THE ROLE,OF CUSTOM POWER PRODUCTS IN ENHANCING POWER QUALITY AT INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES

Michael D. Stump, P.E. Westinghouse Power Generation

Gerald J. Keane Westinghouse Power Generation

Frederick K. S. Leong Westinghouse Industry Services Asia Pte Ltd

Abstract-New technologies, using power electronics-based concepts, have been developed to provide protection for commercial and industrial customers from power quality problems on the electrical distribution system. Known as Custom Power products, the technologies described in this paper provide protection against sags, swells, voltage flicker, harmonics, and other power quality concerns. The Custom Power products can increase the availability of sensitive load and reduce costs associated with process interruptions.
This paper covers two Custom Power products that were developed by Westinghouse Electric Corporation under contract to the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).

that feeds large industrial facilities. These devices are being used to provide higher power quality and they may permit the electric utility to increase revenue scales for the improved service that is offered. In many cases the custom power device can provide the most economic solution by establishing the proper power quality level that is required by the customer. Often such a device would negate the need for (1) the utility to install additional feeders or substations or (2) the customer to install individual power conditioners at the load level. Because custom power devices are connected to the power system through distribution transformers, they are capable of .operating at a variety of primary voltage ratings from 2.4 kV through 34.5 kV.
1 . Power Quality Concerns on Distribution 1 Systems

The Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR), which is a series-connected power electronics based device, quickly compensates for power system sags and swells. The Distribution Static Compensator (DSTATCOM), which is a shunt-connected power electronics-based device, protects the electrical system from a polluting (flickerproducing) load. The DSTATCOM can be used in place of a traditional static VAR compensator and offers many advantages.

A. Definitions
IEEE Standard 1100-1992 (IEEE Emerald Book)[] defines a sag (Fig. 1) as an rms reduction in the ac voltage, at the power frequency, for durations from a half-cycle to a few seconds. Note: The IEC terminology for a sag is dip.
Line Side Voltage
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I. Introduction
In many ac distribution systems, due to the more sensitive nature of newer loads, users continue to demand higher power quality. On the other hand, power quality polluting loads are also becoming more numerous. Today, it is possible to build inverter-based high power counter-measures for achieving higher power quality. These devices are better known as CUSTOM POWER (CP) devices and are typically installed on the distribution system

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Fig. 1. Typical Voltage Sag

IEEE Standard 1100-1992 (IEEE Emerald Book) defines a swell (Fig. 2) as an rms increase in the ac voltage, at the power frequency, for durations from a half-cycle to a few seconds.

fluctuations than earlier models. Severe fluctuations in voltage, however, can result in such intolerable consequences as hard disk crashes or lost files.

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(3) Computer Monitors: The visible effect on computer monitors varies according to the manufacturer and the quality of regulation that is built into the power supply, if any, or line-conditioning if applied. These monitors may be more sensitive to lower fluctuation frequencies of approximately 5 Hz or less. Higher voltages tend to distort the display. At lower voltages the display may not fill the frame and a dark margin becomes more visible. Also, sudden voltage changes would result in noticeable color change on the computer monitor.
(4) Arc-Discharge Lighting: Voltage fluctuations cause thie illumination of arcdischarge lamps to fluctuate. The arcdischarge lamps, having essentially no energy storage, respond instantly to a change in voltage. l h i s rapid response is somewhat reduced for fluorescent lamps due to the phosphor lamp coatings and ballast circuits. Another concern with arc-discharge lighting is that a sufficient voltage drop may result in extinguishing the light, although most mercury vapor lamps can withstand a drop of 15-25 percent below rated voltage before they extinguish.
111. Voltaige Sags

Fig. 2. Typical Voltage Swell

IEEE Standard 1 1 00-1992 (IEEE Emerald Book) defines flicker as a variation of input voltage sufficient in duration to allow visual observation of a change in electric light source intensity. B. Effecfs of Sags, Swells, and Flicker
(1) Industrial Devices: Voltage fluctuation (with sufficient voltage sag or swells) can result in the tripping of industrial devices such as magnetic devices or contactors, motor starters, control relays, electrically operated valves, etc. Process line shutdowns may result in substantial loss of production as well as extensive tool damage. A voltage drop that exceeds I O percent (retained voltages of 90 percent or less) of the rated voltage for a motor can cause a heavily loaded motor to slip excessively or even stall, although the contactor has not dropped out.
(2) Computers and Industrial Process Controllers: The new generation of computers and process controllers is generally less sensitive to mild voltage
The drop out for a contactor voltage can vary considerably even for contactors of the same type and same manufacturer; variation can occur with time as well, depending on armature seating and contamination.

A. Origin of Voltage Sags2J Faults on the transmission and distribution systems can be caused by numerous sources such as lightning strikes, conductors blowing together in ia storm, contact with objects (e.g., tree branlches, animals, etc.), or vandalism. Most of these faults (70-80%) are temporary in nature: they are self-clearing within a few milliseconds. The fault that does not clear will cause a protective device (s) (e.g., fuse, circuit breaker, or recloser) to

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operate to interrupt current to that pan of the system in the affected area. During the period of time that the fault is on the system , the voltage will be depressed at the affected feeder, as well as other locations in the system, which will result in wide spread voltage sags3.

B. Characteristics of Voltage Sags

The magnitude and duration of the retained voltage of the corresponding sags at the affected sensitive site are dependent on a number of electrical system variables, including:

C. Effects of Voltage Sags Sensitive loads may trip due to voltage sags. Sags may lead to shutdowns in adjustable speed drives (ASDs), upsets iii electronic process controllers, and computer system crashes. Single-phase sags are often accompanied by temporary increases in the voltage on the other phases, which are referred to as swells. Swells can cause misoperation of electric motor controllers and ASDs. Swells may also stress delicate computer components sometimes leading to premature failure. Degradation of metal oxide surge arresters can also be caused by frequent exposure to high magnitude voltage swells.
Typically electronic equipment can operate at 80 to 85 percent of nominal voltage for several cycles. This operating characteristic is illustrated by the well known CBEMA curve that is shown in Fig. 3, which was established by the Computer Business Equipment Manufacturing Association (CBEMA). Most recently, CBEMA has changed its name to the Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC), and the existing curve has been changed as shown in Fig. 4. Note: The ITlC curve is planned to be irrcluded in the next revision of the IEEE Emerald Book.

(1) The system capacity or stiffness .

(2) Location of the fault with respect to the affected site, which is further dependent on the following elements:

Voltage class of the line (or feeder) where the fault occurred. 0 Choice of conductor type and size for the lines and feeders. 0 Practice of using current limiting reactors to decrease fault level values. 0 Choice of transformer impedance and connections (e.g., wye-delta, wye-wye, delta-delta, etc). (3) System protection practices, which depend on the following factors: Inverse characteristics of the overcurrent devices (fuses and relays). Reclosing practices (number and reclosing operations allowed).
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IV. The Dynamic Voltage Restorer(DVR)

A. Description of the D VR
The DVR mitigates voltage sags by injecting a compensating voltage into the power system in synchronous real time. The DVR is a high-speed switching power electronic converter that consists of an energy storage system that feeds tnree independent single-phase pulse width modulated (PWM) inverters. As shown in Fig. 5,the energy storage system for the DVlR is a dc capacitor bank, which is interfaced to the PWM inverters by using a boost converter (dc to dc). The boost converter regulates the voltage across the dc link capacitor that serves as a common voltage source for the PWM inverters. The three voltage source single-phase PWM inverters (dc to ac)

During this interruption (ranging from about 20 cycles to a few seconds) the insulation strength of the affected system may be regained. After a pre-set time, the breaker or recloser restores the system back to its original configuration. If the fault is still not cleared, the breaker or recloser may repeat this process for two or three times (different utilities have different reclosing practices). 3Longer duration voltage depressions are called undervoltages. Undervoltages can occur due to incorrect tap settings transformers, increased system load, and deliberate reduction of voltage (brownout) by the utility to decrease system loading during peak demand periods.

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synthesize the appropriate voltage waveform as determined by the DVRs digital control system. This compensating voltage waveform is injected into the power system through three single-phase series injection transformers. The DVR control system compares the input voltage to an adaptive reference signal and injects voltage so that the output voltage remains within specifications (e.g., 1.O per unit).

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Fig. 7. DVR Sag Correction (Example 2)

Under normal operating conditions (no sag), the DVR injects only a small voltage to compensate for the series reactance of the injection transformers and device losses. During a sag, the DVR control system calculates and synthesizes the voltage required to maintain the output voltage and injects this voltage in synchronous real time, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

B. Sizing of fhe DVR lfef41 The DVR is modular in design with ratings ranging from 2 to 10 MVA. Being a series connected device, the current through the line-connected side of the injection transformer must necessarily be rated for the maximum full load current. The injected voltage, however, can be less than the nominal line voltage. Hence the DVR can be "partially rated" when compared to the load. For example, the DVR can have a MVA rating (e.g., 2 MVA) which is less than the MVA rating of the connected load (e.g., 2 to 5 MVA). The use of a partially rated DVR may make for a more economical solution to a power quality problem, especially when the load exceeds several MVA. A number of other sag mitigation devices, by virtue of their design, have to be rated to carry the full MVA rating of the load. By using taps on the injection transformer, a single DVR can accommodate reasonable system growth. The corrected voltage as a function of partially rated DVR's is illustrated in Fig. 8 for a 2 MVA-rated DVR and loads ranging from 2 to 5 MVA.

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It can also be shown [ref that a partially rated DVR, with an injection voltage of 0.5 per unit, can in a number of cases, decrease the vulnerability of a sensitive industrial facility to sags from the distribution system by numbers exceeding 90 percent.
Correction Capability of the 2 MVA DVR

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Fig. 9 illustrates the ride-through times for a 2-MVA-rated DVR for the three types of voltage sags for a 3.25 MVA-rated load. Ride-through time in this context is defined as the time that the DVR can restore or sustain the output voltage to 100 percent of the DVR rating. It is assumed here that the 2 MVA DVR has an effective 0.660 MJ of energy storage capacity in the form of capacitors. Notice that the curves in Fig. 9 flatten at source voltages less than 0.39 per unit, because at that value the partially-rated DVR considered for this example is supplying maximum voltage insertion, in this case 0.61 per unit. When ride-through times in Fig. 9 are compared with the duration of typical sags (Fig. IO), it can be concluded that the proposed DVR and its proposed storage of 0.66 MJ has considerable margin.

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V. Voltage Fluctuations
A. Flicker Problems Voltage flicker problems have, and still are, being used loosely to describe fluctuations in

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the rms voltage due to (1) rapidly fluctuating loads such as arc furnaces and seam welders, (2) starting of large motors and reciprocating compressors, and (3) other polluting type loads. In most cases, very limited information is available to the utility concerning a prospective flicker problem for a new service. Hence, the utility, fearing customer irritation problems, and subsequent expensive remedial measures, is likely to make conservative assumptions in investigating the new service. The application of flicker limits and thresholds of objection (or irritation curves) varies considerably among electrical utilities. In some cases, some utilities may not have any set limits, and may attend to the problem in the cases where complaints are received from other customers who may be affected by the flicker producing loads. Other companies apply a selected curve without regard to the number of customers that are affected by the voltage flicker. Still others may apply much more restrictive limits in highly populated areas, and hence may have two or more sets of boundaries, one for rural and one urban areas. In most cases, boundaries become much more restrictive

with the subtransmission or transmission systems.

B. Flicker Limits
Depending on the situation, flicker limitations are considered as guidelines only and that considerable judgment enters into a final decision as to whether a given flickerproducing customer can be served without making major system improvements. With deregulation looming in the horizon, applying such limits becomes even more interesting. It is foreseeable that some utilities may relax their limits in order to retain big flickerproducing customers, or on the other hand they may find it compelling to apply countermeasures to objectionable flicker caused by such customers in order to retain a larger number of annoyed customers. In all cases, the incandescent lamp's sensitivity to voltage fluctuations has been the basis upon which electric utility flicker curves were traditionally established. Fig. 11 displays some typical voltage fluctuation limits that are in use by a number of utilities. The particular set of limits that is shown in Fig. 11 has been in use for over 50 years.

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Fig. 11: Typical Voltage Fluctuation Limits

VI. Distribution Static Compensator (DSTATC0M) The Distribution Static Compensator (DSTATCOM), is a voltage source inverterbased static compensator (similar in many respects to the DVR) that is used for the correction of bus voltage sags. Connection (shunt) to the distribution network is via a standard power distribution transformer. The DSTATCOM is capable of generating continuously variable inductive or capacitive shunt compensation at a level up its maximum MVA rating. The DSTATCOM continuously checks the line waveform with respect to a reference ac signal, and therefore, it can provide the correct amount of leading or lagging reactive current compensation to reduce the amount of voltage fluctuations.

A. Operating Principles of the DSTATCOM [ref 81 The major components of a DSTATCOM are shown in Fig. 12. It consists of a dc capacitor, one or more inverter modules, an ac filter, a transformer to match the inverter output to the line voltage, and a PWM control strategy. In this DSTATCOM implementation, a voltage-source inverter converts a dc voltage into a three-phase ac voltage that is synchronized with, and connected to, the ac line through a small tie reactor and capacitor (ac filter).
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DSTATCOM rating, for the demonstration system .

regulate voltage, (2) correct power factor, and (3) to some degree reduce line harmonic voltages with a simple, wide area applied solution.

VIII. References
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[ I ] IEEE Std 1100-1992, Powering and Grounding Sensitive Electronic Equipment.

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[2] Abi-Samra, Sohn, Gurlaskie, Malcolm, and Sundaram, Analysis of Voltage Sags on Distribution Sysfems-Part 1 . Proceedings of the 9 International Conference on Power Quality Solutions/Alternative Energy, September 1996. [3] Gurlaskie, McCormick, Williams, Dynamic Restoration of Voltage Sags Due to 12 kV Distribution System Faults .IASTED Conference, October 1997.

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[4] Abi-Samra, Sohn, Legro, Malcolm, and Sundararm, Analysis of Voltage Sags on Disfribution Systems-Part 2 Proceedings of . the gth International Conference on Power Quality Solutions/Alternative Energy, September 1996.
[5] IEEE Std 1159-1995, Recommended Practices on Monitoring Power Quality.

Fig. 14 shows the correction features of a DSTATCOM in an actual power system.

VII. Conclusions
CUSTOM POWER (CP) devices can be used, at reasonable cost, to provide high power quality and improved power service. These Custom Power devices provide solutions to power quality at the medium voltage distribution network level. In many cases, depending on the frequency of events and the cost associated with lost production, the CUSTOM POWER device can provide payback in less than two years. While the DVR, which is a series-connected device, can reduce the vulnerability of a sensitive plant to voltage sags and swells, the DSTATCOM, which is a s hunt-connected device, can provide utilities and industrial users with the ability to (1)

[6] D. Dorr, Power Quality Study - 1990 to 1995, Initial Results. IEEE-APEC 1992 Conference, Paper 92CH3089-0/0303.

[7] L. Conrad, C. Grigg, K. Little, Predicting and Preventing Problems Associated with Remote Fault Clearing Voltage Dips. IEEE Trans. Industry Applications, vol 27, no. 1, pp167-172, Jan/Feb 1991.
[8] Edwards, Abi-Samra, Woodley, Armanini, Clouston, Malcolm and Sundaram, Static Compensator for Distribution Systems. PQA97 Europe, Stockholm, Sweden, June 1997.

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