Due to the difficulty of reinforcement in power network and the interconnection of more distributed generators, fault current level has become a serious problem in transmission and distribution system operations. The utilization of fault current limiters (FCLs) in power system provides an effective way to suppress the fault currents. In this thesis the sensitivity of impedance matrix due to changes in the branch parameters is derived and used to choose the candidates for FCL installation in a complex power system. The proposed method also considers the effect on power system transient stability due to the installation of FCL. The Extended Equal Area Criterion (EEAC) is used to simplify the multi-machine transient stability problem to a simple equivalent modal and to simplify the transient stability evaluation. A fuzzy logic approach considering impedance of FCL, transient stability and voltage sag effects is used to choose good FCL installation locations in loop transmission systems.

In recent years, Distributed Generators (DGs) and energy storage devices have gained more popularity due to growing energy and environmental concerns. Interconnection of DGs and storage devices in an electricity grid impacts its performance under steady state and transient conditions. This research aims at analyzing the impacts of distributed generators and energy storage devices on the transient stability of the grid. Battery and ultra-capacitor technologies have been taken as the two types of storage devices and their electrical characteristics have been modeled using Simulink. Impact of these devices has been analyzed by connecting them to the system by means of suitable power electronic converters. The developed methodology has been evaluated using small test systems in MATLAB/Simulink. Transient stability of the test systems has been assessed for different types and locations of faults as well as for different penetration levels of the DGs, with and without the energy storage devices. Impact on the system transient stability has been analyzed based on transient response of the generator rotor speed deviation, rotor angle and terminal voltage of the DGs. Finally, economic analyses have been carried out for different options of DGs, based on wind, diesel and biomass, along with the energy storage devices. Results indicate that the presence of DGs and storage devices enhances the transient stability of the system in most of the cases.

In many Resistance-Capacitance Oscillators the oscillation amplitude is controlled by the use of a temperature-dependent resistor incorporated in the negative feedback loop. The use of thermistors and tungsten lamps is discussed and an approximate analysis is presented for the behaviour of the tungsten lamp. The result is applied in an analysis of the familiar Wien Bridge Oscillator both for the presence of a linear circuit and a cubic nonlinearity. The linear analysis leads to a highly unstable transient response which is uncommon to most oscillators. The inclusion of the slight cubic nonlinearity, however, leads to a result which is in close agreement to the observed response. / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

[Truncated abstract] The present thesis is devoted to the development of new methods for transient stability-constrained optimal power flow, probabilistic transient stability assessment and security-constrained ancillary services allocation. The key objective of the thesis is to develop novel dispatch and assessment methods for power systems operation in the new environment of electricity markets to ensure power systems security, particularly transient stability. A new method for economic dispatch together with nodal price calculations which includes transient stability constraints and, at the same time, optimises the reference inputs to the Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) devices for maintaining power systems transient stability and reducing nodal prices is developed. The method draws on the sensitivity analysis of time-domain transient stability simulation results to derive a set of linearised stability constraints expressed in terms of generator active powers and FACTS devices input references. '...' The low computing time requirement of the two-point estimate method allows online applications, and the use of detailed power systems dynamic model for time-domain simulation which offers high accuracy. The two-point estimate method is integrated in a straightforward manner with the existing transient stability analysis tools. The integrated software facility has potential applications in control rooms to assist the system operator in decision making process based on instability risks. The software system when implemented on a cluster of processors also makes it feasible to re-assess online transient stability for any change in system configuration arising from switching control. The method proposed has been tested on a representative power system and validated using the Monte Carlo simulation. In conjunction with the energy market, by which forecasted load demand is met by generator dispatch, ancillary services are required in relation to control for secure system operation and power quality. The final part of the thesis has a focus on the key aspect of allocating these ancillary services, subject to an important constraint that the dispatch of the ancillary services will not impair the system security achieved in the load dispatch. With this focus and requirement, the thesis develops a new dispatch formulation in which the network security constraints are represented in the optimal determination of generator active power schedule and allocation of ancillary services. Contingencies considered include power demand variations at individual load nodes from the values specified for the current dispatch calculation. The required changes in generator active powers to meet the new load demands are represented by additional control variables in the new dispatch formulation which augment those variables in the traditional OPF dispatch calculation. Based on the Lagrange function which includes the extended set of security constraints, the formulation derives the optimality condition to be satisfied by the dispatch solution, together with the marginal prices for individual ancillary service providers and LMPs. The effects of the security constraints are investigated and discussed. Case studies for representative power systems are presented to verify the new dispatch calculation procedure.

Electric power generation using wind turbines is on the rise in not only the United States but the entire globe. While the benefits from such methods of generation include clean and renewable energy, wind turbines may pose a potential risk to the stability of grid operation. Wind turbine generators are similar to conventional generators; however, the manner with which the wind turbine is coupled to the grid may reduce system inertia and increase the magnitude of transient stability problems. This study empirically examines the effect of wind generation on ERCOT system response characteristics following unit trips such as frequency drop, and phasor oscillation frequency and damping. It is shown with a high degree of certainty that an increase in wind generation is leading to a greater phasor oscillation frequency and lesser system inertia. Wind generation may also be leading to less system damping and smaller power frequency drops. / text

The research conducted in this thesis provides a robust implementation of a preconditioned iterative linear solver on programmable graphic processing units (GPUs). Solving a large, sparse linear system is the most computationally demanding part of many widely used power system analysis. This thesis presents a detailed study of iterative linear solvers with a focus on Krylov-based methods. Since the ill-conditioned nature of power system matrices typically requires substantial preconditioning to ensure robustness of Krylov-based methods, a polynomial preconditioning technique is also studied in this thesis. Implementation of the Chebyshev polynomial preconditioner and biconjugate gradient solver on a programmable GPU are presented and discussed in detail. Evaluation of the performance of the GPU-based preconditioner and linear solver on a variety of sparse matrices shows significant computational savings relative to a CPU-based implementation of the same preconditioner and commonly used direct methods.

The research conducted in this thesis provides a robust implementation of a preconditioned iterative linear solver on programmable graphic processing units (GPUs). Solving a large, sparse linear system is the most computationally demanding part of many widely used power system analysis. This thesis presents a detailed study of iterative linear solvers with a focus on Krylov-based methods. Since the ill-conditioned nature of power system matrices typically requires substantial preconditioning to ensure robustness of Krylov-based methods, a polynomial preconditioning technique is also studied in this thesis. Implementation of the Chebyshev polynomial preconditioner and biconjugate gradient solver on a programmable GPU are presented and discussed in detail. Evaluation of the performance of the GPU-based preconditioner and linear solver on a variety of sparse matrices shows significant computational savings relative to a CPU-based implementation of the same preconditioner and commonly used direct methods.

This objective of thesis is to derive the adaptive load shedding by artificial neural network (ANN) so that the amount of load shedding can be minimized. An actual industrial customer and Taipower system are selected for computer simulation to fit the ANN model. The mathematical models of generation, exciters, governors and loads are used in the simulator program. The back propagation neural method is considered for the neural network training of load shedding.To create the training data set for ANN models, the transient stability analysis is performed to fit the load shedding under different operation and fault condition. The back propagation method and L-M learning process are then used to fit the minimum load shedding without causing system stability problem. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed methodology for adaptive load shedding, three fault contingencies for both the industrial cogeneration system and Taipower system have been simulated. By compare to the conventional load shedding, it is found that the amount of load shedding can be minimized and adjusted according to the real time operation conditions of power systems.

Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία έχει ως αντικείμενο τη μελέτη μεταβατικής ευστάθειας και την εφαρμογή προληπτικού ελέγχου στα ΣΗΕ. Ειδικότερα επισημαίνει και αναλύει μια μέθοδο αξιολόγησης της μεταβατικής ευστάθειας των συστημάτων για μια συγκεκριμένη διαταραχή, γνωστή ως Γενικευμένο Κριτήριο Ίσων Εμβαδών (Extended Equal Area Criterion) και με βάση αυτή, προτείνει μια μέθοδο προληπτικού ελέγχου, εφόσον η διαταραχή αυτή είναι επικίνδυνη για το σύστημα. Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο εισάγεται η έννοια της μεταβατικής ευστάθειας, η σημασία της για την ορθή λειτουργία των ΣΗΕ, οι μέθοδοι πραγματοποίησης των μελετών της, καθώς και οι στόχοι τους. Ιδιαίτερη έμφαση δίνεται στην εξίσωση ταλάντωσης, που περιγράφει τη δυναμική συμπεριφορά του συστήματος και τον καθοριστικό ρόλο αυτής στις μελέτες μεταβατικής ευστάθειας είτε μέσω των μεθόδων έμμεσης λύσης είτε μέσω των άμεσων μεθόδων. Στις τελευταίες συμπεριλαμβάνεται και το Κριτήριο Ίσων Εμβαδών, το οποίο αναλύεται στο τέλος του κεφαλαίου και αποτελεί τη βάση για τη διαμόρφωση του Γενικευμένου Κριτηρίου Ίσων Εμβαδών (ΓΚΙΕ). Το τελευταίο εισάγεται και εξετάζεται εκτενώς στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, παρουσιάζονται οι θεωρήσεις που χρησιμοποιεί, οι δυνατότητες εφαρμογής του, τα στάδια στα οποία ολοκληρώνεται η μελέτη ευστάθειας μέσω της μεθόδου, καθώς και οι δείκτες ευστάθειας που παρέχει. Στο τέλος του κεφαλαίου γίνεται μια αξιολόγηση της μεθόδου, παρουσιάζοντας τα πλεονεκτήματα και τα μειονεκτήματα της. Το τρίτο κεφάλαιο ξεκινάει με την αναφορά σε ένα από τα σημαντικότερα πλεονεκτήματα του ΓΚΙΕ, που έγκειται στην παροχή της αναλυτικής έκφρασης του περιθωρίου ευστάθειας n. Το περιθώριο n αποτελεί έναν ποσοτικό δείκτη ευστάθειας του συστήματος για συγκεκριμένο χρόνο εκκαθάρισης μιας διαταραχής. Πέραν όμως των πλεονεκτημάτων της γνώσης του πόσο κοντά ή μακριά από την ευστάθεια βρίσκεται το σύστημα για μια διαταραχή, η αναλυτική έκφραση του n δίνει τη δυνατότητα της ανάλυσης της ευαισθησίας του ως προς τις παραμέτρους του συστήματος. Μέσα από την τελευταία αντικατοπτρίζεται η επίδραση που έχει η κάθε παράμετρος στην τιμή του n και επομένως στην ευστάθεια του συστήματος. Έτσι προτείνεται μια μέθοδος ελέγχου, που βασίζεται στην ανάλυση ευαισθησίας του περιθωρίου ευστάθειας. Διατυπώνονται οι θεωρήσεις και η λογική ερμηνεία των βημάτων που ακολουθεί η μέθοδος, ενώ διασαφηνίζεται κάθε της πτυχή, με την ποιοτική εφαρμογή της στις παραμέτρους και Μ, όπου οι μηχανικές ισχείς των γεννητριών και Μ οι αδράνειες τους. Η πρώτη περίπτωση αναφέρεται ως μέθοδος ελέγχου με ανακατανομή της συνολικής ισχύος του συστήματος, ενώ η δεύτερη ως μέθοδος ελέγχου με μεταβολή των αδρανειών των γεννητριών. Στο τέταρτο κεφάλαιο παρατίθενται τα αποτελέσματα των εξομοιώσεων του ΓΚΙΕ και των μεθόδων προληπτικού ελέγχου, στο μαθηματικό λογισμικό Matlab, για τριφασικό βραχυκύκλωμα στους ζυγούς του συστήματος τριών μηχανών και εννέα ζυγών της ΙΕΕΕ ((three machine test system). Ακολουθεί ο σχολιασμός των αποτελεσμάτων και κάποιες γενικές παρατηρήσεις που θεωρήθηκε απαραίτητο, για την ανάλυση των υπό μελέτη μεθόδων σε μεγαλύτερο βάθος, να καταγραφούν. Στο πέμπτο κεφάλαιο συνοψίζονται τα συμπεράσματα που έχουν προκύψει από τις εξομοιώσεις των υπό μελέτη μεθόδων, γίνεται μια θεωρητική αξιολόγηση αυτών και εκτίμηση της γενικής τους εικόνας. / The object of this dissertation is about transient stability and preventive control of Power Systems. Specifically it refers to Extended Equal Area Criterion (EEAC), as a way of tackling transient stability and suggest a method of preventive control, based on it. The introductory chapter aims at giving a complete picture of the concept, the methods and the purposes of transient stability assessment at sound operation of Power Systems. The chapter 2 traces the origin of EEAC and links it with EAC (Equal Area Criterion), emphasizing its implement at multimachine systems. In turn states the principle of the former and define the algorithm and the meaning of being the critical machines’ identification the right one. Chapter 3 scrutinizes the derivation of stability margins from EEAC, highlighting the significance of analytical expression of margin for being possible its sensitivity analysis. The stability margin constitutes an index of the degree of system’s stability and in combination with sensitivity analysis, provides the opportunity for applying preventive control. In turn, a method of preventive control based on margin’s sensitivity analysis is suggested. At chapter 4, the simulation results of EEAC and control method, for faults on the three machine test system of IEEE, are presented. Finally, chapter 5 contains the conclusions from the theoretical and practical analysis of EEAC and control methods.

[pt] Este trabalho analisa o desempenho do Critério das Áreas Iguais Estendido na avaliação da estabilidade transitória de sistemas de potência. O Critério das Áreas Iguais Estendido consiste em representar o sistema multimáquina por um sistema equivalente de duas máquinas, que é, em seguida, reduzido a um sistema máquina-barra infinita, no qual é aplicado o conhecido critério das áreas iguais. A evolução no tempo do sistema máquina-barra infinita resultante é aproximada por uma série de Taylor truncada. As medidas de estabilidade calculadas, através de expressões algébricas simples, são o tempo crítico de eliminação de falta e a margem de segurança. A análise da estabilidade é feita, portanto, sem procedimentos de tentativa e erro. Os resultados são comparados com os obtidos utilizando um programa convencional de estabilidade transitória. / [en] This work evaluates the performance of the Extended Equal area Criterion for power system transient stability assessment. The Extended Equal Area Criterion consists in replacing the multimachine power system by an equivalent two machine system, which is further reduced to a one- machine-infinite-bus system. The well-know Equal Area Criterion is then applied to the latter system. The time evolution of the one-machine-infinite-bus system is approximated by a truncated Taylor s series. The stability measures are computed by simple algebraic expressions and the transient stability margin. These measures are computed by simple algebraic expressions and the stability analysis is performed without any trial and error procedures. The results are compared to those obtained using a conventional transient stability program.