Automatic Static Transfer Swiching System With

Minimum Transfer Time

1: Salman Saeed
2: Department of Electrical Engineering
3: CECOS University of IT and
Emerging Sciences
4: Peshawar, Pakistan
5: asalmansaeed@gmail.com
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Abstract—The interest in power quality has been increased
in the last decade. Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS’s) are
designed to feed emergency power when the main power source
fails. To avoid this impact and to protect effectively the sensitive
loads, one solution is to provide a redundant loading system
using a dual power energy source other than the UPS to achieve
an automatic static transfer when necessary. In this work, an
additional module has been designed and connected between a
critical load and the output of two independent UPS systems; if
primary UPS fails, the module automatically transfers the load
to the other one with a minimum transfer switching time. The
results presented demonstrate a transfer switch time below 3
ms, compared to commercial products of 4 to 6 ms.
Keywords—switching, STS, triacs, Faults, transfer time
I. INTRODUCTION
In the modern power system, the role of distribution
system is significant. If any kind of fault occurs on distribution
network like sag, swell and interruptions it will affect the
connected customers to that network. The interest in power
quality has been increased in the last decade. Power quality is
actually the measurement of variation in power if variation is
less at the customer end it means power is of good quality, and
if the variation is more at customer end it means power is of
bad [1] quality.
In order to minimize these power quality problems, one
way is to use fast switching technology. The duration of this
type of faults is usually less than 100ms.In this research work
a broad concept about fast switching technology, constraints,
and their problems will be developed. On the basis of these
studies fast switching system will be developed for a load to
transfer the load to an alternate source almost in 3 ms by using
a static transfer switch (STS) to avoid different types of short
duration faults and to improve the power quality of the
sensitive equipment’s.
Voltage sag and interruptions have bad impact on large
industries due to suffering of critical and cause significant
financial loss. During manufacturing, [2] [8]those industries
in which production is automated in lines, a few cycles of
voltage sag can stop or interrupt the whole production line and
result significant loss. Due to voltage sags and interruption
different utilities and customers facing financial loss
depending on the sag duration, type, and its impact [5]. The
impact could be stoppage of manufacturing process, shutdown
of sensitive equipment’s, etc. To resolve such type of power
quality problems like sag, swell and interruptions to save
costly equipment from damage in economical way and not to
let them stoppage of the process running in an industry needs
some fast switching technologies to switch the critical loads
to some backup power source.
II. CAUSES OF POWER QUALITY DISTURBANCE
Faults that occur on the same feeder, parallel feeder,
starting of heavy loads, switching on and off large capacitor
banks, lightning, etc[6][7]. All these disturb power quality at
the utility side as well as at the customer end.
A. Faults on Parallel Feeders
When faults occur on parallel feeders, the customer end
voltage can be calculated by calculating the voltage level at
the substation end. The magnitude of the voltage at the
substation depends upon the location and fault impedance.
Voltage for a specific sensitive load can be computed as
follows:
𝐸𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙 (𝑉𝑠 ) = 𝐴1 × 𝐷𝑝1 + 𝐴3 × 𝐷𝑝3
Where A1 and A3 give data about faults performance that
occur in miles per month when three phase and single line to
ground faults occur, and Dp1 and Dp3 are the total exposed
distance to these faults on parallel feeders which cause voltage
sag whose value is less than the minimum required voltage Vs
at the customer end.
B. Faults occur on the same Feeder
When a fault occurs on same feeder the voltage sag
magnitude at the customer can be calculated as a function of
fault [3] location on the same feeder.
For specific equipment, the voltage sag performance with
ride-through voltage Vs is calculated as follows:
𝐸𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 (𝑉𝑠 ) = 𝐴1 × 𝐷𝑠1 + 𝐴3 × 𝐷𝑠3
Where Ds1 and Ds3 are the total circuit miles of exposure to
a single line to ground fault and three lines to ground fault that

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occur on same feeders that result in voltage sag below the
minimum Vs at the customer end location.
The total expected sag performance at voltage Vs can be
calculated as the sum of expected voltage sag on the parallel
and the same feeder, i.e.
𝐸𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 (𝑉𝑠 ) = 𝐸𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙 (𝑉𝑠 ) + 𝐸𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 (𝑉𝑠 )
C. Starting of large Loads
Starting of heavy loads like large motor causes a voltage
sag. An induction motor during start-up draws 6 to 10 times
its full load current. If the magnitude of the current is large
than the available fault current in the system at that point the
voltage sag can be significant. In this case magnitude of
voltage sag goes immediately to 80% and then gradually
returns to normal value in about 3 s time duration.
D. Swiching of Capacitor Banks
Capacitor banks are normally installed for power factor
correction but it has a side effect, that it may increase
switching transients on the customer end. There is always a
short duration transient from 1.3 to 1.4 pu during switching
[6] a capacitor bank. On primary distribution system, the
transient is normally no longer than 2.0 Pu, although
underground capacitor banks may give higher values.
E. Lightning
Lightning is a rich source of the impulsive transient.
Impulsive transient is a sudden change in [4] voltage, current,
or both whose polarity is either positive or negative. Impulsive
transient depends on their rise and decay time.
III. METHODLOGY
Different techniques are used for fast switching like ATS,
DVR, stand by UPS and motor generator set. This research
aims to design a practical model of a low voltage fast transfer
switch. It consists of two TRIAC (Triode Alternating-Current
switch) shown in Figure 2, during normal conditions,
TRIAC1 is continuously fired and feeds the load current.
When a fault occurs like a sag swell and interruption, the
TRIAC1 is disabled from firing and the TRIAC2 is fired.
Figure 2: Two different TRIAC connection to
common load
The current commutates to the other source or supply in very
less time usually less than 3ms after the fault is detected.
A. Low voltage fast swich
A fast transfer switch that transfers power between
different lines sources in case of sag, swell or interruption
occurs on one feeding source. Schematic diagram of low
voltage transfer switch as shown below, consist of the
following main components.
 Transformers
 Bridge rectifier
 TRIACs
 Optocoupler Circuit
 Mega Arduino
 LCD
Figure 1: schematic diagram of low
voltage fast switch.
IV. WORKING PRINCIPLE
A schematic diagram of low voltage fast switch is consist
of transformers T1 and T2 are connected with L1 and L2 of
two different sources, which step down the voltage from 220
V to 6 V. Bridge 1 and 2 convert this 6 V AC to 6 V DC and
generates an output voltages v1 and v2 connected to analog
input of the controller and controller converts it into digital
form. The controller can read an analog value in 100usec in
microcontroller there is a default value of 20 V. Similarly T3
is connected with bridge 3 which gives v3 as an output voltage
to the controller.
The controller receives the voltage levels v1, v2, and the
load voltage v3 as an input and generates out puts S1 and S2
to drive the TRIAC1 and TRIAC2 by using two Optocoupler
connected to the controller. Load voltage v3 will be measured
in controller if voltage is above or below the nominal voltage.
Under normal condition the controller will bias first transfer
switch to connect primary source 1 to the load. When sag,
swell or interruption occur on S1, the controller detect the
condition and biases second transfer switch and shift the load
to source 2. LCD will show voltage status of both sources and
also show switching time.
A. Zero Cross Detector
To differentiate between an interruption and zero that
normally occur in the AC signal at 0,180 and 360 degrees, a
zero cross detector is used, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Zero crossing pulse at 0,180, and
360 degree.
 At zero controller will generate a pulse to check the
voltage and wait for 100μsec if the voltage is still zero then
controller consider it an interruption and transfer the load to
the other source.
V. RESULTS
The following results have been taken as shown in
Figures 4,5,6,7 below by using a contactor which normally
tripped during an interruption and load is also connected with
this contactor, the connection of CRO.Horizontal axis show
time division which is in msec and vertical axis shows voltage Figure 7
magnitude in volt.
In normal condition when no interruption occurs the sine
wave is smooth, but when an interruption occurs on any
source the load transfer to the other source at that time a small REFERENCES
flicker occurs which shows transfer of load to another source.
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Figure 5
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Figure 6