INTRODUCTION

What is reactive power ?

 ITDESCRIBES THE BACKGROUND ENERGY MOVEMENT IN AN AC SYSTEM ARISING FROM
THE PRODUCTION OF ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC FIELDS.

 IT
IS THE COMBINATION OF CONTINUOUS FORWARD-MOVING OR REAL ENERGY FLOW,
COMBINED WITH SLOSHING AND IMAGINARY ENERGY FLOW.

 IT IS USED FOR CORE MAGNETIZATION OF ALTERNATORS.

 ITIS NON-CONSUMABLE. ONLY BECOMES IMPORTANT WHEN ‘ELECTRICAL LOAD’
CONTAINS COILS AND CAPACITOR.
WHY DO WE NEED REACTIVE POWER?

REACTIVE POWER(VAR) IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE

VOLTAGE TO DELIVER ACTIVE POWER(WATTS) THROUGH
TRANSMISSION LINE.

ELECTRO-MECHANICAL DEVICES AND OTHER LOADS

REQUIRE REACTIVE POWER.

REACTIVE POWER DEFICIENCY CAUSES THE VOLTAGE TO

SAG DOWN.
IMPORTANCE OF REACTIVE POWER
 REFERS TO CIRCULATING POWER IN THE GRID THAT DOES NO USEFUL WORK,
NON-CONSUMABLE.

 RESULTS FROM ENERGY STORAGE ELEMENTS IN THE POWER GRID(MAINLY

INDUCTORS AND CAPACITORS).

 HAS A STRONG EFFECT ON SYSTEM VOLTAGES.

 IT HAS TO BE BALANCED IN THE GRID TO PREVENT VOLTAGE PROBLEMS, HAS TO
BE MAINTAINED FOR SECURE AND STABLE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM.

 REACTIVE POWER LEVELS HAVE AN EFFECT ON VOLTAGE COLLAPSE.

NEED FOR REACTIVE POWER CONTROL
Denoting reactive power as ‘Q’ :

CASE 1: Q > QMAX

EXCESS Q CAUSES EXCESS MAGNETIZATION IN CORE.

EDDY CURRENT INCREASES TO HIGH VALUE DUE TO WHICH
EXCESSIVE HEAT GENERATION OCCURS.

THERMAL BREAKDOWN OF THE INSULATION.

UNWANTED DEAD SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURS.
 CASE 2: Q < QMIN
INSUFFICIENT MAGNETIZATION CAUSES IMPROPER
WORK DONE.

RESULTS IN LARGE GAP BETWEEN INPUT AND

OUTPUT.

LOCALIZED OSCILLATIONS OCCUR.

SYSTEM BECOMES UNSTABLE.
 EQUIPMENTS
EQUIPMENTS FOR REACTIVE POWER CONTROL ARE :

STATIC VAR COMPENSATOR

A) THYRISTOR-CONTROLLED REACTOR(TCR)

B) THYRISTOR-SWITCHED CAPACITOR(TSC)

C) SATURATED REACTORS

SYNCHRONOUS CONDENSER

CAPACITOR BANK
SERIES COMPENSATOR
STATCOM
SHUNT REACTOR
STATIC VAR COMPENSATOR

 STATIC VAR COMPENSATOR – PROVIDE FAST ACTING REACTIVE POWER, REGULATES VOLTAGE
AND STABILIZES SYSTEM.

 AUTOMATED IMPEDANCE MATCH DEVICE, BRINGS THE SYTEM NEAR UNITY POWER FACTOR.

 PRINCIPLE :
 THYRISTOR-CONTROLLED REACTOR(TCR) – CONSUMES VAR FROM CAPACITIVE LOAD SYSTEM

 THYRISTOR-SWITCHED CAPACITOR(TSC) – ADD VAR TO INDUCTIVE LOAD SYSTEM

 HARMONIC FILTER – ELIMINATES HARMONIC DISTORTIONS

THESE ARE USUALLY FOUND NEAR HIGH AND RAPIDLY VARYING LOAD, EXP ARC FURNACES
STATIC VAR COMPENSATOR
Synchronous condenser
IT IS MAINLY USED TO
ADJUST’S GRID’S VOLTAGE
BY EITHER GENERATING OR
ABSORBING REACTIVE
POWER,IMPROVE POWER
FACTOR.

USED IN
SUBSTATIONS,RECEIVING
END OF LONG
TRANSMISSION LINE.
 Capacitor bank
 THESE ARE INSTALLED
AT SUBSTATIONS OR
NEAR LOADS.

 MUCH LOWER COST

COMPARED TO SVCs.

 THEY GENEARTE
LEADING VAR,HENCE
COMPENSATING THE
LAGGING VAR.
Series compensator
CAPACITOR CONNECTED IN
SERIES WITH THE LOAD.

THE VOLTAGE OF LINE

INDUCTANCE IS
COMPENSATED BY
CAPACITOR VOLTAGE.

CAPACITOR VOLATAGE IS
INVERSELY PROPOTIONAL TO
CAPACITANCE.
 BLACKOUT IN INDIA
INDIA IS THE WORLD'S THIRD LARGEST PRODUCER AND CONSUMER OF
ELECTRICITY AFTER THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA; HOWEVER, THE ELECTRICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED UNRELIABLE.

30 JULY
CIRCUIT BREAKERS ON THE 400 KV BINA-GWALIOR LINE TRIPPED.AS
THIS LINE FED INTO THE AGRA-BAREILLY TRANSMISSION SECTION,
BREAKERS AT THE STATION ALSO TRIPPED, AND POWER FAILURES
CASCADED THROUGH THE GRID. ALL MAJOR POWER STATIONS WERE
SHUT DOWN IN THE AFFECTED STATES, CAUSING AN ESTIMATED
SHORTAGE OF 32 GW.

EXACT CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THAT AT THE TIME
OF THE FAILURE, ELECTRICITY USE WAS "ABOVE NORMAL"
 CONCLUSION
VOLTAGE CONTROL IS ESSENTIAL TO REDUCE
TRANSMISSION LOSSES AND TO MAINTAIN THE ABILITY OF
SYSTEM TO WITHSTAND AN PREVENT VOLTAGE COLLAPSE.

DECREASING REACTIVE POWER CAUSING VOLTAGE TO

FALL WHILE INCREASING IT VOLTAGE TO RISE.

FINALLY WE CAN SAY, REACTIVE POWER IS ESSENTIAL IN

ORDER TO SUPPLY REAL POWER WITHOUT IT
TRANSFORMERS, INDUCTION MOTORS WILL NOT RUN IN
ABSENCE OF MAGNETIC EXCITATION WHICH IS SUPPLIED
BY REACTIVE POWER.
 REFERENCES

WWW.GOOGLE.CO.IN
WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM
A COURSE IN POWER ELECTRONICS
BY SARANG PENDHARKAR
PRABAL AND HIMANSHU NOTES