Dynamic Stability Enhancement using Particle

Swarm Optimization Power System Stabilizer

A. S. Al-Hinai, Member, IEEE, and S. M. Al-Hinai

 control loops to the automatic voltage regulators system and/or

Abstract--In this paper the dynamics of a single machine the turbine governing system of a generating unit. It is
connected to infinite bus power system is analyzed. Such analysis considered as one of the most common ways of enhancing
requires a certain level of system modeling. The main system both small signal (steady-state) stability and large-signal
components models are the synchronous machine, excitation
(transient) stability. PSS are often used as an effective and
system and the Power System Stabilizer. The Matlab/Simulink is
used as a programming tool to analyze the system performance. economic means of damping such oscillations.
According to the system performance a proper design for the The automatic voltage regulator (AVR) regulates the generator
Power System Stabilizer (PSS) using Particle Swarm terminal voltage by controlling the amount of current supplied
Optimization (PSO) is carried out. Then the designed PSS is to the generator field winding by the exciter. It is mainly used
implemented in the model and the dynamic system response is to damp any oscillations accrued to the power system when
analyzed. Since the simulation results without the PSS showed
load is changing. It keeps the terminal voltage of the generator
unacceptable system response, the system response with the PSS
has improved and the PSS succeeded to stabilize an unstable constant so that the voltage on the load side will remains
system. almost constant even the load is vary with time. Next section
will present the motivation on this paper. Section three will
Index Terms—Dynamic Stability, Power System Stabilizer, discuss the system modeling. Then PSS design will be
Particle Swarm Optimization. discussed in section four. Finally implementation and
simulation will be discussed in section five.
I. INTRODUCTION

P ower System Stability is concerned as one of the main

factors that affect the power system in its three main
sectors: generation, transmission and distribution. There are
II. MOTIVATION
The stability problem is concerned with the behavior of the
synchronous machines after they have been perturbed. If the
several factors that can affect the stability of the system such perturbation does not involve any net change in power, the
as sudden load change, fault and generator shaft speed change. machines should return to their original state. If an unbalance
The instability problem is resulting in oscillatory behavior that, between the supply and demand is created by a change in load,
if undamped may eventually build up. Even undamped in generation, or in network conditions, a new operating state
oscillations at low frequencies are undesirable because they is necessary. In any case the synchronous machine should
limit power transfers in transmission lines and induce stress in remain in synchronism with other machines and they should
the mechanical shaft. With proper design and compensation, operate in parallel as well as at the same speed. The transient
the excitation system can be an effective means of enhancing following a system perturbation is oscillatory in nature and
stability in the dynamic range as well as in the first few cycles such oscillations could affect power generation significantly.
after a disturbance. The compensation by adding damping to Those oscillations differ in magnitude according to the
the generator rotor oscillations is related to an auxiliary SHUWXUEDWLRQ W\SH RU ZKHWKHULW¶VVPDOORUODUJHGisturbance.
stabilizing signal and the device used to generate this signal is Small random changes in the load or generation are an
called Power System Stabilizer (PSS). example of small disturbance. However any disturbance small
Stability can be controlled by controlling the excitation of or large can affect the synchronous operation and may lead the
the generator or its speed. In addition, the excitation can be machine to run out of stability. Nevertheless those oscillations
controlled using Automatic Voltage regulator AVR. due to such disturbances have to be damped to improve power
Nowadays, PSS becomes one of the main solutions to the system stability. This paper will investigate; how to solve the
instability behind the AVR. dynamic stability of the single machine connected to infinite
PSS is a device which provides additional supplementary bus during small disturbances using PSS.
The main objective of this work is to design and implement
This work was supported in part by Sultan Qaboos University. a power system stabilizer for single machine connected to
A. S. Al-Hinai is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Electrical &
Computer Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, PO Box 33, PC 123,
infinite bus power system to stabilize the system and improve
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman (e-mail: hinai@squ.edu.om) the system response during small disturbances or changes in
S. M. Al-Hinai is a Lecturer at the Department of Electrical & Computer the system.
Engineering, (e-mail: salems@squ.edu.om)

978-1-4244-3523-4/09/$25.002009
c IEEE 117
 III. SYSTEM MODELING of the synchronous machine are as follows:
Modeling of the system is an important part of the design. K3 K3 K 4
This chapter presents the modeling of the system parts which 'Eqc 'E FD  'G [3.5]
1  K 3W dco s 1  K 3W do s
are; synchronous machine, Automatic Voltage Regulator and
the Power System Stabilizer. 1
'Zm [ 'Tm  'Te  D'Zm ] [3.6]
A. Full order model 2H s
The state-space form of the synchronous generator model ZB ZB
has two main sets of variables which are the flux linkages and 'G 'Zm 'Z [3.7]
s s
currents. But these two sets are mutually dependent so, one of
them can be eliminated and express in terms of the other. Where s is the laplace operator.

B. Single machine connected to infinite bus linear model: C. Excitation system model
The synchronous generator experience an oscillatory period Excitation system is one of prime importance for the proper
which can be classified into a transient period and a steady operation of synchronous generators. The excitation system
state or dynamic period .The transient period is the first cycles can be as simple as a fixed dc power supply connected to the
after the disturbance. The consideration on dynamic area URWRUµV ZLQGLQJ RI WKH V\QFKURQRXV JHQHUDWRUV 7KH SULPDU\
reduces the system model to the third order model. Since the function of a synchronous generator excitation system is to
interest of this paper is to look after small change in the regulate the voltage at the generator output. On other words,
system, the linearized third order model is sufficient for the using the excitation system in any synchronous machine is to
analysis. The simplified third order model of synchronous control the field current injected to the rotor. The point of
generator connected to infinite bus through a transmission line controlling the field current is to regulate the terminal voltage
having resistance Re and reactance Xe has the following of the machine and maintaining the terminal voltage constant
assumption over the full order model: and hence keeping the synchronization of the generator.
1. Stator winding resistance is neglected. D. Representation of excitation system:
2. Balancing conditions are assumed and saturation effects
The excitation system representation is shown in Fig.3.1
are neglected.
3. Damper winding effect is neglected. 'Vref
From this assumption the linear equation of stator voltage
(¶T WKDW SURSRUWLRQDO WR PDLQ ZLQGLQJ IOX[ OLQNDJH FDQ EH
found as follow:[1][2] 'G KE 'E fd
K5 ¦ 1  sT E
K3 K3 K 4
c
'Eq 'E FD  'G [3.1]
1  K3W d
c s
0 1  K3W d
c s
0
K6
Where E FD is the rms value of E qc , W dc 0 direct-axis
transient time constant.
On the other hand, the incremental electrical torque is 'E q'
computed according to the following: Fig. 3.1 Simple excitation system model
'Te K1'G  K2'Eqc [3.2] The linearized equation of the excitation system is given by
Eqc E  ( xd  xd
c )I [3.3] the following equation: [1]
d
Ke
Where E is the stator air gap rms voltage. The synchronous 'E fd ( 'Vref  'Vt ) [3.8]
1  sTE
generator linearized terminal voltage ' Vt is given by:
'Vt K 5 'G  K 6 'E c [3.4] E. PSS Model:
Power System Stabilizer (PSS) is a device which provides
Note that the constants K 1 , K 2 , K 3 , K 4 , K 5 and K 6 additional supplementary control loops to the automatic
are depended on system parameter and operation conditions. voltage regulator system and/or the turbine governing system
In general K 1 , K 2 , K 3 and K 6 are positive, whereas of a generating unit. PSS are often used as an effective and
economic means of damping such oscillations. Adding
K 4 is positive unless Re is high. However, K 5 is positive for supplementary control loops to the generator AVR is one of
low and medium loading and external impedance. But if the the most common ways of enhancing both small-signal (steady
state) stability and large-signal (transient) stability [3]. PSS is
loading and the external impedance is high K 5 will be
working in parallel with the excitation system in order to
negative. modify the power angle to increase the damping of the
The summary of the simplified linear differential equations

118 2009 2nd International Conference on Adaptive Science & Technology

oscillation. Since the PSS and the excitation system are
working in parallel, the performance of the excitation system is
very important to PSS [4].
The main idea of power system stabilization is to recognize
that in the steady-state, that is when the speed deviation is zero
or nearly zero, the voltage controller should be driven by the
voltage error 'V only (Fig.3.2). However in the transient
state the generator speed is not constant, the rotor swings, and
'V undergoes oscillations caused by the change in rotor angle.
The task of PSS is to add an additional signal which
compensates for the 'V oscillation and provides a damping
component that is in phase with 'Z [3]. From the below Fig.
3.2, it is clear that there is a reference voltage to compare with
the terminal voltage taken from the generator and the result is
added with the PSS output (VPSS) that be an enhancing signal
to AVR to return the generator terminal voltage to its value.
Fig 4.1: PSO Algorithm Chart

The fitness function used in PSO is the area under the curve
of the deviation in speed. PSO will try to minimize the fitness
function when designing the PSS parameters [4]. Fitness
function is obtained as follows; first the system model is
simulated in Simulink with a disturbance. Then the signal of
the speed is squared, to get rid of negative portion of the
signal. After that the squared signal is passed through
integrator to get the area under the curve which is the fitness
Fig.3.2: block diagram of supplementary control loop for the AVR system. function (J). Next, the PSO starts the iterations to design the
PSS parameters which will be used in the next simulation of
Fig. 3.3 represents the general (2 stages lead-lag power the system with PSS to get a new area under the curve. PSO
system stabilizer) structure of the PSS where VPSS is the will iterate the same process searching for minimum area as
generated based on the measured signal of the generator shown in Fig. 4.2. The searching will stop if one of the
terminals. following conditions satisfied:
1. 7KH ILWQHVV IXQFWLRQ YDOXH GRHVQ¶W FKDQJH IRU 0
Input
sTW sT1 sT3
Vpss iterations. Where M is the maximum number iterations of
KS unchanged solution.
1  sTW 1  sT2 1  sT4

Fig.3.3: lead-lag power system stabilizer. 2. The maximum number of iterations is exhausted.
PSO Optimal
The general equation and the used equation of the PSS is: Minimize J PSS
sKs TW (1  sT1 )(1  sT3 )
V (s) Input(s) [3.9] PSS Parameters
PSS (1  sTW ) (1  sT2 )(1  sT4 ) Fitness T1, T2, T3, T4 and Ks
³ 'Z dt
2
J
This particular controller structure contains a washout Function
block, sTW/ (1+sTW), which is used to reduce the over-
response of the damping during severe events. The constants
T1, T2, T3, and T4 should be set to provide damping over the 'Z
Simulink
range of frequencies at which oscillations are likely to occur. Model

Fig.4.2: Design procedure with PSO

IV. PSS DESIGN
V. IMPLEMENTATION AND MODEL SIMULATION
A. Design PSS parameters using PSO:
Particle Swarm Optimization is an optimization technique A. Model Implementation
which provides an evolutionary based search. This search The system is simulated using MATLAB/Simulink toolbox.
algorithm was introduced by Dr Russ Eberhart and Dr. James The models of the synchronous machine, PSS and the
Kennedy in 1995[5]. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) excitation system are linked together to form the overall
technique is inspired from birds flocking & fish schooling. system representation showing Fig 5.1.
Fig.4.1 shows the flow chart of PSO [6]

2009 2nd International Conference on Adaptive Science & Technology 119

 E. Case study
Vref
The performance of single machine connected to infinite
Vref
Vpss Efd Efd delta_speed bus power system is tested under a selected operating
delta_Vt
condition; the dynamic system response is analyzed
considering the following variables:
Excitation System Tmech delta_Vt
x Rotor angle deviation
Tmech
Syn.Machine
x Velocity/Speed deviation
The operating condition is listed below, where K5 < 0 [6]:
Pss Operating condition:
K1= 0.9831 K2= 1.0923
Vpss delta speed
K3= 0.3864 K4= 1.4746
K5= - 0.1103 K6= 0.4477
Fig.5.1: Overall system representation in Simulink '
Tdo =5 sec, TA =0.2 sec, H=6 sec
B. Synchronous machine model implementation: Considering the operating condition listed above; the
Synchronous machine model consist of flux decay loop, and system response without PSS during a step load disturbance
torque-angle loop. The model is implemented in Matlab/ oscillates and goes out of stability.
Simulink as shown in Fig.5.2. F. Simulation Results
Table 5.1 presents a PSS parameters designed by Genetic
k1
delta_speed 1 Algorithm (GA) [4]. PSO is used in this paper to tune PSS
2 delta-delta parameters as described in the previous section. Table 5.2
2 presents the PSS parameters as designed by PSO.
Tmech -K- 1/s wB 1/s
1/(2H)
TABLE 5.1
D PSS PARAMETERS [4]
k4
k2
k3 T1 T2 T3 T4 Kpss
k5
k3*DT.s+1 Efd
1
delta_Vt 1.4557 0.6143 1.0083 0.1005 2.1783
3
k6 TABLE 5.2
PSS PARAMETERS DESIGNED BY PSO
Fig.5.2: overall representation of synchronous machine T1 T2 T3 T4 Kpss
C. Excitation system implementation 0.3730 0.1096 0.7910 0.0819 7.1144
Excitation system is described by equation (3.4) and
equation (3.8). These equations are implemented in Matlab / -3
x 10
Simulink as shown in Fig.5.3. 6
without PSS
Vref 1 PSS designed by GA
4 PSS designed by PSO

KE
2 1
delta_Vt TE.s+1 Efd 2

3 Vpss
0
'Z

Fig.5.3: Simulink layout of excitation system -2

D. Power system stabilizer implementation -4

The PSS model presented in equation (3.9) is implemented
in Matlab / Simulink as shown in Fig.5.4. The input signal to -6
PSS is speed deviation and the output signal is VPSS which is 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
time [sec]
an auxiliary signal to the excitation system.
Fig 5.5: Speed deviation during 15% step load change
10s T1.s+1 T3.s+1
1 -K- 1
10s+1 T2.s+1 T4.s+1
delta speed Vpss
Ks Wash-out Lead Lag1 Lead Lag2
Figure 5.5 compare the generator speed deviation without
PSS, with GA designed PSS, and with the proposed PSO
Fig.5.4: PSS implementation in Simulink designed PSS during 15% load change. It is clear that the

119-A 2009 2nd International Conference on Adaptive Science & Technology

proposed PSS enhance the speed deviation compared to the VII. REFERENCES
designed PSS as published in [4]. [1] Paul M. Anderson & A. A. Fouad, Power system control and
Stability, IEEE PRESS, 1991.
30
without PSS [2] K.R Padiyar, Power system Dynamics stability & Control, John
PSS designed by GA
PSS designed by PSO
Wiley & sons (Asia), 1996.
20
[3] Jan Machowski, Janusz W. Bialek & James R. Bumby, Power
System Dynamics and Stability,, John Wiley & sons, 1997
10
[4] B. Al-Hadabi, A. Al-Oissi, A. Al-Hinai, M. Al-Lawati, and A.
Al-/DZDWL ³'HVLJQ DQG ,PSOHPHQWDWLRQ RI D 3RZHU 6\VWHP
'G

0 6WDELOL]HU IRU 3RZHU 6\VWHP '\QDPLF 6WDELOLW\ (QKDQFHPHQW´

Industrial Application of Energy Systems Conference
-10 (IAES'2007), Sohar, Oman, April 3-4, 2007
[5] http://pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/~khemka/pso/model.h tml
-20 [6] B. S. Al-Omari, and A. S. Al-+LQDL ³'HVLJQ RI 3,'-Swarm
/RDG )UHTXHQF\ &RQWUROOHU RI ,QWHUFRQQHFWHG 3RZHU 6\VWHP´
-30
International Conference on Communication, Computer and
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
time [sec] Power (ICCCP'07), Muscat, Oman, February 19-21, 2007
Fig 5.6: Rotor angle deviation during 15% step load change

Figure 5.6 compare the generator rotor angle deviation VIII. BIOGRAPHIES
without PSS, with GA designed PSS, and with the proposed Dr. Amer Al-Hinai received a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering
PSO designed PSS during 15% load change. It is clear that the from Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman in 1997 and joined
proposed PSS improve the system transient stability. the University as a Demonstrator in 1998. He received his M.Sc. and
Ph.D in Electrical Engineering from West Virginia University,
VI. CONCLUSION Morgantown, USA in December 2000 and May 2005, respectively.
Currently, he is an Assistant Professor in the Electrical & Computer
The power system is subjected to different types of
Engineering Department at Sultan Qaboos University. His areas of
disturbances such as small changes in the load that affects its
interest are Power Systems: Control and Operation, Multi-Agent
efficiency and sometimes leads to unstable system. These
Systems: Application to Control of Power Systems, Optimization
disturbances cause oscillations at low frequencies that are
Techniques and Applications to Power Systems. Dr. Amer carried out
undesirable since it affects the amount of transferred power
more than 15 research projects related to energy savings, power
through the transmission lines and leads to external stress to
system analysis, load flow analysis, short circuit analysis, power
the mechanical shaft. To avoid such situation a power system
system protection, load shedding, power system quality and transient
stabilizer is added to the Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) stability of power systems. He has published over 30 research papers
to enhance stability in the dynamic range as well as in the first in international journals and conferences.
few cycles after a disturbance. The input control signal to the
Power system Stabilizer (PSS) is selected to be the deviation Mr. Salem Al-Hinai received a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering
in the generator speed ( 'Z ). The single machine-infinite bus from Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman in 2001 and joined
system is used in this paper as a case study. The effect of the the University as a Demonstrator in 2001. Currently he is perusing
PSS on the system response was studied. Analyzing the results his M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering at Dalhousie University, Nova
showed that adding PSS gave more damping to the oscillatory Scotia, Canada. Mr. S. Al-Hinai is a Lecturer in the Electrical &
system and brings it back to normal operation, stable. The Computer Engineering Department at Sultan Qaboos University. His
main contribution of this paper is to design an optimal PSS. area of interest is Power Systems Control.
Particle Swarm optimization (PSO) is used to design the PSS
parameters. The proposed PSS design enhance the system
response and provide good damping to the oscillation
compared with a similar design by Genetic Algorithm [4].

2009 2nd International Conference on Adaptive Science & Technology 119-B