http://hdl.handle.net/2005/20 2013-04-29T12:59:43Z 2013-04-29T12:59:43Z Ajit Kumar, * http://hdl.handle.net/2005/1653 2012-04-20T06:53:42Z 2012-04-19T18:30:00Z

Title: Design Of Robust Power System Damping Controllers For Interconnected Power Systems Authors: Ajit Kumar, * Abstract: Small signal oscillation has been always a major concern in the operation of power systems. In a generator, the electromechanical coupling between the rotor and the rest of the system causes it to behave in a manner similar to a spring mass damper system, which exhibits an oscillatory behaviour around the equilibrium state, following any disturbance, such as sudden change in loads, fluctuations in the output of turbine and faults etc. The use of fast acting high gain AVRs and evolution of large interconnected power systems with transfer of bulk power across weak transmission links have further aggravated the problem of these low frequency oscillations. Small oscillations in the range of about 0.1Hz to 3.5Hz can persist for long periods, limiting the power transfer capability of the transmission lines. Power System Stabilizers (PSS’s) were developed as auxiliary controllers on the generators excitation system to produce additional damping by modulating the generator excitation voltage. Designing effective PSS for all operating conditions specially in large interconnected power systems still remains a difficult and challenging task. The conventionally designed Power System Stabilizer (CPSS) is the most cost-effective electromechanical damping controller till date. However, continual changes in the operating condition and network parameters in large systems result in corresponding large changes in system dynamics. This constantly changing nature of power system makes the design of CPSS a difficult task. The design and tuning of PSS for robust operation is a laborious process. The existing PSS design techniques require considerable expertise, the complete system information and extensive eigenvalue calculations which increases the computational burden as the system size increases. This thesis proposes a method for designing robust power system damping controllers that ensures a minimum robustness under model uncertainties. The minimum performance required for the PSS is set a priori and accomplished over a range of operating conditions. A generalized robust controller design methodology has been first implemented on a Single Machine Infinite Bus (SMIB) power system model. The robust controller places the closed loop rotor modes of the system to the desire location while keeping the electrical modes intact. Unlike conventional lead/lag PSS design, the proposed PSS design is based on pole assignment technique which takes into account of various model uncertainties. For the proposed stabilizer design in a multi-machine systems a new decentralized method has been used which requires system data only upto secondary bus of the unit transformer in a generating station. The proposed robust controller design based on modified Nevanlinna-Pick theory has been designed and tested extensively on SMIB and multi-machine systems to establish the efficacy of the controller in damping small signal oscillations. The thesis is organized in four chapters as follows. The first chapter discusses the basic concepts related to the rotor angle stability in power system. The conventional and other methods of countering this instability by power system stabilizers have been described. The relative merits of the various stabilization techniques have been discussed. The scope of present work, i.e design of decentralized robust power system controllers has been defined. In second chapter a modified robust power system stabilizer for SMIB system is developed. It has been shown that under specific conditions the modified Nevanlinna-Pick theory can also be applied for designing damping controllers in system with lightly damped rotor modes. Third chapter proposes a decentralized approach based on modified Nevanlinna-Pick theory for designing a power system stabilizer for interconnected power systems. The performance of the controller which is not based on external system information has been investigated on three widely used multi-machine test systems to established its efficacy in damping out low frequency oscillations. The fourth chapter gives a brief summary of the work done and also includes a section on the scope of future work relating to design of power system stabilizers.

2012-04-19T18:30:00Z Pramanik, Saurav http://hdl.handle.net/2005/1327 2011-08-04T04:56:15Z 2011-08-03T18:30:00Z

Title: Complex Network-Function-Loci For Localization Of Discrete Change In Transformer Windings Authors: Pramanik, Saurav Abstract: Large capacity high voltage power transformers are one of the most expensive items of equipment in an electrical power network. Power utilities can ill-afford breakdown of transformers, especially, in a deregulated scenario. The consequences of such a failure are well known. Under these circumstances, utilities have figured-out that condition-based monitoring and diagnosis is worth pursuing, in spite of increased expenditure. Thus, monitoring and diagnosis is an integral part of operation and maintenance. Mechanical forces generated during short-circuits is the main cause leading to displacement/deformation of windings. Frequency response measurements have attained worldwide acceptance as a highly sensitive monitoring tool for detecting occurrence of such events. This is evident from the fact that customized commercial equipment are available (popularly called FRA or SFRA instruments), and with recent introduction of an IEEE draft trial-use guide for application and interpretation of frequency response analysis. Once a damage is detected, the next task is to identify its location along the winding and, if possible, determine its extent of severity. Understandably, these two tasks are best achieved, without disassembling the transformer and should ideally be based on off-line and on-site terminal measurements. In this regard, literature analysis reveals that recent research efforts have successfully demonstrated possibilities of using frequency response data for localization of discrete change in windings. This is indeed noteworthy, in spite of one major drawback. This pertains to excessive computing time needed to synthesize large-sized ladder-network, which automatically limits its practical use. Keeping these issues in mind, a research was initiated to find alternatives. The primary objective of this thesis is to examine the use of- • Complexnetwork-function-lociforlocalizationofadiscretechangeinasingle,isolatedtransformerwinding,basedonterminalmeasurements It goes without saying that the proposed method should be non-invasive, simple, time-efficient and overcome drawbacks in the earlier approach. A brief summary of the proposed method follows- This thesis presents a different approach to tackle the problem of localization of winding deformation in a transformer. Within the context of this thesis, winding deformation means, a discrete and specific change imposed at a particular position on the winding. The proposed method is based on the principle of pre-computing and plotting the complex network-function-loci (e.g. driving-point-impedance) at a selected frequency, for a meaningful range of values for each element (increasing and decreasing) of the ladder network. This loci diagram is called the nomogram. After introducing a discrete change (to simulate a deformation), the driving-point-impedance (amplitude and phase) is measured again .By plotting this single measurement on the nomogram, it is straightforward to estimate the location and identify the extent of change. In contrast to the earlier approach (wherein the entire ladder-network had to be synthesized for every new measurement), the proposed method overcomes the drawbacks, is non-iterative and yields reasonably accurate localization. Experimental results on a model coil and two actual transformer windings (continuous-disc and interleaved-disc) were encouraging and demonstrate its potential. Further details are presented in the thesis.

2011-08-03T18:30:00Z Venkatesulu, B http://hdl.handle.net/2005/1185 2011-05-10T09:53:09Z 2011-05-09T18:30:00Z

Title: Studies On Polymeric Micro/Nanocomposites For Outdoor High Voltage Insulation Authors: Venkatesulu, B Abstract: Outdoor electrical insulator is one of the important components of a power system which directly influences the system reliability. Traditionally ceramic insulators have been used for close to a century in both transmission and distribution lines. In the last few decades, polymer based outdoor insulators are being increasingly used in the above application. Polymeric insulators offer attractive advantages such as light weight, resistance to vandalism and they also outperform conventional ceramic insulators under contaminated wet conditions at least in the initial stages of their usage. However, there are certain disadvantages with polymeric insulators which have made the utilities hesitant to replace readily the ceramic insulators with polymeric insulators. One of the major concerns with the polymeric insulators is the aging w.r.t time due to the presence of multiple environmental stresses (fog, humidity, temperature, rain as well as contamination due to industrial, sea and agricultural pollution) along with electrical stress. The manifestations of the aging of insulators include tracking or/and erosion of the weathersheds. Polymers in pure form (unfilled) can not perform satisfactorily all the required functions (electrical, mechanical, thermal etc.) of an insulator used in such high voltage transmission lines. Polymers have inherently poor thermal stability. Thermal stability directly influences the tracking and erosion resistance of the weathershed. Without adequate tracking and erosion resistance, polymeric insulators can not perform satisfactorily under contaminated wet conditions. Hence the common practice to improve the tracking and erosion resistance (and other properties such as mechanical, thermal) is by filling the base polymer with large loadings (> 30 wt %) of micron sized fillers. This makes the processing of the polymer composite difficult as the viscosity of the material rises substantially at such large loadings. Due to the large filler loadings beyond a certain limit, the flexibility of the end product also suffers. Though tracking and erosion resistance of the polymer has been improved substantially at these large filler loadings, the recent failures in the field suggest the need for an alternate material with higher tracking and erosion resistance than what is achieved at these large loadings of micron sized fillers. Of late nanocomposites are emerging as promising alternatives which can offer the above mentioned functionalities at low filler loadings itself without sacrificing the flexibility in the end product as well as ease of processing. There are even indications suggesting that the tracking and erosion resistance performance is better than what is obtained using micronsized fillers. As the development of nanocomposite dielectrics/insulation is still at its infancy, it is required to investigate their specific properties needed for outdoor applications and to understand the various mechanisms responsible for the interesting behaviour of the nanocomposites. Also, it is known that dc pollution performance of ceramic insulators is much inferior to the performance under ac stress. With the introduction of higher ac/dc transmission voltages in many countries including India, it is required to design insulators with better performing materials so as to get a reliable performance under polluted wet conditions. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the polymers, it is believed that polymers especially silicone rubber insulators can perform better as compared to the ceramic insulators under polluted conditions under ac and dc. As the dc tracking and erosion (T&E) resistance of polymer is poor compared to the ac tracking and erosion resistance, it is required to investigate the T&E resistance characteristics of the nanocomposites under dc stress. In addition, due to the enhanced electric fields at the line end of the insulators in extra and ultra high voltage transmission lines, there is always a possibility of corona generation on the hardware at the metal-sheath junction and at the water droplet tips on the weathersheds of the polymeric insulators especially under foul weather conditions. It is reported that the long-term exposure to such corona has the potential to degrade the polymeric material. The effects include reduction of the hydrophobicity, surface oxidation of the weathersheds and development of microcracks on the surface of the polymeric material. These cracks (corona cutting) can worsen the wet pollution performance of the insulator. If the cracks grow deeper, then FRP rod would get exposed to the atmospheric conditions leading to brittle fracture of the FRP rod and finally resulting in the line drop. Hence, the corona aging resistance of nanocomposites has also been studied especially at low filler concentrations to see its performance under the above mentioned adverse conditions. Therefore, the research work presented here deals with three aspects of the aging (1) Study the ac and dc tracking and erosion resistance performance of silicone rubber nanocomposites with low concentrations of fillers and their suitability for outdoor applications (2) Study the corona aging performance of silicone rubber nanocomposites with low concentrations of fillers and (3) To develop a model to explain the unusual behaviour of nanocomposites observed in the above studies. The thesis also reports results of the accelerated multistress weathering studies conducted on normal polymeric outdoor insulators under prolonged dry conditions. The major challenge in case of the polymer nanocomposite processing is getting uniform distribution of the fillers. A protocol has been standardised for the processing which comprises high shear mechanical mixing followed by sonication to get good dispersion of the fillers. Room Temperature Vulcanised (RTV) silicone rubber was successfully processed with different micron and nanosized fillers and with different weight (wt.) percentages in the present work. For carrying out the T & E resistance, corona aging and multistress aging studies, facilities (such as Inclined Plane T & E Resistance Test Apparatus in line with IEC/ASTM standards and aging chambers) have been designed and developed in house as a part of the thesis work. The ac tracking and erosion resistance performance of the unfilled, microcomposite (filled with alumina trihydrate filler of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 % by wt) and nanocomposite (filled with alumina, silica and magnesium hydroxide fillers of 2.5 and 4 % by wt) have been compared in inclined plane (IP) tracking and erosion resistance test facility specifically developed for the work. It was very interesting to observe that nanocomposites at 4 % performed on par with the microcomposites at 30 % filler loadings. Leakage current was also measured during the IP test and it was found that the form factor (ratio of r.m.s to average leakage current) was in good agreement with the variation in the erosion resistance of the silicone rubber composites and hence it can be used as a diagnostic tool for assessing the aging state of the polymeric materials. It was also observed that the performance under positive dc stress was much inferior to the performance under ac stress. The dissipation of power under dc stress was estimated by measuring the leakage current through the sample and is found to be about four times (towards the end of the test) higher as compared to the power dissipation under ac stress. Intense electrolytic corrosion has been observed (under positive dc) on the grounded electrode and on the sample and chemical studies of the same have been carried out. The poor performance under dc is due to the absence of the voltage zero crossing, more accumulation of the contaminant (scaling) and electrolytic corrosion. It was also observed that to get the same tracking and erosion resistance under dc as in the case of ac during IP test, dc stress levels have to be reduced to about 60 % of the ac stress. This information would be helpful to the design engineer of the outdoor insulators for the HVDC transmission lines. To understand the different mechanisms responsible in improving the tracking and erosion resistance of the micro and nanocomposites, thermal, SEM and FTIR studies have been carried out. Thermal stability of the samples was measured using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermo gravimetric (DTG) studies. It was observed that thermal stability of nanocomposites even at low filler loadings (4 wt %) was comparable with the microcomposites at higher filler loadings (30 wt %). SEM studies indicate that the barrier resistance (against discharges) offered by the fillers in the nanocomposites even at low filler loadings (4 %) could be comparable with the microcomposites at higher filler loadings (30 %). The interaction between the fillers and the host matrix has been studied using various techniques. SEM studies done on the eroded regions of the composites revealed that a honey comb type formation had taken place on the nanocomposites during the IP test which was believed to be due to the interaction of the filler and the polymer. This honey comb structure formation at the eroded site in the nanocomposites greatly helps to protect the sample from further damage due to the discharges. The interaction at the interface between the polymer and fillers could also lead to further improvement in the thermal stability of the nanocomposite. A model was proposed which considers barrier resistance and a single-layer interaction around the fillers to explain the improvements offered by the nanocomposites. Corona aging studies have been carried out on unfilled silicone rubber, micro and nanocomposites for 25 h and 50 h of aging using a needle-plane electrode arrangement. Different parameters such as hydrophobicity, surface roughness, microcracks width on the aged surface, FTIR and SEM studies were carried out to study the corona aging resistance of the new and aged samples. The studies indicate that silicone rubber samples containing nanofillers at 3 wt % are able to impart significantly enough corona resistance compared to the unfilled and microcomposite samples. It is known that the discharge resistance offered by the fillers and the interaction/bonding between the fillers and polymers directly influences the corona aging resistance. Hence, the model proposed (discussed above) is valid for understanding the corona aging performance of the nanocomposites which is better than the unfilled and ATH filled silicone rubber. In addition to the tracking and erosion resistance and corona aging studies, multistress aging of commercially available polymeric insulators containing micron sized fillers has been carried out. The aging behaviour of the polymeric insulators under tropical and subtropical conditions (in the absence of discharges under wet conditions) has not been explored. Further, the long-term influence of the UV radiation on silicone rubber in the presence of temperature and electric stress is also not explored. Hence, to understand the aging phenomena (weathering characteristics) under multistress (electric, thermal and UV), distribution class composite polymeric insulators were aged for 30,000 h in a multistress aging chamber developed specifically for the studies. Insulators were continuously subjected to the accelerated electric and thermal stresses as well as UV radiation. Different studies like leakage current, SEM, hydrophobicity, surface roughness and low molecular weight (LMW) molecules content in the samples before and after the aging have been investigated. It is interesting to observe that even in the absence of electrical discharges on the surface of the material, significant monotonous reduction in LMW molecules has been observed w.r.t weathering time. Appreciable increase in the surface roughness (at least 200 % as that of the new material) as well as increased oxygen levels on the surface has also been observed. The results indicate that surface hydrophobicity is dynamic in nature and may not reflect the slow and permanent changes taking place in the bulk of the material. The results obtained for the nanocomposites enable us to design a better material with improved tracking, erosion and corona resistance without sacrificing the flexibility in the end product as well as ease of processing. The silicone rubber nanocomposites also open up the possibility for economically designing a smart material possibly with a higher reliability for outdoor insulator application.

2011-05-09T18:30:00Z Mahesh, S http://hdl.handle.net/2005/1267 2011-07-08T07:12:50Z 2011-07-07T18:30:00Z

Title: Analysis And Development Of Voltage Stability Assessment Methods Authors: Mahesh, S Abstract: Voltage stability is the ability of the power system to maintain steady acceptable voltages at all the buses in a system under normal operating conditions and after being subjected to a disturbance. The increased consumption of electricity without the augmentation of the necessary transmission infrastructure has resulted in the overloading of the transmission lines. As a result, the transmission lines operate near the steady state stability limit. The transmission of large amounts of power through the lines results in the large voltage drops in the lines. Sudden disturbances like line or generator outage and fault in the transmission lines may occur because of natural or man made causes. Under the above mentioned conditions, the transmission system may not be able to supply the load demand. This results in drops in the system bus voltages which may be sudden or progressive. If the necessary remedial measures are not taken, then this may lead to blackout or collapse of the whole system. As a result of a number of voltage stability incidents reported from various countries, there is a widespread interest in understanding, characterizing and preventing this phenomena. This thesis is essentially concerned with analyzing the existing methods and the development of new methods for the assessment of voltage stability of power systems. We examine four existing methods for assessing voltage stability with regard to the computational effort involved in their calculation, the useful information we get by using them, their relative effectiveness in assessing the voltage stability and their consistency in predicting the voltage stability of the system. We also study the impact of the system conditions on several of these indices. Further, we propose a set of new indices which provide information similar to the conventional indices but are slightly different. The generalized circle diagram approach proposed earlier to study the variation of the system variables with respect to the independent node parameters is shown to be adoptable for finding the voltage stability limit of a system. It has been shown that the well known continuation power flow method used for voltage stability analysis is identical to the generalized circle diagram approach. A computationally simple approach, based on the Thevenin equivalent of the power system is used to determine the loadability limit of a system. In the continuation power flow method, it is inherently assumed that only one generator responds to the real power load increase of the system. However, an alternate view is presented where all the generators respond to the real power increase in the system and an algorithm is proposed to realize this condition. Using this algorithm, the generation pattern of the system is modified so as to increase the loadability limit of the system considerably. The origin of the voltage instability in power systems can be traced to the load characteristics. Induction motors constitute a significant proportion of the total industrial and residential loads. Two algorithms that are useful to study the voltage stability of systems having induction machines have been presented and validated. These methods are based on the induction machine static equations. The first method is useful in assessing the impact of network disturbances on voltage stability and the second facilitates the computation of the loadability limit. A criterion has been proposed to find the stability limit, stable and unstable operating regions for a system considering various types of induction motor loads on the basis of which, a practical algorithm is proposed and validated to determine the stability of the induction motors driving different types of loads in a large power system. In addition, a method is developed to determine the stability aspects when the constant torque loads and the constant input power loads driven by induction motors operate in a power system, which contains other types of loads like the constant P - Q type of loads. Switching capacitors at the induction motor terminals is one of the ways by which voltage instability occurring due to the induction motor loads can be prevented. A new technique is proposed wherein knowing the capacitance and the slip at the instant of switching, the rotor dynamics following the switching and the existence of a steady state operating point following the switching can be predicted. This approach can be used to choose appropriate capacitances to be switched at the induction motor terminals to prevent its stalling following a sudden load disturbance.

2011-07-07T18:30:00Z