FACTS, SEP, Series compensation, Parallel compensation, Protection
Abstract
The FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems) devices have great use in the Electric Power System (EPS) for the dynamic control of the active and reactive powers of the system. This work deals with a comparative analysis between the effects caused in the distance protection of transmission lines (TLs) by two of these devices: the STATCOM (Static Synchronous Compensator) and the SSSC (Static Synchronous Series Compensator). The objective is to verify how the connections of these two converters, connected in series in the case of SSSC and in parallel for STATCOM, influence the characteristics of the distance protection in relation to the range of the distance relay. Computational simulations were made using the PSCAD/EMTDC software where both the electrical system under analysis and FACTS were modeled and the protection zones for one of these lines were defined. After the section was protected, the FACTS were inserted and short circuits between phases and between phase and ground were applied, both in the presence and in the absence of the FACTS for comparative analysis. Once the effects of FACTS devices on distance protection in a simulation environment were verified, laboratory tests were carried out to ensure compliance among the results.
