2004 Inleernational Conference on

Power System Technology POWERCON 2004

Singapore, 21-24 November 2004

A Hybrid Controllable Shunt Reactor of

Transformer Type
Hongfa DING, Xianzhong D U M , Member, IEEE

Abshud-This paper presents a hybrid controllable shunt

reactor of transformer type (HCSRT) to solve the harmonic
problem of the thyristor-controlled reactor VCR). The proposed
device has advantages of bath the controllable shunt reactor of
transformer type (CSBT)and static var generator (SVG). The
HCSRT uses a voltage source inverter (VSI) to replace the bidirectional thyristor valve of the CSRT to control the output
current of the regulating winding. By introducing duplicate
winding ratings, the reactance of HCSRT can be continuously
and smoothly regulated in the total of the N-th power of 2 steps
with N control windings. A hybrid static var compensator of
transformer type (HSVCT),capable of compensating both the
inductive and capacitive reactive powers, is also presented in this
paper. Theoreticai analysis and simulations demonstrate
advantages of HCSRT and HSVCT, including fast transient
response, wide regulating region, minor harmonic pollution and
high cost-performance ratio.
I n d u Terms--controllable shunt reactor, hybrid controllable
shunt reactor, reactive power compensation, transformer type,
voltage source converter.

I. INTRODUCTION

output current can be continuously controlled by providing

proper firing-pulse to the thyristor valves. The harmonic
contents of the CSRT output current depend on the regulating
winding, whose rating is only a part of the reactors total
rating. In this way, the harmonic contents would be smaller,
compared with that of the TCR of equal rating. However, the
CSRT also has some practical disadvantages: (a) In order to
meet the harmonic Limitation, the reactance of the CSRT has a
dead band under light-load condition; and (b) The ratings of
the control windings and the regulating steps must be
carefully designed to meet the harmonic limitation in the
CSRTs operating region, however, this is usually
prohibitingly complex and expensive [4]. In the last decades,
static var generators (SVGs) have been developed to
compensate the dynamic reactive power [5]-(61. Compared
with the reactive power compensators based on the
controllable shunt reactors, the SVG has faster dynamic
response, wider operating region, and less harmonic pollution
[7]-[8]. But largerating SVGs are still costly and difficult to
build, given contemporary manufacturing techniques.
This paper presents a hybrid controllable shunt reactor of
transformer type (HCSRT) to solve the above problems by
adopting a combinatory design of CSRT and SVG. The
benefits include fast transient response, wide regulating region,
minor harmonic pollution and high cost-performance ratio.
The rest of the paper is organized as follows. Section I1
describes the configuration and operating principle of the
HCSRT, covering the reactive power compensation scheme
and its control system.In Section III, the design of a hybrid
static var compensator of transformer type (HSVCT) that is
based on HCSRT and is able to compensate both the inductive
and capacitive reactive power is presented. Simulation results
io Section IV demonstrate. the effectiveness of HCSRT and
HSVCT as well as their control systems. Section V concludes
the paper.

HE large dynamic Ioads (i.e. arc furnaces) have caused

many power quality problems such as voltage fluctuation
and flicker,poor power factor, and unbalance. Currently, the
most widely-used method to mitigate these problems is the
connection of shunt static var compensators (SVC) based on
thyristorcontrolled reactors (TCRs). The main disadvantage
of the TCR is that it injects harmonic currents into the ac bus
111-[3]. This harmonic problem can be significantly reduced
with the application of controllable shunt reactor of
transformer type (CSRT).The CSRT is similar to a multiwinding transformer with one primary winding (or working
winding) and more than one secondary windings (or control
winding) of high short-circuited impedance. Each secondary
winding section consists of a fixed reactor and a bi-directional
thyristor valve. One of the secondary winding sections works
II. CONFlGURATIONAND OPERATING PRINCIPLE OF WCSRT
as a TCR (or regulating Winding), and the others work as
thyristor switched reactors (TSR). Therefore, the CSRTs A . Configurafion and Operating Principle of the CSRT
CSRT can be regarded as a multi-winding transformer with
This work was supported by the Postdoctor Science Funds of China and high short-circuited impedance. Fig. 1 shows the single-phase
H d o q University o f Science and Technology.
circuit configuration of the CSRT, where W, is the primary
Hongfa Ding is with the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan,Hubei, 430074, winding (or working winding)directly connected to the power
P.R.China (e-mail: weondy_ding~hotmail.com).
system, ic , called output current of the CSRT, denotes the

X i d o n g Duan is with the School of Electrical and Electronic

Engineering, Huazhong University o f Science and Technology,Wuhan, Hubei,
430074, P.R.China (e-mail: xzduan@263.net).

0-7803-8610-81041$20.00 0 2004 lEEE

current flowing through the working winding W, ; W,, ,

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voltage source inverter P S I ) and works in the ASVG mode, operating conditions. The proportions of control winding
therefore the regulating winding can generate both inductive ratings are 1:1:1:1 (CSRTI), 1:1:2:4 (CSRT2) and
and capacitive reactive current with harmonics being minor. 1 :2 : 4 :8 (HCSRT), the control mode of VSI of the HCSRT
The ratings of the HCSRT control windings can be designed regulating winding is the hysteresis current control. To
to increase along series of 1,2,4, ..., 2N-' , thus the simplify discussion, the following assumptionsare adopted (a)
reactance of HCSRT can be continuously and smoothly The transformer is Linear; @) Mutual inductances among the
control windings are negligible. It is obviously that the
regulated in its M I range in 2" steps with N ( N > I ) harmonic performance of the HCSRT is much better than that
control windings.
of the CSRT, especially under light-load condition.

+
output currents (p.u)
CSRTl
CSRT2
HCSRT
V

0.06
51.885
29.327
0.359

0.1
35.524

10.017
0.421

0.3
9.584
5.921
0.156

0.7
2.861

2.285
0.331

0.9
3.555
1.597
0.400

HI. HCSKT APPLICATIONS

ON THE REACTIVE POWER
COMPENSATION

By adding a shunt fixed capacitor (FC), a HCSRT can be

extended into a static var compensator for compensation o f
both inductive and capacitive reactive powers. Moreover, the
FC+HCSRT type of static var compensators perform much
better than the conventional FC+TCR type of compensators,
because we don't need to design additional harmonic filters
thanks to the very small THD of the output current of a
HCSRT.

Fig.3. The circuit configuration of the HCSRT

HCSRT has the following advantages compared with the

CSRT: (a) Faster response; @) Having the regulating winding
capable of generating both inductive and capacitive reactive
current, enabling regulation of the HCSRT equivalent
reactance in a larger range; (c) Given the same total rating and
same amount of control windings, HCSRTs can be designed
with more regulating steps, and the rating of the regulating
winding can be smalIer. For example, for a CSRT and a
HCSRT each with four control windings and equal ratings, the
control winding ratings of the CSRT should be set as
1:1:2:4in order to continuously and smoothly regulate its
equivalent reactance in the f u l range, but the HCSRT can be
set as 1 : 2 :4 :8 . So the number of regulating steps is eight for
the CSRT while 16 for the HCSRT; and the ratio of regulating
winding rating to total rating is 118 for the CSRT while 1/15
for the HCSRT. Because of the relatively small rating of the
regulating winding (which means that the required rating of
the VSI is also small), HCSRTs can be designed with larger
total ratings than ASVGs; (d) HCSRTs have better harmonic
performances, because the output harmonics of the VSI is
significantly smaller than that of the TCR and the regulating
winding rating of the HCSRT is also smaller than that of the
CSRT; (e) With proper control methods, the regulating
winding of the HCSRT can work in the active power filter
(APF) mode to compensate harmonic currents generated by
arc furnaces, electric railway traction loads, etc.
Table I shows the TffD of the output currents of the CSRT
and HCSRT with four control windings and five typical

I
Fig.4. Functional control scheme for the FC+HCSRT type static vw
compensationsystem

Fig. 4 shows the functional control scheme for the

FC+HCSRT type static var compensation system. In the
scheme: (a) The reactive current computation module is used
to calculate the magnitude of the reactive component of load
current based on the sample values of the system voltage and
load current and, at the same time, to distinguish whether the
computed reactive current is capacitive or inductive; (b) The
reactive current distribution module is used to distribute the
required compensating current to the control windings based
on the magnitude and attribute (inductive or capacitive) of the
load reactive current attained in module (a), and to c o n f m the
magnitude and attribute ( m y be different from that of the
load reactive current) of the VSI output reference current; (c)
The function of the VSI reference output current generation
module is to generate the reference output current as the input
of hysteresis current control module, this reference current is
calculated based on the system voltage and the magnitude and
attribute of VSI reference output current attained in module

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(b); (d) The function of the firing pulse generator is to caused by the capacitor switch in, the thyristor valve should
generate the triggering pulses of bidirectional thyristor valves. be turned on at those instants when the voltage across the
In order to reduce the dc current component introduced by thyristor valve is zero.
reactors X,, X , , ..., X , , thyristor valves should be
w.SlMIJLATIONRESULTS
switched on at the moment when the voltage across the
Simulations
of
a simplified circuit showed in Fig.6 are
thyristor valve reaches its peak value.
performed using MATLABISIMUJAK. In Fig.6, e is the
system voltage source, 2, is the equivalent impedance of the

system and transmission line, v, is the load voltage, i f , ir

and iT are the system current, load current and compensator
current respectively. The load is linear and its reactive power
changes between -Q (capacitive)
+Q (inductive). Two
compensators are considered in the simulation mdy, Le, the

FC+HCSRT type compensator and the HSVCT, in which the

HCSRT and HSVCT both have four control windings. The
rating distribution of the FC+HCSRT is -iQ for FC, * $ Q

for the regulating winding

and Q for W,,

w,, , +Q for w,, , fQ for w,, ,

respectively. The rating distribution of the

HSVCT is k k Q for Wcl, * Q for W,,

FigS. The circuit configuration of the hybrid static var compensator of
tmsfnmertype

, &Q

for W,,

,and

LQ
15
for W,, . From the rating distribution above, it can be
concluded that to compensate same reactive power, the needed
rating of FC+HCSRT type compensator is much larger than
that of the HSVCT.

Similar to the FC-TCR type compensator, the losses of the

FC+HCSRT type compensator is significant, even when the
reactive load c m n t need to be compensated is small. To
lower the losses, the FC is divided into several parts according
to a certain proportion, each connected in series witb biduectional thyristor valves respectively, then put them into the
control windings W,, , ..,, W,, . The newly constructed
system is named hybrid static var compensator of transformer
type (HSVCT for short). Fig5 shows the circuit configuration Fig.6. The simulation circuit
of such a compensator with four control windings, in which
Fig.7 shows the simulation waveforms for the reactive
W,, is the regulating Winding. Different from Fig.3, W,, ,
power compensation using the FC+HCSRT type compensator.
W,,, and W,, contain a shunt circuit consisting of a The load reactive power QL changes from -Q ( = 0.707pu)
capacitor, a bidirectional thyristor valve and a small surge
to 0 at t=O.ls , and from 0 to +Q at t=O.l8s . At the
current limiting reactor respectively. The ratings of the
beginning,
the compensator operates stably to compensate the
capacitors are determined by the practical applications
power of -Q . When QL changes, the output
load
reactive
observing the proportion Q2 :Q3 : Q = 1:2 : 4 . The relatively
current
of
compensator
changes correspondingly to trace the
small surge current limiting reactor is used to limit the surge
change
of
QL
.
From
Fig.7,
we can see that the compensators
current in the thyristor valve under abnormal operating
conditions.By controlling the output current of W , , and on response time is one half cycle (loms), the compensated
or off state of the bi-directional thyristor valves TZ1,T,, , system current is is in phase with the load voltage v, , which
G, , T,, , T,, and T,, the output reactive current of the means the reactive power is fully compensated.
In Fig.7 we can also see that when QL = 0 , although i, ,
HSVCT can be controlled to compensate the load reactive
the
total output current of the compensator, is zero, iFc and
power.
The control system of the HSVCT is similar to that of the ic are not zero, but counteract each other. While when
FC+HCSRT type compensator, including modules for reactive QL= -Q , the magnitude of ic is nearly two times of the
cwrent computation, reactive current distribution, VSI output
magnitude of iL . This characteristic of the FC+HCSRT type
reference current computation, hysteresis current control, and
fring pulse generator. To minimize the transient disturbance compensator results in increased losses and larger design

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rating of the compensator, which is disadvantageous for the

practical application.
Du

1.5

-1s

( icl , icz ,ic3 and ic4 ) are also zero. When QL= -Q , the
magnitude of the output current of the WSVCT equals to the
maguitude of reactive load current, which is much smaller
than that of HCSRT in the FWHCSRT type compensator.
That is to say, for compensating an identical load, both
required rating and loss of the HSVCT are smaller than those
of the FC+HCSRT type compensator.

0
-1.5
1.5

1.5

-1.5

-1.5
1.0

1 c

1.3

0
-1.5
-1.0
1.0

1.5

-1.5
1.0

-1.0
2.0

-1.0
0.6

-2.0
1.0

4.6
0.8

-1.0

0.8

-er

-0.8
O

0.1

0.18

0.06
0.06

Q L 4 - Q T

0.1

0.18

tls
0.26

0.26

Fig.& Simulation waveforms for the reactive power compensation using the
Fig.7. Simulation waveforms for the reactive power compensation using
FC+HCSRT

Fig8 shows the simulation waveforms for the reactive

power compensation using the HSVCT. The timing and
amount of QL change is the same as above. It can be

observed that when Qr changes 60m -Q to 0, the response

t h e of the compensator is also one half cycle, but when

+e,

Q,changes from 0 to
the response time becomes one
quarter cycle. It should be mentioned that in a practical system,
the compensators response time is related to the change time
of load, the direction of load reactive power change and the
residual voltage of the capacitor. For example, when the
absolute value of the compensators output reactive power
( QT < 0 , capacitive) increases or Qr changes from
inductive to capacitive, the maximum transient response time
is one cycle, when QT (a,
inductive) increases or change
from capacitive to inductive, the maximum dynamic response
time is one half cycle.
Compare Fig8 with Fig.7, it is obviously that when
QL= 0 , the total output current of the compensator iT is
equal to 0, and the output current of control windings

I Q Tl

HSVCT

Because the rating of the VSI in a HCSRT and a HSVCT is

relatively small, the generated harmonic current is also small.
Moreover,the loss of the VSI is also small compared with the
whole device, thus higher switch fiequency can be adopted to
further lower the output harmonic currents. Fig.7 and Fig.8
show that the harmonic distortion of the output current of the
VSI and the compensator are very small.

V. CONCLUSIONS
The harmonic components of the output current of a CSRT
is related to foliowing factors: (a) The number and the ratings
of bypassed windings; (b) The ratio of the rating of the
regulating winding to the total rating of the CSRT; (c) The
firing delay angle of the bi-directional thyristor valves of the
regulating winding. To satisfy the harmonic limitation, the
reactance of a conventional CSRT has a dead band under
light-load condition.
The proposed HCSRT replaces the bi-directional thyristor
valves in a CSRT with the VSI to enable the control of the
output current of the regulating winding. By careful design,
the equivalent reactance of the HCSRT can be continuously

1177

WA1.2

and smoothly regulated in the total of 2N steps with N control

windings,and its operating region is independent of the load
conditions. The HCSRT has many advantages such as fast
dynamic response, little harmonic pollution, and high costperformance ratio.
Combined with the FCs, HCSRTs can be used as var
compensators for both the inductive and capacitive reactive

power compensation. Connecting in shunt a circuit which

includes a capacitor and a bi-directional thyristor valve with
each of the control windings except for the regulating winding,
a hybrid static var wmpensator of transformer type with better
performances is constructed. Digital simulations show the
validity and superiority of the HCSRT and its derived var
compensator.
W. REWRENCES
Jen-Hung Cheo, Wei-Jen Lee, Mo-Shin, Chen, W o g a static VAr
compensator to bdaoce a diskibutim system, IEEE Transacrions on
Industry Applications, vo1.35, no.2,pp. 298 304,1999.
Mayordomo, J.G.,Izzeddine, M., &eosi. R., Load and voltage
balancing in harmonic power flows by means of static VAr
compensators, IEEE Transactrotason Power Delivery, vol.17, uo.3. pp.
761-769,2002,
Mutluer, B.,Cadirci, I,, Ermis. M.,et al., *Aunified relocatableSVC for
opencast lignite m h h g in Turkey, IEEE Transactions an rndwhy
Applicutions, ~01.40,no.2,pp. 650 - 663,2004.
Tian M
i
n
m
g
,Li QinghzHarmonic curreot and power-step number of
controllable shunting reactors of transformer type, Proceedings of the
CSEE.VO1.23,UO.5,Pp.168 -171,2003.
Hanson, D, 5., Woodhouse, M. L., Horwill, C..et al., STATCOM: a
new era of reactive compensation,Power EngineeringJournal [see also
Power Engineer], vo1.16,no.3, pp. I51 - 160,2002.
Schauder, C., Gemhardt, M.,Stacey, E., et d., Operation of flOO
MVAr TVA STATCON, IEEE Transmiions on Power Delivery, vo1.12,
n0.4,pp. 1805- 1x11, 1997.
Tan, Y.L, Analysis of line compensation by shunt-cooaccted FACTS
controlters: a comparison between SVC and STATCOM, IEEE Power
Engineering Reviiw, voI.19, no.& pp. 57 - 58, 1999.
Garcia-Cerrada, A., GarciaGoKalez, P., Collantes, R, et al.,
ompa par ism of thyristor-conholled reactors and voltage.-source
~vertersfor compensatim of flicker caused by arc h e s , E E E
Transactions on Power Delivery, vo1.15,no.4, pp. 1225 - 1231,2000.

W.BIOGRAPHIES
Hmigfa Ding was bom in Zhejiang, China m October 2,
1973. He received his BS and PhD degrees in elechical
eogkming fiom Huazhong University of Science and
TechnoIogy (HUST) in 1995 and 2002 respectively. From
May 2001 to May 2002, he worked as a visiting research
associate in the Department of Electrical Engineering and
Electronics, the University of Liverpool, UK. He is
currently doing postdoctoral research in HUST. His
rescarch interests include electric power systems d y s i s
and control, power electronics and its application io me
power aystem, power qualify monitoring and improvement, dishibuted
generation.

Xianzhong Duan was born io Hunar~,China in 1966. He

received his BS, MS and PhD degrees fiom Huazhong
University of Science and Techology, all in electrical
engineering. He is a full professor at Huazhong Uoiversity
of Science and Technology, as well as a vice deao of the
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. His
research interests include, power system analpis aod
control, FACTS, voltage stability, power market and
informational power system

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