Power flow control capability of the power transistor-assisted Sen transformer and the unified power flow controller: a close comparison

• Published in: IET generation, transmission & distribution Vol. 14; no. 15; pp. 3033 - 3041
• Main Author: Gasim Mohamed, Salah Eldeen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Institution of Engineering and Technology 03.08.2020
• Subjects: control difficulties; control parameters; flexible AC transmission systems; load flow; load flow control; power flow control capability; power flow controllers; power transistor‐assisted Sen transformer; power transmission control; Research Article; sensitivity analysis; unified power flow controller; load flow control; control parameters; sensitivity analysis; power transistor-assisted Sen transformer; control difficulties; flexible AC transmission systems; unified power flow controller; load flow; power flow control capability; power flow controllers; power transmission control
• ISSN: 1751-8687; 1751-8695
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-gtd.2020.0114

Currently, transmission grids are subject to experience more operation and control difficulties. The use of power flow controllers (PFCs) can ease such difficulties. However, most competent PFCs need to be used. Cost-wise, the power transistor assisted Sen transformer (TAST) is attractive as compared to the unified PFC (UPFC). However, while the UPFC has three control parameters, the TAST has only two. The UPFC can regulate the voltage of its shunt bus while the TAST cannot. The main objective of this study is to investigate the extent to which the TAST and UPFC are comparable when used for power flow control. Power flow control is performed in this study for congestion management using a TAST/UPFC in a modified IEEE-118 bus system. A TAST/UPFC is optimally located using sensitivity analysis. For the sake of validation, results are obtained using both load flow analysis and voltage vector analysis. With only two control parameters, the performance of the TAST is found very closely comparable to that of the UPFC. Accordingly, the TAST can competently replace the UPFC for application of power flow control, at a far lower cost. Nonetheless, appropriate limited angle TAST is a suitable substitute for the TAST at a further lower cost.