
R

Receiver current I
R

Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM
A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 5
43. The resulting waveforms are shown below.

Receiver voltage F
R
and receiver current I
R
when the STATCOM compensates the voltage at
the receiver end of an ac transmission line after the voltage compensation provided by the
shunt-capacitor substation increases.
44. Line voltage E
SC
= 218 V
Line voltage E
R
= 207 V
45. No
No
46. Yes. The screen captures of the Oscilloscope window show that the
STATCOM perfectly compensates the voltage fluctuations at the receiver
end of a long ac transmission line containing a shunt-capacitor substation in
less than approximately 4-5 cycles. This is true whether the voltage
fluctuation is due to a variation in electrical power demand (i.e., the resistive
load value) at the receiver end of the line, or to a variation in the reactance
value of the shunt capacitors used to compensate the voltage across the line.
1. When used for voltage compensation of ac transmission lines, the two
primary advantages of STATCOMs over shunt-capacitor substations are:
Tighter control of the voltage compensation across the
ac transmission line
Oscilloscope Settings
Channel-1 Input ................................... E2
Channel-1 Scale ........................200 V/div
Channel-1 Coupling ............................ DC
Channel-2 Input ..................................... I2
Channel-2 Scale ............................ 1 A/div
Channel-2 Coupling ............................ DC
Show Cursors .......................... Horizontal
Time Base ................................... 0.1 s/div
Trigger Type ............................. Hardware
Trigger Source ................................... Ch1
Trigger Level ................................... 295 V
Trigger Slope .................................. Rising
ANSWERS TO REVIEW
QUESTIONS
Receiver voltage E
R

Receiver current I
R
Exercise 1 Voltage Compensation of AC Transmission Lines Using a STATCOM
6 Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) A
Increased line stability during transients (i.e., during sudden changes
in the load at the receiver end of the ac transmission line), due to the
superior quickness of the STATCOM response
2. A large capacitor acts as the dc power source in a STATCOM. The voltage
across this capacitor is controlled by continually adjusting the magnitude and
polarity of the active component of the current at the ac side of the
STATCOM. When the voltage across the capacitor needs to be increased,
the STATCOM adjusts the magnitude and polarity of the active component of
the current flowing through its ac side so that active power is drawn from the
ac power system and converted to dc power in order to charge the capacitor.
Conversely, when the voltage across the capacitor needs to be decreased,
the STATCOM adjusts the magnitude and polarity of the active component of
the current flowing through its ac side so that active power is returned to the
ac power system, thereby discharging the capacitor.
3. The primary advantages of STATCOMs over SVCs are summarized below:
STATCOMs are not affected significantly when operating in
undervoltage conditions while SVCs are.
STATCOMs have a faster response time than SVCs.
STATCOM installations are much smaller in size than SVC
installations of comparable ratings.
4. In a typical ac transmission line covering a long distance, the voltage along
the line is compensated using shunt-capacitor substations, which provide
cost-effective voltage compensation. At the receiver end of the
ac transmission line, however, the voltage is compensated using a
STATCOM. This ensures tighter control of the voltage at the end of the line,
as well as greater line stability during transients. This is especially important
at the end of the ac transmission line, where the voltage must be carefully
compensated before the electrical power is distributed to consumers.
5. No, it is not common practice to replace all shunt-capacitor substations along
an ac transmission line covering a long distance with STATCOMs. This is
due to STATCOMs being much more costly than shunt-capacitor
substations, even though they are more efficient in every aspect. Since the
use of shunt-capacitor substations to compensate the voltage along
ac transmission lines already yields acceptable results, replacing all shunt-
capacitor substations with STATCOMs is not cost effective.

A Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) 79
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