Testing and Validation of a 200 kVA SSSC Prototype for Power Flow Control

Abstract

Power flow control in transmission networks requires new approaches to deal with the uncertainties in the power flow patterns caused by the massive integration of renewable energy generators and the difficulties for constructing new transmission corridors, due to environmental restrictions and social opposition. One solution explored nowadays by utilities is the installation of a Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC). This paper presents a real test bench for an SSSC. The test bench allows verifying the real control devices of a substation and the PLC close-loop control of the SSSC. The proposed SSSC test bench is a scale FACTS device of a 50MVAs real SSSC that will be placed in the Spanish transmission grid. In this paper the design of the test bench is presented, including the main magnitudes of both grid and SSSC, along with the substation SSSC control scenario and the SSSC close-loop control strategy. Besides, the SSSC test bench dynamics and response has been validated using a model of the SSSC and its controls, developed in Matlab/SimPowerSystems. The paper shows the results of the simulation and compares them with the magnitudes measured in the test bench.