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Showing posts from September, 2016

STATCOM versus SVC

The main difference between a STATCOM and an SVC is the way they operate: a STATCOM works as a controllable voltage source while an SVC works as a dynamically controllable reactance connected in parallel. Compared with an SVC, a STATCOM offers the possibility of feeding the grid with the maximum available reactive current even at low voltage levels, this is possible because in every equilibrium condition the injected reactive power varies linearly with the voltage at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC). In contrast, for an SVC there is a quadratic dependence of the reactive power on the voltage at the PCC which means that to inject the same reactive power it is necessary to install an SVC with a nominal capacity higher than that of a STATCOM. With regard to the maximum transient capacitive current it is observed that in an SVC the capacitive current is limited by the size of the capacitor and by the magnitude of the AC voltage. In the case of a STATCOM the maximum capacitiv...