METHODS OF COMPENSATION ON TRANSMISSION LINES

From the following expressions of powers

P12

Q12

V1V2 sin 1 2 V1V2 sin

X
X
V12 V1V2 cos 1 2
X

V12 V1V2 cos

X

Increasing or optimizing power flow through a line (which is one of the objectives of
compensation) can be done through the following means:
1. Intervening on the line reactance X: This is known as Series compensation
V
V
2. Intervening on | 1| or | 2| : This is known as Shunt compensation
3. Intervening on the angle : This is known as Angle compensation
4. Simultaneous intervention on X,

|V 1|

|V 2|

and

One uneconomical method of improving or optimizing the power flow through a line is by
increasing the production (powers) of an alternator.
A

ZAB

Vg

VAB

Loads
Pg
Qg

The voltage at the load bus-bar B is expressed as;

VB Vg VAB

VAB I AB Z AB
; And

Pg2 Qg2
Vg

I AB

Z AB

Pg2 Qg2
Vg

; where

Pg

Normally the active power

demanded by the load is considered constant and equal to the

production in order to maintain a 50Hz frequency equilibrium, but then if the loads start

Qg

demanding for a substantial quantity of reactive power

I AB
, this shall lead to an increase in

as seen in the formula above. Not only does this approach the thermal limits of the line but
equally leads to an increase in the voltage drop VAB. However under nominal supply of the active
power demanded, the alternator supplies a quantity of reactive power which is usually about half
the value of the generated active power in numeric value. This quantity of reactive power usually
doesnt actually affect the value of the line voltage drop. This method of compensation is usually
reserved for abrupt variations in load reactive powers by generators on a slack (equilibrium) bus.

1) SERIES COMPENSATION
Let us consider the transmission line below:
Pg, Qg

1
VS

2
Vx

V2

Load

1.1) PHASOR DIAGRAM WITHOUT COMPENSATION

jXIL

V1

Vx
VS
V2

IR

VR

IL

VS = V1 ; VR = V2

The powers transferred between the bus-bars 1 and 2 linked through a line with impedance
ZL = X (line resistance negligible to line reactance) are given as;

VV
P 1 2 sin
X

V12 V1V2 cos

X

These equations show that it is possible to increase the active power transmitted between two
points either by maintaining the various voltages constant, by increasing the transmission angle
between the two points or by artificially reducing the line impedance to a value closer or equal to
the value of the load impedance.
Series compensation consists of a capacitor bank placed in series with each phase conductor of
the line. This method of compensation reduces the impedance of the line which is the principal
cause of voltage drop and the most important factor in determining the maximum power which
the line can transmit. Two methods of placing the capacitors are available:
a. Placing the capacitor at the extreme end of the line
b. Placing the capacitor at the mid-point of the line; thus dividing its reactance into two.
Consider the principle diagrams below for a three phase line studied in its single phase
equivalence (per phase);
1.2) PRINCIPLE DIAGRAMS
1.2.1) SERIES COMPENSATION AT THE END OF THE LINE

Voltage support

VS

VR 0
XL

XC

Voltage support

1.2.2) SERIES COMPENSATION AT THE MID-POINT OF THE LINE

XL/2

Xc

XL/2

VS

VR

1.2.3) PHASOR DIAGRAM WITH COMPENSATION

j(XL-XC)IL
XL
- jXC
IS
Vs

VS

VR

In practice series compensation is localized in strategic places along the transmission line. For
better understanding of its influence, we consider that it is uniformly distributed along the line
The total impedance of the line becomes:
X XL XC
(1)
Note that the desired reactance of a capacitor bank can be determined by compensating for a
specific amount of the total inductive reactance of the line. This leads to the term compensation
factor (S) which is defined by;
X
S L
XC
(2); 0 S 1
In the case of a no-loss line, voltage magnitude at receiving end is the same as voltage magnitude
at sending end: Vs = VR =V. Transmission results in a phase lag that depends on line reactance
X.
The transmitted power per phase becomes;

V1V2
V2
V2
P
sin
sin
sin
X
XL XC
1 S XL
.. (3)

The reactive power furnished by the series compensator (capacitor) is;

QS I X C
2

2V 2

1 S

XL

1 cos
(4)

Equation (4) shows that the reactive power furnished increases rapidly with S and thus varies the

angle in the same direction as the reactive energy. In other words, the higher the degree of
compensation, the more the virtual impedance is low and optimizes the transfer of maximum
power.
For a stable power transmission, it is necessary for the transmission angle to always be
maintained at a value inferior to 90o, ideally as small as possible in other to preview situations
like the case of a sudden network perturbation owing to a sudden high demand in power (e.g.
coupling of a very heavy load). If the voltage profile of the compensated line is practically
constant, then the power absorbed by the load will be practically equal to the virtual power of the
line. Series compensation increases the maximum power transfer by reducing the transmission

angle. These two principal achievements make the series compensation a very efficient way to
increase the stability limit of the network in the permanent regime and consequently in the
dynamic and transitory regimes. The coupling of the capacitors into and their decoupling out of
the network could be achieved using circuit breakers, which are either commanded manually by
the network dispatchers (distance-command) or automatically, thanks to some additional control
systems.
1.3) WAVE FORMS

This shows the wave form of the variation of the active power flow and the compensation
reactive power of the capacitor (Qsc).

Pmax occurs at X 3 R
Note that the maximum power
1.4.) ADVANTAGES AND INCONVENIENCES
1.4.1) ADVANTAGES
i.

Ameliorates the transitory stability

ii.

Limits temporal over voltages

1.4.2) DISADVANTAGES
i.

There is risk of attaining the point of resonance frequency due to the networks inductive

reactance and the capacitor banks.