The objective of this work is to design a damping controller for a thyristor controlled series capacitor (TCSC) to damp robustly inter-area oscillations in power systems with an immunity against sub-synchronous resonance (SSR) oscillations which may lead to torsional oscillations. The new control strategy has two main loops; an SSR mitigation loop and a bang-bang loop, the latter is designed with the aim of damping inter-area oscillations with a settling time 8-10 sec. The appropriate selection of the bang-bang series compensation component, ∆KC, is addressed by considering the Eigen analysis of the generators’ shafts and an impedance scan of the series compensated line for different compensation levels. The SSR mitigation loop is designed with the aim of providing a fine tune control signal to be added to the main value of the inserted series compensation (KC), to damp SSR oscillations and related torsional mode of oscillations. To address this issue, a new observer-based multiple model adaptive control algorithm is designed to control a multi-stage TCSC. The SSR modelling challenges associated with the load dynamics and with the insertion of the series compensation into the transmission system are overcome by a fine tuning control loop, which adjusts the resultant series compensation (KC). Considering the integration and coordination of oscillation damping and distance protection in the transmission system, a new adaptive technique must be designed to control the distance relay (DR) to prevent its mal operation (during the damping process). The new strategy is illustrated through an 11-bus 4-machine 2-area benchmark power system. The performance and advantages of the new algorithm are validated using time domain simulation via PSCAD software.

Low frequency oscillations are detrimental to the goals of maximum power transfer and optimal power system security. A contemporary solution to this problem is the addition of power system stabilizers to the automatic voltage regulators on the generators in the power system. The damping provided by this additional stabilizer provides the means to reduce the inhibiting effects of the oscillations. This thesis is an investigation of the use of synchronized phasor measurements as input signals for power system stabilizers installed on the generators of a two-area, 4-machine test power system. A remote measurement feedback controller has been designed and placed in the test power system. Synchronized phasor measurements from optimally sited measurement units were shown to improve the damping of low-frequency inter-area oscillations present in the test system when the proposed controller was included in the generator feedback control loop. The benefit of the damping of these oscillations was evident through the ability to increase the tie-line power flowing in the test system once the proposed control scheme was implemented. Time-domain simulations were used to verify the robustness of the proposed control during severe events, such as a short- circuit or sudden large variations of load. / Master of Science

Power systems are extremely non-linear systems which require substantial modeling and control efforts to run continuously. The movement of the power system in parameter and state space is often not well understood, thus making it difficult or impossible to determine whether the system is nearing instability. This dissertation demonstrates several ways in which the power system stability boundary can be calculated. The power system movements evaluated here address the effects of inter-area oscillations on the system which occur in the seconds to minutes time period. The first uses gain scheduling techniques through creation of a set of linear parameter varying (LPV) systems for many operating points of the non-linear system. In the case presented, load and line reactance are used as parameters. The scheduling variables are the power flows in tie lines of the system due to the useful information they provide about the power system state in addition to being available for measurement. A linear controller is developed for the LPV model using H₂/H∞ with pole placement objectives. When the control is applied to the non-linear system, the proposed algorithm predicts the response of the non-linear system to the control by determining if the current system state is located within the domain of attraction of the equilibrium. If the stability domain contains a convex combination of the two points, the control will aid the system in moving towards the equilibrium. The second contribution of this thesis is through the development and implementation of a pseudo non-linear evaluation of a power system as it moves through state space. A system linearization occurs first to compute a multi-objective state space controller. For each contingency definition, many variations of the power system example are created and assigned to the particular contingency class. The powerflow variations and contingency controls are combined to run sets of time series analysis in which the Lyapunov function is tracked over three time steps. This data is utilized for a classification analysis which identifies and classifies the data by the contingency type. The goal is that whenever a new event occurs on the system, real time data can be fed into the trained tree to provide a control for application to increase system damping. / Ph. D.

The presence of inter-area oscillations has long affected stability constraints, and therefore, limited the power transfer capacity of interconnected power systems. Adequate damping of these inter-area oscillations is, thus, necessary to secure system operation and ensure system reliability while increasing power transfers. Power system stabilizers (PSS) are the most common devices used to enhance the damping of such oscillations. Many studies have demonstrated that PSSs using remote signals may perform better than using local signals. The advent of phasor measurement units (PMU) makes remote or wide-area signals become available, which enables various important applications. Of particular interest is wide-area damping control (WADC), which aims to utilize remote or wide-area measurements to damp the inter-area oscillations. However, two main challenges in WADC design are (1) feedback controller input signal selection (which PMU signal is best to use?), and (2) latency (which is inherent in the transmission of the measurements) considerations. In response to the first challenge, this thesis proposes a concept called dominant inter-area oscillation path, which serves to pinpoint a set of candidate signals that can be used as the feedback controller inputs by locating the interconnected corridors where the inter-area modal contents are the most observable. Derivation, identification, and use of the dominant inter-area oscillation paths are demonstrated throughout the thesis. Extensive analysis on the relationships between the proposed set of signals and system properties regarding stability and robustness is presented. To tackle the second challenge, the impacts of time delays on the system performance when using the dominant path signals are investigated. To date, several studies have proposed different control design methods using various oscillation dampers to design WADC. Nevertheless, neither a systematic method nor a concept that encompasses fundamental knowledge on power system dynamics has yet been offered. The objective of this thesis is, thus, to propose an analytical framework based on the dominant path concept which is built upon fundamental principles for feedback controller input signal selection in WADC. With this framework, a proper and systematic approach is developed. The proposed method allows to select appropriate signals and use them to effectively mitigate the inter-area oscillations that constrain power transfer capacity and affect system stability. / <p>QC 20150414</p>

This thesis presents novel series compensation schemes and adaptive control techniques to enhance power system dynamics through damping Subsynchronous Resonance (SSR) and low-frequency power oscillations: local and inter-area oscillations. Series capacitive compensation of transmission lines is used to improve power transfer capability of the transmission line and is economical compared to the addition of new lines. However, one of the impeding factors for the increased utilization of series capacitive compensation is the potential risk of SSR, where electrical energy is exchanged with turbine-generator shaft systems in a growing manner which can result in shaft damage. Furthermore, the fixed capacitor does not provide controllable reactance and does not aid in the low-frequency oscillations damping. The Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) controllers have the flexibility of controlling both real and reactive power which could provide an excellent capability for improving power system dynamics. Several studies have investigated the potential of using this capability in mitigating the low-frequency (electromechanical) as well as the subsynchronous resonance (SSR) oscillations. However, the practical implementations of FACTS devices are very limited due to their high cost. To address this issue, this thesis proposes a new series capacitive compensation concept capable of enhancing power system dynamics. The idea behind the concept is a series capacitive compensation which provides balanced compensation at the power frequency while it provides phase unbalance at other frequencies of oscillations. The compensation scheme is a combination of a single-phase Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitor (TCSC) or Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) and a fixed series capacitors in series in one phase of the compensated transmission line and fixed capacitors on the other two phases. The proposed scheme is economical compared to a full three-phase FACTS counterpart and improves reliability of the device by reducing number of switching components. The phase unbalance during transients reduces the coupling strength between the mechanical and the electrical system at asynchronous oscillations, thus suppressing the build-up of torsional stresses on the generator shaft systems. The SSR oscillations damping capability of the schemes is validated through detailed time-domain electromagnetic transient simulation studies on the IEEE first and second benchmark models. Furthermore, as the proposed schemes provide controllable reactance through TCSC or SSSC, the supplementary controllers can be implemented to damp low-frequency power oscillations as well. The low-frequency damping capability of the schemes is validated through detail time-domain electromagnetic transient simulation studies on two machines systems connected to a very large system and a three-area, six-machine power system. The simulation studies are carried out using commercially available electromagnetic transient simulation tools (EMTP-RV and PSCAD/EMTDC). An adaptive controller consisting of a robust on-line identifier, namely a robust Recursive Least Square (RLS), and a Pole-Shift (PS) controller is also proposed to provide optimal damping over a wide range of power system operations. The proposed identifier penalizes large estimated errors and smooth-out the change in parameters during large power system disturbances. The PS control is ideal for its robustness and stability conditions. The combination results in a computationally efficient estimator and a controller suitable for optimal control over wider range of operations of a non-linear system such as power system. The most important aspect of the controller is that it can be designed with an approximate linearized model of the complete power system, and does not need to be re-tuned after it is commissioned. The damping capability of such controller is demonstrated through detail studies on a three-area test system and on an IEEE 12-bus test system. Finally, the adaptive control algorithm is developed on a Digital Signal Processing Board, and the performance is experimentally tested using hardware-in-the-loop studies. For this purpose, a Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) is used, which is capable of simulating power system in real-time at 50 µs simulation time step. The RTDS facilitates the performance evaluation of a controller just like testing on a real power system. The experimental results match closely with the simulation results; which demonstrated the practical applicability of the adaptive controller in power systems. The proposed controller is computationally efficient and simple to implement in DSP hardware.

A power system stability is essential for maintaining the power system oscillation frequency within a small and acceptable interval around its nominal frequency. Hence, it is necessary to study and control the frequency for stable operation of a power system by knowing the characteristics within a power system. One approach is to understand the effectiveness of frequency and damping characteristics of generators in power systems. Hence, the simulation analysis of IEEE 118-bus power system is used for this study. The analysis includes theoretical analysis with a mathematical approach and simulation studies of swing equation to determine the characteristics of damped single-machine infinite bus, which is represented as a generator connects to a large network system with a small signal disturbance by line losses. Additionally, mathematical derivation of Prony analysis is presented in order to estimate the frequency and damping ratio of the simulation results. In the end, the results demonstrate that the frequency and damping characteristics of generators are highly dependent on the system inertia constant. Therefore, the higher inertia constant is a critical factor to ensure the system is more stable. / Master of Science

In order to reduce the detrimental effects of inter-area oscillations on system stability, it is possible to use Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs) to design a multi-objective state feedback. The LMI optimization finds a control law that stabilizes several contingencies simultaneously using a polytopic model of the system. However, the number of cases to be considered is limited by computational complexity which increases the chances of infeasibility. In order to circumvent this problem, this paper presents a method for solving multiple polytopic problems having a common base case. The proposed algorithm determines the necessary polytopic control for a particular contingency and classifies the data as belonging to that polytopic domain. The technique has been tested on an 8-machine, 13 bus, system and has been found to give satisfactory results. / Master of Science

The traditional approach to damp inter-area oscillations is through the installation of Power System Stabilizers (PSSs) which provide damping control action through excitation control systems of the generating units. However, study of recent blackouts has shown that the control action provided by a PSS alone is not sufficient for damping oscillations in modern power systems which operate under stressed conditions. An integrated form of control using remote measurements to coordinate the different control elements present in the system is the need of the hour. One way of implementing such a coordinated control is through the development of a Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI)-based polytopic model of the system that guarantees pole placement for a variety of operating conditions. The size of the polytopic formulation is an issue for application of LMIs to large systems. The use of Selective Modal Analysis (SMA) alleviates this problem by reducing the size of the system. The previous attempts have used a model containing all the and modes, with SMA being used to eliminate all the other states. In practical applications the resulting system was still found to be too large to use in a polytopic model. This thesis presents an algorithm to reduce the size of the system to the relevant modes of oscillations. A 16 machine, 68 bus equivalent model of the New England-New York interconnected power system is used as the test case with DC lines and SVCs acting as the control. The algorithm is then applied to a 127-bus equivalent model of the WECC System. The use of ESDs as a form of control is also demonstrated. The results indicate that the proposed control successfully damps the relevant modes of oscillations without negatively damping the other modes. The control is then transferred to a more detailed 4000+ bus model of the WECC system to realize its performance on real-world systems. / Master of Science

In the Nordic power network, the existence of poorly damped low-frequency inter-area oscillations (LFIOs) has long affected stability constraints, and thereby, limited power transfer capacity. Adequate damping of inter-area modes is, thus, necessary to secure system operation and ensure system reliability while increasing power transfers. Power system stabilizers (PSS) is a prevalent means to enhance the damping of such modes. With the advent of phasor measurement units (PMUs), it is expected that wide-area damping control (WADC), that is, PSS control using wide-area measurements obtained from PMUs, would effectively improve damping performance in the Nordic grid, as well as other synchronous interconnected systems. Numerous research has investigated one ``branch'' of the problem, that is, PSS design using various control schemes. Before addressing the issue of controller design, it is important to focus on developing proper understanding of the ``root'' of the problem: system-wide oscillations, their nature, behavior and consequences. This understanding must provide new insight on the use of PMUs for feedback control of LFIOs. The aim of this thesis is, therefore, to lay important concepts necessary for the study of power system small signal stability analysis that considers the availability of synchrophasors as a solid foundation for further development and implementation of ideas and related applications. Particularly in this study, the focus is on the application addressed damping controller design and implementation. After a literature review on the important elements for wide-area damping control (WADC), the thesis continues with classical small signal stability analysis of an equivalent Nordic model; namely, the KTH-NORDIC32 which is used as a test system throughout the thesis. The system's inter-area oscillations are identified and a sensitivity analysis of the network variables directly measured by synchrophasors is evaluated. The concept of network modeshapes, which is used to relate the dynamical behavior of power systems to the features of inter-area modes, is elaborated. Furthermore, this network modeshape concept is used to determine dominant inter-area oscillation paths, the passageways containing the highest content of the inter-area oscillations. The dominant inter-area paths are illustrated with the test system. The degree of persistence of dominant paths in the study system is determined through contingency studies. The properties of the dominant paths are used to construct feedback signals as input to the PSS. Finally, to exemplify the use of the dominant inter-area path concept for damping control, the constructed feedback signals are implemented in a PSS modulating the AVR error signal of a generator on an equivalent two-area model, and compared with that of conventional speed signals.

Este trabalho aborda as oscilações eletromecânicas de baixa frequência, relativas a modos interáreas, pouco amortecidos, avaliando o seu impacto no desempenho de redes elétricas multi-máquinas com o objetivo de elevar o amortecimento destes modos com equipamentos TCSC. Os locais apropriados para instalação destes equipamentos são escolhidos com a análise dos resíduos de funções de transferência e o ajuste de parâmetros, para o projeto coordenado de controladores, utiliza o método de imposição de polos. O sistema não linear de equações, obtido com a aplicação do método de imposição de polos, supondo coeficientes de amortecimento pré-estabelecidos, é resolvido utilizando-se o método de Newton Raphson. Adicionalmente, avalia-se a possibilidade do método auxiliar na análise de interações entre controladores e identificação de acoplamentos, por meio da análise dos termos que compõem as equações de imposição de polos. / This work deals with low frequency oscillations related to inter-area modes, evaluating their impact on the performance of multi-machine electrical networks with the aim to increase the damping of these modes using TCSC. The best places to install these devices are chosen with the analysis of the residues of transfer functions and the parameter fitting for coordinated application of stabilizers is performed with the pole placement method. The nonlinear system of equations, obtained with the pole placement method, assuming specified damping factors, is solved with the Newton-Raphson method. The method is also used in the analysis of control interaction among stabilizers through the evaluation of individual parcels of the pole placement equations, as an additional feature of the approach.