Quantum mechanics

Control (management)

Voltage

Engineering

Prime mover

Power (physics)

Computer science

Mathematical optimization

Visual arts

Grid

Physics

Operations research

Organic chemistry

Renewable energy

Mathematics

Electric power system

Automotive engineering

Environmental science

Artificial intelligence

Geometry

Wind power

Penetration (warfare)

Chemistry

Control theory (sociology)

Sizing

Electrical engineering

IEEE Journal on Emerging and Selected Topics in Circuits and Systems

The increasing number of weak-grid-connected renewable energy resources in power systems has created various challenges in recent years. Some examples include un-damped voltage oscillations in the ERCOT and sub-synchronous resonance in the North-China power grid. Several solutions for these challenges have been proposed, such as Static Compensators and Synchronous Condensers (SynCons). SynCons, being synchronous machines without a prime mover, provide several benefits in weak power systems, such as frequency support, system strength, and voltage regulation. Although SynCons are widely-utilized to mitigate the weak grid integration challenges, their installation /operation costs make them a costly solution. Additionally, their lead-time can be more than a year, which means their initial sizing and allocation must be optimal. In this paper, a method for the optimal allocation and sizing of SynCons is proposed. The main objective of this method is maintaining Short Circuit Ratio (SCR) in the system greater than pre-defined values while the investment and operation costs of SynCons, and voltage deviation in the system are minimized. Three meta-heuristic optimization algorithms are used to implement the proposed method, and its performance is evaluated via Electromagnetic Transient (EMT) time-domain simulation in a modified IEEE 39-bus system. The PSCAD/EMTDC software is used for the time-domain simulation. The simulation results confirm that with optimized allocation and sizing, the SCR of the network in all areas is more than pre-defined values, and also, all renewable energy resources can ride through disturbances and comply with given grid codes.

Optimal Allocation and Sizing of Synchronous Condensers in Weak Grids With Increased Penetration of Wind and Solar Farms