10/3/2014

Zone4info - Reactive Power Control with Multiple Feed-ins

Zone4info - Reactive Power Control with Multiple Feed-ins

Reactive Power Control with Multiple Feed-ins

Posted by Hameedullah Ekhlas September 27

Larger electrical plants have multiple feed-ins with two or more power transformers usually working in
parallel. Regarding the control of reactive power, there are two solutions possible. The first solution is,
according to Figure , to measure the load via three current trans-formers of 1500 A/5 A with each incoming
supply fed by one power transformer of 1000 kVA. The three current paths are summed in a summation
current transformer with three input paths,

of 5 A each, and one output path of 5 A too. This output is wired to the current path of the power factor
relay controlling a 12-step central compensation bank of 600 kvar. The method has a big disadvantage: for
proper control of reactive power it is necessary to keep the two coupling circuit breakers 1 and 2 closed all
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Zone4info - Reactive Power Control with Multiple Feed-ins

the time! In case of any short circuit, all three power transformers generate a very high power as a rule.

Suppose coupling circuit breaker 1 is opened; then the power factor relay is not able to com-pensate the
reactive power of consumers connected to the busbar to the left. However, the relay notes a higher request
for capacitors to be switched in. This could lead to overcompensation at transformers 2 and 3; it means that
the capacitive reactive power goes up to the busbar of the MV level and via transformer 1 to the consumers
to be compensated. This transmission of reactive power causes additional active power losses along the
cables and in the transformers of course.

The third disadvantage is that the power factor relay is not able to see in which area reactive power arises,
due to the summation current transformer and the central-type compensation connected to the busbar in the
middle. Despite this, it is essential to discuss how to calculate the C/k value for correct adjustment.

For this purpose Equation 11.1 is again used:

C/k = 0.65 * (Qc) / (1.732 * U * k)

Factor k is to be determined separately:

k = ( 1500 A + 1500 A + 1500 A ) / ( 5 A + 5 A + 5 A ) * ( 5 A + 5 A + 5 A)/5A = 900

The first term symbolizes the total ratio of the three current transformers, and the second, symbolizing the
summation transformer to be multiplied, results in a very high total ratio of k =900. It is then necessary to
check whether the relays minimum sensibility of 1% willnot be undersized.

Finally the C/k value is to be calculated according to Equation

C/k = 0.65 * (50 kVar) / ( 0.415 kV * 1.732 * 900) = 0.05 Ar

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Zone4info - Reactive Power Control with Multiple Feed-ins

This value is adjustable at most power factor relays by manual C/k setting or at relays with half-automatic
adaption .

Suppose a fourth incoming supply with an additional power transformer of 1000 kVA increases the total
ratio referring to four current transformers to be summarized up to k = 1200 and the C/k value decreases
down to 0.038 approximately.

This value decreases the 1% level distinctly. There would be only the possibility of varying the factor of
0.65 up to 0.85 or, in another calculation, to show at which percentage of the step size (50 kvar) a power
factor relay with fully automatic C/k adaption would start to control:

x = 0. 65 * ( 0.05 A) / (0.038) = 0.85

The relay would (re-)energize the capacitor at a level of 85% referring to 50 kvar, or 42.5 kvar only. Proper
control of the capacitors is no longer guaranteed due to the tolerances of the relay and the capacitor as well.
Regarding factor k, it does not matter whether all power transformers are in operation or not. Factor k is just
a characterizing constant of the entire electrical plant.

As mentioned previously, this method of controlling reactive power has some disadvantages. To install
individual compensation banks for each incoming supply is much more suitable, as described in the
following section.

Reference: A John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Publication

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