Wh y FACTS and HVDC

1. Connection of generation
Some of power plants (largehydro and thermal stations)can be located near the
loadand can be connected byrelatively short AC lines to thegrid. But some of them
have tobe located far from the load,particularly hydro plants andcoal plants, and
thetransmissions often has to beHVDC or AC with FACTS.
2. Connection of isolated loads
With isolated loads we meanloads that due to geographicalor other conditions are
notconnected to a major grid buthave to rely on (small) localgeneration. Examples
areislands and remote towns andvillages. The local generationis often expensive
and notenvironmentally sound. If an isolated load can be connectedto a main grid
the cost of electricity goes down. The transmissions options areoften HVDC/HVDC
Light or ACwith FACTS.

Interconnection
It is increasingly economic to interconnect with neighbouring grids to benefit
from the pooling of resources. We have selected to distinguish
interconnections within a grid and new interconnections between grids.3.1 Within
a grid (same frequency)By this we mean constructing or strengthening a
circuit between two points that belongs to the same synchronous grid (or group
of grids). If the electrical distance is short or of moderate length, it is often enough
to build one or two uncompensated AC-lines or cables. But with increasing
distance, the addition of FACTS and utilizing HVDC can be the optimum choice.

Increasing existing grid utilization

In many countries new transmission facilities are notpermitted and transmission
grids world-wide are as aconsequence of load growth stressed closer to their
powertransfer limits.In many cases FACTS solutions appear as anattractive
short term means to raise the transfer limit or tomore generally enhance the
reliability of the existing grid

Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS)

are the name given to the application of power electronics devices to control the
power flows and other quantities in power systems.
IEEE DefinitionsFACTS:
AC transmission systems incorporating the power electronic-based and other static
controllers to enhance controllability and increase power transfer capability
.FACTS Controllers:
A power electronic based system & other static equipment that provide control of
one or more AC transmission parameters

Figure: Basic type of FACTS controllers: (a) general symbol for FACTS
controller; (b) Series Controller; (c) Shunt Controller; (d) Unified Series-Series
Controller; (e) Coordinated Series and Shunt Controller and (f) Unified
Series-Shunt Controller
Series Controllers1.It could be a variable impedance such as capacitor,
reactor, etc or power electronics based variable source of main frequency, subsynchronous or harmonic frequencies ( or a combination).2. All series controller
inject voltage in series with line.3. If voltage is in phase quadrature with the
line current, it only supplies or absorbs the variable reactive power.
Shunt Controllers1. It could be a variable impedance, variable source ora
combination of these.2. All shunt controllers inject current into the system at the
point of connection.3. If injected current is in quadrature with the line
voltage, it only supplies or absorbs the variable reactive power.

Combined Series-Shunt Controllers1.It could be a combination of separate shunt

and series controllers as coordinated or unified. UPFC is example of this.2.
Combined series and shunt controller injects current into the system with shunt
part and voltage in series with series part of controller.3. When shunt and series
controllers are unified there can be a real power exchange between shunt and series
controllers via DC power link.

HVDC
The High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technologyis used to transmit electricity
over long distances byoverhead transmission lines or submarine cables. It isalso
used to interconnect separate power systems,where traditional alternating current
(AC) connectionscan not be used

Limitations of HVAC
Transmission1 . R e a c t i v e
2

C u r r e n t

C a r r y i n g

P o w e r
y

3 .

C a p a c i t y

4. Ferranti EffectSolve byHVDCTransmission

L o s s

Disadvantages of HVDC
1.High cost of terminal equipments
HVDC transmission system requires converters at bothends and those are very expensive
than ac equipments
2.Introduction of harmonics
Converter generate considerable amount of harmonicsboth on ac and dc sides.
Some harmonics are filtered outbut some harmonics still enter into the system and
affectthe apparatus These harmonics may also interfere withcommunication system
.3 . B l o c k i n g o f r e a c t i v e p o w e r
DC lines block the flow of reactive power from one endto another end. These reactive
powers are required bysome load that must be fulfilled by the inverters.
4.Point-to-point transmission not possible.
It is not possible to tap dc power at several locations inthe line. Wherever power is
to be trapped, a controlstation is required and coordinated with other terminals.This
increases the complexity and cost of the systems.
Types of HVDC links
MonopolarH a v i n g o n e conductor and ground is used as return path.
Bipolar
There are two conductors(Poles). One operates at +v polarity and other is on v
polarity.
During fault in one pole, it works as monopolar