Methodology for Assessing the Impact of Short-Term Voltage Variations (Sags) on Power Electronic Equipment

C. Trujillo, Member IEEE, J. Guacaneme, Member IEEE.

Laboratorio de Investigacin en Fuentes Alternativas de Energa. Universidad Distrital Francisco Jos de Caldas Bogot, Colombia cltrujillo@udistrital.edu.co, jguacaneme@udistrital.edu.co

H. Torres, Senior Member IEEE, A. Pavas, Member IEEE.

Programa de Adquisicin y Anlisis de Seales. Universidad Nacional de Colombia Bogot, Colombia htorress@unal.edu.co, fapavasm@unal.edu.co

AbstractA methodology for assessing the short-term voltage variations (sags) impact on power electronic equipment is presented. Initially, the way voltage sags affect the power electronic equipment is shown and how this behavior can be represented by sensibility curves. Additionally, the impact of the power quality system conditions on the sensitive equipment is estimated through the generation of iso-sags outline curves to superimpose them onto the equipments sensitive curves. Iso-sags outlines obtained in Bogot are superimposed from measurements taken at the PQB Project studying the converters sensibility curves to analyze electromagnetic compatibility conditions. Finally, results, conclusions and recommendations are presented. Keywords- Power Quality, power electronic devices, voltage sags, sensibility curve.

seven categories according to their duration, amplitude, and frequencies spectrum following the IEEE Standard 1159-1995. One of these phenomena is the sag, known as a decrease in RMS voltage value that is among 0.1 p.u. y 0.9 p.u., presenting durations from 0.5 cycles to 1 minute and characterized for having an industrial frequency (60 Hz. for Colombia). Sags may be caused by remote failures (lightning strikes, animals, etc.) on some place of the power system, but they may be also caused by great loads maneuvers or ignition of huge motors [2]. Electronic equipment used at modern industrial plants are becoming more sensitive to voltage sags in the extent of their increasing complexity. Sags do not represent a problem as long as they dont cause an equipment malfunctioning that mainly depends on the equipment sensibility to voltage sags events. On the other side, different equipment categories and even different brands among a single category have different voltage sag sensitivities [3]. Since current equipments have different operating characteristics during voltage sags, it becomes necessary to propose a methodology that allows showing the sags immediate impact on power electronic equipment, given that these units adapt power allowing electronic equipment processing information and proper functioning. Apart from determining the way the mentioned voltage sags affect the power electronic equipment and expressing this in

I.

INTRODUCTION

Service continuity and wave amplitude, frequency and shape parameters of voltage and current signals are defined by values or indexes in resolutions; national o international guides or standards among ranges that are acceptable technically and economically for those systems were they are applied [1]. However, these parameters may be affected by electromagnetic disturbances which are defined by the international standard IEC 61000-1 as any other phenomenon that can degrade correct functioning of an electric, electronic or communicating equipment system, device or equipment; they are divided into

sensibility curves, the present article estimates the power system conditions impact on the sensitive equipment through the generation of iso-sags outline curves to superimpose them over the equipment sensibility curves (electromagnetic compatibility study). Additionally, a case study was performed in the city of Bogot. II. CHARACTERIZATION OF POWER CONVERTER UNITS

Excepting the six-phase rectifier, all rectifiers present intolerably big output power fluctuations, resulting absolutely necessary using a condenser filtering stage to obtain a constant voltage, useful in electronics work. as: The RMS voltage over the R resistance can be calculated
VR RMS = Em 2 (1)

The first step of the proposed methodology is characterizing power converter units by mainly identifying the power supply unit which is a major component in every electronic equipment. This power supply unit is generally formed by either voltage or current constant sources whose typical configurations correspond to the commuting classification. The direct network, or the single-phase or threephase systems rectified signal can act as the commuting source input. Analyzing the power electronic equipment functioning for the sags is the goal, with the aim of identifying the electronic equipments failure mechanisms; if there is a failure analysis for the most representative commuting sources in operating terms (dissipated power, electric and mechanic properties), the power unit failure and the equipment failure can be related; the present is the case since the intention is identifying the failure confronting power signal variations in the equipment feed. Aiming to identify these failure susceptible operating modes, a model is used representing the typical rectification technology used as non-regulated primary source and the basic converter topologies used for a commuting source implementation (a buck converter in this case), allowing their behavior simulation through the computer. This converter topology was chosen since it is the base of more complex topologies [4]. A. Single-phase Rectifier. Rectifier diodes are used to convert alternating voltage in direct voltage, which let the signals positive or negative semicycles through according to the need. The single-phase rectifiers are commonly used in process monitoring equipment, office equipment and electronic devices (sound and video players, microwaves, T.V sets, etc.) as primary source of commuting converters. A typical singlephase rectifying circuit is shown in Fig. 1.

where Em is the sinuosity signals peak value. B. Buck converter The buck converter is an industrial use circuit to reduce the continuous voltage level to a lower value looking for minimum losses during the reduction. This can be accomplished by means of the time management principle that consists of letting through the primary source current E (T1 time) to an inductive device L which will accumulate the primary sources power and subsequently open this way (T2 time) for the inductive device L to release the accumulated power, which is transformed in a continuous voltage tension VR, lower than E [5]. A circuital model of a buck converter is shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 2. Buck converter

Where E corresponds to the primary source supplying the input voltage, L to the inductance value, C the output filter capacitance, Q the transistor, D the diode and R the load. The voltage over the resistance R can be calculated as:
VR = E (2)

where is the useful cycle defined as the time over the period when the switch Q is closed. III. CONVERTERS SIMULATION AND OBTAINING THE
SENSIBILITY CURVES

Once the power units were characterized (single-phase rectifier and buck converter) models were generated and submitted to voltage drops (sags) with the aim of determining sensibility curves for each one of them; the simulation was carried out with Matlabs SimPowerSystems. Additionally, a controlled voltage sags generator was physically implemented which permitted running tests on different kinds of commuting sources with the intention of experimentally validate the proposed methodology [6].
Figure 1. Single-phase rectifier

A brief description on the equipments sensibility for voltage sags and the standard types of existing sensibility

curves were shown before presenting the model and determining their sensibility curves. A. Equipment Sensibility for voltage sags Equipment sensibility for RMS voltage variations specifically depends on the equipment type, control characteristics and application. It is commonly difficult to establish an equipment malfunctioning cause due to input RMS voltage variations, even an equipment part could fail before variations among the equipment functioning range, stopping an entire production process. There are three main equipment sensitive categories [7]: sensitive equipment just to RMS voltage variations, sensitive equipment to RMS voltage variations and their durations, and sensitive equipment to other magnitude and duration characteristics. Several authors have reported the voltage sags effects on different equipment [8]. However, different equipment categories and even different equipment brands show different voltage sags sensitivities. This makes difficult to develop a unique regulation or standard that defines an equipment sensibility belonging to a given industrial process. CBEMA, ITIC and SEMI F-47 curves are some of the adopted standards [9]. B. Simulation First of all, as Simulink models, the single-phase rectifier, Fig. 3, and the buck converter, Fig. 4, were implemented.

according to their duration and voltage profile was considered to vary time. Once models and sag generator are implemented, the sensibility curve for each model at full load was determined. This was carried out decreasing the input nominal voltage (120Vrms) in the sag generator in 10% steps until reaching 12Vrms for uptimes of 5ms up to 1 second, observing if the output voltage was moving away from the proper functioning range (10%) with the aim of establishing if units connected to these systems stop or not during a given disturbance. This percentage was chosen in function of the parameters functioning for this case input voltage range allowed to properly operate, given by the manufacturers of microcontroller and programmable logic devices such as Motorola, Analog Device, Altera, etc. [10]. Aiming to perform an optimum simulation, an algorithm allowing a time automatic variation for a voltage magnitude of a given sag was implemented, during an specific period of time. At the end of this process voltage was varied and the same procedure was executed until reaching a preestablished voltage level. For each simulated sag, it was analyzed if the equipment kept working or not. Data obtained from the simulation can be represented as sensibility curves as shown in Fig. 5.
Curvas de Sensibilidad Rectificador Monofsico & Conversor Directo
0,9

0,8

0,7

0,6
D1 D3 5 ohms 5.6 mF
+ v -

Out To Workspace

Sag Magnitude [p.u] Magnitud Sags [p.u]

0,5
Rectifier Rec. Monofasico

Vd2
Out s + -

Conv. Directo Buck Converter 0,4

SAGS Generator

CVS
+ v -

2
node 1

0,3

T1 D2 D4 Scope2

Vd1

0,2

0,1

Scope1

node 1

0 0 20 40 60 Sag duration in milliseconds Duracin de Sags [mseg] 80 100 120

Figure 3. Single-phase rectifier Simulink Model

Figure 5. Sensibility curves for Single-phase Rectifier and Buck Converter.

g Out s + A + d s

SAGS Generator

CVS
+ v -

2
B -

Mosfet

Rb

T1

Rectifier

Ci

Rs Co

Rl
+ v -

Vd2 Out To Workspace

node 1

node 1

Vd1

node 1

node 1

node 1

node 1

Scope1 Scope2

12 Constant

1 Gain1 Add
Signal(s) Pulses

Terminator PWM

50 Gain2

1 s Integrator

Figure 4. Buck Converter Simulink Model

For the buck converter case a PI controller was designed with the aim of showing the system response when there is a control action in presence of a voltage sag. Subsequently a sag generator was developed allowing a variation of input voltage magnitude and the duration time as well. The IEEE standard 1159-1995 which classifies sags

C. Analysis of different sensibility curves When analyzing the sensibility curve corresponding to the single-phase rectifier which acts as a feed primary source without any kind of regulation, it can be observed that it is more sensitive to voltage sags, in other words, there is a minimum input voltage close to the unit for too short times when operates properly, and the main reason is that there is one condenser that can maintain the output voltage under certain acceptable work range during a period of time (16ms). It can be inferred that when increasing the condensers capability value, there is an extension of the maximum time and the minimum voltage where the equipment properly operates, as shown in Fig. 6, which takes as a first resort a 5600F condenser, later a 7200F one and finally a 11200F one, with the aim of observing the rectifier behavior considering sags.

Curvas de Sensibilidad Rectificador Monofsico para Diferentes Valores de C

0,9

accumulated sag density and accumulated iso-sags outline curves [11]. A. Study of case: accumulated iso-sags outline in Bogot The table of accumulated sags (Table I) is presented and the iso-sags outline graphic as well (Fig. 7.), they are based on measurements performed during the development of the project called Electric Power Quality: monitoring and analysis for indicators calculation in Bogot PQB Project carried out by the PASS-UN research team. These measurements were taken within a three-month period.
TABLE I.
Magnitude (p.u.) Magnitud (p.u.) 0,5 0,55 0,6 0,65 0,7 0,75 0,8 0,85 0,9

0,8

0,7

0,6

Magnitud Sags [p.u]

Sag Magnitude [p.u]

0,5

0,4

C=5.6mF C=7.2mF C=11.2mF

0,3

0,2

0,1

0 0 20 40 60
Sag durationde milliseconds Duracin in Sags [mseg]

80

100

120

ACCUMULATED SAGS IN BOGOT

Duration in milliseconds Duracin (ms)

Figure 6. Single-phase Rectifier Sensibility curves for different condenser values.

Sag Magnitude [p.u]

As observed when increasing the condensers capability value, the rectifiers become more immune to sags effects, however, this condenser has a double increase in the initial value in order to appreciate the improvement, which by simple inspection leads to conclude that for getting a more immune sag rectifier, a higher capacitance condenser has to be placed implying and additional cost in assembly implementation. It has to be considered that increasing the condenser capability generates an additional risk related to the severe current increase in the presence of voltage recovery in the condenser [11], which may produce fusible break and permanent damage in power semiconductor devices. On the other side, the sensibility curve corresponding to the buck converter shows that it is more immune to sag effects compared to the rectifier, this is mainly due to the first consideration at the design stage where the converters maintain a constant output voltage under a defined range of voltage input variation, and the second consideration is the regulated system which allows an output correction by the useful cycle increase when the input voltage is decreased. It can be appreciated in Fig. 5 that putting a regulated commuting converter on the rectifier that acts as primary source, substantially increases the sets sag immunity in comparison with the choice of increasing the condenser capability value of the rectifying value. However, same as increasing the condensers capability, this mechanisms generate an additional cost due to the insertion of semiconductor and energy storage elements and needed processing units for control implementation as well, although this investment can be justified in the case of needing a higher system reliability. IV. ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY ANALYSIS

164 0% 0% 10% 28% 33% 41% 51% 56% 100%

328 0% 0% 10% 28% 33% 38% 44% 49% 74%

492 0% 0% 10% 26% 31% 33% 33% 33% 56%

656 0% 0% 10% 23% 26% 26% 26% 26% 44%

820 0% 0% 10% 21% 21% 21% 21% 21% 36%

984 0% 0% 10% 15% 15% 15% 15% 15% 31%

1148 0% 0% 8% 13% 13% 13% 13% 13% 28%

1312 0% 0% 8% 13% 13% 13% 13% 13% 28%

1500 0% 0% 3% 8% 8% 8% 8% 8% 23%

3700 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 8%

6966 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3%

0,9

0,85

80%-100%
0,8

60%-80% 40%-60% 20%-40% 0%-20%

Percent of sags in Bogot

0,75

0,7

0,65

0,6

0,55

164

328

492

656

820

984

1148

1312

1500

3700

0,5 6966

Sag duration in milliseconds

Figure 7. Accumulated isosags in Bogot

Outlines presented above are compared to sensibility curves of the single-phase rectifier and the buck converter. The intersection between the power converter equipment curve and the outlines will establish the number of times this equipment is susceptible of malfunctioning [13]. The superimposition of these graphics on the same scale is shown on Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. As shown in Fig. 8, the single-phase rectifier is susceptible of malfunctioning between 40% and 60% of the times during the period analysis which is three months for this case, implying that if the electronic equipment were fed only from a primary source in a city such as Bogot, the probable executed processes would be affected in an alarming way given that functioning failures would take place in the sags range between 40% and 60%.

In this section an electromagnetic compatibility analysis was performed to establish susceptibility and the electromagnetic compatibility level of the rectifier and power converter equipment within a power electric system characterized in two ways [12]: using the stimulation based on statistical analysis or monitoring. In this specific case, this characterization was performed on Bogot City (Colombia) by means of monitoring. Once data are obtained, they must be organized and tabulated through density diagrams of sags,

3. Characterization of the power electric system. In this case this system was characterized through monitoring voltage signals. 4. Electromagnetic compatibility analysis from the superimposition of iso-sags outline curves with converters sensibility curves previously developed with the aim of determining the sensitive equipment impact for power system conditions (electronic power system).
Percent of sags in Bogot

Sag Magnitude [p.u]

VI.
Sag duration in milliseconds

CONCLUSIONS

Figure 8.

Iso-sags Superimposition Bogota Single-Phase Rectifier Sensibility Curve

In this case, the use of a commuting converter of direct topology placed in cascade with the primary source remarkably improves, as mentioned before, the system immunity in consideration of sags, in other words, the electromagnetic compatibility level. This can be appreciated in Fig. 9 where the equipment is susceptible of malfunctioning only in the range between 20% and 40% of the times during the analysis period (three months), which is a much lower percentage than the one presented in the single-phase rectifier case.

The short-term voltage variations impact (sags) was evaluated on the electronic power equipment sets functioning. This impact was validated by the electromagnetic compatibility analysis of the equipment (power rectifier and converter) placed on a given electromagnetic environment. This case was performed in the city of Bogot where the susceptibility percentage was determined in case of malfunctioning under a given period of time using iso-sags outline curves. This analysis advantage lies in the opportunity to observe the power system impact for a given point using a required set of equipment, so in this way make use of the needed mechanisms for a proper functioning. VII. RECOMMENDATIONS Apart from the simulated mechanisms used to mitigate the sags effect, it becomes necessary, at a recommending level, to consider some additional mechanisms pointed out by other authors for further investigations [11], such as: 1. Commutation through static switches for energy storage sources which can be batteries or supercondensers. 2. Use of interfaces between the electric network and the equipment based on active power injection which allows compensating active power losses suffered by the system in a given moment. These interfaces are based on electronic devices, with the VSC voltage source converter as the systems main unit. Some of the equipment used in this function are: Dynamic Voltage Restorers (DVR). Parallel Voltage Controllers (StatCom). Series and parallel commuting controllers Uninterrupted Power System (UPS)

Sag Magnitude [p.u]

Percent of sags in Bogot

Sag duration in milliseconds

Figure 9. Iso-sags Superimposition Bogota Buck Converter Sensibility Curve

V.

METHOD SUMMARY

Other non-based on voltage source converters VSC solutions are: Engine-generator combined equipment. Electronic Tap Changers. Ferroresonant Transformers

The methodology considers the following stages: 1. Identification of sag sensitive equipment, in this case, power rectifiers and converters. This classification was generally based on topologies which are the base of more complex topologies. 2. Determination of sensibility curves of the mentioned rectifiers and converters with the aim of obtaining information of those sags affecting in higher proportion the equipment functioning.

All of these with the aim of identifying those cases where using one or another mechanism is convenient depending on the implementations probable application and cost. On the other hand, it is recommended to perform an study of sags impact on the power electronic equipment from an

economical point of view, with the aim of identifying expenses that must be covered by both user and the network operator. REFERENCES
[1] H. Torres, Metodologa para Estimar los Indicadores de Calidad de la Potencia Elctrica en Bogot, Colombia, Sicel, Bogot, Colombia, Oct. 2003. W. Zapata, Sistemas de Transmisin y su Impacto en la Calidad de la Potencia, Sicel, Bogot, Colombia, Nov. 2001. M. McGranaghan, et al. Voltage Sags in Industrial Systems, IEEE Trans. on Industry Applications, vol. 29, Mar. 1993. A. Pressman, Switching Power Supply Design, USA: McGraw Hill, 1991. 541p R. Ericcson, et al. Fundamental of Power Electronics, Kluwer Academic Publisher, University of Colorado, 2001. C. Trujillo, et al. Diseo e implementacin de un generador de perturbaciones elctricas SAGS. III ANDESCON, Quito, Ecuador, 2006. M. McGranaghan and B. Roettger. Economic evaluation of power quality, IEEE Power Engineering Review, Feb 2002, pp8-12. J. Lamoree, et al. Voltage sag analysis case studies, IEEE Trans. Ind. Applicat., vol. 30, no. 4, Jul/ Aug 1994, pp1083-1089. O. Kit. Power Quality Issues on the Distribution Systems, Curtin University of Technology, Bentley, 2002. 124p. MOTOROLA, Technical Data MC68HC908JK3 HCMOS Microcontroller Unit. M. Bollen. Understanding Power Quality Problems: Voltage Sags and Interruptions, IEEE Press Series on Power Engineering, 2000, N.Y., USA, 2000. E. Ziga, et al. Estado del arte y Caracterizacin Completa de Sags, Sicel, Bogot, Colombia, Nov. 2001. IEEE Recommended Practice for Evaluating Electric Power System Compatibility With Electronic Process Equipment, IEEE std 1346 1998.

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