Chapter One

Fundamentals of Power System

Prepared by: Afework Tadesse

Target Group: ECE 4th Year Students

Debre Berhan University, February 2017 E.C.

 Main Topics

❑ AC and DC transmission lines

❑ Single-phase and three-phase transmission lines

❑ Structure of a power system network

❑ Power transformers

❑ Instrumentation transformers
 Power System (Overview)

An interconnected network that generates, transmits, and distributes

electrical energy to consumers. It typically consists of three main
components:

Generation:- Power plants (thermal, hydro, nuclear, renewable) that

produce electricity.

Transmission:- High-voltage transmission lines that carry electricity

over long distances.

Distribution:- Low-voltage distribution networks that deliver electricity

to homes and businesses.
Cont’d…. Power System (Overview)

• These components work together forming a system to ensure

reliable and efficient electricity supply.

• The system also includes protection and control mechanisms to

maintain stability and safety.
 Importance of Electrical Energy

Importance of Electrical Energy

• Energy may be needed as heat, as light, as motive power etc.

• Superior to all other forms of energy due to the following reasons:

❖Convenient form:- It can be easily converted into other forms of energy.

Example electrical energy can be converted into
➢Heat – using high resistance wire e.g. Heater.
➢Light – using electric bulb
➢Mechanical energy – using electric motor
Cont’d…. Importance of Electrical Energy

Importance of Electrical Energy

❖Easy control:- electrically operated machines have simple and
convenient starting and control technique.
Example: electric motor can be started or stopped by turning on or off a
switch.
❖Greater flexibility:- It can be easily transported from one place to
another with the help of conductors.
❖Cheapness:- much cheaper than other forms of energy. Thus it is
overall economical to use this form of energy for domestic, commercial
and industrial purposes.
Cont’d…. Importance of Electrical Energy

Importance of Electrical Energy…

❖Cleanliness:- not associated with smoke, fumes or poisonous gases.

Therefore, its use ensures cleanliness and healthy conditions.

❖High transmission efficiency:- The consumers of electrical energy

are generally situated quite away from the centres of its production.

➢The electrical energy can be transmitted conveniently and efficiently

from the centres of generation to the consumers with the help of
overhead conductors known as transmission lines.
 Generation of Electrical Energy

Generation of Electrical Energy

• The conversion of energy available in different forms in nature
into electrical energy is known as generation of electrical
energy.
• Energy is available in various forms
from different natural sources such as
pressure head of water, chemical energy
of fuels, nuclear energy of radioactive
substances etc.
• All these forms of energy can be
converted into electrical energy by the Arrangement of alternator
use of suitable arrangements. coupled to a prime mover
 Sources of Electrical Energy

Sources of Electrical Energy

The various sources for electrical energy generation are:
(i) The Sun/Solar parks:- total 100 MWac, operational 0.0 MWac.
(ii) The Wind farms:- Total operational installed capacity 324,18 Mwe
(iii) Water/Hydropower:- Total operational installed capacity 6,978
MWe
(iv) Fuels
(v) Nuclear energy.
(vi) Geothermics:- total 202.3 MWe, operational 0.0 Mwe.
Cont’d…. Sources of Electrical Energy

Sources of Electrical Energy

1. Direct form of solar energy:
Flat plate
collector

Solar thermal
concentrators

Solar energy
Stand alone

Photovoltaic cells

Grid connected
Cont’d…. Sources of Electrical Energy

Sources of Electrical Energy

2. Indirect forms of solar energy:

Uneven heating of
Wind energy
the earth surface

Photosynthesis
Sun Biomass energy
process

Hydropower energy Hydrological cycle

 Comparison of Sources of Energy

Comparison of Sources of Energy

• The chief sources of energy used for the generation of electrical energy
are water, fuels and nuclear energy. Below is given their comparison in a
tabular form :
Refer Your Electrical Machine Course
Refer Your Electrical Machine Course
Refer Your Electrical Machine Course
 Some Ethiopian Hydro Power Plants

The Ethiopian high voltage grid hydro power plant generators units
Parallel Operation of Alternators
Cont’d…. Parallel Operation of Alternators

Advantages of Parallel Operation of Alternators

✓ Redundancy /Continuity of Supply/ Easily serviceable

✓ Efficiency/Load requirements

✓ Expandability/Expansion Plans/ Scalable

✓ Size of Alternators/Cost-Effectiveness
Cont’d…. Parallel Operation of Alternators

Advantages of Parallel Operation of Alternators

✓ Maximize Power System Reliability

✓ Ease of maintenance and serviceability

✓ Flexibility
Cont’d…. Parallel Operation of Alternators

Requirements for the parallel operation of the Generators

i. It must have the same magnitude (RMS line-to-line terminal voltage)

as the running generator

ii. It must be in phase with the corresponding phases of the running

unit

iii. Its phase sequence must be the same as the running generator (the
order in which the three phases (typically labeled R, Y, and B for Red,
Yellow, and Blue) reach their peak voltages)

iv. It must have an equal frequency as the running generator

Cont’d…. Parallel Operation of Alternators

❖If the above conditions are not met, circulating currents (excessive
current flowing between generators) can occur, potentially large enough
to damage the generators.

❖This could be due to voltage differences, phase mismatch, or

frequency mismatch.6.

❖Before connecting the generator in parallel, a synchronization process

(typically using a synchronoscope or automatic synchronization devices)
ensures the generators are in sync. in terms of voltage, frequency, and
phase sequence.
Cont’d…. Parallel Operation of Alternators

Three-phase voltage waveform

 Why power generated at low voltages?

➢Large (MW) power generators are limited to about 15kV because of

physical size and wire insulation limitations,

➢Generators must operate in a gaseous environment and high voltages

will cause corona, and corona is degrading to insulation

➢If you could insulate the wire enough to inhibit or mitigate corona, the
flux density isn't high enough to make the generator sufficiently
efficient.

➢Transformer, on the other hand, can be submerged in oil, which inhibits

corona nicely and then that voltage is stepped up for distribution.
 Introduction to Power Transformers

Introduction to Power Transformers

Cont’d…. Introduction to Power Transformers

Introduction to Power Transformers

❑Used in the generation and transmission stages.

❑Used for stepping up or down higher rated voltages in both these

stages.

❑Can step up from 11KV to around 800KV for transmission; and step
down again from 800KV to 240KV or 11KV for aiding the distribution
process.

❑Commonly found in power plants, industrial plants, and electric utility

companies.
Introduction to Instrument Transformers
Cont’d…. Introduction to Instrument Transformers
Cont’d…. Introduction to Instrument Transformers

Potential Transformers (PTs) and Current Transformers (CTs)

❑PTs:- special type of step-down transformer to reduce and isolate the

high line voltage of a power system to levels safe for panel-mounted
instruments. Used for stepping up or down higher rated voltages in both
these stages.

❑ Precisely step the phase-to-ground voltages for each phase of a 230 kV

system (230 kV line voltage, 133 kV phase voltage) all the way down to
120 volts for the panel-mounted instruments to monitor.
Cont’d…. Introduction to Instrument Transformers

Potential Transformers (PTs) and Current Transformers (CTs)

❑CTs:- reduce high current values and isolate high voltage values
between the electrical power system conductors and panel-mounted
instruments.

❑ The line conductor passing once through the center of the toroid
functions as a primary transformer winding with exactly 1 “turn”. The
secondary winding consists of multiple turns of wire wrapped around
the toroidal magnetic core.
 Power Transmission

Electricity transmitted at high voltages

Electric power transmission network should be efficient, safe and at the

same time economical. Power is transmitted at high voltage for the
following reasons

➢To reduce power losses

➢To reduce power transmission cost

➢To improve the efficiency and voltage regulation of power transmission

Cont’d…. Power Transmission

Limitations of high transmission voltage

1. The increased cost of insulating the conductors

2. The increased cost of transformers, switchgear and other terminal

apparatus
 AC and DC Transmission

D.C. transmission

Advantages

i. It requires only two conductors

ii. There is no inductance, capacitance, phase displacement and surge

problems

iii. Voltage drop is line is less for this reason, it has better voltage
regulation.

iv. There is no skin effect in a d.c system.

Cont’d…. AC and DC Transmission

D.C. transmission

Advantages…

v. The potential stress on the insulation is less, therefore, a d.c line

requires less insulation

vi. Less corona loss and reduced interference with communication

circuits

vii. Free from the dielectric losses, particularly in the case of cables

viii. No stability problems and synchronizing difficulties

Cont’d…. AC and DC Transmission

Disadvantages of D.C Power Transmission

i. Electric power cannot be generated at high d.c voltage due to

commutation problems

ii. The d.c voltage cannot be stepped up for transmission of power at

high voltages

iii. The d.c switches and circuit breakers have their own limitations: high
on-state losses and the capital costs
Cont’d…. AC and DC Transmission

A.C. transmission

Advantages

i. The power can be generated at high voltages

ii. The maintenance of a.c. sub-stations is easy and cheaper

iii. The a.c. voltage can be stepped up or stepped down by transformers

with ease and efficiency

iv. Permits power transfer at high voltages and distribute it at safe

potentials
Cont’d…. AC and DC Transmission
 Single Phase System

❑Instantaneous Power: product of instantaneous voltage (v) across the

element and instantaneous current (i) through the element and is
denoted by lower case letter p.

❑The instantaneous power changes with time.

❑The instantaneous power (p) is measured in watts. The instantaneous

power may be positive or negative. A positive instantaneous
power means power flows from source to load whereas negative
instantaneous power means power flows from load to source.
Case 1 – Pure Resistive Circuit
Cont’d….
Case 2 – Pure Inductive Circuit
Case 3 – Pure Capacitive Circuit

The instantaneous power in a single phase system varies from zero to

maximum values at twice the supply frequency and also it may be positive
or negative.
Cont’d….
Average Power
The average power:- average of instantaneous power over one cycle and is
denoted by upper case letter P. It is also measured in watts.

Average Power, p = Avg. of p over one cycle

Case 2 – Pure Inductive Circuit

Hence, average power absorbed by a pure capacitor is also zero.

 Three Phase System

Instantaneous Power:

the single phase instantaneous power (for lagging power factor load) is
given by,
Now, the instantaneous power in three phases (RYB –phase sequence) can
be written as,
The eqns. (8) & (9) shows that the 3 phase instantaneous power is constant
and is not the function of supply frequency.
Average Power

The three-phase average power, we obtain

Therefore, in case of a three system, the average power and instantaneous

power are same.

Thank You!
Questions?

Debre Berhan University, February 2017 E.C.