Chapter 2

2. Automatic Voltage Control (AVR) of transformer in Substations

2.1. Power Transformers and the On Load Tap Changer (OL TC)

Presently CEB Grid Substation has been installed with two to three, numbers
31.5MVA transformers which are equipped with On Load Tap Changer (OLTC). Typical
OLTC transformers may have 16 to 32 tap positions, with each position being
representative of some fractional portion of rated voltage. Thus, for example, a one
position tap change on a 32 tap OLTC transformer would cause a relatively small 33kV
bus voltage change as compared with the rated or desired output voltage. Typical step size
of the tap voltage is 1.5% to 1.25% of the rated voltage. The OLTC is placed on the high
voltage side winding of the transformer due to economic and easy insulation coordination.
Figure 2.1 shows how the entire system operates with its components.

Ddmt>d movement of
---------.,

REGULATING TRANSFORMER
Changing the Transformer Ratio
~
~

t
MOTOR DRIVE ED
~ 1 - ---~--------,
u
<
LOAD PROFILE •
Drive Shaft Need of Power,Changes

l Control pulse for changing

the tap pn"t1on
<:
j L----------..J

DESIRED VOLTAGE LEVEL

TAPCON"
t J
- - - Regulating circuit
Matching Actual and Desired Voltage
- - - - Power grit

Figure 2.1 Typical arrangement of OL TC and A VR system in transformers

2.2. OL TC control principles for paralleling transformers in the GSS

Automatic On-Load Tap-Changer Control of parallel transformers can be made

according to three different methods:

1. Reverse Reactance method

2. Master- Follower method
3. Minimum Circulating Current method [ 1], [ 10]

4
Unlike the first method, the last two methods require exchange of signals and measured
values between the transformers, or between the transformers and a central control unit.
However, the drawback with the first method is that the voltage control will be affected by
changes in the load power factor. The Master-Follower method is generally limited to
applications with similar transformers, whilst the circulating current method, which is
typically available in new numerical AVRs, also handles, in an elegant way, the more
generic case with unequal transformers in parallel operation.

2.2.1. Operations of the Master- Follower Method:

In this method the two transformers which are in equal impedance connected in
parallel. The secondary side voltage and current are taken through Voltage Transformer
(VT) and Current Transformer (CT) into the Automatic Voltage Control (AVR) devices.
There is also logic for the two transformers where both transformers are in parallel, only
one AVR is acted and it is called Master and the other simply follows the master [ 10].

For these operations, the logic was taken from each secondary side circuit breaker
auxiliary contact. There is another function called independent which operate under
secondary side (33kV) bus-coupler is opened position. In that case two controllers are
independently operated with each other. Figure 2.2.1 shows schismatic diagram of the
Mater follower system in the GSS.

KVY.t. 20MVA
<b ~

132kV Bus Bar

~~
<~
~~
I'> Galle GS

Increase Tap
t
Increase Tao
Decrease Tao Master Follower uecrease Tap
~~ Independent (MF,) Logic ~~
bank B1
r
r
1::. ,J3kV PT 1
I
AVR
I I I I

AVR
1 c-- w
~ 1"-\ BSC bank A·

33kV PT 1 1::.
T
...,..
Controller Controller ~ .....,
~ CT 1 "" ~

TF1 TF1 CT1

4

~~
~ ~
r-ea
~ ~

'-"

I I I I T lT l
Figure 2.2.1 Schematic diagram of the master -follower system

2.2.2. Operations of the Minimum Current Circulation Method:

Two main objectives ofvoltage control of parallel transformers with the

circulating current method are:

1. Regulate the LV side busbar voltage to the preset target value

2. Minimize the circulating current, in order to achieve optimal sharing of the reactive
load between parallel operating transformers

The first objective is the same as for the voltage control of a single transformer while the
second objective tries to bring the circulating current, which appears due to unequal LV
5
side no load voltages in each transformer, into an acceptable value. Figure 2 2.2 shows an
example with two transformers connected in parallel. If transformer Tl has higher no load
voltage (i.e. Ur 1) it will drive a circulating current which adds to the load current in Tl
and subtracts from the load current in T2. It can be shown that the magnitude of the
circulating current in this case can be approximately calculated with the following formula
[1]:

L-:- n -Un
lice _nl =lice_T~ I= Zn + Zn

Because transformer impedances are dominantly inductive it is possible to use only the
transformer reactance in the above formula. At the same time this means that transformer
T1 circulating current lags the busbar voltage almost 90°, whilst transformer T2
circulating current leads the busbar voltage by almost 90°. This also means that the
circulating current is mainly reactive in nature, and it only represents reactive power that
circulates between two transformers connected in parallel.

Therefore by minimizing the circulating current flow through the transformers, the total
reactive power flow through the parallel-connected transformer group is optimised as
well. At the same time, at this optimum state the apparent power flow is distributed among
the transformers in the group in direct proportion to their rated power.

Therefore an AVR [1] , regardless of whether it is used for single or parallel transformer
control, always reacts and changes OLTC position in accordance with LV side load
variations. However, the A VR will as well react on abnormal voltage variations on the
high voltage (HV) side of the power transformer. Sometimes such A VR behaviour is not
desirable because it just further increases the total load on the HV system (i.e.
transmission system). Especially, such behaviour shall be prevented during critical
operation states of the transmission system such as a slow power system voltage collapse
[5] .

llr1 /1~.12 Un

l
I T +

T1 T2 <=> ZT1 ol., j Zn n h>

· Us --L--.,---~-
43
Lr'l ~r'l
l.\._ uL

Figure 2.2 2 Equivalent scheme for two parallel transformers in accordance

with minimizing circulating current method
6
2.3. Controlling philosophy

A typical AVR measures the busbar voltage (Us) at the power transformer LV
side, and if no other additional features are enabled (i.e. line drop compensation) this
voltage is used for voltage regulation. The voltage control algorithm then compares Us
with the set target voltage (Uset) and decides which action should be taken. Because this
control method is based on a step-by-step principle, a dead-band t,U (i.e. degree of
insensitivity) is introduced in order to avoid unnecessary switching around the target
voltage. The dead-band is typically symmetrical around Uset as shown in Figure 2.3 Dead-
band should be set to a value close to the power transformers OL TC voltage step. Typical
setting is 75% of the OLTC step [2].

:• Securi~j Rarl\je
~

Auto mxle I'

Raise Cm.:l ~._.'"' IIIJJ:4'"''"" liiJJo! LO'i\>erCm:t Fast Lower Cmd

Raise Cmd is Blodi:ed

Voltage Magnitude

Figure 2.3 Typical AVR Voltage Scale for Automatic OLTC Control

During normal operating conditions the busbar voltage Us, stays within the dead-band. In
that case no actions will be taken by the AVR. However, if Us becomes smaller than U1 or
greater than U2 (see Figure 2.3), an appropriate lower or raise timer will start. The timer
will run as long as the measured voltage stays outside the inner dead-band. If this
condition persists for longer than a preset time, the appropriate LOWER or RAISE
command will be issued. If necessary, the procedure will be repeated until the busbar
voltage is again within the inner dead-band [1].

The main purpose of the time delay is to prevent unnecessary OL TC operations due to
temporary voltage fluctuations. The time delay may also be used for OL TC co-ordination
in radial distribution networks in order to decrease the number of unnecessary OLTC
operations. This can be achieved by setting a longer time delay for A VRs located closer to
the end consumer and shorter time delays for A VRs located at higher voltage levels

2.4. Setting of parameters of the A VR in the CEB network:

A. Band width (BW) -L',U = Ust * 1.6 (Ust = 1.25% of Urated or 1.5%)

B. Time ( Rate of change of voltage), 10 second curve

Following Figure 2.4.(a) and Figure 2.4.(b) shows how does the two parameters functions
in the A VR controller. It very important to set these two parameters according to the
power system operation condition otherwise it will ruins to hunting and transient
conditions of the system [2].

7
 Switching operation
T1 .
}'
"': : 7
:. uactual
: "

Udesired

Bandwidth range

Udosnd : Voltage level in kVN No switching operation -----+

B%:
dU:
Bandwidth In %
Regulation deviation
T
• : Excess of bandwidth and corresponding switching operation.
6

Figure 2.4.(a) The bandwidth and the error threshold time setting set in the AVR

~u (otoJ
E (Ofo)

Regulating deviation
10
9
8
7

6
5
4
3
2

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 t [s] 180

~U/E- voltage change ~U in Ofo of the desired value, in relation to the set
bandwidth in Ofo of the desired voltage level.
9

Figure 2.4.(b) How does the time setting curve selected for various conditions in AVR

2.5. Internal hardware structure of the Transformer A VR and how it operates:

Figure 2.5 .1 shows arrangement of the system components of the conventional A VR. The
description of these components will be primarily in terms of functions, with suitable
hardware and software being used to achieve required functions. The AVR unit is
constructed so as to have:

(1) A deviation integrating function 1000 for integrating the deviation V 3 between system-
voltage V 1 which is input to the apparatus and a reference voltage V 2 for a constant
time period, this function being shown in the figure;

8
(2) A system-voltage status evaluating function 2000 for identifying features capable of
improving the voltage characteristics and reducing the frequency of tap change of a tap
changing transformer;

(3) An integration constant corrected value inferring function 3000 for inferring an
integration constant corrected value by input of the result derived by the system-
voltage status evaluating function 2000 using fuzzy inference on the basis of an
integration constant correcting rule, which rule expresses the relationship between the
status evaluation result and the integration constant corrected value;

(4) A judging function 4000 for judging whether or not switching of the tap is necessary;
this is on the basis of consideration of the corrected value obtained by the inferring
function 3000;

(5) An on-load tap changing transformer 5000 to be controlled.

Substation transformer under

consideration

5000

r Vs
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Program
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4000

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b
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l~·coowm·;;;;;;o.-WHOO;o;M.-.a,..,~-
ml>edcleO-IA-t~ syate - ----
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Figure 2.5.1 Hardware arrangement and operational block of the AVR system

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Figure 2.5 2 Front view ofthe modem MR Tapcon 260 AVR control relay and 9
MK 30 relay
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