FACTS for dynamic load balancing and voltage support in rail traction

Rolf Grnbaum
ABB Power Technologies AB
FACTS
Vsters, Sweden
Tel.: +46 / (21) 32 48 16.
Fax: +46 / (21) 32 48 10.
E-Mail: rolf.grunbaum@se.abb.com
URL: http://www.abb.com/FACTS

Keywords
Load balancing, voltage support, FACTS, SVC, STATCOM.

Abstract
With increasing focus on economical as well as environmentally friendly means for mass transit, rail
transport is gaining renewed momentum in many parts of the world. This means investing in novel rail
infrastructure as well as upgrading and electrifying existing facilities. The TEN (Trans-European
Network) program within the European Union is but one current example of the importance attributed
to more and better mass transit all over the world.
The feeding of heavy rolling stock from AC grids will in many cases cause unacceptable voltage drops
as well as unsymmetry between phases of the feeding grid. A traditional way to improve the situation
would be to build additional power transmission lines and/or step up the feeding voltage to a higher
level. This, however, may be undesirable or even impossible, for cost reasons as well as for
environmental reasons. FACTS devices offer means of remedy within the existing feeding grid,
restoring grid symmetry as well as voltage stability, and also mitigating harmonic distortion emanating
from rolling stock.
FACTS devices such as SVC (Static Var Compensator) and STATCOM (Static Compensator) are well
proven and commercially available today. The paper treats dynamic load balancing of grids supplying
power to rail transport, as well as dynamic voltage support and harmonic mitigation, by means of SVC
as well as STATCOM.

Introduction
Modern traction systems using 50 or 60 cycles AC are fed directly from the power transmission grid
through transformers. The transformers are connected between two phases only in order to supply the
single phase traction load. Such types of loads create asymmetries in the feeding system. Normally,
only very limited levels of asymmetries can be allowed without deteriorating the power quality for
other consumers connected to the same grid. Furthermore, sagging and fluctuating catenary voltages
may result from heavy and varying consumption of reactive power by locomotives. This must be
addressed, too, for proper operation of the locomotives.
One example of a system fed between two phases of an AC grid is the high speed rail link between
London and Paris. Another is the high speed rail system in France. Others using the same kind of
system are Denmark, Finland, and the Benelux states.
The traction load is often relatively large, today it is common with ratings in the range of 50-100 MW
(Pload) per feeding transformer. These loads connected between two phases on the mains will create
unbalances in the supply system voltage. By rule of thumb the unbalance, Uunbalance, is equal to

Pload
U unbalance =
S ssc (1)
A common requirement is that the negative phase sequence voltage resulting from an unbalanced load
should not exceed 1%. Assuming loads as above, the feeding system must have a short circuit level
Sssc of at least 5000 to 10000 MVA to stay within the unbalance requirements. In many cases the
traction system is relatively far apart from strong high voltage transmission lines, while weaker sub-
transmission lines normally run somewhere in the vicinity of the rail. These lines can be utilised for
the rail supply in case the unbalance caused by the traction load can be eliminated/mitigated.

Load balancing
Unbalance results in negative phase sequence (nps) voltage components besides the normal positive
phase sequence voltage. The nps voltage can always be compensated (eliminated) by a generator
able to insert currents with appropriate amplitude and phase angles into the system (Figure 1). This
generator can be realised by FACTS and the system is known as a dynamic load balancer.

Ec Catenary

Eb

Feeder
Ea

Fig. 1: Load balancing and reactive power compensation by FACTS

FACTS
FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems) is a family of power electronic devices, particularly
suitable for power quality improvement in grids burdened by complex, fluctuating loads. In particular
SVC (Static Var Compensator) and STATCOM (Static Compensator), offer remedies to voltage drops
and fluctuations, harmonic distortion, and unbalance between phases, caused by high speed rail traffic.
Generally speaking, limitations on power transfer and power quality can always be alleviated by
adding new transmission and / or generating facilities. This, however, may not be desirable or even
possible for a variety of reasons. In such cases, the task of FACTS devices is to achieve the goals for
power infeed and power quality without the need for major system additions, by utilizing their
facilities in a flexible and more intelligent way. In existing railways, it is a question of being able to
maintain or even increase the traffic intensity without disturbing the power system. In greenfield
projects, it is a question of utilizing FACTS for minimizing the overall investment.
SVC Light is introduced, a STATCOM based on a three-level VSC (Voltage Source Converter)
design, utilizing IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) as switching element and a control concept
based on PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation).

Benefits from utilizing FACTS in rail traction

By means of SVC and STATCOM, the following important benefits can be brought about for power
grids feeding railway systems, as well as for rail traction loads themselves:

Dynamic balancing of non-symmetrical loads fed between two phases of three-phase grids;

Dynamic mitigation of voltage fluctuations in feeding grids caused by heavy fluctuations of

railway loads;

Mitigation of harmonics injected into supply grids from traction devices;

 Power factor correction at the point of common coupling, with a high and stable power factor
at all times, regardless of load changes and fluctuations;

Dynamic voltage support of catenaries feeding high power locomotives, thereby maintaining
traction capability despite weak feeding, without harmful voltage drops along the catenary;

Dynamic voltage support of catenaries during outages of feeding points, thereby enabling
adequate power infeed into locomotives, or, alternatively, with fewer infeed points required in
the system. (Money to be saved in infrastructure construction!);

Dynamic voltage control and harmonic mitigation of AC supply systems for DC converter fed
traction (typically underground and suburbian trains).

In all these cases, time as well as money can be saved by not having to invest in costly and time
consuming reinforcement of the railway feeding infrastructure such as building new transmission or
sub-transmission lines, new power generation, and/or building new substations and infeed points.
16 2/3 cycles
In 16 2/3 cycles systems, for obvious reasons, restoring and maintaining balance between phases is not
an issue. However, keeping catenary voltages high and stable, and limiting harmonic distortion, may
still be issues to be taken into consideration when designing the system.
The voltage drop along the catenary, U, can be expressed as follows:
RP + XQ
U = (2)
U
For 50 and 60 cycles, X (inductive catenary reactance) dominates over R (catenary resistance). For
16 2/3 cycles, X is diminished and becomes approximately equal to R. This makes voltage control
along the catenary less critical. Still, in cases of weak feeding, with feeding points far apart, or with
feeding from only one side, trackside, single-phase SVC for 16 2/3 cycles might prove useful, for
dynamic voltage support and harmonic mitigation. Likewise, previously, series capacitors have been
in use in some places for voltage support in 16 2/3 cycles systems.

Load balancing by SVC

It can be shown that conventional SVC, perhaps surprisingly, also has the ability to balance active
power flows even though it only contains reactive elements such as reactors and capacitors (Figure 2).
An SVC is a device providing variable impedance. This is achieved by combining elements having
fixed impedances, such as capacitors and transformers, with controlled reactors. In the reactors, the
fundamental frequency component of the current is controlled by thyristor valves, giving apparent
variable impedance (TCR, Thyristor Controlled Reactor).

Fig. 2: Load balancing and reactive power compensation by SVC

The branch current is controlled by phase angle control of the firing pulses to the thyristors, that is the
voltage across the reactors is the full system voltage at 90 degrees firing angle and zero at 180 degrees.
The current through the reactors is the integral of the voltage (Figure 3), thus it is fully controllable
with the thyristor valves between the natural value given by the reactor impedance and zero.

Fig 3: TCR fundamental principles

In the conventional SVC the load balancing effect is obtained by transmitting active power between
the phases by control of reactive elements. In its simplest form the load balancer consists of a TCR
connected between two phases and a fixed capacitor bank in parallel with a TCR between two other
phases. Power factor correction is obtained by a fixed capacitor bank in parallel with a controlled
reactor between the remaining two phases. Harmonics are normally suppressed by addition of filters.

The control of the load balancer may be based on the simple fact that three line to line voltages having
the same magnitude cannot contain negative phase sequence voltage, or on a more sophisticated
system that derives the different phase sequence components and acts to counteract the negative one.
The control of the positive sequence voltage normally has a lower priority compared with that of the
negative, i.e. it is only fully controlled when the load balancer rating is large enough to allow for both
balancing and voltage control.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link: an SVC case

A total of four SVCs have been supplied to the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), a major project
design to facilitate high-speed rail service bwtween the Channel Tunnel at Dover in the UK and
central London. When the railway link is finished in 2007, it will be possible to travel between
London and Paris in just over two hours, at a maximum speed of 300 km/h [1].
The railway system is designed for frequently operating high speed trains but also for slower freight
traffic. Modern trains have power ratings in the range of 10 MW, thus the power feeding system must
be designed for large fluctuating loads. The traction feeding system is a modern direct supply of 50
cycles, 25 kV voltage. The auto transformer scheme is used, giving low voltage drop along the traction
lines. Direct transformation from the power grid via transformers connected between two phases is
used.
Each one of the three traction feeding points between London and the Channel Tunnel is supported by
Static Var Compensators. Three of these SVCs are mainly for voltage support and the fourth is for
load balancing. The voltage support SVCs are connected on the traction side of the power
transformers. There are two identical SVCs connected feeder to earth and catenary to earth. These
SVCs are single phase assemblies (Figure 4).
Fig. 4: SVC configuration

There are three main reasons for investing in these SVCs:

Voltage support in case of loss of one feeder station

Steady state power factor control
Steady state harmonic mitigation.

The prime reason for the SVCs is to support the railway voltage in case of a feeder station trip. In such
a case two sections have to be fed from one station. It is then essential to keep the voltage up in order
to maintain traction efficiency. The secondary reason for the SVCs is to maintain unity power factor
seen from the super grid transformers during normal operation. This ensures that a low tariff for the
active power can be used. Thirdly the SVCs are installed to mitigate the harmonic pollution. The SVC
filters are designed not only to accomodate the SVC generation of harmonics but also that of the
traction load. There are stringent requirements on the allowed contribution to the harmonic level at the
connection points to the supergrid from the traction system.
The SVCs operate on a closed loop power factor control, in addition at outages of feeder stations they
will automatically change to closed loop voltage control.

Fig. 5: Dynamic load balancer

The traction load of up to 120 MW is connected between two phases. Without compensation, this
load would give about 2% negative phase sequence voltage. In order to counteract the unbalanced
load, the load balancer (an unsymetrically controlled SVC) was installed (Figure 5). The load balancer
transfers active power between the phases in order to create a balanced load seen from the supergrid.
The theory for load balancing is beyond this paper but a short graphic illustration is shown in order to
add clarity to the presentation.
The load current can be expressed by phase vectors. In case the load is connected between two phases
(B & C) only, two phase vectors can express the traction current, one representing the positive-phase
sequence and the second one representing the negative-phase sequence (Figure 6). The summation of
the two vectors is the resulting current (current of phase A is zero and currents in phase B and C are of
equal magnitude but phase opposed). Note that the vector amplitudes are not truly representative.
Ic
Ic Ic

Ia
+ Ia
= ILOAD

I+LOAD I-LOAD
Ib Ib
Ib

Fig. 6: Phase sequence components of the load current

To compensate the negative-phase sequence and thus balance the current to be generated by the power
systems, the load balancer generates a negative-phase sequence current as shown in Figure 7. The load
balancer (ILB) is a pure negative-phase sequence current. Please note that the current generated by the
load balancer (ILB in Figure 7) exactly balances the negative sequence current from the load (I-LOAD in
Figure 6).

Ic
Ib Ic

ILOAD
+ Ia
= Ia

ILB ILB +ILOAD

Ib Ic Ib

Fig. 7: Balancing of the load current

The main circuit of the load balancer (Figure 8) is optimised to handle a load connected between the c
and a phases. From general theory for load balancing, it is then needed to have a reactor connected
between the a and b phases and a capacitor between the b and c phases in order to balance a purely
active load. The traction load also has a reactive part and also that one has to be balanced. In this plant
not only the unsymmetry is compensated but also the power factor. This is achieved by adding a
capacitor between the c and a phases.

Fig. 8: Principal load balancer configuration

The load balancer is controlled to compensate the negative phase sequence component in the current
drawn from the super grid, furthermore the power factor is regulated to unity. In case there is capacity
available (depending on the load balancer working point), also the positive phase sequence voltage is
controlled.
A high figure for the availability of the plant is required, therefore the concept of redundancy is
consistently used. The control system is fully duplicated, i.e. a complete fourth redundant phase is
added in the main circuit.
The thyristor valves make use of the latest in thyristor development, BCT (Bi-Directionally
Conducting Thyristor). In these, there are two antiparallel thyristors made on a common silicon wafer.
Using these thyristors cuts away one half of the units needed in the valves. The thyristor is a 5 device
with a current handling capability of about 2000 A (RMS).

STATCOM
With the advent of continuously controllable semiconductor devices capable of high power handling,
voltage source converters have become feasible with ratings beyond 100 MVA. With STATCOM, the
VSC (Voltage Source Converter) and IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) technologies have
been brought together to create a highly dynamic tool for a variety of power conditioning tasks in
power grids and beyond.
The function of a VSC is a fully controllable voltage source matching the system voltage in phase and
frequency, and with an amplitude which can be continuously and rapidly controlled, so as to be used
as the tool for reactive power control (Figure 9). In the system, the VSC is connected to the system bus
via a small reactor. With the VSC voltage and the bus voltage denoted U2 and U1 respectively, it can
be shown that the output of the VSC can be expressed as follows:

U 1U 2
P= sin (3)
X
U 1U 2 U 12
Q= cos - (4)
X X

P: Active power of the VSC Q: Reactive power of the VSC

U1: Bus voltage U2: VSC voltage
: Phase difference between the voltages X: Reactance of the coupling reactor.

Fig. 9: VSC: a controllable voltage source

From equations (3) and (4) it can be seen that by choosing zero phase shift between the bus voltage
and the VSC voltage ( = 0), the VSC will act as a purely reactive element. (In reality, a small phase
shift is allowed, in order to make up for the VSC losses.) It is further seen that if U2 U1, the VSC will
act as a generator of reactive power, i.e. it will have a capacitive character. If U2 U1, the VSC will act
as an absorber of reactive power, i.e. it will have an inductive character.
The reactive power supplied to the network can be controlled very fast. The response time is limited
mainly by the switching frequency and the size of the reactor.
The converter valve
An IGBT based VSC of three-level configuration is built up as in Figure 10. One side of the VSC is
connected to a capacitor bank, which acts as a DC voltage source. The converter produces a variable
AC voltage at its output by connecting the positive pole, the neutral, or the negative pole of the
capacitor bank directly to any of the converter outputs.

Fig. 10: 3-level VSC configuration

By use of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), an AC voltage of nearly sinusoidal shape can be produced
without any need for harmonic filtering. This contributes to the compactness of the design, as well as
robustness from a harmonic interaction point of view. In the ABB STATCOM, also known as SVC
Light, the VSC uses a switching frequency greater than 1 kHz.
The configuration of Figure 10 includes four IGBT valves and two diode valves in each phase leg.
Each IGBT and diode valve has to withstand the blocking voltage corresponding to one of the DC
capacitors.
The different valves are built by stacking the devices on top of each other (between coolers) and by
applying external pressure to the stack. Water cooling is utilized for the valves, giving a compact
converter design and high current handling capacity (Figure 11). IGBTs capable of handling close to
2000 ARMS are a reality today.

Fig. 11: SVC Light valve

STATCOM for rail traction load balancing: a recent case

A system such as SVC Light, having the ability to generate voltages with any amplitude and phase
angle, can realize the requirement necessary for a load balancer. The voltage can be controlled both in
amplitude, in phase and in frequency, with full independence between the three entities. In addition,
the VSC modulated with high frequency Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), is capable of synthesizing
also a negative sequence voltage.
Evron is a substation in the French high-speed rail system fed from the national power grid. An SVC
Light is utilized for dynamic balancing of unsymmetry between phases caused by the mode of traction
feeding, single-phase takeoff of power from a three-phase grid. The SVC Light also performs the task
of active filtering of harmonics generated by thyristor and diode locomotives. Active filtering is
enabled due to the high dynamic response inherent in the SVC Light concept.
The reason for installing the SVC Light was to enable the fulfilling of the demands of the National
Grid Code concerning voltage fluctuations, phase unbalance and harmonic distortion at the point of
connection to the grid of the traction feeder. The option to the SVC Light was building a new
transmission line, to increase the fault level of the power grid. In feasibility studies performed before
the project, it was demonstrated that the SVC Light approach was less costly as well as less time
consuming than building new transmission lines. Not having to build new lines was also very
attractive from an environmental as well as concessional point of view [2].
The ability of the SVC Light to act as an active filter was also an attractive feature of this technical
solution, as it eliminated the need for comprehensive installations of passive, shunt filter banks.

The Load Balancer is rated at 90 kV, 16 MVA. Its configuration is shown in Figure 13. It is rated to
accommodate a single-phase active load size of 17 MW. Its task is to confine the grid unbalance at
90 kV as follows:
1% for SSC 600 MVA (normal network conditions);
1.5% for 300 MVA SSC 600 MVA (abnormal (N-1) network conditions).

Fig. 13: Single-line diagram of the Evron 90 kV Load Balancer

A site view of the Load balancer is displayed in Figure 14.

Fig. 14: Site view of the Evron Load Balancer

Load balancing
Measurements performed since the installation of the SVC Light have shown a distinct improvement
of voltage unbalance, Figure 15 [3]. With the SVC Light in operation, the voltage unbalance does not
exceed 1%.

Fig. 15: Measurement of voltage unbalance

Active filtering
Evron is a substation in the French high-speed rail system fed from the national power grid. An SVC
The active harmonic current suppression is based on generating harmonic currents in the SVC Light in
phase opposition to the currents from the load. This is done by modulating the converter terminal
fundamental voltages by higher frequencies. Filtering performance and the order of harmonics
possible to handle are strongly related to the converter switching frequency. In the Evron case, the
active filtering is effective up to the 9th harmonic.

Conclusion
With increasing focus on economical as well as environmentally friendly means for mass transit, rail
transport is gaining momentum in many parts of the world. This means investing in novel rail
infrastructure as well as upgrading and electrifying existing facilities.
The feeding of heavy rolling stock from AC grids will in many cases cause unacceptable voltage
drops, unsymmetry between phases of the feeding grid, and harmonic distortion. FACTS devices offer
means of remedy, restoring grid symmetry as well as voltage stability and keeps harmonic distortion
below permissible limits.
Two examples of benefits to feeding grids as well as to the rolling stock itself by utilising FACTS
devices such as SVC and STATCOM as integrated parts of the power supply are given in the paper.
Some basic design features of these FACTS devices are given, as well.

References
[1] Grnbaum R et al: FACTS Improving the performance of electrical grids, ABB Review No. 3, 2002.
[2] Plantive E et al: Application of a 20 MVA STATCOM for voltage balancing and power active filtering of a
25 kV AC single-phase railway substation connected to the 90 kV grid in France, Cigr 13/14/36-12, 2000.
[3] Paszkier B et al: VSC based imbalance compensator for railway substations, Cigr B4-103, 2006.

EPE 2007