A Novel Controller for STATCOM to Enhance

Power

System Dynamic

Behaviour

D. Padma Subramanian, Member, IEEE, and R. P. Kumudini Devi

Abstract-The paper presents a novel sliding mode controller

(SMC) for STATic Synchronous Shunt Compensators
(STATCOM) to enhance dynamic behaviour of a sample power
system. The proposed controller consists of an equivalent control
term, and a switching term. The controller employs deviation of
STATCOM capacitor voltage from its reference value as input
and the output is phase angle of the Voltage Source Inverter
(VSI). The proposed controller adopts a control action
proportional to the distance from the sliding surface. Steady state
bifurcation diagrams are constructed for the test system and
improvement of dynamic response by the proposed controller is
illustrated in a bifurcation perspective through delaying the
occurrence of Hopf bifurcation (HBF), saddle node bifurcation
(SNB) and hence increasing the loadability limit.
Index Terms -- Bifurcation diagram, HBF, SMC, SNB
STATCOM.
I. INTRODUCTION

S EVERAL modern control techniques such as feedback

linearization [1], Lyapunov stability [2], intelligent control
[3], have been explored. A relatively simple approach,
especially when dealing with non-linear systems subjected to
perturbations is based on Variable Structure control technique
with sliding mode. Enforcing a sliding mode motion in a
closed loop system leads to decomposition of the control
design procedure and enables to achieve robustness of the
system motion with respect to external disturbances and
parameter variations.
A pendulum rod of a nonlinear system is controlled by using
sliding model control in [4]. To control the angle of the
pendulum rod, a new design method of the sliding mode
control is proposed using proportional and integral
compensation. Conventional and proposed control methods
have been applied into the nonlinear system, those control
methods are compared through simulation and experiment. As
D. Padma Subramanian is with Department of Electrical and Electronics
Engineering, Valliammai Engineering College, SRM Nagar, Kattankulathur,
Chennai-603203 (e-mail: subramanian-pads rediffmail.com).
R. P. Kumudini Devi is with the Department of Electrical and Electronics
Engineering, College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University, Chennai-25,

1ndia(e-mail:kumudii C annauniv.edu).

978-1-4244-1762-9/08/$25.00 (2008 IEEE

per reference [5], defining best sliding mode surface remains

as a challenge for large scale systems such as power systems.
It is discussed that choice of sliding surface combined with
feedback linearising controller outperforms the same nonlinear controller without careful choice of sliding surface.
A novel SMC speed controller has been proposed in [6] for
permanent magnet brushless DC motor, employing only the
speed error, thus avoiding the sensitivity to the noise of the
acceleration signal. A robust excitation controller for a single
machine connected to an infinite bus system using SMC is
designed in [7]. A sliding mode control design of a damping
controller for a TCSC has been presented in [8] for
enhancement of power system dynamic stability. The dynamic
compensation observer technique is applied to design the
hyperplane in a sliding mode control. It is shown through
simulation studies in a single machine-infinite bus system that
the proposed controller is not only able to damp power
oscillations due to system disturbances, but is also very robust
against various loading conditions and variations of system
parameters. A robust SMC controller has been presented in [9]
for STATCOM based on pole placement principle to damp
electro mechanical oscillations of the SMIB and multi machine
power systems. A novel Single Input Fuzzy Logic (SFL) based
Sliding Mode Controller (SMC) is proposed in [10] for
STATCOM to improve the dynamic performance of a power
system having much integration of wind generation using
induction generators. The problem of under damped power
oscillations in transmission systems is addressed in reference
[11]. A variable structure control law, combining continuous
and discontinuous actions exhibited an especially good
performance. The efficiency of the proposed control laws are
tested and analysed through computer simulation.
This paper proposes a novel sliding mode controller for
STATCOM to delay HBF and SNB in power systems and
hence to improve the dynamic behaviour of the test system.
Bifurcation diagrams of equilibrium as well as periodic branch
are constructed for the test system by the application of the
algorithm proposed in [12]. Incidence of Hopf bifurcation is
detected using eigen value analysis and confirmed by
computation of Hopf bifurcation index and tools of non-linear

dynamics.
This paper is organized as follows: Section II describes
modeling of various power system components including
STATCOM. A brief explanation about the Sliding Mode
Control Strategy and the design procedure for implementation
of SMC for STATCOM is described in Section III. The results
of implementation of the proposed SMC for STATCOM are

presented in Section IV. Concluding remarks are presented in

Section V.
II. POWER SYSTEM DESCRIPTION AND MODELING

VREF

The power system considered in [13] is adopted for

analysis, and is shown in Fig. 1. The model consists of an
infinite bus which is modeled as a slack bus, one generator,
transmission network, one non-linear load shunted by a
capacitor. The capacitor is used to maintain the load voltage
magnitude at a nominal and reasonable value. Various
parameters of the system as well as that of controllers are
furnished in the appendix.

Y2z/2

BUS 3

Y1z/1

il

BUS 1

A. Synchronous Generator Model

A two-axis synchronous generator model is used which
includes a field winding on d-axis and a damper winding on qaxis. The resulting equations are as given in [13].
(1)
,5m = 0) B S m

Where
E

*'

Pm -P,

The equation for the excitation system is given by

fd

Efd =.

-17)

(8)

C. Load Model
The load is modeled by a simplified induction motor in
parallel with constant P-Q load and constant impedance as
described in [14]. The induction motor model specifies the
real and reactive power demands in terms of load voltage and
frequency. The load model is described by:
+

KV

K PV 2 T V

(9)

D. STATCOM
The STATCOM is a shunt connected reactive power
control device that is capable of generating and/or absorbing
reactive power and in which the output can be varied to
control the specific parameters of an electric power system. In
this paper, STATCOM is modeled with PWM voltage
controller as given in reference [15]. Transient stability model
of STATCOM employed in this paper is shown in Fig. 3.

is the generator slip.

e+ (Xda

(x

Ed

e, - x

Tq o

)I

(3)

+ E fd

e)Jl

(4)

fd+K4(Vf

(5)

-V )

TA

Q Q
-

E fd

CO B

E d

_-E

_T

fd

Sm

Ed *=T
T

2H

P-

Q= + Q 1 + K q
+Kqv V + K qv2 V2 (10)
where Po, Qo are the constant real and reactive powers of
the induction motor and P1, Q, are the constant P-Q load and
K P, K pv K qwK qv, and K qv 2 are constants associated
with the dynamic load.

Fig. 1. Single line diagram of the test system.

s
sm

(~~~K
+ S

Fig. 2. Block diagram representation of excitation system.

-d

P= PO + P1 + K PW

PQ

Sm

V~~~~~

KV-(K

Bi

)V2

(6)

qw

UP-8-PO
V-(K,2 -BC)V
I 0 -K& Q-Q
Q Q -Q0 -K6
'K~, V

)Iq1 -KPV2V

YT

(7)

The state variable vector

x=

[/s,m

q Ed Efd

Fig. 3. Transient stability model of STATCOM.

B. Excitation System Model

The excitation system for the generator is represented by
single time constant high gain AVR as shown in Fig. 2.

E. Controller Block Diagrams

Block diagram representation of the voltage magnitude
controller and phase angle controller are shown in Fig. 4
and 5 respectively.

where,

Kmac

Gain of the measuring block of the voltage magnitude

controller
Tmac -Time constant of the measuring block of the voltage
magnitude controller
K - Gain of the lead-lag block
Imax, Imim - Maximum and minimum current limits
mo - Steady state value of modulation index
m - Modulation index of PWM controller
Kc - Gain of the lead-lag block of the voltage magnitude
controller
msh - Output of the lead-lag block of the voltage magnitude
controller
Kmdc - Gain of the measuring block of the phase angle
controller
Tmdc - Time constant of the measuring block of the phase

Kvx .+

1+sAT

V
Fig. 4. Voltage magnitude controller.

+~~~~~~~~~

III. DESIGN OF THE SLIDING MODE CONTROL

1+sTM&

Fig. 5. Phase angle controller.

The state equations of STATCOM are derived from the albove

block diagrams and are given below:
*

rK mac V-Vx 1j

(11)

LKCVy + Kc TI Vy-KD mshJ

(12)

mac
7~.

Sh

Vy

(13)

Vref- V

V, is the output of AC voltage measuring circuit of voltag(e

magnitude controller
K 4- V4
[K
V64]
,

a,

KP

(14)

V=
dcx

Vdcy

dc

Vdcy

+ K I

Vdcy = Vdcref - Vdcx

where

Vdcx is output of DC voltage measuring circuit.

(15)

A. Selection of the Sliding Surface

(16)

An integral sliding surface is selected for investigations in the

proposed controller. The sliding surface, S is chosen as
follows:

(17)

a1 is the output of the PI controller block.

V dc = C

cos (S _
c

Vd

V2G - K V

V2 B

Sliding mode control is based on variable structure control

technique. The theory of variable structure control [16] has
been developed for the design of high performance control
systems. The procedure of developing a variable structure
control includes two stages: i) selection of a suitable
switching surface, ii) development of a control law which
guarantees the attractiveness of system trajectories to this
surface. Once the system trajectories are confined to the
switching surface, the so-called sliding surface occurs. While
in sliding mode, the system is insensitive to parameter
variations and disturbances. Because of the insensitivity
feature, the variable structure control theory has been applied
to a wide range of control problems. A sliding mode controller
design is proposed in this paper for STATCOM to delay HBF
and hence to enhance the power system dynamic behaviour.
An integral sliding surface is proposed to achieve fast
response. The controller eliminates chattering by replacing
conventional switching term with a continuously changing
switching term. The SMC is applied to control the DC voltage
of the capacitor in the STATCOM. The design of SMC
involves three steps:
Selection of the sliding surface, design of the equivalent
control term and design of the switching term

dc

KV

V [G

dc

_G
C

dc -

cos(3- a)

V [B cos(3-a)

Vd
+ B sin(3- a)] (18)

G sin(3-a)]

(19)

x +

cf0 x(z)dz7

x(O)

(20)

where, c is a positive constant to be chosen for the desired

system dynamics.
X

Vdc - Vdcref

Vdcref iS the capacitor DC voltage reference

B. Design of the Equivalent Control Term

D. Structure of the Proposed SMC

The control law is selected such that it guarantees the

movement of states along the sliding surface, realising the
robust control. The equivalent control term keeps the system
with nominal parameters on this sliding surface. The equation
for the control term is as follows:

Combining the equivalent control term and the switching term,

the block diagram of the proposed SMC for STATCOM is
shown in Fig. 6.

sin (3

)=

[(a

+ c

)x

+ a Vdcref ]

(21)

where

GC

Gc
c

Switching inertia
Capacitance of STATCOM
a positive constant to be chosen for
the desired system dynamics
phase angle of bus voltage for
STATCOM
Output of the phase angle controller
block for STATCOM
DC reference voltage
DC voltage across the capacitor of
the STATCOM

Vdcref -

Vdc

C. Design of the Switching Term

A boundary layer is introduced around the sliding surface to
eliminate chattering. Then the control law is written as,

sin (S - a )

sin (S - a )eq

E/ sat (S / (9 )

(22)

Fig. 6. Block diagram of SMC for STATCOM.

IV. SIMULATION RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

State space models of the system without controller and
with SMC based STATCOM have been constructed. Nonlinear differential equations have been solved using fourth
order Runge-Kutta method.
A. Steady State Bifurcation Diagram of Equilibrium and
Periodic Solutions without Controllers
Bifurcation diagrams of equilibrium as well as periodic
branch are obtained from the computer implementation of the
algorithm proposed in [12]. Fig. 7 shows the bifurcation
diagram of the periodic solution branch superimposed on the
stationary branch diagram. Three critical points, viz, S1, S2
and S3 are detected.

where, p, is the thickness of the boundary layer and the

saturation function is,
S2

sa t(x) =

{if(if
x

Usgn(x) if

s(
a

Ixx

12 IJ

(23)

02
HBF

The introduction of boundary layer results in a steady state

error. To reduce chattering and steady state error as well as to
achieve fast response, the saturation term is modified to yield
the switching term as,

h]
}'

.2

ri sat(S Ily)

(24)

The switching term always has same sign as s a t (S I qp),

but the control effect is different. Outside the boundary layer,
when states are farther away from the sliding surface, the
control input is bigger, the system will move towards the
sliding surface quickly. Since the switching term changes
continuously, fast dynamic response is achieved and the
chattering phenomenon is eliminated.

S3

15

Qi

Fig. 7. Bifurcation diagram of load voltage with periodic branch

superimposed for without controllers.

At critical point S1 i.e., at Q( = 1.25307 a pair of complex

conjugate eigen values cross the imaginary axis from left to
right of s- plane leading to Unstable Hopf Bifurcation (UHB)
with the emergence of an unstable limit cycle at S1. At this
value of Q(, the complex eigen values are 0 j 6.980505 and
the unstable oscillations have frequency f = 1.11098 Hz and

period T = 0.9001s. At this critical point system behaviour is

dominated by generator angle and angular velocity. At critical
point S2, i.e., at Q( =1.30308, period 1 trajectory becomes
period 2. At critical point S3, i.e., at Q( =1.5533, one real
eigen value becomes zero. This is the SNB point. This reactive
power demand corresponds to the system steady state
operating limit, and the system has no operative solution for
Q( > 1.5533.
B. Period Doubling Route to Chaos
At Q( = 1.30308, periodic 1 solution bifurcates to a new
periodic orbit which has period 2. The period of the solution is
1.805s, roughly twice the fundamental period. At Q( =
1.30608, period 2 solution bifurcates to period 4 solution.
Further period doubling bifurcations occur as Q( is increased
and accumulates in a dense fashion which leads to chaos at Q(
= 1.30708 as demonstrated using the time domain and phase
plots in Fig. 8. At Q( = 1.30808, a period 3 oscillations
appears which further bifurcates to period 6 and chaos at 1.31.
Summary of bifurcation points from the periodic branch are
presented in Table I
I

WM sN2

i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i

0,005
A005 5

4015 i

i
i
i
i
i
i

The

OW

a 01

ii .s

.0,101

OS

5m] .5

-0 A2

(a)

(b)

TABLE I
SUMMARY OF BIFURCATION POINTS FROM THE PERIODIC BRANCH

SI.No

Qi

Type

Description

1.25307

UHB

1.30308

P2

Unstable Hopf
bifurcation
Period 2 oscillation

1.30608

P4

Period 4 oscillation

1.30708

Chaos

Chaos

1.30808

P3

Period 3 oscillation

1.30908

P6

Period 6 oscillation

1.31000

Chaos

Chaos

1.31008

CDP

Chaos divergence
point

C. Enhancement of Power System Dynamic Behaviour

using SMC based STATCOM
Bifurcation analysis is performed with the sliding mode
controller for STATCOM. Fig. 9 shows the montage of
bifurcation diagrams for cases without controllers, with
STATCOM and with SMC based STATCOM. Various
bifurcation points from Fig. 9 are summarised in Table II.
With SMC Based STATCOM
With STATCOM
Without Controlers

1.2
1H

1
1

0.8

0.6-

22

0.40.2

'

lil

0.7

1.2

Qi

2.2

1.7

Fig. 9 Montage of bifurcation diagrams of load voltage with and without

controllers.
fta! 5 FM
X2
I 1 1 1 I*

TABLE II
SUMMARY OF BIFURCATION POINTS FROM FIG.

01l

(a)

Fig. 8. Time domain and phase plots of PDB:

i. (a). Time plot of Period 1 solution at Qi=1.25307,
ii. (a). Time plot of Period 2 solution at Qi=1.30308,
iii. (a).Time plot of Period 4 solution at Qi=1.30608,
iv. (a). Time plot of chaotic solution at Q1=1.30708,

i. (b). Phase plot

ii. (b). Phase plot
iii.(b). Phase plot
iv. (b). Phase plot

Type

HBF'

SNB2

Without
Controllers

1.25307

1.5533

STATCOM

1.6822

1.9124

SMC Based
STAT-COM

2.1563

2.3365

To illustrate the effectiveness of SMC in providing fast

dynamic response, time domain simulations are performed
with STATCOM and SMC based STATCOM for the
operating condition corresponding to HBF' point (Q( =
1.25307).
v
1 -=

0.8-A
0.6O~~~~

ith SMtC Based STATCOMt

~~~

0.4

With STATCOM

0.2.02

Without

Load parameters:
Po= 0.40, Q0= 0.80, Kp, = 0.24,
Kpv= 1.70, Kpv2 = 0.20, Kqw = -0.02,
Kqv = -1.866, Kqv2= 1.4.
AVR parameters:
KA= 200, TA = 0.05
STATCOM parameters:
C=0.0432, G = 2.16, KI = 0.9842, Kp = 6.8432
K= 7.9235, Kc = 8.5624, KD = 0.7624, T1= T2 = 0.01
TW = 7.5, K.a, = 1, Tmac = 0.01, Kmdc = 1, Tmdc = 0.01
SMC parameters for STATCOM:
c = 2, p = 4

Controlers

VII. REFERENCES

-II

[1]
0

4
Time in Sec

10

[2]

[3]

Fig. 10. Time domain response of load voltage.

[4]

It can be observed from Fig. 10 that SMC based

STATCOM is effective in maintaining a constant voltage
profile.
V. CONCLUSION
A novel sliding mode control based on variable structure
control technique has been proposed to enhance the dynamic
performance of STATCOM. An integral sliding surface is
proposed to achieve fast response. The controller eliminates
chattering by replacing conventional switching term with a
continuously changing switching term. The controller has the
advantages of fast response. Bifurcation diagrams are plotted
for the test system without controllers, with conventional
STATCOM and with SMC based STATCOM. From the
bifurcation diagram occurrence of unstable Hopf bifurcation
(UHB), stable Hopf bifurcation (SHB), and SNB are
unearthed with the help of eigen value analysis. With the
simulation results it is illustrated that the proposed sliding
mode controller for STATCOM is effective in delaying HBF,
SNB and hence enhancing the dynamic behaviour of the 3 bus
system. Results of time domain simulations are also presented
to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller.

[5]

[6]

[7]
[8]

[9]
[10]

[11]

[12]

VI. APPENDIX
All Parameters are in p.u. except time and angle which
seconds and in radians respectively.
Network Parameters:
Y1= 4.9752, Y2=1.6584, Y3= 0.0,
I

2=3 =-1.4711,Eb = 1.0

Generator Parameters:
Xdl=1.79, Xq = 1.71, Tdo 4.3,
Tqo=0.85 Xd=0. 169,Xq=023,
H = 2.894, )B = 377, d = 0.05

are

in

[13]
[14]
[15]

[16]

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VIII. BIOGRAPHIES
D. Padma Subramanian was born in Kerala in 1969.
She received her B.Tech degree in Electrical and
Electronics Engineering and M.Tech degree in
Power Systems from Calicut University, India, in
1991 and 1993 respectively. In July 2004, she joined
the Department of Electrical & Electronics
Engineering, Anna University, Chennai, India, as a
Ph.D. full time research scholar. After completion of
her doctoral work she has joined the Department of
Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Valliammai
Engineering College. Her research interests include
power system nonlinear dynamics and FACTS.

R. P. Kumudini Devi was born in Andhra Pradesh

in 1968. She obtained her BE degree in Electrical
and Electronics Engineering from S.V University in
1990.
She received her M.E. degree in Power
Systems and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from
Anna University, India in 1992 and 2000
respectively. Presently, she is an Assistant Professor
of Electrical Engineering in Anna University. Her
areas of interests include power system stability,
power system nonlinear dynamics, FACTS, and A.I.
techniques to power system problems.