68 IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, Vol.

PWRS-1, No, 4, November 1986

EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT FOR FREQUENCY RESPONSE OF A STATIC VAR COMPENSATOR

Leonard J. Bohmann Robert H. Lasseter

University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin

THE TCR AS A SYSTEM OF LINEAR

ABSTRACT
A model at harmonic frequencies is developed for
a static VAR compensator. The model consists of a har-
monic voltage source in series with a variable source
admittance. The model is shown to be useful in predicting
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS WITH PERIODIC
COEFFICIENTS
To develop a more accurate frequency plane
model, the circuit in figure 1 was analyzed in detail. This
represents a FC-TCR static VAR compensator connected
to an ac system configured as a system impedance, Ls,

resonance problems using digital simulation. Equations are and a voltage source, Es. The two inverse parallel thyris-
also developed which show that a static VAR compensator tors are gated symmetrically. They control the time for
can be described by a system of linear differential equa- which the reactor conducts and thus control the funda-
tions with periodic coefficients. mental component of the current. This makes the TCR
look like a variable susceptance at the fundamental fre-
quency. Miller f3] gix es this susceptance as:
INTRODUCTION
a - sin (u)
The operation of power switching circuits generates B(cr)
7T X1
(1)
both current and voltage harmonics which are introduced
into the ac system. Their elimination is necessary for the
proper operation of the power system although this can where a is the angle through which the thyristors
add considerable cost to the switching circuit. Accurate conduct. The reactive current can be controlled from full
modeling of the circuit is needed to provide the most load, when the thyristors conduct for 180OY to zero, when
economical method of elimination. the thyristors conduct for 0°.
Traditionally, the model for power switching circuits The three currents shown can be defined as fol-
at harmonic frequencies connected to an ac system has lows.
been an ideal current source [1,2,3]. The magnitudes of
the currents at each frequency are derived from the
analysis of idealized current waveforms. These currents is = f(ES-Vc) dt (2)
are injected into the ac system to determine the resonarot
frequencies and harmonic penetration into the system.
A more accurate model for frequency plane analysis ir= Lr f
1

jVcH(t) dt (3)
is proposed and it is applied to a static VAR compensator
(SVC) consisting of a fixed capacitor in parallel with a
thyristor controlled reactor (FC-TCR). This model con- d Vc
sists of a harmonic voltage source in series with a variable c dt (4)
source admittance.
The differential equations for the system are first H(t) is an existence function [4], it has a magni-
written in order to gain a better insight to the problem. tude of urdity whenever a thyristor is on and a value of
The model is hypothesized and the circuit is analyzed to zero whenever both thyristors are off. In using existence
determine its parameters. Finally, the results of a digital functions the assumption is being made that the thyristors
simulation are shown which verify the accuracy of the act as perfect switches, turn on and turn off behavior is
model. being ignored.
The currents can be summed at the center node.

86 WM 049-1 A paper recommended and approved

is I= +Ic
(5)
by the IEEE Power System Engineering Committee of
the IEEE Power Engineering Society for presentation From these equations the basic differential equations for
at the IEEE/PES 1986 Winter Meeting, New York, New the system can be written.
York, February 2 7, 1986. Manuscript submitted
-

August 14, 1985; made available for printing

December 4 1985 .
,

dt + (C c1V)Vc
+ CL= (6)

0885-8950/86/l00-0068$0l.00O©1986 IEEE
 69

4-

Figure 1. Fixed Capacitor - Thyristor Controlled Reactor x

Static VAR Compensator. w

dt Lt
r
-H(t)r
V (7)

The assumption is made that the existence func-

tion is periodic. Physically this is assuming that there is a
periodicity to the firing of the thyristors. This is indeed
the case. In the operation of a static compensator each Figure 2. Voltage and Current Waveforms in a TCR.
thyristor conducts once a cycle. In steady state operation
they operate at a fixed delay angle and conduct for a fixed TRADITIONAL ANALYSIS OF A TCR
conduction angle.
The system simplifies if an infinitely stiff ac sys-
Another assumption is made that H(t) is indepen- tem is assumed, which means that the system impedance,
dent of any voltage disturbances in the circuit. This is L., approaches zero. First it is necessary to multiply (6) by
nothing more than the usual assumption made in power CLs.
electronics that there is a fixed switching sequence. This is
not a bad approximation for a real system. The control d2 Vc H(t) L
strategies try to eliminate the interdependence. In a TCR CLS d- (1 +Lr VC = Es (8)
the firing pulse is displaced by a specific angle from the
voltage zero crossing, the delay angle alpha. The firing
pulses and thus the existence function can be very sensi- Allowing L. to go to zero this equation simplifies to
tive to changes in the voltage zero crossings due to har-
monics or other disturbances. A well designed static VAR E
firing control system eliminates this sensitivity. An exam- Vc =
(9)
ple of one is given in [5]. In a TCR the current is phase
shifted 900 from the voltage and is thus symmetrical What is left is a single first order linear differential equa-
about the voltage zero crossing. This locates the zero tion with periodic coefficients, equation (7). This forms
crossings of the voltage more effectively than the voltage the basis for the traditional analysis of the TCR [5].
zeros themselves. The dependence of H(t) on the voltage Referring to figure 2, the voltage across the ter-
has switched from one of sensitivity to disturbances in the minals is assumed to be a perfect sinusoidal waveform
zero crossing to one of sensitivity to the symmetry of the (figure 2.a). The existence function (figure 2.b) is twice
voltage about the zero crossing. Thus, the assumption of the frequency of the voltage and it is centered on the zero
the independence of H(t) can be realistically made as long crossings of the voltage. Its width is the angle sigma, the
as the changes in the voltage are small. angle through which the current in a thyristor conducts.
Multiplying the source voltage by the existence function
Using the above assumptions (6) and (7) are picks up parts of the voltage curve. These parts are
linear differential equations with periodic coefficients [6]. integrated to obtain the current through the controlled
They can be easily transformed into a system of three first reactor (see figures 2.c and 2.d).
order inhomogeneous differential equations with periodic
coefficients. The physical explanation for this is that through the
switching of the thyristors only parts of the voltage
It is important to note the general form of a solution waveform are impressed across the reactor. It is only
of this type of differential equation. A single frequency those parts of the voltage that are actually across the
forcing function, E., generates a response, V, and Ir that inductor that control the current flow.
contains a whole spectrum of frequencies. This is the The existence function H is given by:
same type of response that is obtained from non-linear
differential equations, but this system is linear with
periodic coefficients. H(t) = '- +
n
2
2cos(nT) sin(ncr) cos(2nwc)t) (10)
70

If the source voltage is assumed to be a cosine

Es = es cos cwt (11)

then the current would be z

Ir =ae sin (,cQt) +

s
COLr7T tn = 1
E osnS
(nsT) sin (nu)
n

4
jsin(2n-i1)cot +sin(2n+1) cwt) :D
2n -i 2n+i JJ (12) N
-J
The hth harmonic is given by
0
es [cos( h+i
2r-T) sin( h+i a) z
h h GJ L, 7T h+1

h-1i
s2 n
h-1
2 sin (h ct)
00 30Q 600 90° 1200 1600 1800
(13)
h- I
Fi gure 3. Harmonic Current versus Conduction Angle.
The current is comprised only of odd harmonics
and the amplitudes a-re a function of the conduction angle
a. A plot of the percentage of the maximum fundamental
current of each harmonic vs. the cunduction angle is
shown in figure 3.
The traditional frequency plane model of a TCR
used for harmonic analysis is shown in figure 4. At the
higher frequencies the switching circuit is modeled as a
current source, injecting, at each frequency, the magni-
tude of the harmonic shown in figure 3. The system
impedance and filters are modeled in detail to make sure
that the resonance points do not fall where there is Figure 4. Ideal Current Source Model for a TCR.
significant harmonic generation [7]. By assuming an ideal
current source model the effect of the TCR on the
resonant points is not taken into account.
ANALYSIS OF THE CIRCUIT MODEL

A more accurate model should include source

impedance. The thyristor controlled reactor is modeled as
a black box to be replaced by a circuit with the same ter-
minal characteristic but without switching. The new circuit
should only contain sources and lumped circuit elements.
Also, the sources in the circuit would need to cover a
whole frequency spectrum to account for the harmonic
generation. The simplest model is a Thevenin equivalent.
This would not work because the harmonic generation.
One possible model would be an extension of a Thevenin
circuit concept. There would be a seperate and indepen-
dent admittance and voltage source for eac:h harmonic
(see figure 5). The circuit would be solved by superposi-
tion, using the appropriate impedance and voltage source
for each harmonic.
Analysis using describing function methods
The admittance of the circuit can be determined
by finding the current response to an applied voltage.
Since the switching of the circuit is dependent on the
applhed voltage a small perturbation voltage is used. It is
Figure 5. Variable Voltage Source / Variable Source
Admittance Model for a TCR.
assumied l:hat the small perturbation of the voltage about
an operating point does not affect the switching or the
fuindamental current leval of the TCR. The admittance at
any frequency is the ratio of the resulting current and the
perturbation voltage at the perturbation frequency. All
ol;her frequency comiponents are ignored. In non-linear
control theory this (oncept is known as a describing func-
tio)n.
A small perturbation voltage is put in series with
the supply voltage as in figure 6a using the circuit in 6b
inside the black box.. In perturbation theory the concern
is the change of the response, in this case the current,
about an operation point due to a change in the input, in
 71

Yk = - (18)
v
P
Transforming the current and voltage into phasor form

Ik- kvP (a ej(k_9O) +

(a) ck=kw,nos ekT i kr ikP+O~

cos (krr)__sin (ka e-j(kp + 9)|

k J
(19)
0-
Yh(<J)
Vp=V ejkq (20)
V() Dividing the two to get the admittance Yk
0-1
1 ej9o+ cos (k rr) sin (ka) (21)
(b) (c)
Y= u
= k4L7r T k e

Figure 6. Circuits for the Analysis of a TCR In to rectangular notation this is

this case the voltage. Therefore the concern is with the Y 1 cos (k rr) sin (ka) sin (2k(p)
- kc)L7T7 k
perturbation voltage, Vp and the current it causes, I;. If
the perturbation voltage is an arbitrary cosine wave,
_ j a + cos (k-r) sin (ka) cos (2k) (22)
VP vp
= cos k (ct + Sp) (14)

then the current caused by it is given by
I=ff 1 Hvp cos k(t + p) dt
Lr
Solving the integral an expression for Ip is obtained
This model does not prove very useful. The
admittance is a function of the phase of the voltage (so)
that is used to measure it. This means that there is not a
(15) unique admittance. It is interesting to note that if the per-
turbation voltage is in phase with the source voltage then
the admittance is purely inductive, while at other phases it
also has a resistive component.

a-
I k sink((t +w)-sin(kp)I
cos (k7T) sin (ka)
Ip = + k
Yk =-j k (23)
kc L,-rr
X cos (niT) sin (na) [sin ((2n-k) wt-kV) + sin (kqo) Analysis using a voltage test source
n-l n 2n-k

sin ((2n+k) cot +ks) -sin (kVo) H (16)' An altemate technique can be used to find the
circuit parameters. The harmonic voltage source can be
2n + kjj
found before the equivalent admittance. In figure 6 think
of the perturbation voltage, VP, as a test source and think
To find the equivalent admittance all the harmonics are of replacing the circuit in the black box with the circuit in
ignored except the one at the same frequency as the per- figure 6c. Since the system is linear the total harmonic
turbation voltage. Separating out the kth harmonic gives current at a given harmonic number h, Ih, will be zero
when the test source is equal to the source driving the
Ik= a,r[v sin k (wt +;o) + current, Vh. All that needs to be done is to find the
current with both sources in the circuit, set a particular Ih
to zero, and then solve for Vp.
cos (k rT) sin (ka) sin k(ct-p)
k sik ct- (17) The current in the TCR with the test source in
the circuit is given by

The admittance at the kth harmonic is then this current Ir fH cos (ct) + vp cos (kcot) dt (24)
divided by the perturbation voltage. Lr
72

Which gives: This can be compared with the admittance found using
the describing function technique with the phase angle
equal to zero shown in (23). If the perturbation voltages
Isin (wt) + 2 (Sin (nu) CO (nr)x are restricted to odd harmonics the term cos(k7r) is equal
LrT n-InoLr to -1 and the two expressions are identical. This would
indicate that the proper perturbation voltage to use would
be one in phase with the source voltage.
sin ((2n-l) ct) +
sin ((2n+l) cit) 1 For the special case of the fundamental the test
2n-1 2n+l J (
source ends up being equal and opposite to the source
voltage. Therefore Vh is zero. The admittance is found by
kw~Lr-/T
sin -JVPsin
(kwot) + nincoLr 7T
(nur)cos (n7T) x dividing the fundamental component of the current by the
source. It is given by

jp(2n-k) wt sin ((2n+k) cAt) 5 ( - sin (cr)

2n-k + 2n+k (5 WLr7T
(30)

The hth harmonic of this current should be set to zero. This agrees Nvith the generally excepted value given in (1).

l.
2es cos( 2j T) sin( 2 c
+ USING THE MODEL TO PREDICT RESONANCE
" h c,.) L, 7- h
h+1
CONDITIONS

cos(h21 Tr) sin(h2- or) The usefulness of any model depends on its abil-
h-i
h+ JL
ity to predict actual circuit behavior. Frequency plane
models are used extensively in studying harmonic prob-
lemns, in particular resonance conditions. The predictions
of both models,the traditional current source model and
the new voltage source / variable admittance model, can
F + sin(h_os(h1)) sin (h ct) - 0 (26) be explored in detail.
The circuit in figure 1 was analyzed using both
models. Using the traditional model the circuit looks like
Solving for Vp and making use of the fact that the har- figure 4 at harmonic frequencies. The only point at which
monics are always odd (therefore cos (h rr) =-1). resonance would be a problem would be at a frequency
given by
Vh = -
Vp
h-i
2eScos(
~~~1
2Tr) - h) X
h 1
(us = vv (31)

sin (h2 (7) sin (h21 c)

This resonance point is determined exclusively by the cir-
2h1 h-i (27) cuitry external to the TCR.
The circuit looks like figure 5 if the new model is
used. Calculations are easier if the admittance, Yh (a),
It should be noticed that this voltage is dependent on both given in (29) is replaced by its equivalent inductance,
the harmonic number and the conduction angle sigma. Lh(Y). The resonance condition is the series resonance of
Having determined the voltage source, the admit- Lh(o) in series with the parallel combination of C and Ls.
tance can now be calculated. The harmonic current is This resonance is at:
known from (13) or figure 3. The new model has to
agree with these values. According to the model the fun- 1
damental frequency source has no affect on the harmonic C)r
=
LsC + Lh(Or)C
(32)
currents because it acts at a different frequency. Since the
harmonic voltage source Vh is the sole cause of the har-
monic current th the admittance can be easily calculated. This is a higher resonate frequency then (31). More
Yh would be: importantly, it is now dependent on the internal operation
of the TCR through the the term Lh(cr).

(28) It is convenient to think of this inductor as being

Yh --
Vh composed of a fixed inductance, equal to the actual induc-
tance of the TCR, and a multiplier which varies with
Using Vh from (27) and Ih from (13) we get sigma and the harmonic number.

sin (hoa)
Lh(a) = Lr Sin (h L Kh() (33)
-= -j
Yh=-i h(urJ
h
(29)
-
h

K varies from 1, at a conduction angle of 1800, and climbs
towards infinity as the conduction angle gets smaller. This
is intuitively correct. The reactor is solidly connected to
the system when the conduction angle is 1800. The
effective inductance should be the inductance of the
reactor. As the conduction angle gets smaller, the reactor
is connected for less time, the effective inductance should
get larger. In the limit, when the conduction angle is zero,
the TCR is open circuited and its impedance is infinite.
The factor K is dependent on sigma and the har-
monic number. This variation is shown in the K vs.
sigma plots for the first three harmonics; the 3rd, the 5th,
and the 7th; shown in figure 7. These curves can also be
thought of as the per unit value of the effective induc-
tance of the TCR at any given harmonic.
The resonance condition predicted by the new
model does cause problems although the conditions for
resonance are quite strict and are highly dependent on the
system design. To demonstrate these constraints an exam-
ple is given.
There is a relationship between the value of the
reactor and that of the capacitor in FC-TCR systems. The
amount of reactive power controlled, both inductive and
capacitive, depends on the relationship of the admittance
of the fixed capacitor to that of the controlled reactor.
This can be expressed as
C= L (34)
QU Lr
where 0 is the proportionality constant dependent on the
reactive power controlled. Q has a value of 1 if the SVC
controls the reactive power from zero VARs to some
value of capacitive VARs. To control equal amounts of
capacitive and inductive VARs 0 would be 2. As the
controllable amount of inductive VARs gets larger, 0 gets
larger. For most SVC, Q is between 1 and 2.
Equation (34) along with (31) gives a relationship
between the system impedance and the TCR impedance.
That is:
s = QLr F2-G (35)
The equations for the two resonate frequencies
(equations (31) and (32)) give another relationship
between the system impedance and the effective TCR
impedance which has to be satisfied to get the series reso-
nance condition. It is given below.
WX2-S
L= Lr K 1 (36)
cio
Combining the two relationships between L. and Lr (equa-
tions (35) and (36)) create the constraint on resonance.
Q ci 2 = ci 1(37)
K |cj2-xs
73
10 - 5th 3rd
w 8 7hI.t I
0
z .1I
6 - .1
Q-
H 4 II
-I 11- ts.
2 l
0
0 45 90 135 180
SIGMA (DEGREES)
Figure 7. Per Unit Impedance versus Conduction Angle.
It can be shown that for wr to resonate at an unwanted
frequency (one for which there is significant generation),
then w. has to resonate near this harmonic. For example,
if Q = 2 and there is to be series resonance at the 3rd
harmonic for some value of K then the fixed capacitor
and the system impedance must resonate close to the
third, at least 2.6 times the fundamental, if not closer.
This required resonance condition for wc gets closer to the
unwanted harmonic as the harmonic number goes up. For
the 5th harmonic w. must resonate at least 4.8 times the
fundamental, and for the 7th its 6.86 times the
fundamental. The required resonance for CiS also gets
closer to the unwanted harmonic number as 0 gets
smaller. For 0 = 1 (supplying only capacitive VARs) w,
must resonate at least 2.8 times the fundamental to get wr
to resonate at the third. In actual operation of SVC
systems this predicted resonance would be seldom seen
since filters are added to the system to draw resonance
points away from the odd harmonics. But, it can be seen
that problems attributed to near resonance conditions
using the traditional model can be explained as actual
resonate points.
COMPUTER SIMULATION TO TEST THE MODEL
The models were tested by comparing their pred-
ictions to the results of a digital computer simulation
using the Electromagnetic Transient Program (EMTP) [8]
developed by Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).
The test case chosen was the circuit in figure 1 with a sys-
tem impedance of 0.0265 mH, the fixed capacitor of
.0109 F, and the controlled reactor of 0.323 mH which is
operated at a conduction angle of 500.
The ideal current source model predicts a parallel
resonance condition where the admittance of the circuit as
seen from the source goes to zero. Since the model is a
current source it will force current through the infinite
impedance to produce an overvoltage condition at the ter-
minals of the TCR The resonant point is independent of
the operation of the TCR, the impedances that make up
the resonant circuit do not change with TCR operation.
74
The values chosen give a near resonance condi-
tion at the 5th harmonic. Using (31), it is seen that the
fixed capacitor and the system impedance resonate at 4.93
times the fundamental frequency. Modeling the TCR as a
harmonic current source some problems might be
expected due to near resonance although the current
would be limited to the magnitude of the source current.
At a conduction angle of 500 the 5th harmonic generation
is only about 2% of the full load fundamental so some dis-
tortion would be expected but the TCR would be able to
operate.
The harmonic voltage source / variable admit-
tance model predicts a senes resonance condition where
the impedance of the circuit as seen from the harmonic
source goes to zero. Since the model is a voltage source it
will continue to apply voltage across the infinite admit-
tance to produce an overcurrent through the circuit. The
terminal of the TCR is between the variable impedance
and the fixed capacitor. The resonant current through the
variable impedance produces the overvoltage condition at
the terminals. This resonant point is dependent on the
operation of the TCR since one of the impedances which
make up the resonant circuit, the variable impedance.
changes with TCR operation.
This model predicts a definite problem point.
Using (32) a resonance condition can be found. The sys-
tem will resonate at the 5th harmonic when the equivalent
inductance of the TCR is 0.956 mH. Using the relation-
ship in (33) gives a value of K of 0.956/0.323 = 2.96.
From the K vs. sigma curve for the 5th harmonic, given
in figure 9, this value of K occurs at about 500. With a
resonance point at the 5th harmonic, the 5th would be
expected to experience explosive growth, pulling the total
current with it.
The simulation using the EMTP was initialized at
a conduction angle of 750 and then stepped changed to
500. The plot of the current is shown in figure 8. There is
stable operation at 75° and when the conduction angle
drops to 500 the current initially drops and then starts to
grow because of the resonance condition. This agrees with
the prediction of the voltage source model.
CONCLUSION
The computer simulation clearly shows the
superiority of the new harmonic model in predicting cer-
tain resonance conditions. It confirms that the model is a
more accurate tool, although it is a more complex one.
The traditional model still is of use in predicting general
operating behavior. The new model can be used to iden-
tify specific problems.
The new model consists of a separate impedance
and voltage source for each harmonic, both of which vary
with the conduction angle sigma. It is the variation of the
harmonic impedance with sigma that makes resonance
dependant on the operating point of the TCR. Equations
were given for the impedance and the voltage source and
it was shown that at the fundamental the model was con-
sistent with the established model.
The impedance of the model should be correct. It
was found using a test voltage source and it confirmed the
impedance found using describing function methods. The
voltage source is an approximation. It was found by
assuming a particular Ih which was true only for a perfect
sinusoid across the TCR. In other words the system
U.f _
III
z
w
0 0
0.1 0.2 0.3
TIME (SEC)
Figure 8. Current Response of the SVC to a Step Change
in the Conduction Angle from 750 to 500.
impedance was neglected. Although the uncertainty in Vh
does limit the model in some applications, it does not
limit its use in resonance studies and in some control stu-
dies. The resonance is dependent only on the impedance
of the model, which is known with some certainty, not on
the voltage source. In control studies this model would be
useful when the transfer function is dependent only on
the impedance.
This paper has studied the simplest case, that
being a single phas, TCR. Of course this model can be
extended -.o six or twelve pulse systems by replacing each
leg of the TCR by tts equivalent admittance and voltage.
This model could a lso be used directly in harmonic gen-
eIration aiid curreta penetration studies provided the
admittancet and voltage is changed, as shown in equations
27 and 29, for each harmonic h and each operating point
a.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to thank the Hewlett-
Packard Company for their financial support dunng this
investigation.
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[1] Kimbark, Edward W.; Direct Current Transminion, Vol. 1; John
Wiley & Sons, Inc. N.Y.; 1971.
[2] Arillaga, J.; High Voltage Direct Current Transmission; Peter
Peregrines Ltd., London; 1983.
[3] Miller, Timothy J. E., ed.; Reactive Power Control in Electric
Systems; John NViley & Sons, Inc., N.Y.; 1982.
[41 Wood, Peter; Switchitng Power Converters; Van Nostrand Reinhold
Company, N.Y.; 1981.
[l] Lasseter, R. H. and Lee, S. Y.; 'Digital Simulation of Static
VAR System Transients"; IEEE Trans. Power Apparatus and Systs.,
Vol. PAS-101, No. 10, pp 4171-4177; Oct., 1982.
[6] Yakubovich, V. A. and Starzhiaskii, V. M.; Linear Differential
Equations with Periodic Coefficients; John Wiley and Sons, N.Y.; 1975.
[7] Gutman, R. et. al.; 'Apphcation and Operation of a Static NVAR
System on a Power System - American Electric Power Experience';
IEEE Trans. Power Apparatus and Systs., Vol. Pas-104, No. 7, pp.
1868-1874; July 1985.
[81 Rule Book, Electromagnetic Transients Program; Bonneville Power
Administration, Portland. Oregon; June, 1984.