Per Unit (PU) system

Normally, in power system analysis the different quantities (voltage, current, power, impedance)
are expressed using the per-unit system. This provides the following advantages:
1- per unit data provides relative magnitude information.
2- simplifies the analysis of circuits containing transformers. The per unit impedance of a
transformer in three-phase system is the same, regardless of the type of the winding
connections (star-delta, delta-star, stat-star, or delta-delta). The per unit impedance of a
transformer is the same when referred to either the primary or the secondary side,
3- circuit parameter are in narrow ranges (around 1 p.u) and this makes error checking
easier.
4- Manufacturers usually specify the impedance of an equipment in per unit on the base of
its nameplate rating.
5- The per unit impedance values of various ratings of equipment lie in a narrow range,
(whereas the actual ohmic values may vary widely). Therefore when actual values are
unknown, a good approximate (typical) value of similar equipment can be used.

This method is suitable for systems with different voltage levels (sections connected with
transformers).
In this method base values are selected, and all the actual values are referred to their respective
base values, as:
actual value
value in p.u 
base value
normally two base values, base VA, VAB and the base voltage, VB are chosen.
then for each section VB is found from the transformers ratios. then the base current I B and the
base impedance Z B are calculated for each section. the p.u values then are found.

For the case of single phase systems:

- select the base VA, VAB
- select VB and calculate it for each section.
- the base current for each section is calculated as:
VAB
IB 
VB
- the base impedance for each section is calculated as:
VB VB 
2

- ZB  
I B VAB
for practical cases the base VA is selected in MVA units or MVAB , and the base voltage is
selected in kV units or kV B , thus:
- the base current for each section is calculated as:
1000 xMVAB
IB 
kV B

Yasin A. Al Shiboul, Al Balqa Applied University, Faculty of Engineering Technology, EE Department

 - the base impedance for each section is calculated as:
1000 xkV B kV B 2
- ZB  
IB MVAB
For the case of three phase systems (a star connection is assumed as equivalent star can always
be found.):
- select the three phase base MVA or MVAB ,
- select the line-to-line voltage kV , kV B , then calculate for each section:

- the base current, as:

1000 xMVAB
IB 
3.kV B
- the base impedance, as:
1000 xkV B kV B 2
ZB  
3.I B MVAB
when MVA base is changed from MVA B ,old to MVAB ,new and the kV base is changed from
kV B,old to kV B ,new , the new per unit impedance becomes:
MVAB,new kV 2 B,old
Z  p.u new  Z  p.u old x x
MVAB,old kV 2 B,new
Changing the base of per-unit quantities
it is known that:
Z
Z ( p.u )  actual
ZB
and
kV B 2
ZB 
MVAB
thus:
Z xMVAB
Z ( p.u )  actual 2
kV B
or the per-unit impedance is directly proportional to MVAB and inversely proportional to
kV 2B , therefore to change the per-unit impedance on a new base, the following is applied:
MVAB ,new kV 2B ,old
Z ( p.u ) new  Z ( p.u ) old .
MVAB ,old kV 2B ,new
another approach is to convert the per-unit value to actual value in ohms and then to the per-unit
on the new base.
From:

Yasin A. Al Shiboul, Al Balqa Applied University, Faculty of Engineering Technology, EE Department

 Z actual
Z ( p.u ) 
ZB
We find:
Z actual  Z ( p.u ).Z B
Thus:
Z ( p.u ) new .Z B ,new  Z ( p.u ) old .Z B ,old (1)
As each side is equal to Z actual
From (1):
Z
Z ( p.u ) new  Z ( p.u )old . B , old
B , new

Or:

Z  p.u new  Z  p.u old x

kV 2 B,old x MVAB,new
kV 2 B,new MVAB,old
Example: if the reactance of a generator is X ''  0.25 p.u , based on generators nameplate rating
of 18kV, 500MVA. find the per-unit impedance of this generator if the base voltage is 20kV and
the base MVA is 100MVA.
What is the actual reactance of this generator.

Solution:
MVAB ,new kV 2B ,old
X ( p.u ) new  X ( p.u ) old .
MVAB ,old kV 2B ,new
100 18
2

X ( p.u ) new  (0.25) .  0.0405 p.u

500 20 2

Per unit representation of transformers:

consider a transformer with primary and secondary leakage reactances and transformation ration
of 1 : a , as shown below:

if the primary voltage base is V1B and the secondary voltage is V2 B , thus:
V1B 1
 (1)
V2 B a
thus:
I 1B
a (2)
I 2B

Yasin A. Al Shiboul, Al Balqa Applied University, Faculty of Engineering Technology, EE Department

as the base MVA is common for the two windings.
The base impedances for the two sides are:
V
Z 1B  1 B (3)
I 1B
V
Z 2B  2B (4)
I 2B
from the figure above:
V2  E2  I 2 .Z 2 (5)
but:
E2  a.E1 (6)
from these two equations we find:
V2  a.E1  I 2 .Z 2 (7)
but:
E1  V1  I1 .Z1 (8)
thus:
V2  a.V1  I1 .Z1   I 2 .Z 2 (9)
writing this equation, using the per unit and base values:
V2 ( p.u).V2 B  a.V1 ( pu).V1B  I1 ( pu).I1B .Z1 ( pu).Z1B   I 2 ( pu).I 2 B .Z 2 ( pu).Z 2 B (10)
or:
V2 ( p.u).V2 B  aV1 ( pu).V1B  a.I1 ( pu).I1B .Z1 ( pu).Z1B  I 2 ( pu).I 2 B .Z 2 ( pu).Z 2 B
dividing this equation by V2 B , we find:
V I ( pu) Z
V2 ( p.u)  aV1 ( pu). 1B  a. 1 .I1B .Z1 ( pu).Z1B  I 2 ( pu).I 2 B .Z 2 ( pu). 2 B (11)
V2 B V2 B V2 B
V
from equation (1), we find a  2 B
V1B
replacing this equation in equation (11), we find:
V V V I ( pu) Z
V2 ( p.u)  2 B V1 ( pu). 1B  2 B . 1 .I1B .Z1 ( pu).Z1B  I 2 ( pu).I 2 B .Z 2 ( pu). 2 B , thus:
V1B V2 B V1B V2 B V2 B
I Z
V2 ( p.u )  V1 ( pu)  1B .I1 ( pu )Z1 ( pu).Z1B  I 2 ( pu ).I 2 B .Z 2 ( pu). 2 B
V1B V2 B
V V
also from equation (3) Z1B  1B , from equation (4) Z 2 B  2 B , replacing these equations in
I 1B I 2B
the last equation we find:
V2 ( p.u)  V1 ( pu)  .I1 ( pu)Z1 ( pu)  I 2 ( pu).Z 2 ( pu) (12)

in this equation:
I 2,actual
I 2 ( pu )  (13)
I 2B

Yasin A. Al Shiboul, Al Balqa Applied University, Faculty of Engineering Technology, EE Department

 I 1B
from equation (2),  a , thus:
I 2B
I 1B
I 2B  (14)
a
also for the actual currents, the same relation is valid, or:
I 1actual
a
I 2 actual
thus:
I
I 2 actual  1actual (15)
a
replacing equations (14) and (15) in equation (13), we find:
I 1,actual
I 1,actual
I 2 ( pu )  a   I 1 ( pu ) , or:
I 1, B I 1, B
a
I1 ( pu)  I 2 ( pu) (16),
replacing equation (16) in equation (12), we find that:
V2 ( p.u )  V1 ( pu )  .I 1 ( pu ) Z1 ( pu )  I 1 ( pu ).Z 2 ( pu )
V2 ( p.u )  V1 ( pu )  I 1 ( pu )Z 1 ( pu )  Z 2 ( pu ) (16)
V2 ( p.u )  V1 ( pu )  I ( pu ).Z ( pu )
where:
Z ( pu)  Z1 ( pu)  Z 2 ( pu)
and
I ( pu)  I1 ( pu)  I 2 ( pu)

equation (16) represents a very simple equivalent circuit of the transformer in per unit, which is
only an impedance as shown below:

Yasin A. Al Shiboul, Al Balqa Applied University, Faculty of Engineering Technology, EE Department

Example: For the three-phase radial transmission system below, a load of 60MW, 0.9 power
factor lagging is connected to the 66kV bus. If the voltage at this bus is to be maintained at
60kV, calculate the terminal voltage of the generator.

Solution:

Select MVAB  100MVA

kV B  220kV on the transmission line.
For the generator bus:
MVAB  100MVA
kV B  11kV , line to line
Thus:
MVAB x1000 100 x1000
IB    5249 A
3.kV B 3.x11
kV B x1000 11x1000
ZB    1.21
3.I B 3.x5249

For the transmission line:

MVAB  100MVA
kV B  220kV , line to line
Thus:
MVAB x1000 100 x1000
IB    262.4 A
3.kV B 3.x 220
kV B x1000 220 x1000
ZB    484
3.I B 3.x 262.4

For the load bus:

MVAB  100MVA
kV B  66kV , line to line
Thus:

Yasin A. Al Shiboul, Al Balqa Applied University, Faculty of Engineering Technology, EE Department

 MVAB x1000 100 x1000
IB    875 A
3.kV B 3.x66
kV B x1000 220 x1000
ZB    43.5
3.I B 3.x875

The per unit ( p.u ) values can now be calculated:

For the transmission line:

Z j150
Z line  actual   j 0.31 p.u
ZB 484

For transformer T1 , as the p.u reactance is defined at the rating MVA, which is other than the
base MVA, thus
MVAB,new kV 2 B,old
Z T1  Z T1 ,old x x
MVAB,old kV 2 B,new
Or:
100 112
Z T1  j 0.1x x  j 0.0667 p.u
150 112
Note that the voltage ratings of this transformer are the same as the base values.

For the transformer T2 , as the base MVA and the base voltage are the same as the transformers
ratings, thus:
ZT 2  j 0.08 p.u

For the load:

MW rated x10 6 60 x10 6
I actual,active    525 A
3.kV rating x10 3 3x66 x10 3
The per unit value is:
I actual,active 525
I active    0.6 pu
IB 875
cos   0.9 , thus   25.80
From the power triangle we find:
I reactive  I active . tan   0.29
Thus, the load current is:
I  0.6  j 0.29 ( pu)
60kV
The required load voltage in per unit is  0.91 pu
66kV

The per unit diagram of the system is a shown below:

Yasin A. Al Shiboul, Al Balqa Applied University, Faculty of Engineering Technology, EE Department

From this diagram, the sending voltage is:

V  0.91  0.6  j 0.29

. j 0.0667  j 0.31  j 0.08  0.91  0.6  j 0.29
. j 0.4567 
 1.0424  j 0.274 p.u

The rms value of this voltage is: 1.0424 2  0.274 2  1.078 pu

The actual value is V  V ( p.u).VB  1.078x11kV  11.858kV

Yasin A. Al Shiboul, Al Balqa Applied University, Faculty of Engineering Technology, EE Department