IEEE Power Electronics Society Student Branch Chapter at Amrita School of Engineering, Bengaluru organized a seminar on “Power Electronics Applications in Power Systems” on 3^rd of November 2015. 

The workshop was led by Mr. M. M. Babu Narayanan, Chief Technical Advisor, PRDC, Bengaluru. M.Tech. Power Electronics, Final year and Pre-final year B.Tech students along with faculty members of the department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering attended the seminar. Mr. Babu Narayan started his talk giving an overview of various research activities and consultancies carried out in PRDC, Bengaluru and their active participation in IEEE activities. He gave an overview of Power Electronics in Transmission by explaining the HVDC transmission technology for bulk power transfer and Flexible AC Transmission Systems. He gave the audience an exposure to HVDC system including the history of HVDC evolution, HVDC transmission control features, various types of configurations with different types of transmission modes etc. Mr. Narayan gave a clear picture of the line commutated current source converters (CSC) and Self commutated voltage source converter (VSC), the core technologies in HVDC systems. Performance overview of ± 800kV, 6000 MW North East Agra multi terminal project and other HVDC schemes near Agra and technical challenges with multi infeed HVDC systems were discussed.

A brief introduction about concepts behind Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System (FACTS) controllers and various opportunities in Flexible AC Transmission systems were covered. Various FACTS devices were introduced to audience with brief mention about each and insights were given to STATCOM, SVC, etc. The speaker discussed about various SVC configurations used to control reactive power compensation in electric power systems, power transfer improvement, Voltage improving effect, voltage stability effect of SVC. A case study on power transfer studies using RTDS simulation of a Single machine infinite bus system was given. He gave an insight to STATCOM, discussed about its superior performance over SVC, its use as dynamic energy storage, voltage control during dynamic and steady state, reactive power compensation etc.

The speaker explained about various series FACTS controllers like TCSC and shared a case study of Raipur-Rourkela 400kV TCSC for power oscillation damping by Power Oscillation (POD) controllers of TCSC and grid stabilization for large power transfers on the 412km interregional 400kV D/C tie-line. He clearly brought out the difference between CSC HVDC and VSC HVDC in transmission of power. 

The speaker also discussed the future challenges in transmission due to emergence of remote renewable energy farms and increase in electricity market applications. He concluded the seminar stating that VSC -HVDC can find increasing applications in renewable integration. FACTS can play a vital role to increase utilization and stability of transmission systems. Dynamic reactive power compensation can maintain or even restore grids to stable operating conditions in difficult cases. Energy storage capability of FACTS controllers can be utilized for efficient integration of wind and solar power into grids. He concluded the talk by motivating students to join in IEEE for Networking with experts and to get updated with the present technologies.

The seminar was concluded with vote of thanks and offered a felicitation to the speaker. The seminar was organized very well by the IEEE PELS student Branch chapter members of Amrita School of Engineering with the support and guidance of chairperson and faculty of EEE department. 

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Seminar on Power Electronics Applications in Power Systems