SINGLE-PHASE PQ THEORY

M. Tarafdar. Haque
Electrical Engineering Department,
Tabriz University, Tabriz, IRAN
Phone &Fax.: (98)-(411)-3356025
e-mail: haquel347@yahoo.com

Abstract-The theory of instantaneous reactive power

compensation of single-phase circuits is presented. This theory
is a general case of well-known pq theory and it is usable in
single-phase as well as three-phase circuits. A new definition of
instantaneous active and reactive powers in single-phase
circuits that is based on space vector concept is presented, too.
Principle of operation is explained using analytical analysis.
The validity of presented method and its comparison with
original pq theory is studied through simulation results.
1.

INTRODUCTION

After the presentation of original pq theory [ 1, 21 some

instantaneous power based theories presented [3-61. The
main objectives of these articles were extension of pq
theory to three-phase three-wire and/or three-phase fourwire systems considering different utility voltage and/or
load current conditions. These conditions include some
cases such as imbalance and/or harmonic polluted utility
voltage, imbalance and/or harmonic polluted load current
and neutral current compensation [7-91.
Considering this fact that the pq theory is a three-phase
system based theory, it is obvious that all of the researches
which are based on this theory, are usable only in threephase systems. This subject results in dependency of
reference compensation current in one phase to the current
and voltage waveform in other two phases. One of the
results of such a dependency is disability of pq theory in
generation of sinusoidal current waveforms in the utility
side when utility voltages andor load currents are
imbalance.
This paper presents a new theory, which is named singlephase pq theory, for instantaneous reactive power
compensation of single-phase loads. The theory is
explained using analytical analysis. It has been shown that
the presented theory is a general case of original pq theory.
The control circuit is presented and the validity of its
operation is studied though simulation results. Using this
theory make it possible compensation for instantaneous
reactive power in single-phase as well as three-phase
systems. In addition, this theory has the ability of
generation of sinusoidal current waveform in the utility side
in imbalance utility voltage and/or load current cases which
is a progress compared with original pq theory.

Single
Phase
Load
Fig. 1. A single-phase utility and its load

Using the instantaneous space vectors concept, it is

possible represent v(t) in space vector form as follows:

Where, v?) stands for instantaneous space vector v(t)

and the notations of Y , p(t), Vr ( t ) and &(z) stand for the
amplitude, angular position, real part and imaginary part of
vij) ,respectively.

Using the same concept for i(t) results in following

equation: .

Where, io) stands for instantaneous space vector

presentation of i(t) and the notations I , y(f), I r ( f ) and
Zi(t) stand for the amplitude, variable angular position, real

i6)

part and imaginary part of

, respectively.
acspace vestors which are
Defining the v'<t) and
n/2 phase lead in respect with ~ ( t and.
)
i(t) respectively,
results in ( 3 ) and (4), easily.

i'o

V'Tf)

=-Fyt) + jV,(t)

it(?)= - l i ( t )

+ jl,.(1)

(3)
(4)

Fig. 2, shows instantaneous space vector presentation of

11.

SINGLE-PHASEPQ THEORY

Fig. 1 shows a single-phase load that is connected to a

single-phase utility. In this figure v(t) and i(t) stand for
instantaneous single-phase utility voltage and load current,
respectively.

0-7803-7262-X/02/$10.00 0 2002 IEEE.

v c ) , v'tt) , i(i) and i ' u ) . In this figure the quantities on

horizontal axis show the real part and those on the vertical
axis show the imaginary part of instantaneous space
vectors, respectively.

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Where, Icr(t) and Ici(f) are the real and

- imaginary part
of space vector of compensator current, ic(t) .
Using (8), the first raw of (1 0) and considering the real
part of ic(t) as reference compensating current ic.p,ref(t),
results in the following expression:

Fig. 2. Instantaneous space vectors

The author introduces the single-phase instantaneous

complex power slq (t) as follows:

sIq(t)= v(i)i*(t)

(5)

where i'(t) is called the conjugate space vector of i o ) .

Using (1) and conjugate of (3), it is possible rewriting ( 5 ) as
following expression:

Considering equations (1) to (4) it is possible writing the

following expressions:

V, (1) =Re( ~ ( 1 ) =
) v(t)

(12)

&(t)=-Re(

(13)

I,(t) =Re(

~ ' 7 1 )=
) v'(t)

io)

) = i(t)

Ii(t)=-Re(i'(t))=-i'(t)

(14)
(1 5 )

Where the operator of Re( f$)) shows the real part of

Defining the real part of slP (t) as the single-phase
instantaneous active power ply (t), and the imaginary part of
slq (t) as the single-phase instantaneous reactive power
qlq(t),results in (7) and (8) as follow:

It is possible writing these equations in the matrix form

as follows:

(9)

space vector of fi;).

Substituting equations (12) to (1 5) into (1 1) results in the
following expression:

Equation (16) shows the single-phase reference

instantaneous reactive power compensating current as a
function of load voltage, load current and their d 2 phase
leaded values. Fig. 3 shows the control circuit of singlephase pq theory that is based on eq. (1 6).

Equation (7) shows the sum of product of instantaneous

voltage on one axis and the current on the same axis. On the
other hand, (8) shows the sum of two expressions, which
are the product of instantaneous voltage on one axis and the
current on the perpendicular axis. Based on the original pq
theory [2] and considering above-mentioned subjects shows
that pIq (t) and qIq(t), are the instantaneous real power and
the instantaneous imaginary power in their single-phase
scheme. In this way, the dimension of plq (t) would be in
watt (W).
Fig. 3. Control circuit single-phasepq theory
111.

INSTANTANEOUSREACTIVE POWER COMPENSATION

USING SINGLE-PHASE PQ THEORY

Writing eq. (9) at the compensator terminal results in the

following equation:

From theoretical point of view, making d 2 phase lead in

instantaneous manner need using a quadrature filter which
its transfer function is as follows:

Indeed, the operation of this filter is equivalent with

Hilbert transform in the frequency domain. The output

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signal of this filter is orthogonal of its input signal in steady

state as well as transient case.
In three-phase systems, it is possible using the control
circuit of Fig. 3 in each of the phases, independently. In this
way, reference instantaneous reactive power compensation
current in phase a would be in the following form:

coordinates same as presented in original pq theory [ I , 21,

and excluding zero sequence of utility voltages and load
currents it is possible writing the following equations:
ill(?) =

va(t)=

Above-mentioned compensating current, dependents only

the utility voltage and load current in the phase a.
Considering this fact that compensating current of phase

independent on the voltages and currents of other two

a IS
phases makes it possible using this equation for
instantaneous reactive power compensation in single-phase
scheme. Equations (19) and (20) show the compensating
currepts in the phases b and c, respectively. These currents
are dependent only on the utility voltages and load currents
of the phases b and c, respectively

R
E

iu(t)

(21)

vu (t)

(22)

In above equations the subscripts of a and p stand for the

quantities on a and p coordinates, respectively.
On the other hand, omitting negative sequence of
voltages and currents we have:

11

Using these compensating currents in three-phase

systems not only compensate for instantaneous reactive
power but also generates sinusoidal current waveforms in
the utility side in imbalance utility voltages and/or
imbalance load side currents case. This is because of singlephase based operation of this method. Obviously, this
control method does not guarantee generation of balanced
three-phase currents in the utility side which is because of
independent operation of proposed method in each of the
phases.
IV.

USING SINGLE-PHASE PQ THEORY IN THREE-PHASE

CIRCUITS AND ITS COMPARITION WITH ORIGINAL PQ
THEORY

In three-phase systems, it is possible using the control

circuit of Fig. 3 in each of the phases, independently. In this
way, the overall control circuit of three-phase system, not
only compensate for instantaneous reactive power but also
generates sinusoidal current waveforms in the utility side in
imbalance utility voltages and/or imbalance load side
currents case. This is because of independent operation of
control circuits in each of the phases.
It should be noticed that the original pq theory is a threephase based theory. This means it cannot be used in singlephase systems. On the other hand original pq theory is not
able to generate sinusoidal reference current waveforms in
the imbalance utility voltages and/or imbalance load side
currents case [8].
It is possible deriving the compensating currents of
original pq theory using the presented single-phase pq
theory. Using the definition of quantities on a-p

v p (1) =

-VIa

(t)

p()= -i&

where,

~ ~ ( and
1 )

itn(?)

are 7d2 phase lead in respect with

and & ( I ) , respectively,

Situating equations (21) to (24) into (18) results in the
following equation which is equal with the compensating
current in the phase of a using original pq theory:
v&

It is possible deriving the reference compensating

currents of phases b and c in a similar manner, too.

v.

SIMULATION
RESULTS

The operation of presented single-phase pq theory is

studied through simulation results. Fig. 4 shows the
simulated power system. The utility consists of a 3-phase 4wire 120 V (rms, L-L), 60 Hz utility. The load consists of a
three-phase balance R-L load, another three phase balance
R-L load which, can be switched ON and OFF using a three
phase thyristor switch and a resistive load that it can be
switched ON and OFF using a single-phase thyristor
switch, too.
The control circuit of Fig. 3 is used for getting reference
instantaneous reactive power compensation currents in each
of the phases of three-phase system, independently.

1
1

Fig. 4. Simulated power system

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This circuit has four stages of operation as follows:

1-

From zero to 50 (ms) the load of utility is only the

three- phase balanced R-L load. This load would result
in reactive power burden on utility.
2- The second three-phase balance R-L load switches ON
at 50 (ms). Switching this load ON, can be used for
studying the dynamic operation of control circuit.
3- At 100 (ms), the single-phase load on the phase c
switches ON. This load generates imbalance load
current case. The single-phase reactive power
compensation ability of control circuit is studied from
100 (ms) to 150 (ms).
4- At 150 (ms) to the end of simulation time, the
magnitude of voltage of phase a is reduced to 50% of
its rated value. This generates a voltage imbalance
case.

of single-phase pq theory and it is possible deriving

compensation currents formulas of on&
p-q theory using
presented single-phase pq theory using some assumptions,
easily.

Fig. 5 shows the simulation results. Fig. 5(a) and 5(b)

show the utility voltages and load currents. Fig. 5(c) shows
the reference source side currents after the operation of
original pq theory. While, Fig. 5(d) shows the reference
source side currents after the operation of presented singlephase pq theory.
Considering Fig. 5(c) shows that original pq theory
cannot generate sinusoidal reference current waveform at
the source side in load current and/or utility voltage
imbalance cases (i.e. from 100 (ms) to 200 (ms)). On the
other hand, Fig. 5(d) shows that the operation of singlephase pq theory not only compensates for instantaneous
reactive power but also results in sinusoidal current
waveform in all of the load currents and source voltages
cases. Obviously, such ability is due to single-phase based
operation of this control circuit. It should be noticed that
this control strategy would not generate balanced current
waveforms in the utility side.
VI.

CONCLUSION

The single-phase pq theory is presented. Analytical

equations are used to explain the ability of presented
control method in compensation for instantaneous reactive
power of single-phase circuits as well as three-phase
circuits. The validity of presented theory is proved through
simulation results. The superiority of single-phase pq
theory over original pq theory in compensation for threephase circuits in imbalance load current andor utility
voltage cases is studied through simulation results, too. It
has been shown that the original pq theory is a special case

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