Overload Line Controller: New FACTS Series Compensation application based on Switched Series Reactors

摘要

This paper presents a novel design in the family of FACTS, the Overload Line Controller (OLC). ABBin collaboration with the Spanish TSO Red Eléctrica de España (REE), has designed and installed anOLC at a 220 kV overhead transmission line. The area of installation has a large influence fromrenewable resources (1900 MW according to AEE www.aeeolica.org), and the line could experiencehigh overloading levels during certain grid operation conditions. Its main objective is to improve thegrid operation flexibility, by providing active power flow control during normal and contingencyoperation (N-1). The solution consists of reactor banks placed in parallel with conventional circuitbreakers; the power flow control is achieved by modifying reactors in service i.e. changing the totalimpedance of the line.The paper is organized as follows: Chapter I is an introduction to the power flow control problematicfrom a system operator point of view. Chapter II introduces the available power flow control solutionsand describes the proposed solution and the main objectives of the solution at the proposed location.Chapter III focuses on the electrical design including the results from the electromagnetic transientanalysis. Chapter IV presents the evaluation of the impact of the air core reactors’ electromagneticfield on the mechanical design. Chapter V introduces the OLC control system including the mainfeatures, control modes implemented and the explanation and some results from the real time digitalsimulations (RTDS) lab tests performed during the FAT (Factory Acceptance Tests) to verify thecontrol performance.