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Modular multilevel converters (MMCs) may contain numerous insulated-gate bipolar transistors. The modeling of such converters for electromagnetic transient-type (EMT-type) simulations is complex. Detailed models used in MMC-HVDC simulations may require very large computing times. Simplified and averaged models have been proposed in the past to overcome this problem. In this paper, existing averaged and simplified models are improved in order to increase their range of applications. The models are compared and analyzed for different transient events on an MMC-HVDC system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current interrupting capability of a load break switch (LBS) depends on many design parameters, such as contact and nozzle geometry, contact movement, and gas flow. For developing more compact gas blow LBSs for air, it is necessary to find design recommendations where each parameter is addressed individually. In this paper, a current interruption test switch is built for this purpose. The interruption tests are conducted with a directly powered high-voltage circuit. The result shows the minimum gas flow required for current interruption for various basic nozzle geometries and at different contact positions. The study is particular relevant for the 24 kV/630 A class, and it is shown that 0.3 bar upstream pressure appears to be a threshold value for successful interruption. Some conclusions are also applicable for other medium-voltage ratings. An LBS should be designed so that at least one current zero crossing comes outside the nozzle when the switch is still blowing with full strength. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a fast mechanical diverter switch design suitable for new “arcless” hybrid onload tap-changing systems. In such systems, arcing at contact separation and contact closure is almost completely eliminated by the inclusion of alternate current paths incorporating semiconductor devices. This allows the use of compact, air-insulated mechanical contacts that do not need to withstand significant arc erosion or provide arc quenching. As a result, the moving mass and the drive system for the switch may be dramatically reduced in size, leading to low inertia of the moving parts and resulting in very rapid operation times. An integrated, high-torque, low-mass permanent-magnet actuator is presented that provides detent (unpowered) contact force coupled with a cantilever spring contact system sized for an 11-kV 2-MVA onload tap changer. The design delivers operation times of under 20 ms and is capable of sustaining more than 10^6 operations. The complete design is experimentally verified under representative electrical conditions, and contact wear levels comparable to pure mechanical (zero current) operation are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper investigates a new family of converters for high-power transfer between dc buses with different voltage levels. The proposed converters achieve high-voltage dc-dc conversion without an intermediate ac conversion stage. Three converter circuits are investigated, all based on the use of a common switching cell module. The first is a step-down converter, the second is a step-up converter, and the third is an inverting step-up/downconverter. For each converter, the structure is presented, its operation principle is explained, and the design equations are derived. A comparative analysis between the converters is carried out to highlight the merits and limitations of each topology. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes an LCL dc-dc converter concept which is capable of achieving very high stepping ratios with megawatt-level power transfers. The converter can find potential application in connecting high-power dc sources to high-voltage dc transmission including future dc transmission networks. This converter is based on two ac/dc insulated-gate bipolar transistor-based converters and an internal passive LCL circuit without internal ac transformers. The LCL circuit is designed to enable voltage stepping without any reactive power circulation and with potentially soft switching operation which minimizes the switching losses. The designed converter has the ability to achieve current regulation even under extreme external dc faults and, therefore, the converter can operate through dc faults. The switch utilization is better than similar topologies and losses are reasonably low. A dual-active-bridge transformer-based converter design is presented to compare with the proposed LCL converter. A detailed PSCAD model confirms conclusions using a 100-MW 20-kV/300 kV test system. An LCL 200-W 20-V/100-V dc/dc prototype converter is built to validate the proposed topology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is a potential candidate for medium/high-power applications, specifically for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems. One of the technical challenges associated with the control of an MMC is to carry out the submodule (SM) capacitor voltages balancing task without imposing any unnecessary switching transition among the SMs. This paper develops a general framework for the capacitor voltage balancing of an MMC. Based on the developed framework and with the objective of reducing the unnecessary switching transitions among the SMs, three capacitor voltage-balancing strategies are proposed and investigated: 1) a slow-rate balancing strategy based on the conventional sorting method; 2) a hybrid balancing strategy which combines a predictive method with the conventional sorting method; and 3) a fundamental-frequency balancing strategy. Performance of the proposed strategies for a point-to-point 21-level MMC-based HVDC system is evaluated based on time-domain simulation studies in the PSCAD/EMTDC software environment. The reported study results demonstrate the capability and tradeoffs of the proposed strategies to reduce the number of switching transitions and, consequently, the MMC losses, under various conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is based on the cascaded connection of identical submodules (SMs) enabling additional redundancies. This paper proposes the configuration of the MMC topology with redundant SMs and demonstrates the effects of active redundancies. The proposed configuration decreases the switching frequency per SM while reducing the SM capacitor voltage ripples. An analytical model for determining the SM capacitor voltage ripple and voltage dynamics is derived. The results from the analytical model are compared with the switching model for a 21-level MMC with five redundant (25 in total) SMs per arm. Experimental results based on a single-phase laboratory prototype with five SMs per arm and a single redundant cell further illustrate the operation and verify the derived mathematical model and simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new hybrid diverter design for onload tap changers. The design uses “active-shunt” current diversion principles. At its core, the design employs a low-voltage high-current switch-mode amplifier to divert current out of the mechanical contacts and into a pair of anti-parallel thyristors. Commutation between transformer taps may then be performed by the thyristors. The amplifier and thyristors are placed outside the normal load current path and only conduct during a tap change, producing efficiency savings and improving robustness when compared to previous hybrid onload tap changer implementations. An amplifier control loop that autonomously produces zero-current conditions at switch opening and zero-voltage conditions at switch closure is demonstrated. Experimental results investigating the wear characteristics of contacts operated under the new hybrid diverter are presented, along with comparison results from a passive-type switching scheme. Contact lifetime of more than 25 million operations is demonstrated under the new scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper addresses the capacitor bank switching back to back to underground cables. The high currents recorded during the capacitor bank switching occur due to the traveling waves in the underground cables. The detailed analytical study of the capacitive inrush currents is done. The closed-form expressions of the inrush current waveforms due to the initial current surges as well as due to the superposition of the initial and reflected current waves are derived. The formulas for the peak inrush current and its maximum rate of rise are obtained. The case study of the 24-kV capacitor bank switching back to back to the underground cables is described. The results of the field measurements are compared with the results of Electromagnetic Transients Program simulation. The dependence of the inrush current peak on the number of the cables, and the equivalent inductance between the capacitor bank and the substation busbar as well as on the cable length are analyzed. The inrush currents caused failures of the capacitor bank circuit breakers. Since the described capacitor inrush current significantly exceeds the “inrush current of the isolated capacitor bank,” the selection of the capacitor bank switchgear should be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

It is widely known that controlled switching of transmission lines reduces the transients in power systems. In this paper, the circuit-breaker (CB) closing time sequence for transmission lines with various configurations is studied and improved. A theoretical analysis based on modal analysis of traveling waves and inverse Laplace transform is used to find the actual zero voltage crossing point of the poles of CB. The transmission-line coupling effect and its effects on controlled closing sequence are also considered. In addition, the minimum requirement for dielectric strength and operating time deviation of the CB is extracted for successful controlled closing. Finally, comprehensive simulation studies are performed to obtain the optimum closing sequence for various lines configurations. It is shown that transmission-line overvoltages are reduced using the proposed controlled closing method. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this paper is to propose and analyze the high-performance control strategies for a novel current source converter (CSC)-based wind turbine-superconducting magnetic energy storage system (SMES) hybrid system, which will, in turn, improve the operating performance for the wind farm not only in the grid-connected operation, but also in the islanding mode. The key is to design the effective active power controller and the ac bus voltage controller for the CSC-based hybrid system in grid-connected operation. Thus, better power smoothing and robust operation can be achieved. For the islanding mode operation, the capacitor voltage control scheme is proposed for the CSC hybrid system to offer efficient operation when the wind farm is disconnected from the grid. Based on simulation, the performance of the proposed control for the CSC-type wind turbine-SMES hybrid system in the wind farm has been verified. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A high-voltage direct current system using modular multilevel converter (MMC-HVDC) is a potential candidate for grid integration of renewable energy over long distances. The dc-link fault is an issue MMC-HVDC must deal with, especially for the nonpermanent faults when using overhead lines. This paper proposed a protection scheme to implement fast fault clearance and automatic recovery for nonpermanent faults on dc lines. By employing double thyristor switches, the freewheeling effect of diodes is eliminated and the dc-link fault current is allowed to freely decay to zero. Then, the dc arc can be naturally extinguished and the insulation on the short-circuit point can be restored. The thyristor switches convert the dc-link fault into an ac short circuit of the ac grid through MMC arms. The ac short-circuit current can be cleared simply by turning off all thyristor switches. Since circuit breakers are not tripped during fault clearance, MMC can immediately and automatically rebuild the dc-link voltage and restart power transmission. Simulation results using PSCAD/EMTDC have verified the validity of the proposed protection scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new noncommunication-based scheme is presented for the protection of three-terminal transmission lines. Using this scheme, simultaneous operation of circuit breakers (CBs) at all terminals is provided for all internal faults. This scheme can discriminate between external and internal faults based on initiated transients by faults, considering the high-stop filtering property of busbars through modeling their stray capacitances and employing a newly defined mathematical morphology (MM) filter to analyze the captured transients. Moreover, the transients generated by lightning or switching are identified and prohibited to enter the algorithm. The presented scheme has been applied on one of three-terminal lines in Iran's Transmission Grid. The effects of fault resistance, fault inception angle, (internal) fault location, and fault type on the performance of the proposed scheme are evaluated, where the high dependability, accuracy, and speed are verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a new approach for the maintenance of high-voltage devices in switching substations that is based upon upgraded reliability-centered maintenance (RCM). In addition to periodical maintenance, the Slovenian Transmission System Operator ELES also uses an application that enables RCM. The strategic maintenance concept was developed on the basis of ongoing monitoring maintenance. It takes into consideration not only the well-known indices regarding technical conditions and importance, but also the indices for risk and environment. This new approach is demonstrated using the example of a Podlog 400-kV switching substation before and after its overhaul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a harmonic state-space (HSS) model of a three-phase thyristor-controlled reactor (TCR) in a voltage-control application. In using the HSS description, the importance of incorporating the effect of harmonic interaction on the dynamics of a power system containing a TCR or other flexible ac transmission system controllers is illustrated. Although nonlinear in nature, the significant effect of switching instant variation is included in the linearized model. The model size is minimized with the selection of the minimum necessary set of harmonic frequencies. To validate the HSS models, the steady-state harmonics and the step response were validated with a PSCAD/EMTDC simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper operation of a multilevel flying capacitor converter (FCC) necessitates a closed-loop voltage balancing strategy. This paper proposes a space vector modulation (SVM)-based approach that benefits from the switching state redundancy of an n-level FCC to implicitly carry out the voltage balancing task within the switching strategy. Based on the voltage deviations of the capacitor voltages, a cost function is defined and minimized to choose the proper redundant switching states among the available switching states. The performance of a grid-connected four-level FCC under the proposed SVM strategy for various operating conditions is studied and evaluated based on time-domain simulations in the PSCAD/EMTDC environment, and experimentally verified. The studies demonstrate the capability of the proposed SVM strategy to regulate the capacitor voltages at their nominal reference values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper designs and implements an expert system adopting a newly proposed adaptive load transfer strategy and inference methodology as an integrated problem-solving solution of determining an appropriate load transfer strategy when diverse events occur in a distribution system under heavy load or severe overload conditions. In particular, to enhance the efficiency of search, the proposed inference engine is designed so that a solution for the load balancing and a solution for the minimization of the outage load can be inferred at the same time by searching the goal nodes and the fail nodes based on the local minimum tree search method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is one of the most potential converter topologies for high-power/voltage systems, specifically for high-voltage direct current (HVDC). One of the main technical challenges of an MMC is to eliminate/minimize the circulating currents of converter arms while the capacitor voltages are maintained balanced. This paper proposes a model predictive control (MPC) strategy that takes the advantage of a cost function minimization technique to eliminate the circulating currents and carry out the voltage balancing task of an MMC-based back-to-back HVDC system. A discrete-time mathematical model of the system is derived and a predictive model corresponding to the discrete-time model is developed. The predictive model is used to select the best switching states of each MMC unit based on evaluation and minimization a defined cost function associated with the control objectives of MMC units and the overall HVDC system. The proposed predictive control strategy: 1) enables control of real and reactive power of the HVDC system; 2) achieves capacitor voltage balancing of the MMC units; and 3) mitigates the circulating currents of the MMC units. Performance of the proposed MPC-based strategy for a five-level back-to-back MMC-HVDC is evaluated based on time-domain simulation studies in the PSCAD/EMTDC software environment. The reported study results demonstrate a satisfactory response of the MMC-HVDC station operating based on the proposed MPC strategy, under various conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents design and control methods for fault-tolerant operations with redundant converter modules, one of the most prominent features in modular multilevel converter (MMC) topology. In fully implementing MMC functionalities, a nearest level control is applied as a low-switching modulation method. A dual sorting algorithm is newly proposed for effectively reducing the switching commutations of each power module as well as for voltage balancing control. Built upon these primary MMC topological and control features, its redundant operation is comprehensively investigated for fail-safe energy transfer. In particular, a novel spare process is proposed to handle an emergency situation when the number of faulty power modules exceeds the module redundancy. Since topological redundancy may cause the switching commutations of power modules in an arm to be unevenly distributed, a practical and effective mitigation measure is incorporated to keep the energy balance while avoiding the undesired switching stresses. Rigorous simulation studies for MMC and its application for high-voltage direct current are performed to demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of the proposed spare process under normal and emergency conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voltage-source-converter (VSC) technologies present a bright opportunity in a variety of fields within the power system industry. New modular multilevel converters (MMCs) are expected to supersede two- and three-level VSC-based technologies for HVDC applications due to their recognized advantages in terms of scalability, performance, and efficiency. The computational burden introduced by detailed modeling of MMC-HVDC systems in electromagnetic-transients (EMT)-type programs complicates the study of transients especially when these systems are integrated into a large network. This paper presents a novel average-value model (AVM) for efficient and accurate representation of a detailed MMC–HVDC system. It also develops a detailed 401-level MMC-HVDC model for validating the AVM and studies the performance of both models when integrated into a large 400-kV transmission system in Europe. The results show that the AVM is significantly more efficient while maintaining its accuracy for the dynamic response of the overall system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an innovative generalized systematic approach and related analytical formulation to evaluate distribution system reliability in smart grids where islanded operation of microgrids helps to improve local and overall reliability. In order to do this, the analytical formulation involves the adequacy calculation of conventional and renewable distributed generators supplying microgrids by using probabilistic models. Adequacy is computed by means of a new general analytical expression which takes into account load shedding (user load disconnection) and curtailment (user load reduction) policies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Automation is acknowledged by distribution utilities as a successful investment strategy to enhance reliability and operation efficiency. However, practical approaches that can handle the complex decision-making process faced by decision makers to justify the long-term financial effects of distribution automation have remained scarce. An automated and remote-controlled sectionalizing switch play a fundamental role in an automated distribution network. This paper introduces a new optimization approach for distribution automation in terms of automated and remotely controlled sectionalizing switch placement. Mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) is utilized to model the problem. The proposed model can be solved with large-scale commercial solvers in a computationally efficient manner. The proposed sectionalizing switch placement problem considers customer outage costs in conjunction with sectionalizing switch capital investment, installation, as well as annual operation and maintenance costs. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is tested on a reliability test system and a typical real size system. The presented results indicate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Electric power distribution systems of many commercial and industrial sites often employ variable frequency drives and other loads that internally utilize dc. Such loads are often based on front-end line-commutated rectifiers. The detailed switch-level models of such rectifier systems can be readily implemented using a number of widely available digital programs and transient simulation tools, including the Electromagnetic Transient (EMT)-based programs and Matlab/Simulink. To improve the simulation efficiency for the system-level transient studies with a large number of such subsystems, the so-called dynamic average models have been utilized. This paper presents the average-value modeling methodologies for the conventional three-phase (six-pulse) front-end rectifier loads. We demonstrate the system operation and the dynamic performance of the developed average models in discontinuous and continuous modes, as well as under balanced and unbalanced operation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Capacitor switching transients are harmful to the capacitor and the switching device. For reducing these transient phenomena, this paper proposes a symmetrical structure transient limiter (SSTL). The proposed SSTL can automatically provide high impedance at the instant of capacitor energization, and, thus, the switching transients can be effectively suppressed. After the restriction, owing to the compensation of all power losses caused by the diodes and reactors, the SSTL acts as a short circuit during the steady state and, thus, has no effect in the circuit. As a result, the capacitor voltage and current waveforms will not be distorted. Moreover, due to the freewheeling effect in the SSTL, no transient overvoltage will appear across the switch contacts at the instant of capacitor de-energization even though the reactors are inserted into the circuit. Theoretical analyses of the proposed SSTL for the energization state, steady state, and de-energization state have been completely carried out. Also, the selections of the related components are depicted. Finally, the experimental results obtained using different methods of capacitor switching verify the feasibility and performance of the proposed SSTL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automation can significantly enhance substation reliability by speeding up service restoration. Although much research works has been done in reliability assessment of substation control systems, there are still several aspects that need to be considered in automated substation reliability evaluation. The impacts of automation system on substation reliability indices have not been comprehensively covered in the literature so far. This paper aims at presenting a comprehensive technique to quantitatively assess the reliability of the automated substations. The technique is based on the event tree methodology and the concepts of conditional probability technique. A step by step evaluation procedure is presented using a typical substation automation architecture known as simple star. The proposed technique is applied to some conventional substation configurations to examine the effectiveness of the technique and also to examine the level of reliability improvement achieved by automation. Furthermore, different sensitivity analyses have been carried out for both automatic switching action and a specific automated substation. The proposed strategy is easy to implement and suitable to analyze for an automated substation reliability with arbitrary automation architectures. Also, automated substation reliability assessment tools can be developed in detail, and can be catered to the specific needs of substation design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical overcurrent relays used to protect capacitor banks can better discriminate between faults and switching inrush compared to their electromechanical counterparts. However, there is still scope and use for faster and reliable operation. This paper describes the implementation of a filter based on mathematical morphology that creates distinct signatures for capacitor inrush and faults. These signatures are then used to propose a rule-based classification method that can be easily implemented in microprocessor-based relays. Extensive simulations are carried out to test the classification method using waveforms generated from PSCAD/EMTDC simulation of a standardized test system. The classification method is shown to be very reliable, general, and significantly faster than methods currently used or previously proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the subject of reducing outage durations and autorestoration applications within the distribution substation. Employment of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) can aid in the reduction of the fault duration time, and also it enhances the protection, control, and monitoring at the distribution level. Further, communication among these IEDs can provide faster autorestoration, remote data analysis, event recording, etc. Many recent issues related to distribution substation protection are discussed and techniques to address these issues using current technologies are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates the feasibility of radiometric on-line circuit breaker timing. The timing test is crucial and can reveal a wide range of faults or defects. The work presented concentrates on the timing of gas-insulated substation (GIS) circuit breakers, which due to their enclosed nature pose a variety of challenges not encountered in air insulated substations (AIS). It is demonstrated how key events in the arcing process such as arc ignition and extinctions can be identified from the emitted electromagnetic pulses and how this information can be used to assess the integrity of the circuit breaker being monitored. The results are backed by site measurements of a high voltage reactor switching SF6 double pole puffer breaker. The proposed technique can readily be extended to monitor closing operations as well as being adapted to monitor other types of circuit breakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new method is proposed that can be used to discriminate faults from switching transients. The method is primarily intended for use in systems where fast fault detection and fast fault clearing before the first peak of the fault current are required. An industrial system, in which high short-circuit power is desired but in which high short-circuit currents cannot be tolerated is an example of such a system. A phase-locked loop (PLL) is used to perform the discrimination. Computer simulations have been performed and it has been demonstrated that the output of the PLL is completely different for a fault compared to a switching transient. This difference can be used for discrimination between a fault and a switching transient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) is one of the modern devices used in distribution systems to protect consumers against sudden changes in voltage amplitude. In this paper, emergency control in distribution systems is discussed by using the proposed multifunctional DVR control strategy. Also, the multiloop controller using the Posicast and P+Resonant controllers is proposed in order to improve the transient response and eliminate the steady-state error in DVR response, respectively. The proposed algorithm is applied to some disturbances in load voltage caused by induction motors starting, and a three-phase short circuit fault. Also, the capability of the proposed DVR has been tested to limit the downstream fault current. The current limitation will restore the point of common coupling (PCC) (the bus to which all feeders under study are connected) voltage and protect the DVR itself. The innovation here is that the DVR acts as a virtual impedance with the main aim of protecting the PCC voltage during downstream fault without any problem in real power injection into the DVR. Simulation results show the capability of the DVR to control the emergency conditions of the distribution systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the modeling and analysis of a five-legged rectifier transformer that is used for parallel operation of two three-pulse rectifiers, specifically, for low-voltage high-current applications. The five-legged system is compared with the conventional rectifier system consisting of a three-legged transformer and interphase transformer (IPT). Ensuring equal current sharing between the rectifiers and obtaining output voltage with a higher pulse number are the two major requirements which are satisfied in the conventional system. A mathematical explanation for the five-legged system satisfying the mentioned requirements is given. The system is treated as a strongly coupled circuit field one, where a nonlinear finite-element model of the five-legged transformer is coupled with nonlinear circuit equations. IPT-like behavior of the five-legged rectifier transformer is also investigated. The stated theory and analytical expressions are validated experimentally on a 12-V, 5000-A rectifier system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new control method to reduce overvoltages due to three-phase reclosing for shunt compensated transmission lines (TL). The method detects the first minimum voltage region of the beating across the circuit breakers after protection dead time and works independently of voltage zero crossing, reducing significantly the reclosure time. The controller was tested on a Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) and its performance was compared to the traditional preinsertion resistor approach and another existing control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applications of solid-state converters and inverters for adjustable speed drives (ASDs) are popular in industrial systems and lead to a significant amount of harmonic and interharmonic currents being injected into the connected system. This paper presents an accurate analytical approach for the assessment of the harmonic and interharmonic currents generated by the voltage-source inverter-fed ASDs operated under unbalanced supply voltages, where the commutaton effect of the ASD converter and the detailed motor circuit model with various load levels are included. To validate the accuracy of the proposed approach, simulation results are performed by comparing those obtained by a time-domain simulation tool and by laboratory tests. It is shown that the proposed method can effectively calculate the harmonic and interharmonic currents produced by the ASD, either under balanced or unbalanced supply-voltage conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies nearest level control (NLC) to the modular multilevel converter (MMC). Since there are a number of submodules (SMs) in high-voltage applications of MMC and all SM voltages are required to be measured and sorted, if the uniform sampling frequency is not high enough, the SM will not be triggered as quickly as possible. Thus, the converter-output voltage levels and voltage harmonics will be affected. A method to systematically analyze the voltage harmonics is presented, considering the uniform sampling frequency. In order to select a proper sampling frequency, two critical values, which significantly influence the output voltage levels and voltage total harmonic distortions, are calculated. Simulation results based on PSCAD/EMTDC proved the validity of the proposed modulation scheme and the importance of a properly selected sampling frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes two new approaches for the determination of the direction of switched capacitor banks as well as an efficient technique for estimating the distance of switched capacitors from the monitoring location in distribution systems. At first, two new indices based on branch voltage and current changes immediately after the capacitor switching instant are proposed for determining the direction of switched capacitor banks. The wavelet transform is used to detect the exact instant of switching. Then, a new technique based on linear circuit theory is proposed to estimate the distance of the switched capacitor bank from the monitoring location using capacitor switching transient data. Simulation results show that the error of the estimated distance is acceptable. A combination of the approaches for direction finding and the technique for distance estimation provide a novel method for determining the location of switched capacitor banks in real distribution systems. The method is valid in all normal, back-to-back, and abnormal switching of wye- and delta-configured capacitor banks. Also, the size of the capacitor bank has no effect on method accuracy. The efficacy of the proposed method is validated by using the IEEE 13-bus and 34-bus distribution systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a neutral point voltage control strategy for the three-level active neutral point clamped (ANPC) converter using selective harmonic elimination pulsewidth modulation (SHE-PWM). The control strategy introduces a small change in the switching angles, which varies the duty cycle of the zero-level switching state, controls the neutral point current and, therefore, the neutral point voltage. The decision to vary a given switching angle takes into account the polarity of the output currents and the voltage across the lower dc-link capacitor. The effectiveness of the proposed strategy is verified through extensive simulation studies and experimentally validated using a low power laboratory prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the applicability of decision tree, hidden Markov model, and probabilistic neural-network (PNN) classification techniques to distinguish the transients originating from the faults from those originating from normal switching events. Current waveforms due to different types of events, such as faults, load switching, and capacitor bank switching were generated using a high-voltage transmission system simulated in PSCAD/EMTDC simulation software. Simulated transients were used to train and test the classifiers offline. The wavelet energies calculated using three-phase currents were used as input features for the classifiers. The results of the study showed the potential for developing a highly reliable transient classification system using the PNN technique. An online classification model for PNN was fully implemented in PSCAD/EMTDC. This model was extensively tested under different scenarios. The effects of the fault impedance, signal noise, current-transformer saturation, and arcing faults were investigated. Finally, the operation of the classifier was verified using actual recorded waveforms obtained from a high-voltage transmission system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the development of a line-interactive single-phase dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) with a novel sag detection algorithm. The developed detection algorithm has a hybrid structure composed of an instantaneous detection part and the root-mean-square (rms) variation detection part. The source voltage passes through the instantaneous sag detection part. If instantaneous sag is detected, the rms variation detector-1 is selected to calculate the rms variation. The rms variation detector-2 is selected when the instantaneous sag occurs under the operation of the rms variation detector-1. The feasibility of proposed algorithm was verified through computer simulations and experimental works with a 3-kVA-rating prototype of line-interactive DVR. The line-interactive DVR with the proposed algorithm can compensate the input voltage sag or interruption within 2.0-ms delay. The developed DVR can be effectively utilized for the sensitive loads, such as a computer, communication device, and automation device. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The unified power-quality conditioner (UPQC) is used to provide balanced and sinusoidal source currents and load voltages under unbalanced and distorted three-phase supply voltages and load currents in a power distribution network. In this paper, a particle swarm optimization-based feedback controller is designed for UPQC. This feedback controller has optimal performance in various operating conditions and is robust to parametric uncertainties when compared to the conventional feedback controllers, such as the linear quadratic regulator. The proposed method is implemented on a distribution system and detailed simulation and experimental results are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A power-failure event occurred at the third nuclear power plant (TNPP) in Taiwan in 2001. A chain of events began at 09:36 p.m. on March 16 due to insulation failure associated with flashovers on the 345-kV transmission line. As a result, the 4.16-kV engineered safety features (ESF) buses at the TNPP experienced a loss of power for 2 h and 8 min. This accident was a class 3 emergency (e.g., a class 4 emergency will lead to an overall evacuation of local residents) based on the declared class of emergency in Taiwan. The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the chain of events leading to the loss of electrical power. Conclusions on the causes of the outage are drawn and modifications of the system structure are made to improve safety and reliability in a nuclear power plant. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Due to different degradation mechanisms, onload tap changers (OLTCs) may contribute to power transformer failures. If offline diagnosis is undertaken during functional checks performed during the service life of OLTC devices, some of the degradation effects can be assessed. This paper addresses an OLTC diagnostic method based on the measurement of dynamic resistance. An experimental investigation of the degraded OLTC contacts was used to identify a number of defects revealed by dynamic resistance measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Modeling and analysis of power and power-electronic systems' transients using digital programs enables testing new design concepts in modern electric grid and many industrial and commercial products and applications. This paper gives an overview of dynamic average-value modeling techniques for representing static switching converters for the system-level studies. Concepts and desirable properties of averaged models for conducting large-signal time-domain transient studies and small-signal frequency-domain analysis for control design tasks are discussed. Basic approaches for developing average models for dc/dc and dc/ac converters are briefly reviewed and summarized. Finally, the desirable properties of the average-value models are demonstrated through an example system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Typically, telecom power systems are connected to the grid and diesel generator. This paper represents a new telecom power system using local microsources (fuel cell and microturbine). Some benefits of this system are effectively eliminating batteries, diesel generator, and automatic transfer switch. In this study, a new multiple input buck-boost converter is utilized as an interface between the microsources and the dc bus. The peak current-mode control is used to control the current of fuel cell while the voltage-mode control is used to regulate the output voltage. A model for the proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEM FC) and microturbine (MT) along with their subcomponents and internal controls are presented. Furthermore, the parallel operation of FC and MT by using the proposed multiple-input dc/dc converter is investigated. In addition, the dynamic response of the system to the dynamic behavior of the load is analyzed. Using an inverter, the common bus of the system also connected to the distribution network in order to supply the excess power to the grid. For grid interconnection, an LC filter, double-tuned filters, and a C-type high-pass filter are developed for eliminating high-frequency switching oscillations, selected harmonics, and high-order harmonics, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]