A Power Systems Analysis Project
A Power Systems Analysis Project
A Power Systems Analysis Project
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Abstract
This paper describes a six-week laboratory project in which students analyze a small power
system. The analysis is done with PowerWorld and is supplemented with MatLab calculations.
The students were provided information concerning a small (seven bus, two generator) power
system. They were required to assemble all of the information into tables, both in actual values
as well as in per unit on a common base, before beginning the analysis. Since the system was
small, students could manually calculate Ybus and Zbus values and compare them to the
PowerWorld results. Any discrepancies had to be resolved in order to get the proper results.
Once the system was correctly entered into PowerWorld, a power flow and fault analyses were
done. Each week the students were required to produce interim products which were graded to
insure they were on track. At the end, they were required to produce a formal report with all of
their results. This project contributes to several of the ABET a-k outcomes, both for technology
and engineering. Producing the report contributes to their communication skills, the analysis and
correcting of the system contributes to their design skills, and the use of PowerWorld and
MatLab, which are both commercial products, contributes to their ability to use current tools of
the trade.
Introduction
Although the outcomes are different for the two sets of criteria, they have a number of
similarities. In particular, both the EAC and TAC require an “ability to communicate
effectively,” (item g. for both). Other similarities are noted between EAC item k. and TAC item
a., which require the use or mastery of techniques, skills, and modern tools; EAC item c. and
TAC item d., which both deal with design; EAC item b. and TAC item c., which both include
interpretation of data; and EAC item d. and TAC item f., which deal with formulating and
solving technical problems. The author has found that contributions can be made to all of these
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criteria with a power systems analysis project. This paper provides a brief description of the
Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology ( ECET) curriculum and assessment plan at
Purdue University and ECET 331, “Generation and Transmission of Electrical Power,”which is a
junior/senior elective course. The paper then provides a detailed description of a six-week
power systems analysis project done as part of the laboratory portion of ECET 331.
The ECET program at Purdue is a 2+2 curriculum; i.e., students spend two years working toward
an Associate of Science degree in EET, followed by two more years to obtain a B.S. degree. At
the Purdue West Lafayette campus, very few students stop at the A.S. point. The curriculum,
like most engineering technology programs, is a very hands-on program with labs accompanying
almost every ECET course. For many years, the Purdue ECET program has taken pride in being
one of only a few EET programs in the United States with a strong electric power program. The
plan of study includes a required electrical power and controls course that has been previously
described.3 Junior/senior electives include a course oriented toward electric utility generation and
transmission (ECET 331)), an electrical distribution course,4 and two controls courses. Despite
the tradition, the power courses sometimes come into question. One way of defending the power
courses is to make sure they contribute to the program outcomes, which reflect the ABET a-k
items in Table 1.
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As the department prepared for its first accreditation under TC2K, we developed program
outcomes. Later, as the process continued, it was decided that every course in the curriculum
should contribute to some of the outcomes. In order to strengthen the case for ECET 331, I
decided to incorporate a multi-week project as part of the lab, which would help meet several of
the program outcomes.
ECET 331
ECET is titled, “Electrical Generation and Transmission.” As such it covers power systems
topics including construction, operation, and steady-state analysis of the synchronous machine;
calculation of resistance, inductance, and capacitance of transmission lines, analysis of
transmission line performance; power flow; and fault studies. A detailed listing of the topics and
the hours allocated to each topic is shown in Table 2.
One problem, of course, with this type of material is the laboratory. At Purdue, we are fortunate
to have some small synchronous machines, transmission line simulators, phase-shifting
transformers, and other equipment. As a result approximately seven hardware-based lab
experiments were developed for the course, which still left eight weeks in the semester. Over the
last decade, these weeks were filled with computer studies utilizing various freeware packages,
as well as an academic version of PowerWorld.5-7
PowerWorld began as a power flow program, but has evolved into a much more comprehensive
power systems analysis package. In particular, it is also capable of conducting a variety of fault
studies, both balanced and unbalanced. As a result, I decided to replace the several independent
computer analyses with a more comprehensive project, using PowerWorld, that would take the
student through the process of putting data into proper form, conducting power flow studies and
correcting the system where required, conducting fault analysis studies, and documenting their
work in a comprehensive report. The inclusion of this project makes a strong case for helping
the students to meet program outcomes dealing with written communication, design, and data
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analysis. The project was done during the laboratory portion of the course, with outside time
for writing up the results. Regular homework assignments were still done throughout the six
weeks of the project.
Figure 1 shows a one-line diagram of the system that was chosen for the project. It was taken
from the course textbook.9 Table 3 shows the parameters and other system modeling information
for the system. This system was chosen for several reasons. Obviously it was in the textbook,
but it also is complex enough to demonstrate some of the problems that occur in a power system,
while being simple enough to allow some calculations by hand to verify the computer results. In
addition, the free trial/academic version of PowerWorld is limited to twelve buses. This means
the students can download the current version and use it at home as well as in the lab.
Observation of the system data shows that it is in a variety of forms; i.e., some of the data are in
actual values, some in per-unit, and some in ohms/km. Thus, the first week’s assignment for the
students was to create data tables putting the data into the form required for the PowerWorld
program. These tables were turned in as an interim product, so they could be verified. Errors
were annotated and the students were required to fix them before continuing. Tables A1 to A7 in
the Appendix show the results expected from week 1. Once the data was in the proper form,
students were required to manually calculate Ybus, neglecting the charging capacitance of the
transmission lines, which is very straightforward.9
During the second week, students entered their system into PowerWorld. PowerWorld is a
graphically-oriented program that allows the user to draw the system and enter data via dialog
boxes. Figure 2 shows the solved case for the given system. Looking at the results in Figure 2,
some problems are evident. First, transformer T1 is overloaded ( for purposes of this study, it
was assumed that it is permissible to load the transformers to 100%). Secondly, there are low
voltages at all the buses except the generator buses. Finally, generator G2 is at its hard limit for
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providing reactive power and the bus voltage has dropped from the desired 1.0 to 0.97 pu.
Table 3. System Parameters and Modeling Information
Generator Information Transmission Line Ratings
G1: 100 MVA, 13.8 kV, X” = 0.12 pu, z1 = (0.08 + j 0.5) Ù/km;
X2 = 0.14 pu, X0 = 0.05 pu z0 = (0.2 + j 1.5) Ù/km;
G2: 200 MVA, 15.0 kV, X” = 0.12 pu, y1 = 3.3(10)-6 S/km
X2 = 0.14 pu, X0 = 0.05 pu Maximum MVA = 400 for all lines
Generator neutrals are solidly grounded L1 = 15 km;
L2 = 35 km;
Transformer Information L3 = 40 km;
T1: 100 MVA, 13.8–230 kV, Ä–Y, L4 = 15 km;
X = 0.1 pu L5 = 50 km
T2: 200 MVA, 15.0–230 kV, Ä–Y,
X = 0.1 pu Power Flow Data
Transformer neutrals are solidly grounded Bus 1: Slack bus
Bus 2, 3, 4, 5, 6: Load buses
System Base Quantities Bus 7: Generator (PV) bus; V = 15 kV;
Sbase = 100 MVA (three-phase) P = 180 MW; -87 MVAR < Q < 87 MVAR
Vbase = 13.8 kV (line-to-line) at Bus 1
Figure 2. Power Flow Results for Base Case of System Shown in Figure 1
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Once they had their power flow simulation running, students were required to verify that they
had entered their data correctly. PowerWorld provides a method to view Ybus, with and without
charging capacitances, so students could compare their manually-calculated Ybus to the values
shown in the program. Table A8 shows the positive-sequence Ybus values. Once their results
were verified, students were assigned the task of correcting the system deficiencies. In
particular, no device was to be loaded at greater than 100% of its rating and all bus voltages were
to be greater than 0.95 pu.
In looking at the system as originally simulated, it is evident that the low voltages are due to the
large lagging loads at buses 2 through 6. Thus, one possible method to correct the system
deficiencies would be to add one or more capacitor banks. Figure 3 shows the power flow
results for the system, with the addition of a large capacitor bank at bus 4. With this addition,
both transformers are below 100% load and all of the system voltages are greater than 0.96 pu.
Some students put in more than one bank and some used larger amounts.
equivalents at each bus. Students were required to calculate the Thevenin equivalent at several
buses and compare them to the Zbus values. PowerWorld does not display the values of Zbus,
but it does allow the export of Ybus values as a MatLab m-file. The Ybus m-file was entered
into MatLab and the inverse was found to yield the Zbus values. Table A12 in the appendix
shows the positive-sequence Zbus. Once they had agreement between their manual calculations
and Zbus, students were required to calculate the fault currents using the diagonal elements of
Zbus and compare them to the values produced by PowerWorld. When done correctly, the
values agree almost exactly. This process helps the student to understand how the program
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calculates fault currents, and provides methods for them to check their results. Note, for
example, Zbus(1,1) in Table A12 has a value of (0.001 + j0.0842). Putting that into polar form
yields a magnitude of 0.0842, and taking the inverse yields a fault current of (1/0.0842) =
11.876, which compares almost exactly to the value of 11. 874 shown in the upper right corner
of Figure 4.
The final, and probably most complex, in-lab part of the project was to conduct unbalanced fault
analyses at every bus in the system for each of the three unbalanced fault types shown in Figure
4. Calculation of unbalanced faults by hand requires the use of symmetrical components;
however, the fault is relatively easy to calculate by hand, once the Thevenin equivalent
impedances are known for the positive, negative, and zero sequence circuits. For this part of the
project, the students were required to draw the sequence circuits and then to calculate the
Thevenin impedance at bus 4. As shown in Tables A10 and A11, PowerWorld provides Ybus
matrices for the negative and zero sequence circuits. The students exported those to MatLab m-
files and calculated Zbus for each sequence. Table A13 and A14 show the negative and zero
sequency Zbuses. With these, they were able to compare their manually-calculated values with
the computer-derived values. They also were able to calculate the line-to-neutral unbalanced
fault current at bus 4 and compare it to the PowerWorld results. As with the balanced fault, very
good comparisons resulted when the proper procedures were followed. Once verified, the
students ran PowerWorld to calculate all three unbalanced faults at each bus. As shown in
Figure 4, PowerWorld shows the voltages at each bus in the box at the bottom. In addition, there
are tabs for generators and lines, which show the currents in each phase for each device. The
students were directed to export all of the data to Excel for use in their project report. For the
final portion of the project, students were required to select oil circuit breakers from a table in
the textbook to protect the transmission lines.
From the work done in lab, students should learn how to analyze their data and to verify it,
which contributes directly to ABET outcomes. In correcting the power system, they made
design decisions, also contributing to ABET outcomes. To complete the project, the students
were required to write a formal report, which accounted for about 40% of their lab grade. Since
the lab counts 25% of the course grade, the report essentially counted for 10% of the final grade.
Table 4 shows the requirements given to the students for their final report. The reports were
graded for both technical content and grammar/format. Due to the constant checks made along
the way, virtually every student (about 50 in the last two years) was able to obtain data that was
reasonably close to my values. The format was specified in some detail to insure that the
students knew what was expected of them. Nevertheless, there was significant variation in the
level of completeness and adherence to the specified format. Having the students do a detailed,
lengthy report contributes directly to the ABET requirement for communication skills, and
samples of the reports were used in the displays for our ABET visit.
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Table 4. Requirements for Final Report
Prepare a formal, final report for the power system analysis project (labs 8 through 12). It
should incorporate all of the work done in those labs. All figures should have figure numbers
and captions and tables should have table numbers and captions. The report should be
organized as follows:
Introduction:
Describe the system being studied (note a jpg image of the system can be downloaded
from the 331 webpage) and the studies that were to be performed using PowerWorld.
Procedures:
Describe what you did for the power flow study (labs 8 and 9) and for the fault analysis
study (labs 10 - 12). Describe how you prepared your data for entry into PowerWorld,
and include your data tables.
Results:
Provide results from the power flow study of the base system with figures and tables.
Provide results of the fault studies. Include a table of fault currents showing the fault
current for each type of fault at each bus, and include the all of the short-circuit analysis
results as an appendix to your report.
Indicate circuit breaker sizes and ratings as requested in lab 11. Explain your reasoning in
selecting the size and ratings that you chose.
Appendices
Conclusion
With the availability of a powerful power systems analysis package in a free demonstration/
education version, it has become practical to implement a detailed power systems analysis
project in an introductory power systems course. The project reported in this paper required
students to correctly assemble their data, enter it into PowerWorld, conduct power-flow studies,
correct the power system to overcome observed deficiencies, conduct balanced and unbalanced
fault analyses, and to write a detailed final report on the project. Throughout the project students
were required to verify the information coming from the simulation by comparing it to manual
calculations. This helped to insure they were obtaining the correct results and taught them to
verify computer results as much as possible. This multi-week project and final report contribute
directly to several ABET outcomes including system design, analysis of data, and
communication skills. For future offerings, it might be desirable to have the students do
economic evaluations of alternatives to correct the power system, such as comparison of the cost
of a new line versus capacitor banks.
References
1. ABET, Inc.. (2005). CRITERIA FOR ACCREDITING ENGINEERING PROGRAMS, Effective for
Evaluations During the 2006-2007 Accreditation Cycle. Baltimore, MD.
2. ABET, Inc.. (2005). CRITERIA FOR ACCREDITING ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS,
Effective for Evaluations During the 2006-2007 Accreditation Cycle. Baltimore, MD.
3. Skvarenina, T.L. and DeW itt, W .E. (1998). Development of an EET Electrical Power and Controls Course,
ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings (CDROM)
4. DeW itt, W . and Skvarenina, T. (1995) "An EET Industrial Power Distribution Course, ASEE Annual
Conference Proceedings, 1418-1421
5. Overbye, T.J., Sauer, P.W ., Marzinzik, and C.M., Gross, G. (1995). A user-friendly simulation program for
teaching power system operations. IEEE Transactions on Power Systems. Vol 10, #4. Pages 1725 - 1733.
6. Overbye, T.J., Gross, G., Laufenberg, and M.J., Sauer, P.W . (1997). Visualizing power system operations in
an open market. IEEE Computer Applications in Power. Vol 10, #1, Pages 53 - 58.
7. Overbye, T.J. and Weber, J.D. (2001). Visualizing the electric grid. IEEE Spectrum. Vol 38, #2. Pages 52 -
58.
8. Skvarenina, T.L. (2000). Developing a Department-W ide Learning Assessment Program. Frontiers in
Education, 2000 Conference Proceedings, pages T1A-11 to T1A-16 (6 pages)
9. Glover, J. and Sarma, M. (2002). Power System Analysis and Design, 3 rd Edition. Brooks/Cole. Pacific
Grove, California.
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Appendix
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Table A8. Positive Sequence Ybus
Number Bus 1 Bus 2 Bus 3 Bus 4 Bus 5 Bus 6 Bus 7
1 0.00 - j18.33 0.00 + j10.00
2 0.00 + j10.00 11.01 - j78.76 -11.01 + j68.76
3 -11.01 + j68.76 15.72 - j98.24 -4.71 + j29.48
4 -4.71 + j29.48 12.14 - j75.90 -4.13 + j25.79 -3.3 + j20.63
5 -4.13 + j25.79 15.13 - j94.55 -11.01 + j68.76
6 -3.3 + j20.63 -11.01 + j68.76 14.31 - j109.39 0.00 + j20.00
7 0.00 + j20.00 0.00 - j36.67
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Table A12. Positive-Sequence Zbus Values
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