PER UNIT SYSTEM

Per unit system

 A key problem in analyzing power systems is the large number of
transformers.
– It would be very difficult to continually have to refer impedances to the
different sides of the transformers
This problem is avoided by a normalization of all variables.

This normalization is known as per unit analysis

In power system analysis, it is common practice to use per-unit

quantities for analyzing and communicating voltages, current, power,
and impedance values.
 Per unit system
 These per-unit quantities are normalized or scaled on a selected
base, allowing engineers to simplify power system calculations with
multiple voltage transformations

Therefore;

actual quantity
quantity in per unit 
base value of quantity
 Per Unit Conversion Procedure
Pick a 1f VA base for the entire system, SB

Pick a voltage base for each different voltage level, VB. Voltage bases
are related by transformer turns ratios. Voltages are line to neutral.

Calculate the impedance base, ZB= (VB)2/SB

Calculate the current base, IB = VB/ZB

Convert actual values to per unit

 Per unit system
Note:
 Per unit conversion affects magnitudes,

Angles are not affected

If the nominal value is chosen as the base voltage, a “normal” voltage
value will be close to 1.0 p.u

 Also, per unit quantities no longer have units (i.e., a voltage is 1.0 p.u.
volts) except under certain conditions
 Advantages of per unit system
ordinary parameters vary considerably with variation of physical size,
terminal voltage and power rating etc. while per unit parameters are
independent of these quantities over a wide range of the same type of
apparatus. In other words, the per unit impedance values for the
apparatus of like ratings lie within a narrow range

It provide more meaningful information.

The chance of confusion between line and phase values in a three-

phase balanced system is reduced. A per unit phase quantity has the
same numerical value as the corresponding per unit line quantity
regardless of the three-phase connection whether star or delta.
Advantages of per unit system cont’d
Impedances of machines are specified by the manufacturer in terms of
per unit values.
The per unit impedance referred to either side of a single-phase
transformer is the same.
 The per unit impedance referred to either side of a three -phase
transformer is the same regardless of the connection whether they are
∆-∆, Y-Y or ∆-Y.
The computation effort in power system is very much reduced with the
use of per unit quantities.
 Usually, the per unit quantities being of the order of unity or less can
easily be handled with a digital computer. Manual calculation are also
simplified. Per unit quantities simply theoretical deduction and give
them more generalizes forms.
 example
Example: nominal voltage at bus bar A is 132 kV and actual voltage at
A is 127 kV. The per unit voltage at A is:

𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑘𝑉
 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑝. 𝑢 =
𝐵𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑘𝑉

𝑝𝑢 127𝑘𝑉
𝑉 = = 0.96 𝑃𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡
132𝑘𝑉
 Rules for Choosing Base Values

 Choose ONE base power for the entire system

Arbitrary choice
Commensurate with the system

e.g. 400V use 100kVA or 1MVA, 11kV use 10MVA,

 132KV use 100MVA, 400kV use 1000MVA
 Choice also depends on rating of generators/transformers

 e.g. commercial/industrial building = mainly 400V use 100kVA

 distribution utility = mainly 11kV use 10MVA
 Rules for Choosing Base Values cont’d
Choose ONE base voltage for voltage level “of most interest”
Choose the nominal voltage,
Each voltage level must have one base voltage, between two base voltages
the connecting transformer turns ratio must be maintained

Other base values chosen to get the same relations between per unit
quantities as between actual quantities – electrical laws (ohms
law,….) will not be broken under per unit system

With the base power and base Voltage determined, the base current
and base impedance can be calculated
Rules for Choosing Base Values cont’d
• That is;
𝑆𝐵
𝐵𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐼𝐵 =
𝑉𝐵

𝑉𝐵 𝑉𝐵2
𝐵𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑍𝐵 = =
𝐼𝐵 𝑆𝐵
• For a three phase system,
 Per unit example

• Solve for the current, load voltage and load power in the circuit
shown below using per unit analysis with an SB of 100 MVA, and
voltage bases of 8 kV, 80 kV and 16 kV, respectively.
 Per unit example cont’d
82 (kV) 2
Z BLeft   0.64
100MVA
802 (kV) 2
Z BMiddle   64
100MVA
162 (kV) 2
Right
ZB   2.56
100MVA

Same circuit, with

values expressed
in per unit
Per unit example cont’d

1.00
I   0.22  30.8 p.u. (not amps)
3.91  j 2.327
VL  1.00  0.22  30.8 
    p.u.
2
VL
SL  
VL I L*  0.189 p.u.
Z
SG  1.00 0.2230.8  30.8p.u.
 Per unit example cont’d
To convert back to actual values just multiply the
per unit values by their per unit base

V LActual  0.859  30.8 16 kV  13.7  30.8 kV

S LActual  0.1890 100 MVA  18.90 MVA
SGActual  0.2230.8 100 MVA  22.030.8 MVA
100 MVA
I BMiddle   1250 Amps
80 kV
Actual
I Middle  0.22  30.8  275  30.8
 Calculation in 3 phase “Homework”
Solve for the current, load voltage and load power in the
previous circuit, assuming:
–a 3f power base of 300 MVA,
–and line to line voltage bases of 13.8 kV, 138 kV and 27.6 kV
–the generator is Y-connected so its line to line voltage is 13.8 kV.
 Change of MVA Base in per unit
 Parameters for equipment are often given using power rating of equipment
as the MVA base
 To analyze a system all per unit data must be on a common power base

OriginalBase
Z pu  Z actual  NewBase
Z pu
2 2
Vbase Vbase
Hence OriginalBase
Z pu  OriginalBase
/ NewBase
 NewBase
Z pu
S Base S Base
NewBase
S
ZOriginalBase
pu  Base
OriginalBase
 Z NewBase
pu
S Base
 example
 Example: A 350 MVA, 230/20 kV transformer has leakage reactance
of 10%. What is p.u. value on 100 MVA base? What is value in
ohms (230 kV)?
100
X e  0.10   0.0286 p.u.
350
2
230
0.0286   15.1 
100
• In general for change of MVA base,

• In cases where the new base Voltage equates to the old base voltage,
then;
Calculation example questions

• A 3phase two winding transformer is rated at 75MVA,

11.8/145kV, 50Hz and the equivalent leakage impedance
referred to the 11.8kV
• Using the transformer ratings as base values, determine the
per-unit leakage impedances referred to the 11.8kV winding and
the 145kV winding.
• winding is Zeq = 0.22Ω
 Example question 2
For the power network shown below calculate using per-unit
quantities the voltage in kV, the current in kA and the power in kW
received by the load

• G1 = synchronous generator = 75MVA, 11.8kV, sync reactance Xd = j1.83 p.u.

• T1 = generator transformer = 75MVA, 11.8kV/145kV X = j0.125 p.u.
• L1 = 132kV transmission line: Z = 0.18 + j0.40 Ω/km, length = 20km.
• T2 = step-down transformer = 45MVA, 132kV/11kV, X = j0.125 p.u.
• ZL = 11kV load = 10MVA, cosɸ = 0.8 (lagging).