Shayan Behzadirafi
Power flow control solutions for a Modern Grid Using SMART Power Flow Controllers provides students and practicing engineers with a good understanding of the difficulties within congested power system networks and provides solutions to mitigate power flow problems.
Power systems have historically operated as one-way, nonflexible routes of energy. Electric generators are located based on energy availability and environmental acceptability and are not necessarily close to population centers and places where heavy demands of electricity are present. The power flows through the path of least impedance and is uncontrollable in nature. However, more flexibility is needed, especially as more renewables, distributed energy resources, and peer–peer energy transactions are being incorporated into the grid. Power flow controllers (PFCs) add this flexibility to the system by controlling the power flow of certain lines or parts of a transmission network without having to redispatch the whole generation. A fully flexible network must be able to control the so-called “active” and “reactive” power on each line. Although a fully flexible network is still not technically feasible, adding PFCs in major corridors opens a whole new era of power system control possibilities and analyses where active and reactive power flows and line impedances are controllable variables.
This book gives a clear and straightforward introduction to power flow control in complex transmission systems. Starting with basic electrical engineering concepts and theory, the authors provide step-by-step explanations of the modeling techniques of various PFCs, such as the voltage-regulating transformer, the phase angle regulator, and the unified PFC. The book covers the most up-to-date advancements in the Sen transformer, including various forms of two-core designs and hybrid architectures for a wide variety of applications.
Beginning with an overview of the origin and development of modern PFCs, the authors explain each topic in straightforward engineering terms—substantiating the theory with appropriate mathematics. Throughout the text, easy-to-understand chapters present characteristic equations of various PFCs, explain modeling in the Electromagnetic Transients Program (EMTP) programming language, compare transformer-based and mechanically switched PFCs, discuss grid congestion and power flow limitations, and more.
The book explains why effective PFCs should be viewed as simple impedance regulators. In addition, computer simulation codes of the various PFCs in the EMTP programming language are provided to ease the EMTP simulation for interested readers. Numerous examples and data cases are provided throughout the book to clarify complex issues. Actual power system networks are simulated, and the results are presented.
The book introduces the concept of a SMART PFC that is based on functional requirements and cost-effective solutions. The concept is based on impedance management of the transmission line, which is essential to 1) building the capacity to integrate and expand the use of clean distributed energy resources, 2) pursuing efficient asset utilization and reducing system losses, 3) facilitating greater transfer of clean energy from generation sites to load centers, and 4) improving grid reliability and resiliency. This technology can be customized based on the required range and speed of operation, component nonobsolescence, ease of relocation, and interoperability.
—Shayan Behzadirafi
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MPE.2022.3230994