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ISSN : 2248-9622, Vol. 4, Issue 9( Version 1), September 2014, pp.50-55

RESEARCH ARTICLE OPEN ACCESS

Reactive Power Compensation and Control via Shunt Reactors

and Under Ground Power Cables
Abdulaziz M. S. Alboaijan
Electrical Power Department, High Institute of Energy, Public Authority of Applied Education and Training,
KUWAIT

ABSTRACT
In this paper we will cover the techniques used locally to accomplish the reactive power compensation. First, the
importance of reactive power compensation is explained through defining the different types of electrical power
and showing the effect of power compensation on the electric power network quality. The power under ground
cable is the first technique used to compensate for the inductance of overhead transmission lines and power
transformers during heavy loading of the network. Then, we explore the application of the two types of shunt
reactors in different locations of the network to compensate for the capacitance of the network during light
loading. Finally, a conclusion is presented.
Key words- compensation, reactive power, shunt reactor, under ground power cable.

I. INTRODUCTION much as possible; third, the development of variety of

Reactive power has been recognized as an controllable static compensators, and forth due to the
important factor in the design and operation of sharp increase of the fuel and crude oil needed for
alternating current electric power systems. Since the electrical power generation. Some of the
impedance of the network components are mainly consumption of reactive power is in the network
reactive, the transmission of active power requires a series elements themselves, for example, in overhead
difference in angular phase between the voltages at transmission lines and power transformer leakage
the sending end and the receiving end. While the reactance. Thus, a direct way of increasing power
transmission of reactive power requires a difference transfer in power transmission systems, and of
in magnitude of these same voltages. Reactive power reducing voltage drop, is to compensate part of the
is consumed not only by most of the network series inductive reactance by series capacitors. Series
elements , but also by most of the consumer loads. compensation reduces the series impedance of the
The required reactive power must be supplied some line which causes voltage drop and is the most
where and if we can not transmit it very easily then it important factor in finding the maximum power
must be generated at the point where it is needed. The transfer [3]. Shunt compensation (parallel) for the
reactive power must be supplied at the same voltage transmission line capacitance is also carried out
of the load who requires it. through connecting parallel inductors to absorb the
Reactive power compensation is defined as the reactive power generated or injected by the line
management of reactive power flow to improve the capacitance.
performance of the power system. It is related to both
the system and customers. Generally we can look to II. THEORITICAL ASPECTS
the reactive power compensation from two aspects: The concept of active, reactive, and apparent
load compensation and voltage support. In load power plays a major role in electric power
compensation the objectives are to increase the value technology. The terms active, reactive and apparent
of the system power factor, to balance he real power power apply to steady-state sinusoidal alternating
drawn from the supply, compensate voltage current circuits. The apparent power S is expressed in
regulation and to eliminate current harmonic volt-amperes. Apparent power is independent of the
components produced by large and fluctuating non phase angle θ between voltage and current. While,
linear industrial loads [1], [2]. While voltage support active power P is the real power or the true power
is generally required to reduce voltage fluctuation at consumed by the load expressed in watts. Resistors
a given point of the system. are considered active loads where the voltage and
Recently, reactive power compensation and current are in phase. Active power is dependent on
control acquired more importance for at least four the cosine of the phase angle θ between the current
reasons :first, the huge demand on electrical power, and the voltage and is composed of series of positive
second, the need to increase transmission capacity as power pulses as in Figure 1 .

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ISSN : 2248-9622, Vol. 4, Issue 9( Version 1), September 2014, pp.50-55

Figure 1. Instantaneous active power in a resistive load .

Capacitors and inductors are considered reactive excited synchronous condenser/motor, cables and
loads and reactive power Q is measured in VARS. transmission lines on low loads [4].
According to present AIEE convention volt-amperes For capacitors the current leads the voltage by 90°
reactive are absorbed by inductive loads and Q for while for inductors the current lags the voltage also
inductive load is considered positive. While, volt- by 90°. Therefore, the current of the capacitor is 180°
amperes are supplied by capacitive loads and Q for out of phase with the current of the inductor. Figure
capacitive load is considered negative. Equipment on 2. shows the waveforms of the reactive power due to
the network that considered inductive loads are: connecting an inductor to an alternating source. The
inductive reactance (XL), induction motors, welding reactive power is composed of series positive and
transformer, all inductive loads, series reactance, and negative loops. The positive loops of the reactive
under excited synchronous motors. While, coactive power are corresponding to the instantaneous power
loads on the network are: shunt capacitors, series delivered from the source to the inductor and the
capacitors, capacitance of transmission line, over- negative loops represent the instantaneous power
delivered from the inductor to the source.

Figure 2. Instantaneous reactive power in an inductive load .

Figure 3. Instantaneous reactive power in a capacitive load .

The three types of power for single phase can be expressed as follows
S = I E* (1)
P = I E COS θ (2)
Q = I E SIN θ (3)
The relation between these powers is expressed in (4) and shown in Fig. 4.
S = P ± jQ (4)
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ISSN : 2248-9622, Vol. 4, Issue 9( Version 1), September 2014, pp.50-55

Figure 4. Phase representation of complex power for lagging power factor load

Figure 5. shows the distributed impedance of the through the generating power stations or supplied
transmission line. The transmission line in general locally. The shunt capacitance draws a charging
can be represented by its lumped model as in Figure current or it injects reactive power to the network.
6. The value of R, XL, and XC depends on the line Therefore, a series capacitor is added to the
length and characteristics. The series inductance transmission line to supply the transmission line
reduces the line transfer capability and also results in inductance with the reactive power it needs and a
voltage drop. The series inductance absorbs reactive shunt inductance is added to the system to absorb the
power from the network and it must be supplied reactive power injected by the shunt capacitance.

Figure 5. Distributed impedance of a transmission line.

Figure 6. Equivalent lumped model of a transmission line

III. COMPENSATION VIA POWER transmission lines are just 9000 km. The effect of
UNDER GROUND CABLES under ground cables capacitance during light loading
The capacitance of power under ground cables of the network and the inductance of over head
is very high compared to that for the over head transmission lines during heavy loading must be
transmission line and that's because of the small considered. Table 1 shows a typical values of these
distance between the different phases of the under impedances [5].
ground cable. Therefore the capacitive reactance of
under ground cables XC is very small compared to Table 1. Typical impedance values per kilometer for
that of over head transmission line. While, inductive 3-phase 60 Hz Lines
reactance of over head transmission line XL is large Type of Line XL (Ω) XC (Ω)
compared to that of the under ground cable. For our Over Head Transmission 0.5 300000
local network power under ground cables are Line
dominant and they are more than 40000 km in length Under Ground Cable 0.1 3000
for different voltage levels. While overhead

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ISSN : 2248-9622, Vol. 4, Issue 9( Version 1), September 2014, pp.50-55

In our local electrical net work where the climate IV. COMPENSATION VIA SHUNT
is very hot during most of the year. The main REACTORS
residential consumer loads are air conditioning with a Under light or no-load conditions , charging
poor lagging power factor where a lot of reactive current should be kept less than the rated full-load
power to be absorbed by these loads in addition to the current of the line. The charging current is
reactive power required by the inductance of the approximately given by BC |V| where BC is the total
overhead transmission lines and power transformers. capacitive susceptance of the line and |V| is the rated
Therefore, the reactive power needed must be voltage to neutral. If the total inductive susceptance is
generated through the power generating stations and Bl due to several inductors connected from line to
transmitted through the transmission and distribution neutral at appropriate places along the line, then the
stages which would result in overheating and over charging current can be expressed as in (5)
loading to the network components. Hence, the
reactive power generated locally for the consumer Ichg=( BC - Bl ) |V| = BC |V| ( 1 - Bl / BC ) (5)
loads ( residential or industrial ) by adding shunt
capacitance units in the premises of the consumers. Reduction of the charging current is by the factor
But for the reactive power required by power of ( 1 - Bl / BC ) and Bl / BC is the shunt
transformers and over head transmission lines is compensation factor. Shunt compensation at no-load
generated locally by under ground power cables. also keeps the receiving end voltage within limits.
Normally, for the security of the electrical network Thus shunt reactors should be introduced as load is
and for the maintenance requirement there is at least removed for proper voltage control.
one extra under ground power cable between two Shunt reactors used in our local network is
different electrical substations is available. These composed of two types. The first type is used with
under ground cables normally is opened from both conjunction of 300MVA power transformers used at
substations when they are not needed and connected the voltage level of 300KV where the main windings
from both sides when needed. These under ground of the power transformer are step down
cables if connected from on side only they will be 300KV/132KV and a third tertiary winding is added
energized and works as a capacitor and injecting as 33KV to be used as a shunt reactor absorbing
reactive power to the net work. The reactive power reactive power. The second type of shunt reactors are
generated from each under ground power cable just a three phase primary winding and is available at
depends on the voltage level and the cable length and different var ratings and at different voltage levels.
other specifications. Therefore, in summer time Therefore, var compensation is carried out in the
where the net wok is very loaded and reactive power main and the interconnected substations using shunt
is needed , these under ground cables are energized reactors and according to the voltage level.
by the national control center engineers and On the 300/132 KV substations where 300 MVA
according to the reactive power compensation needed power transformers are used with three windings , the
and at the place needed. Control engineer can chose tertiary winding voltage is 33 KV and used as a shunt
between the different power cables available reactor of 45 MVAR a shown in Fig. 7.
according to the reactive power they can inject to the
network to satisfy the requirements in terms of
reactive power and other variables of the network.

Figure 7. Shunt reactor as a tertiary winding for 300 MVA power transformer

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ISSN : 2248-9622, Vol. 4, Issue 9( Version 1), September 2014, pp.50-55

For 300 KV long over head transmission lines a shunt reactor of 250 MVAR is installed as in Fig. 8 to
compensate for the shunt capacitance of the transmission line.

Figure 8. Shunt reactor installed for 300 KV over head transmission line .

For 132KV long over head transmission lines a MVAR. While for 33/11 KV substations a shunt
50MVAR shunt reactor is connected as shown in Fig. reactor is installed as a feeder panel with a reactive
9. power of 35 MVAR.
For 132/11 KV substations a shunt reactor is
installed as a feeder panel with a reactive power of 45

Figure 9. Different shunt reactors at different locations of the network

V. CONCLUSION terms of reactive power compensation. Harmonics

Reactive power compensation through the basic resulting from thyristors used in control of modern
methods shown in this paper even though they are reactive power compensators are avoided.
simple in terms of control but they are effective in
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ISSN : 2248-9622, Vol. 4, Issue 9( Version 1), September 2014, pp.50-55

REFERENCES
[1] T. J. Miller, Reactive power control in
electric systems( John Willey & Sons ,
1982).
[2] E. Warnner, R. Mathys, M. Hausler,
Compensation systems for industry, Brown
Boveri Review, vol. 70, pp. 330-340,
Sept./Oct. 1983.
[3] Kothari, D. P. and Nagrath, I. J., Modern
power system analysis (3rd Edition, Tata
McGraw-Hill, New Delhi, 2003).
[4] SUNIL S. RAO, Switchgear protection and
power systems, (11th Edition, Romesh
Chander Khana for KHANA PUBLISHERS
Delhi, 1999.
[5] Theodore Wildi, Electrical power
technology (1st Edition, John Wiley and
Sons, New York, 1981).

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