Design of an adaptive power system stabilizer

Abstract

Modern power networks are being driven ever closer to both their physical and operational limits. As a result, control systems are being increasingly relied on to assure satisfactory system performance. Power system stabilizers (PSSs) are one example of such controllers. Their purpose is to increase system damping and they are typically designed using a model of the network that is valid during nominal operating conditions. The limitation of this design approach is that during off-nominal operating conditions, such as those triggered by daily load fluctuations, performance of the controller can degrade.

The research presented in this report attempts to evaluate the possibility of employing an adaptive PSS as a means of avoiding the performance degradation precipitated by off-nominal operation. Conceptually, an adaptive PSS would be capable of identifying changes in the network and then adjusting its parameters to ensure suitable damping of the identified network. This work begins with a detailed look at the identification algorithm employed followed by a similarly detailed examination of the control algorithm that was used. The results of these two investigations are then combined to allow for a preliminary assessment of the performance that could be expected from an adaptive PSS.

The results of this research suggest that an adaptive PSS is a possibility but further work is needed to confirm this finding. Testing using more complex network models must be carried out, details pertaining to control parameter tuning must be resolved and closed-loop time domain simulations using the adaptive PSS design remain to be performed.