DRPC
DRPC
DRPC
Abstract
The Indian Railways employ single phase 25 kV Traction sub-station (TSS) for supplying power at
Electric Traction loads. Few key features of Traction loads are single phase 25-KV system, high load
dynamics, usually inject lower order harmonics and wide supply volt. variation etc. Conventional fixed
shunt capacitor banks alone cannot maintain a good power factor at the incoming supply lines due to
load dynamics.
To achieve good power factor nearing unity to avoid penalty (for lagging or leading poor power
factor), to gain the better power factor benefits in the electricity bills, to reduce the Maximum Demand
and applicable charges in the electricity bills, and to improve power quality, the sub-stations need to
employ dynamic reactive power compensation equipment. The equipment needs to be connected on
the 25 kV network and dynamic compensation of traction load reactive power is to be achieved using
either Thyristor Controlled Reactor (TCR) or Thyristor Switched Capacitor (TSC) or IGBT based real-
time advanced dynamic reactive power compensator.
Considering the traction load dynamics and presence of lower order current harmonics, an hybrid solution is
employed to compensate both. This sub-station particularly demands 500-1,500 kVAR as the base
capacitive(Qc) and 3,000 to 12,000KVAr dynamic reactive(Qd) power depending on the TSSs loading, which
can be arrived correctly by carrying proper system studies. Thus, a total compensation system will be
consisting of required Fixed Filter Capacitor bank ( Qf=(Qc+ Qd/2))based compensation with tuned / de-
tuned filter banks These banks de-tuned / Tuned filter capacitor banks will offer maximum harmonic filtering
effect at 25 kV itself.
Secondly, an IGBT based real-time, smooth, and dynamic reactive power compensator connected at
25KV through a step-up transformer is used to provide Qd kVAR compensation. It provides either
capacitive or inductive type of reactive power. Thus in association with Fixed Capacitor banks of Qf
kVAR on 25 kV side, the total compensation provided is variable between Qc to Qd kVAR
(capacitive type) as required by the sub-station.
Keywords: STATic CONdenser (STATCON), Voltage Source Converter (VSC), Harmonics, Power Factor
(PF), Thyristor Controlled Reactor (TCR), Thyristor Switched Capacitor (TSC) and Static VAR Compensator
(SVC), Traction Sub-Station (TSS), Power Factor (PF), Dynamic Reactive Power Compensation (DRPC), and
Filter Shunt Capacitor Bank (FSCB).
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ABB ABB LIMITED, RPC Solution Division, Bangalore
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Till 2004, Indian Railways used Fixed Shunt Capacitor Banks (FSCB) at many Traction Sub-Stations (TSS) for
improving power factor. The fixed shunt compensation always leads to either over or under compensation since
the traction load is a dynamic in nature.
In order to reduce/avoid penalties due to poor power factor (either leading or lagging) and maximum
demand, and also to improve power quality at the TSS, Indian Railway decided to introduce Dynamic
Reactive Power Compensation (DRPC) at the sub-stations.
The DRPC system is to be connected on the 25 kV network and the system can be based on either
conventional Thyristors based Static VAR Compensator (SVC) technology or Voltage Source
Converter (VSC) technology, which primarily uses the self commutated device as Insulated Gate Bi-
polar Transistor (IGBT). The compensation system thus needs to fulfill the following requirements.
The objectives are as below based Statcon to meet the following requirement of TSS essentially,
1. Provide a smooth dynamic reactive power correction for achieving close to unity PF.
2. Should not pollute the TSS network with any harmonics, but should reduce the harmonic
level in TSS as per limits specified by IEEE 519.
Traction loads are not only dynamic in nature, but also produces good amount of lower order
harmonics. The 3rd harmonic is highest as compared to other harmonics. As a standard practice,
hence, TSSs have been employing fixed de-tuned capacitor based compensation with 13% series
reactor. This gives the tuning frequency around 2.77, which is lower than the lowest order harmonic
present in the 25 kV line at the sub-stations. Incase of Tuned filter bank we could go tuning upto 2.85
and 4.85 to have a better filtering of 3rd and 5th harmonic filter banks.
Hence to satisfy the objectives of dynamic reactive power compensation along with reduced harmonics, two
schemes are discussed here.
Most of the TSSs already have installed Fixed filter banks with 13% series reactors. These are in
operation and providing continuous fixed capacitive compensation (50%) apart from maintaining
harmonics level within the limit. If additional system is provided which can take care of ± 50%
compensation (± indicates capacitive or inductive), then the total compensation can vary between 0 to
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ABB ABB LIMITED, RPC Solution Division, Bangalore
The main advantage in this system is that same HT switchgear and protection panel, as available with the TSS,
can be utilized avoiding additional investment for the same.
In case of a particular TSS, where no reactive power compensation exists, the compensation
equipment can be splitted in two parts.
1. 50% of the rating can be Fixed Capacitors with 13% series reactor or tuned filter based
on the prior harmonic study to provide a fixed base compensation and continuous
harmonic filtering.
2. Additional system (or excluding the base kVAR rating required for TSS) is provided to
take care ± 50% compensation (± indicates capacitive or inductive). Thus the total
compensation offered varies from 0 to 100%. The additional system is based on Voltage
Source Converter using IGBT’s.
In both the schemes, the additional system (based Voltage Source Converter technology using
IGBT’s) requires only 50% rating of the total compensation to offer improved power factor. This
system along with the fixed capacitor banks is termed here as the “DRPC” system.
The DRPC system employed at Lasalgaon TSS is the Scheme-2 (TSSs without existing FC). The
IGBT based single-phase Voltage Source Converter (STATCON) is used as the Dynamic Reactive
Power compensator. The following sections explain operating principle of STATCON, details of the
the DRPC system employed at Lasalgaon TSS, performance improvement observed with DRPC
employed, and also give a comparison between the TSC and the dynamic compensator STATCON
[1-4].
Basic principle
STATCON is a Voltage Source Converter based solution for static VAR compensators, comprising
switching devices as Insulated Gate Bi-polar Transistor (IGBT) It does not require any AC passive
components like capacitors and reactors to generate / absorb reactive power.
This new class of compensator STATCON (STATic CONdenser), is known by several terminologies such as
Static VAR Generator (SVG), Advanced Static VAR Compensator (ASVC), Static Compensator (STATCOM),
and also as SVC Light.
STATCON Technology is used for DRPC as well as for improving voltage stability or reducing voltage flicker
etc. STATCON has a good steady state performance with much faster response and superior control
characteristics. STATCON can be operated dynamically to generate as well as absorb reactive power.
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ABB ABB LIMITED, RPC Solution Division, Bangalore
A typical scheme employing STATCON for reactive power compensation is shown in fig. 1.
XL
The Voltage Source Converter generates switching voltage, represented by vi in fig.1. Its fundamental
frequency component is vi1 and where XL denotes the boost inductance that is added to the system to
isolate it from the source voltage vs.
With a suitable closed loop control system, the STATCON terminal voltage vi1 is controlled to be in phase with
the supply voltage vs . The reactive current (i), drawn by the STATCON is then given by,
I = (Vs – Vi) / j XL
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ABB ABB LIMITED, RPC Solution Division, Bangalore
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ABB ABB LIMITED, RPC Solution Division, Bangalore
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ABB ABB LIMITED, RPC Solution Division, Bangalore
• Lower Operating Power Factor(PF) due to employing of Fixed capacitor banks and
also changes in SEB metering technique (Tri-vector measuring both Lag/Lead PF).
• Huge amount of 3rd and 5th Harmonics, for which Fixed filter banks required and are
existing in most of the TSSs. Since Statcon based technology works in both Inductive
and Capacitive mode and hence can be integrated with existing fixed capacitor banks
easily.
• Poor voltage profile and higher flicker, due to 1-phase load and having higher
reactive power demand load.
Commercial Perspective:
• SEBs have increased the Target PF very high (from 0.85 to 0.9 Lag).
• SEBs are incrementing penalty, with steep rise, below the PF Target.
• Most of the SEBs are imposing Penalty, even for leading PF also.
• Most of the SEBs are changing Higher penalty, if Max. Demand exceeds Contract
Demand.
• At the same time, Most of the SEBs are also encouraging users to achieve higher PF,
by giving rebate on Electricity bills.
• Lowering the operating and Maintenance cost by employing Statcon based DRPC
System.