Hands-on Teaching of Power System Dynamics

nowledge o f power system dynamics is essential for any engineer who is to design or operate a modern interconnected power system. System instability and, in the extreme, system collapse are very costly to power utilities and their customers. The U.S./Canadian interconnected power system is the largest in the world. It relies on sophisticated controls and hands-on control by experienced operators to reach t h e standard of security that its customers demand. It is continually changing and expanding t o meet consumer demand. The current trend for independent power producers and nonutility generation makes power system design more difficult and a good knowledge o f the phenomena of power system stability and instability more necessary. Power system dynamics is not an easy subject t o teach. What is required is a hands-on computer course in which students can work on simplified but, at the same time, realistic models of the power system. This article features a power system analysis and design package for f power system dynamics. use in hands-on teaching o
I

Cherry Tree Scientific Software Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

stability and modeling. Power system dynamics concepts and the necessary mathematics are difficult for many t o grasp. Large and complex mathematical models are required for practical stability studies, and it is difficult, f practicality and in the class room, to get the right mix o simplicity. To develop dynamic models requires a knowledge of the devices being modeled, their abstraction into mathematical equations, and the physical limits over which the equations a r e valid. Apart from the prime dynamic component o f an interconnected power system, the synchronous generator, modern power systems contain many important electronic devices, either being used as controllers for the generators or on their own, such as HVDC links and static var compensators. Most power system courses prepare the power system student with the necessary background, but tend to consider the devices in isolation. Prospective power system designers or operators need t o know how these devices interact dynamically and need t o see what is involved in the large simulations that are used in practical utility environments. They need to write code based on the fundamental models of typical power system dynamic devices, and use that code to produce simulation results. By running the sensitivity studies based on their developed code, they learn to interpret the simula-

12 IEEE Computer Applications in Power

ISSN 0895-0156/95/54.0001995 IEEE

tion results and recognize possible system difficulties in a way impossible with classroom instruction only.

there is a considerable body of a l r e a d y w r i t t e n algorithms that perform more s p e c i a l i z e d functions. In building an algorithm, time Writing Code is consumed in correcting t h e algorithm rather than Writing code for power sysproviding pretty, instructor tem simulation is n o easy pleasing, input and output. task. T h e e q u a t i o n s a r e Combining &?ATLAB capabilities Although it is quite easy to complicated and, even with learn, t h e capabilities of simplified educational SYSwith a toolbox of power system MATLAB make it n o m e r e tem models, there is a great i x routines yields the right m toy. Its numerical routines f data to be input and deal o a r e a c c u r a t e a n d fast. In output. Using computer lanof practicality and simplicity addition, it is nearly platguages s u c h a s FORTRAN in the classroom form independent, and the and C, it takes considerable same programs can be used time to organize even a simon both PCs and workstations. ple program. The most troublesome aspects are not To make the most o f MATLAB in a power system always instructive t o t h e main theme, in this case dynamics course, time must normally be spent by the understanding power system dynamics. A lot o f time instructor building up a library of MATLAB functions is spent producing c o d e t o input and output data. specific to power system dynamics. This is necessary Debugging the coded algorithm is also time consumbecause, although MATLAB simplifies coding and algo ing. While a useful exercise in discipline and care, the rithmic development, to fully develop code for each time for understanding is reduced, and code is often power system dynamic device a n d its connection produced by a team effort rather than by an individthrough the transmission network still requires more ual. computational effort than students can afford to make. MATLAB is an aid used by many university discif time is not confined to power Of course, this problem o plines to help students to develop algorithms. As its system dynamics. In other fields, a number of collections name suggests, it is matrix based, and essentially conof already programmed MATLAB functions (toolboxes) sists o f a number of routines that perform matrix calcuare available. For example, in the dynamics area, the lations. A s s o c i a t e d with t h e s e r o u t i n e s is a n control, robust control, and signal processing toolboxes interpreted language with which the functions may be for MATLAB have proved extremely useful to both educalled to perform complicated matrix based analysis. cators and professional engineers. Input and output analysis functions are available, and

bus vottage magnitude profile

'

E r k Edlt YWlows JMp critical eigenvector 0.5 I

c .Q

"0
I

20

40
intemal bus number

60

80
intemal bus number Figure 2. Eigenvector corresponding to critical eigenvalue at 1.315 power increase ratio
January 1995 13

Figure 1. Load flow voltage profile at 1.315 power increase ratio

papers and is of great curPower System Toolbox rent interest t o practicing The Power System Toolbox power s y s t e m engineers. (available from the author) Despite this, our understandhas been developed t o give ing of t h e p h e n o m e n a power system engineers an involved is still not complete. already programmed set of Generally, voltage instability routines for use with MATin an interconnected power LAB. The functions can b e system can be predicted by grouped into t w o general Universities must ensure testing the convergence of areas, load flow and dynamthe power flow as the system ics. that their power system load a n d generation is In t h e load flow group, engineering graduates are increased in some way. More there are functions that: familiar with the basic information on the nature of II Form the power system a n y instability c a n b e network a d m i t t a n c e principles o f power system obtained from the eigenvalmatrix stability and modeling u e s a n d corresponding I Form t h e load flow f the load flow eigenvectors o Jacobian matrix Jacobian. Using the functions in the toolbox and MAT5 Calculate the mismatches LAB, it is straight forward to set up a MATLAB script file I Perform a Newton-Raphson load flow. (M-file) that performs a number of power flows, each In the dynamics group, there are functions that model: with increased system load and generation. At each I Generators and their controls: exciters, power sysstage, the load flow Jacobian is available, and its eigentem stabilizers, governors values and eigenvectors can be obtained using standard II Static var compensators. MATLAB functions. In this example, the eigenvalues of Another function is provided that uses Euler's integrathe inverse of the Jacobian are determined. At voltage tion method to perform step-by-step transient simulaf the inverse Jacobian instability, the largest eigenvalue o tion. RungeKutta integration is provided by a standard tends to infinity. A positive eigenvalue indicates a stable MATLAB function. The models can be used for transient stability simulation or for small signal stability studies. Demonstration files that use the basic functions for load flow, transient stability analysis, and small signal stability analysis are f the use o f provided. The following are two examples o 7 the Power System Toolbox and MATLAB for various forms o f power system dynamic analysis. I

System Voltage Stability Using Modal Analysis

Voltage stability has been the topic of many recent

1.o 1.25 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.34 1.35 1.355 1.36 1.361 1.3615

0.1226 0.1702 0.2079 0.2215

0.3352 0.3900

0 . 4 0 6 2 0.4099
0.4139 0.4233 0.4295 0.W 0.4397 0.4421

0,2398 0 . 3 0 9 6
0.4011 0.5134

0.9992
1.6633 7.6775

0.4446

Figure 3. Power system stabilizer

14 IEEE ComputerApplications in Power

system; a negative eigenvalue indicates an unstable system. The eigenvector indicates which of t h e system buses take part in the voltage instability. The change in the critical eigenvalue for the 68 bus test case supplied with the toolbox, as the load and generation are increased, is shown in Table 1. The bus voltage magnitude profile in the power flow for this case is shown in Figure 1. The eigenvector corresponding to the critical eigenvalue for 1.3615 times nominal load is shown in Figure 2. It can be seen that only a few o f the f significance to this mode. It can system's buses are o also b e seen that those buses for which the critical eigenvector has high values are closely related to low bus voltages in the power flow. The bus with the largest eigenvector magnitude in this case corresponds with the bus having the lowest voltage in the load flow. However, this may not be generally true. In this example, the eigenf the Jacobian remains quite small until a load value o very close to the maximum power level. Never-theless, the critical mode shapes are similar, even at the nominal system load. By incrementing the load slowly in the region where the eigenvalue starts to increase more quickly, it is possible to approach closely to the maximum power point for the system. Other exercises that could be performed by students include: Determine the best locations for capacitive support Determine the voltage sensitivity to capacitative support Compare the action o f additional capacitors and static var compensators Examine the effect o f generator var limits.

stabilizer is shown in Figure 4. The stabilizer design requires the frequency response o f the aggregate generator model electrical torque to a signal applied t o t h e voltage reference point of t h e exciter. The aggregate model is obtained by paralleling the generator transformer impedances and connecting a single generator and control model to the LT bus having four times the rating of the individual generators. In the determination of the stabilizer's phase lead characteristic, t h e inertia of this aggregate model should b e increased to effectively eliminate changes in speed and angle. The phase lag in the frequency response must be compensated by the phase lead of the power system stabilizer for robust stabilizer action. The ideal phase lead

Power System Stabilizer Design

Another application o f modal analysis applied to power f system oscillate system stability is the determination o ry instability and the design o f controls (power system stabilizers) to ensure that the system is stable. In this example, the oscillations associated with a power generation plant consisting of four identical generators, connected through transformers t o a common bus a r e studied. The common bus is connected through a transmission line to a large generator that models the rest of the interconnected system. The system model is shown in Figure 3a, and the excitation system and power system stabilizer block diagrams in Figure 3b. Without a power system stabilizer, the oscillatory mode in which the plant oscillates against the rest o f the system (the plant mode) is unstable. The other oscillate ry modes are associated with intergenerator oscillations within the plant. These modes are stable. The power system stabilizer is used to stabilize the plant mode without causing the intergenerator modes to become unstable. Because the generators and their loading are assumed to f equal intergenerator be identical, there are three sets o modes. A plot o f the eigenvalues with no power system

Ble Edit

Mndmvs Help System Eigenvalues with no Stabilizer

6t

4t

" 1

Figure 4. System eigenvalues with no stabilizer (X = plant against system; 0 = intergenerator)

January 1995 15

and the phase lead chosen for the stabilizer are shown in Figure 5. This is arrived at iteratively by repeatedly com-

Table 2. Plant and inter-generator electromechanical modes

Ksfab= 0 0.41 7492j4.566 - 0.455462j6.9453

Wab=1 5 -0.720292j4.4.3667 - 2.7089ij9.2733

I(stab-60

-2.46042j2.3795 -8.12772jl7.549

stabilizer frequency response

1

70

ideal phase lead

60 *

5040

20 10

paring stabilizer frequency response with the precalculated ideal phase compensation. The next stage in stabilizer design is to determine the gain of t h e stabilizer. This is often a compromise f the plant mode withbetween increasing the damping o f other system modes. It is done out causing instability o by repeated eigenvalue calculations on the original system model with the stabilizer gain increasing. The locus o f the plant and intergenerator modes as the stabilizer gain increases is shown in Figure 6. The eigenvalues corresponding to the system electromechanical modes with stabilizer gains o f 0, 15, and 60 are provided in Table 2. In f intergenerator mode this example, little deterioration o damping occurs and a gain o f 15 is chosen as the recommended setting: higher gains may lead to noise problems in the very high gain excitation system. Other exercises which could be performed by students include: f sensitivity o f system modes o f Determination o oscillation to network, generator, and control parameters Examination o f interarea oscillations and their control using power system stabilizers or static var compensators.

0.5
1

Acknowledgment
MATLAB is a registered trademark of The Mathworks Inc.

1.5

For Further Reading

J.H. Chow, K.W. Cheung, Toolbox for Power System Dynamics and Control Engineering Education and Research, IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, November 1992,pages 1559-1564. P. Kundur, M. Klein, G.J. Rogers, M.S. Zywno, Application of Power System Stabilizers for Enhancement of Overall System Stability, IEEE Transactions on PowerSystems, May 1989, pages 614-621. B. Gao, G.K. Morison, P. Kundur, Voltage Stability Analysis Using Modal Analysis, IEEE Transactions o n Power Systems, November 1992, pages 1529-1542. MATLAB users manual, The Mathworks Inc., Natick, 1994.

Figure 5. Ideal and actual stabilizer phase lead characteristic

Root Locus of System Eigenvalues

About the Authors

Graham Rogers has had a varied career in power system engineering spanning over 40 years. After an engineering apprenticeship and service in the Royal Air Force, he entered Southampton University, UK, and graduated with first class honors in electrical engineering in 1961. After working as a consultant mathematician a t AEI (Rugby) Ltd., he returned t o Southampton University, where he taught until 1978. From 1978 to 1993, he was employed by Ontario Hydro, where he worked in a special studies unit and developed computer programs for power system dynamic analysis. On his retirement from Ontario Hydro, he formed Cherry Tree Scientific Software, which provides engineering services and markets power system software. He is also an associate professor (part-time) at McMaster University and an adjunct associate professor at the University of Toronto. Joe Chow received his PhD degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana in 1977. From 1978 to 1987, he worked for the General Electric Company, Schenectady, New York. He is currently professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering and electric power engineering a t Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His technical activities include the development of engineering and educational tools for analyzing power system dynamics and performing control design.

real part Figure 6. Plant and intergenerator eigenvalue locus a s stabilizer gain varies from 0 to 60 (X = plant against system; 0 = intergenerator)
16 IEEE Computer Applications in Power