The STATCOM

Introduction
Principle of Operation
V-I characteristics

By
Prof Bhim Singh
Prof.
Department of Electrical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi

Opening Statements
z

SVCs discussed previously generate or

absorb controllable reactive p
power by
y
synchronously switching capacitor and
reactor banks in and out of the network.
z Aim was to provide variable reactive shunt
impedance that could be adjusted to meet
the compensation requirements.

What's the alternative?

z

z
z

Possibility of generating controllable reactive power

directly, without the use of AC capacitors or reactors by
various switching power converters.
Converters operated as voltage or current sources and
produce reactive power without reactive energy storage
components by circulating alternating current among the
phases.
Operation similar to synchronous machine.
Can exchange real power if supplied from a DC energy
source.

Nomenclature
z

Static Synchronous generator (SSG): if

supplied
pp
from energy
gy source.
z STATCOM
(Static
Synchronous
Compensator): if operated without an
energy source, analogous to synchronous
condensers.
condensers
z Generally the above are of the VSC type.

We prefer VSCs because

z

CSCs need devices with bi-directional voltage blocking

capability. Currently available devices do not have such
good characteristics.
Practical current source termination of converter DC
terminal with charged reactor is much lossier than doing
the same with voltage charged capacitor.
capacitor
CSCs need capacitive filters at the AC terminals and VSCs
need inductors which are naturally provided by the
coupling
li transformer.
t
f
VSC termination tends to provide automatic protection of
devices against line voltage transients.

How can a STATCOM improve

power system performance?
z

Dynamic voltage control in transmission

and distribution systems.
y
z Power oscillation damping.
z Transient stability.
stability
z Voltage flicker control.
z Control of only reactive power or both real
and reactive power.

Further advantages of a
STATCOM
z

Occupies very small space.

z Modular,
Modular thereby reducing site work and
commissioning time.
z Uses encapsulated electronic converters,
converters
thereby minimizing environment impact.

Schematic of STATCOM

Basic Operating Principles

Synchronous Machines

Discussion
z
z
z
z
z
z
z

For purely reactive power flow, 3 phase induced EMFs es,

eb and ec are in phase with system voltages va, vb and vc.
I=(V-E)/X
(
)
Q=(1-E/V)V2/X
Control of excitation controls E and hence Q.
E>V implies leading current and the system sees the
machine as a capacitor.
E<V implies lagging current and the system sees the
machine as an inductor.
inductor
Small amount of real power to supply mechanical and
electrical losses.

Basic VSC scheme for reactive

power compensation

Discussion
z
z
z
z

DC input voltage provided by charged capacitor.

The reactance in this case is onlyy transformer
leakage reactance.
STATCOM losses are supplied by the system and
not by the DC supply.
Adjusting the phase shift between converter output
voltage and AC system voltage can control real
power exchange.

Operation
z

Desired reactive power is provided by

exchanging
g g the instantaneous reactive
power among the phases of the system.
z Net instantaneous power at the AC
terminals must equal that at the DC
terminals.
terminals
z DC source supplies no reactive power.

Operation contd
z

Real power exchange contribution (if any)

is from DC source.
z Magnitude of capacitor chosen so that DC
voltage across its terminals remain fairly
constant to prevent ripples in DC current.
z VSC having a certain MVA rating gives the
STATCOM twice the dynamic range in
MVAR.

V-I Characteristics

Discussion
z
z

Operating area limited by the maximum voltage

and current ratings of the converter.
Dynamic response is faster than its variable
impedance counterparts
Turn on and turn off times are controllable. This gives

an advantage w.r.t. optional switching modes such as

PWM, waveform notching, multilevel etc.
15% change in magnitude of o/p voltage changes
reactive o/p current by 100%.

Discussion (contd)
z

z
z

Capable of yielding full output of capacitive

generation almost independently of the system
voltage. Useful during and after faults.
Capacitive transient rating determined by max
current turn off
ff capability
bili off converter switches.
i h
Inductive transient rating determined by maximum
allowable
ll
bl junction
j ti
t
temperature
t
off converter
t
switches.

Power exchange between

STATCOM and AC system

Discussion
z

Reactive and real power exchange can be

controlled independently
p
y of each other.
z Any combination of real power generation
or absorption with VAR generation or
absorption is achievable if STATCOM is
equipped with energy storage device of
suitable capacity.

References
z

N.G. Hingorani and L. Gyugyi, Understanding

FACTS, IEEE Press, Delhi, 2001, ISBN 81
86308 79 2
8630879-2.
R.M. Mathur and R.K. Varma, ThyristorBased
FACTS Controllers For Electrical Transmission
Systems, John Wiley & Sons, 2002, ISBN 0-47120643-1.
Y.H. Song and A.T. Johns, Flexible AC
Transmission Systems (FACTS), IEE Press, Oct.
1999 ISBN 0-85296-771-3.
1999.
0-85296-771-3