TRAINING.

Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) Technology

Online /
Mar 24 - 26, 2025 /
Course Code: 15-0319-ONL25

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  • Overview
  • Syllabus
  • Instructor

Overview

Please note, This instructor-led course has specific dates and times:
This course is held online over 3 days on the following schedule (All times in Eastern Time Zone):

10 am to 6 pm Eastern (Will include the usual breaks)

After participating in this course, you will be able to:

  • Evaluate the requirements for power systems and utilities where FACTS Controllers/Devices are essential.
  • Calculate power transmission capacity and implement reactive compensation techniques to enhance system performance.
  • Analyze and model the operational principles, control mechanisms, and various FACTS Controllers' behavior.
  • Assess how measurement systems, network resonances, and harmonics affect FACTS systems and overall power grid stability.
  • Design and apply FACTS Controllers to increase power transfer, improve system stability, and prevent voltage instability and load imbalances.

Description
Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) technology plays a critical role in modern power grids, addressing challenges in system stability, power flow control, and the integration of renewable energy sources. As transmission networks evolve, the demand for precise, reliable, and rapid control mechanisms like FACTS has become increasingly significant, particularly in regions experiencing high load variability and renewable integration. FACTS Controllers offer innovative solutions that can effectively manage power flow, ensure grid stability, and mitigate common issues such as sub-synchronous resonances and voltage instability.

The course covers core principles and components such as Static Var Compensators (SVC) and Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitors (TCSC). You will gain a thorough understanding of voltage regulation, load sharing, and system compensation techniques. Through practical examples, advanced modeling, and a hands-on case study, participants will explore how FACTS devices contribute to overall grid efficiency and stability. Key focus areas include reactive power compensation, voltage control, and system damping enhancements.

As the power industry continues to embrace renewable energy, this course offers essential knowledge on how FACTS technologies can be applied to future-proof grids. The course not only provides a detailed understanding of traditional power compensation devices but also addresses the latest advancements in Voltage Source Converter (VSC)-based FACTS controllers and their applications.

Who Should Attend
This course is designed for Transmission Engineers, Electrical Utility Engineers, Power System Designers, and Distribution Engineers involved in grid management and planning.

Managers, station operators, and technical professionals dealing with voltage regulation, power system stability, and load compensation challenges in power transmission/distribution systems will also benefit. Additionally, those working with renewable energy integration, or addressing system reliability in modern grids, will find this course particularly relevant.

Whether you are involved in utility operations, grid planning, or system design, this course will equip you with cutting-edge solutions to solve complex power system challenges.

More Information

Time: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Eastern Time


Please note: You can check other time zones here.

Syllabus

Day I

INTRODUCTION TO FACTS
1.1. Electrical Transmission Networks
1.2. Reactive Power Needs of Transmission Lines
1.3. Power Flow in Transmission Lines
1.4. Power System Stability
1.5. Need for FACTS
1.6. High Voltage DC (HVDC) Transmission

PRINCIPLES OF CONVENTIONAL REACTIVE POWER COMPENSATORS
2.1. Synchronous Condensers
2.1.1. Configuration 
2.1.2. Applications
2.1.2.1. Control of large voltage excursions
2.1.2.2. Dynamic reactive power support at HVDC Terminals
2.2. Saturated Reactor (SR)
2.2.1. Configuration 
2.2.2. Operating Characteristics

PRINCIPLES OF STATIC VAR COMPENSATOR (SVC)
3.1. Thyristor Controlled Reactor (TCR)
3.1.1. Single-Phase Thyristor Controlled Reactor
3.1.2. Three-Phase Thyristor Controlled Reactor
3.1.3. Thyristor Switched Reactor (TSR)
3.1.4. Segmented TCR
3.1.5. Twelve-Pulse Thyristor Controlled Reactor
3.1.6. Operating Characteristics of a TCR 
3.2. Thyristor Controlled Transformer (TCT)
3.3. Fixed Capacitor - Thyristor Controlled Reactor (FC-TCR)
3.3.1. Configuration
3.3.2. Operating characteristics 
3.4. Mechanically Switched Capacitor –Thyristor Controlled Reactor (MSC-TCR)
3.5. Thyristor Switched Capacitor (TSC)
3.5.1. Switching a capacitor to a voltage source
3.5.2. Switching a series connection of capacitor and reactor
3.5.3. Turnoff of TSC valve
3.5.4. Configuration
3.5.5. Operating Characteristics
3.6. Thyristor Switched Capacitor - Thyristor Controlled Reactor (TSC-TCR)
3.6.1. Configuration
3.6.2. Operating characteristic
3.6.3. Mismatched TSC and TCR
3.7. Comparison of Different Static Var Compensators 
3.7.1. Losses
3.7.2. Performance

STATIC VAR COMPENSATOR (SVC) CONTROL COMPONENTS AND MODELS
4.1. SVC Control System
4.2. Measurement Systems
4.2.1. Voltage measurement
4.2.2. Demodulation effect of voltage measurement system
4.2.3. Current measurement 
4.2.4. Power measurement
4.3. Basic voltage regulator
4.3.1. Digital implementation of voltage regulator 
4.4. Gate Pulse Generation
4.5. Linearizing function
4.6. Delays in the firing system
4.7. Synchronizing System
4.8. Additional Control and Protection Functions
4.8.1. Susceptance (reactive power) regulator 
4.8.2. Control of neighbouring var devices
4.8.3. Undervoltage strategies
4.9. Modeling of SVC for Power System Studies
4.9.1. Modeling for load flow studies
4.9.2. Modeling for small and large disturbance studies
4.9.3. Modeling for electromagnetic transient studies 

Day II

CONCEPTS OF VOLTAGE CONTROL BY STATIC VAR COMPENSATOR
5.1. Voltage Control by SVC
5.1.1. V-I Characteristics of SVC
5.1.2. Advantages of slope in SVC dynamic characteristics
5.2. Influence of SVC on system voltage
5.3. Design of SVC voltage regulator 
5.4. Effect of Network Resonances on Controller Response
5.5. Sensitivity to power system parameters
5.6. Sensitivity to TCR operating point
5.7. Methods for Improving Voltage Controller Response
5.7.1. Manual gain switching
5.7.2. Nonlinear gain
5.7.3. Bang-bang control 
5.7.4. Gain supervisor
5.8. Harmonic Interactions between SVC and AC Network
5.9. Application of SVC to Series Compensated AC Systems
5.9.1. AC system resonant modes
5.9.1.1. Shunt capacitance resonance
5.9.1.2. Series line resonance
5.9.1.3. Shunt-reactor resonance
5.10. Voltage Controller Design Studies
5.10.1. Modeling aspects 
5.10.2. Special performance evaluation studies
5.10.3. Study methodologies for controller design

APPLICATIONS OF STATIC VAR COMPENSATORS (SVC)
6.1. Increase in Steady State Power Transfer Capacity
6.2. Enhancement of Transient Stability
6.2.1. Power Angle Curves
6.2.2. Uncompensated system
6.2.3. SVC compensated system
6.3. Augmentation of Power System Damping
6.3.1. Principle of SVC Auxiliary Control
6.3.2. Design of an SVC Power Swing Damping Controller (PSDC)
6.3.3. Selection criteria for PSDC input signals
6.3.4. SVC PSDC requirements
6.3.5. Design procedure for PSDC
6.3.6. Composite Signals for Damping Control
6.4. Mitigation of Subsynchronous Resonance 
6.4.1. Principle of SVC Control
6.4.2. Configuration and Design of SVC Controller
6.5. Prevention of Voltage Instability
6.5.1. Principle of SVC Control
6.5.2. Configuration and Design of SVC Controller
6.6. Improvement of HVDC Link Performance
6.6.1. Principle and Application of SVC Control
6.6.2. Voltage regulation
6.6.2.1. Suppression of temporary overvoltages
6.6.2.2. Support during recovery from large disturbances
6.7. Load Compensation
6.7.1. Power Factor Correction
6.7.2. Load Balancing

THYRISTOR CONTROLLED SERIES CAPACITOR (TCSC)
7.1. Series Compensation
7.1.1. Fixed Series Compensation
7.1.2. Need for Variable Series Compensation
7.1.3. Advantages of TCSC
7.2. TCSC Controller
7.3. TCSC Operation
7.3.1. Basic Principle
7.3.2. Modes of TCSC Operation
7.3.2.1. Bypassed thyristors mode
7.3.2.2. Blocked thyristors mode
7.3.2.3. Partially conducting thyristors or Vernier mode
7.4. Thyristor Switched Series Capacitor (TSSC)
7.5. Analysis of TCSC
7.6. Capability Characteristics
7.6.1. Single Module TCSC 
7.6.2. Multimodule TCSC
7.7. Harmonic Performance
7.8. Losses
7.9. Response of TCSC
7.10. Modeling of TCSC
7.10.1. Variable Reactance Model
7.10.2. Transient Stability Model


Day III

APPLICATIONS OF THYRISTOR CONTROLLED SERIES CAPACITOR (TCSC)
8.1. Open Loop Control
8.2. Closed Loop Control
8.2.1. Constant Current Control
8.2.2. Constant Current Control
8.2.3. Enhanced Current Control
8.2.4. Enhanced Power Control
8.3. Improvement of Stability
8.4. Enhancement of System Damping
8.5. Principle of Damping 
8.5.1. Bang Bang Control 
8.5.2. Auxiliary signals for TCSC Modulation 
8.5.3. Selection of measurement signals
8.6. Mitigation of SSR
8.6.1. TCSC Impedance at Subsynchronous Frequencies
8.6.2. Case Study
8.7. Prevention of Voltage Collapse

COORDINATION OF FACTS CONTROLLERS
9.1. Controller Interactions
9.1.1. Steady State Interactions
9.1.2. Electromechanical Oscillation Interactions
9.1.3. Controller Oscillation Mode Interactions
9.1.4. Subsynchronous Resonance Interactions
9.1.5. High-Frequency Interactions
9.2. SVC-SVC Interaction
9.2.1. Effect of Electrical Coupling and Short Circuit Levels
9.2.2. Systems without Series Compensation
9.2.3. Systems with Series Compensation
9.2.4. High-Frequency Interactions
9.3. SVC-HVDC Interaction
9.4. SVC-TCSC Interaction
9.4.1. TCSC-PSDC with Bus Voltage Input signal
9.4.2. TCSC-PSDC with System Angle Input Signal
9.4.3. High-Frequency Interactions
9.5. TCSC-TCSC Interaction
9.5.1. Effect of Loop Impedance
9.5.2. High-Frequency Interaction
9.6. Performance Criteria for Damping Controller Design
9.7. Coordination of Multiple Controllers
9.7.1. Basic Procedure for Controller Design
9.7.2. Enumeration of System Performance Specifications
9.7.3. Selection of Measurement and Control Signals
9.7.4. Validation of Design and Performance Evaluation

VOLTAGE SOURCE CONVERTER (VSC) BASED FACTS CONTROLLERS
10.1. Static Synchronous Compensator –STATCOM
10.1.1. Principle of Operation
10.1.2. V-I Characteristic 
10.1.3. Harmonic Performance
10.1.4. Applications
10.2. Static Synchronous Series Compensator –SSSC
10.2.1. Principle of Operation
10.2.2. Control System
10.2.3. Applications
10.3. Unified Power Flow Controller –UPFC
10.3.1. Principle of Operation 
10.3.2. Applications
10.4. Comparative Evaluation of Different FACTS Controllers
10.4.1. Performance Comparison 
10.4.2. Cost Comparison 
10.5. FACTS Controllers with Energy Storage
10.5.1. Principle of Operation
10.5.2. Applications
10.6. Future Directions of FACTS Technology
10.6.1. Role of communications 
10.6.2. Control design issues

Instructor

Eduard Loiczli, P.Eng.

Dr. Eduard Loiczli is a Senior Electrical Engineer with over 30 years of experience in motors and drives. His most outstanding contributions are related to the development of a High-Speed Magnetic Levitation System, Vector Control System for Streetcars and Subways, and Medium Voltage 4.16Kv Drive for up to 4.5MW Induction Motor.




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Fee & Credits

$1995 + taxes

  • 2.1 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
  • 21 Continuing Professional Development Hours (PDHs/CPDs)
  • ECAA Annual Professional Development Points
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