Helwan University

From the SelectedWorks of Omar H. Abdalla

Winter December 20, 2009

Stability Analysis of a Unified Power Flow

Controller
Omar H. Abdalla
Mohamed A. E. Ghazy
Lotfy M. Lotfy
Nermeen A. M. Hassan

Available at: https://works.bepress.com/omar/10/

Stability Analysis of a Unified Power Flow Controller
Omar H. Abdalla, Mohamed A. E. Ghazy, Lotfy M. Lotfy, and Nermeen A. M. Hassan

Abstract—The paper concerns with stability analysis of a This paper demonstrates the UPFC main configuration and
Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC). A nonlinear model is basic operation for each branch, including the series and shunt
described in the abc-reference frame and then transformed into
the dq0-reference frame. The model includes shunt and series branch control. A nonlinear model is used to describe the
compensators of the UPFC. Stability analysis is presented first in UPEC system. Stability is investigated in the three-
a three-dimensional space of system parameters. A linearized dimensional parameter space [8], [9]. A linearized state-space
model is obtained in state-space form to be used in small-signal model is obtained from the nonlinear system equations. It is
stability studies. Effects of system parameters on stability are used to study the small-signal stability of the UPFC by
investigated using eigenvalue analysis. These include resistance,
reactance, and modulation indices of the shunt and series eigenvalue analysis. Effects of system parameters, e.g.
components of the UPFC. Simulation results show that the resistances and inductances, on stability are investigated.
stability of the UPFC can be affected by these parameters. The Simulation results can help system designers and engineers in
results are useful for UPFC designers and engineers who set selecting proper parameter values for maintaining stability
technical specifications of these control devices. and acceptable technical specifications.

I. INTRODUCTION II. UPFC DESCRIPTION

T HE continuous growth of demand in electric power

systems requires establishing new generating plants and
transmission lines. These requirements are becoming
A. UPFC Circuit
Figure 1 shows the UPFC circuit which consists of a shunt
and a series branches. Each branch is considered as a voltage
more restrictive due to economic and environmental impacts.
source converter using semiconductor devices of fully
Conventional control devices with fixed or mechanically
controlled type, such as the IGBTs (Insulated-Gate Bipolar
switchable components have low speed, high wearing and Transistors) and the GTOs (Gate Turn-Off) thyristors. The
require frequent maintenance. Therefore, new fast control shunt and series converters are connected to the transmission
devices need to be developed to increase transmission line through step down transformers. They are operated from
capacity by utilizing existing generating units and loading a common DC link provided by a DC storage capacitor which
transmission lines closer to their thermal limits even in has a capacitance value selected to improve dynamic
contingency conditions. New Flexible AC Transmission performance with cost-benefit consideration [1], [6]. These
System (FACTS) devices are used in practical power systems back to back converters can independently generate (or
to improve performance [1], [2]. absorb) reactive power at its own AC output terminal.
The Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC) is one B. Operation of UPFC
of the most effective FACTS devices [3], [4]. The concept of The basic function of the shunt converter is to provide the
the UPFC was proposed by Gyugyi in 1991[5]. The UPFC is real power required to the series converter from the AC power
used for the real time control and dynamic compensation for system [7], [10]. It can generate or absorb reactive power at
AC transmission systems, providing more flexibility in power the UPFC connected busbar, which is independent of the
system today. Moreover, the UPFC has the unique capability active power transfer to (or from) the DC circuit [7].
to control simultaneously or independently, all the parameters
affecting power flow in the transmission line which are
voltage, impedance, and phase angle. Also, it can
independently control both the real and reactive power flows
in the transmission line [6], [7].

Prof. Omar H. Abdalla is on leave from the University of Helwan, Egypt,

and currently with Oman Electricity Transmission Company, P.O. Box 1224,
P.C. 131, Sultanate of Oman (phone: +968 92649686; fax: +968 24493416;
e-mail [email protected]).
Prof. Mohamed A. E. Ghazy is with the October University of Modern
Sciences & Arts, Egypt.
Dr. Lotfy M. Lotfy and Eng. Nermeen A. M. Hassan are with the University
of Helwan, Egypt. Fig. 1 UPFC circuit.
Therefore it can provide reactive power compensation for the C. DQ0-Frame:
transmission line and thus provide indirect voltage regulation
Equations (6) to (10) are:
at the input terminal of the UPFC [3], [6].
The main function of the UPFC is provided through the
d − R .ω ω m .ω
series converter by injecting an AC voltage in series with iSHd = SH b iSHd + ω .iSHq + b VS d − SH b Vdc cosαSH
controllable magnitude VSE (0 ≤ VSE ≤ VSEmax) and phase dt LSH LSH 2LSH
angle αSE (0 ≤ αSE ≤ 360o). This is achieved at the power
frequency through a series connected transformer with the d − R .ω ω m .ω
iSH q = SH b iSH q −ω .iSH d + b VS q − SH b Vdc sinαSH
transmission line. The converter output voltage injected in dt LSH LSH 2LSH
series with the line can be used for direct voltage control,
− R .ω ω m .ω
iSEd = SE b iSEd + ω .iSEq + b (VS d −VR d ) + SE b Vdc cosαSE
series compensation, phase shifter and their combinations. d
The real power exchanged at AC terminal of the insertion dt LSE LSE 2LSE
transformer is converted by the series converter into DC
− RSE .ωb ω m .ω
iSEd − ω .iSEd + b (VS q − VR q ) + SE b Vdc sinαSE
power which appears at the DC link as positive real power d
iSEq =
demanded by the shunt converter. The reactive power dt LSE LSE 2LSE
exchange at the AC terminal is generated internally by the
inverter. Fig. 2 shows the equivalent circuit of the Pulse dVdc 3 mSH 3 mSH
= . C ωb cos α SH . iSH d + . C ωb sin α SH . iSH q
Width Modulation (PWM) inverter. dt 4 4
3 m SE 3 m SE
+ . C ω b cos α SE . iSE d + . C ω b sin α SE . i SE q
4 4
Vdc Vo
For performing steady-state analysis of the UPFC, we use
the following per unit values for shunt and series system
Fig. 2. Equivalent
m circuit of PWM inverter.
α parameters and for the dc-circuit [11]:

RSH = 0.015, LSH = 0.15,

The equation relating the inverter output voltage (Vo) and
RSE = 0.01, LSE = 0.1,
DC voltage (Vdc), modulation index (m), and phase angle (α)
C = 0.5, f = 50 Hz,
is given by:
ω = 2πf, ωb = 2πf,
⎛m ⎞ (1)
Vo = ⎜ . cos α ⎟. Vdc VSd = 1, VSq = 0,
⎝ 2 ⎠ VRd = 0.94, VRq = 0.34

III. NONLINEAR EQUATIONS OF THE UPFC

A. ABC-Frame ZSE VSE
IS XT.L
Fig. 3 shows a simplified equivalent circuit for the parallel
and series branches. Neglecting harmonics for simplicity, we
can write the equations of this equivalent circuit as follows: ISH
ZSH
di
VS = LSH SH + RSH .iSH + VSH (2) VR
dt VS
VSH
diSE
VS = LSE + RSE .iSE −VSE + VR (3) UPFC
dt
m
V SH = SH V dc ∠ α SH (4)
2
Fig. 3. UPFC equivalent circuit.
m SE
V SE = V dc ∠ α SE (5)
2
For a certain value of the series inverter modulation index
Where, VS is the AC voltage and Vdc is the dc voltage, mSH mSE = 0.5 and phase angle displacement of the series inverter
and mSE are the modulation indices of the shunt and series voltage αSE = 70o, the 3-D steady state analysis can be
inverter respectively, αSH and αSE are the phase displacement achieved for the d-component of shunt current ISHd with a
of the shunt and series inverter voltage respectively, RSH and range of the shunt inverter modulation index mSH from 0 to 1
RSE are the equivalent resistance of the shunt and series and phase angle displacement of the series inverter voltage
branch respectively, and RSH and RSE are the equivalent αSH from 0 to 180 degrees as shown in Fig. 4.
inductance of the shunt and series branch respectively.
 IV. LINEARIZED MODEL OF UPFC
Equations (6) to (10) of Section III. B., describe the
dynamics of the UPFC in dq0 frame. These equations are
nonlinear and may be expressed in general form as:
•
X = f (x, u )
(11)
Where;

[
X = i SHd , i SHq , i SEd , i SEq , V dc ] T
,
U = [m SH , α SH , m SE , α SE ]T
To linearized the above equation, the jacobians defined
below are used to find the elements of the system matrices:
∂f ∂f i
Aij = i , Bik = (12)
∂x j ∂u k
where; i = 1 to 5, j = 1 to 5, and k = 1 to 4.

The linearized system is written in the form;

Fig. 4. Stable system. •
Δ X = A.Δx + B.Δu (13)
The steady state analysis can provide behavior indication of Where, ∆x and ∆u are the state and input signal deviations
the model to choose the preferable setting range of the series from their steady state values. The state coefficient matrix A
and shunt inverter to achieve the required response. and the input coefficient B are:
By changing the value of the series inverter modulation index mSE ⎡ −RSH.ωb −mSH.ωb ⎤
⎢ ω 0 0 cosαSH⎥
to 0.1 and the phase angle displacement of the series inverter voltage LSH 2LSH
⎢ ⎥
αSE to 40 degrees the system becomes unstable at a certain value of ⎢ −R ω
. −m SH.ωb
−ω SH b
0 0 sin αSH⎥
the shunt inverter modulation index mSH as shown in Fig. 5. ⎢ LSH 2LSH ⎥
A=⎢ −RSE.ωb mSE.ωb ⎥
⎢ 0 0 ω cosαSE ⎥
⎢ LSE 2LSE ⎥
⎢ −RSE.ωb mSE. ωb ⎥
⎢ 0 0 −ω sin αSE ⎥
⎢ LSE 2L SE ⎥
⎢⎣k.mSH.cosαSH k.mSH.sin αSH k.mSE.cosαSE k.mSE.sin αSE 0 ⎥⎦
(14)

⎡ − Vdc ωb mSH ωb Vdc ⎤

⎢ 2L cosα SH sinα SH 0 0 ⎥
2LEH
⎢ SH
⎥
⎢ − ωbVdc sinα − mSH ωbVdc
cosα SH 0 0 ⎥
⎢ 2LSH SH
2LSH ⎥
B=⎢ − ωbVdc mSEωbVdc ⎥
⎢ 0 0 cosα SE sinα SE ⎥
⎢ 2LSE 2LSE ⎥
⎢ − ωbVdc − mSEωbVdc ⎥
⎢ 0 0 sinα SE cosα SE ⎥
⎢ 2LSE 2LSE ⎥
⎣⎢ k. a mSH k .b k .c mSE .k.d ⎦⎥

(15)
3
Where, k = C ωb
4
(
a = cos α SH . iSH d + sin α SH . iSH q )
b = (− sin α . iSH d + cos α SH . iSH q )
Fig. 5. Unstable system.
SH

c = (cos α SE . iSE d + sin α SE . iSE q )

d = (− sin α SE . iSE d + cos α SE . iSE q )
 The eigenvalues of the matrix A contain information on the frequency of oscillation in the system response.
small signal stability of the system. They can be calculated by
using MATLAB software. In general, the eigenvalue has the Tables VIII and IX show the effects of the modulation
following complex form: indices mSH and mSE on the system stability. The two
oscillatory modes λ12 and λ34 are not much sensitive to
λ = σ ± j ωd (16) variations in mSH or mSE. The modulation indices have direct
effect on the real eigenvalue λ5. For mSE = 0.1 the system is
The reciprocal of the real part |(1/σ)| defines the time unstable because λ5 becomes positive.
constant in seconds by which the oscillations decay. The
imaginary part (ωd) gives the frequency of oscillations in rad/s.
The damped natural frequency fd = ωd/2π, Hz. The damping TABLE I
SYSTEM EIGENVALUES (BASE CASE)
ratio ζ = σ/|λ|.
RSH = 0.015, LSH=0.15, RSE=0.01, C=0.5, mSH=0.7, mSE=0.2,
If all eigenvalues of the system are on the left hand side of αSH=20o, αSE=10o, Vdc=2
λ1,2=-25.94±389.22i λ3,4=-31.42±314.16i λ5=-10.95
the s-plane, the system is stable. This means that, for stability,
the real parts of all eigenvalues should be negative, otherwise
the system is unstable. TABLE II
EFFECTS OF RESISTANCES AND CAPACITANCE

RSH=0 RSE=0 C=0

V. SMALL SIGNAL STABILITY ANALYSIS λ1,2=2.95±390.87i λ1,2=-28.99±390.55i λ1,2=-31.42±314.16i
λ3,4=-35.12±312.91i λ3,4=3.82±312.82i λ3,4=-31.42±314.16i
Table I shows the system eigenvalues for the base case; in λ5=1.52 λ5=-12.49 λ5=0
which the parameter values of the resistances, inductances,
capacitance, modulation indices, and phase displacements of TABLE III
the voltages of shunt and series inverters, and the dc voltage EFFECT OF SHUNT RESISTANCE
are as listed in the same table. The system has three modes; RSH=0.03 RSH=0.045 RSH=0.06
two complex conjugate λ12, λ34 and one real λ5. All real parts λ1,2=-55.14±389.60i λ1,2=-82.56±390.60i λ1,2=-108.81±390.65i
are negative and therefore the system is stable. The first mode λ3,4=-27.48±312.71i λ3,4=-25.50±309.99i λ3,4=-24.94±307.59i
λ5=-23.25 λ5=-35.21 λ5=-46.65
has a damping ratio ζ = 0.0665, and a damped natural
frequency fd = 61.94 Hz. The damping ratio and the damped
natural frequency of the second mode are ζ = 0.0995 and fd = TABLE IV
EFFECT OF SHUNT INDUCTANCE
50 Hz, respectively. With the parameter values indicated in
the table, although the system is stable the damping is poor. LSH=0.1 LSH=0.2 LSH=0.25
λ1,2=-37.46±425.91i λ1,2=-19.03±369.70i λ1,2=-14.26±357.94i
Further analysis shown in Table II indicates that the first λ3,4=-30.02±314.02i λ3,4=-32.89±313.96i λ3,4=-34.23±313.34i
mode λ12 which oscillates with 61.94 Hz is related to the λ5=-22.13 λ5=-6.11 λ5=-3.54
shunt compensator; whilst mode two λ34 which oscillates with
50 Hz is related to the series compensator of the UPFC. The TABLE V
real eigenvalue λ5 is related to the capacitor. For RSH = 0, the EFFECT OF SERIES RESISTANCE
system becomes unstable as the real part of λ12 is positive; the RSE=0.02 RSE=0.03 RSE=0.04
real eigenvalue λ5 is also positive. If RSE is zero, the real part λ1,2= -23.07±390.55i λ1,2= -22.04±392.48i λ1,2= -21.91±393.93i
of mode two λ34 becomes positive and therefore the system is λ3,4= -66.43±313.00i λ3,4= -99.55±311.38i λ3,4=-131.64±310.35i
λ5=-9.48 λ5=-8.16 λ5=-7.05
unstable. If the capacitance C is zero, λ5 becomes 0, which
indicates that the order of the system is reduced to 4.
TABLE VI
Tables III, IV, V, and VI show the effects of the resistances EFFECT OF SERIES INDUCTANCE
and the inductances of the shunt and series parts of the UPFC. LSE=0.05 LSE=0.15 LSE=0.2
Increasing the resistance values leads to an increase in the λ1,2=-20.42±382.99i λ1,2=-26.53±392.46i λ1,2=-26.51±394.08i
magnitude of the real part of the corresponding eigenvalues, λ3,4=-70.42±311.16i λ3,4=-20.02±314.06i λ3,4=-14.70±314.00i
thus improving stability. Higher values of the shunt or the λ5=-6.83 λ5=-11.61 λ5=-11.81
series inductances (LSH or LSE) deteriorate stability.
TABLE VII
Table VII shows the effect of the capacitance C on the EFFECT OF CAPACITANCE
system stability. The value of C influences mainly the real
C=0.25 C=0.75 C=1.0
eigenvalue λ5. If the value of C is increased, the magnitude of λ1,2=-28.10±353.62i λ1,2=-24.42±421.87i λ1,2=-23.294±452.20i
λ5 increases. Mode one λ12 is also affected by the value of C. λ3,4=-31.42±314.16i λ3,4=-31.42±314.16i λ3,4=-31.42±314.16i
As C increases, the magnitude of the real part decreases, λ5=-6.62 λ5=-14.00 λ5=-16.26
whilst the imaginary part increases indicating higher
 TABLE VIII 50 to 60 Hz. In general, the damping ratios of the oscillatory
EFFECT OF SHUNT MODULATION INDEX
modes have found to be low. This conclusion suggests the
mSH=0.1 mSH=0.3 mSH=0.5 need for stabilizing control signals to improve the dynamic
λ1,2=-31.42±314.16i λ1,2=-30.85±319.94i λ1,2=-28.42±349.25i
performance of UPFC devices.
λ3,4=-32.45±304.30i λ3,4=-31.42±314.16i λ3,4=-31.42±314.16i
λ5=2.07 λ5=-1.13 λ5=-6.00 The simulation results are useful for system designers and
planning engineers in selecting proper parameter values for
TABLE IX maintaining stability and setting acceptable technical
EFFECT OF SERIES MODULATION INDEX specifications.
mSE=0.1 mSE=0.3 mSE=0.4
λ1,2=-25.58±396.27i λ1,2= -26.60±377.17i λ1,2=-27.69±359.65i REFERENCES
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