SVC PLUS (VSC Technology)
General Information
- Description
- Details
- Benefits
- Applications
- References
Fundamental changes are affecting the power industry. Markets are
being deregulated and liberalized, urbanization is continuing
around the world accompanied by a constantly growing demand for
energy, and renewable energy sources are playing an increasingly
important role.
One of Siemens’ solutions to cope with these new challenges and to
improve dynamic stability and power quality of power systems in a
new, highly economical manner is SVC PLUS (Static Var Compensation)
for Reactive Power Compensation.
The SVC PLUS is an advanced STATCOM (Static Synchronous
Compensator).
By using the Voltage-Sourced Converter (VSC) technology based on
the Siemens Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) design (refer to
Converter) it offers high economical and technical flexibility by
its modular and containerized design.
Compact and adaptable, an ideal solution when space is limited and costly. Due to the MMC technology, the degree of harmonic generation emission is quite small. High frequency noise is absorbed by small standardized high-frequency blocking filters, resulting in an SVC design which is practically independent from individual network impedances.
It provides operational advantages like minimized maintenance and service requirements, network stabilization, excellent undervoltage performance and high dynamic performance by a very fast response time. It reaches a very high level of system availability, thanks to the redundancy of power modules.
From ± 25 MVAr to ± 50 MVAr, all of the main equipment, including the IGBT converter, the control and protection system and the converter cooling system of the SVC PLUS, is installed in a containerized solution and factory pretested, ready for grid connection at site. For indoor installations, converter modules with ± 100 MVAr are available. Parallel operation of converter modules is also possible, resulting in higher ratings.
The footprint of an SVC PLUS installation is smaller than a conventional SVC installation of the same rating, up to 50% .
SVC PLUS offers a multitude of benefits:
- Improved dynamic stability of transmission systems
- Increased power quality; reduction in risk of voltage collapse and blackout
- Highly efficient flicker reduction in industrial applications
- Low harmonic generation and low noise emissions, thanks to the use of MMC (Modular
- Multilevel Converter) technology
- Minimized engineering efforts due to standardized component design
- Fast, efficient, modular, and cost-effective solution
Power producers and system operators all over the world are faced with increasing demands for bulk power transmission, lowcost power delivery, and high system security. At the same time, congestion and bottlenecks cause limitations in power transmission.
SVC PLUS provides a solution to such problems whenever they occur. SVC PLUS can be customized to individual reactive power demands: Three standardized pre-engineered configurations covering SVC PLUS S (+/-25 MVAr), SVC PLUS M (+/-35 MVAr), or SVC PLUS L (+/-50 MVAr) are available as containerized solutions, and up to four of these units can be configured as a system operating in a fully parallel manner. Transformerless solutions are available up to 36 kV. For higher system voltages, standard AC transformers are used. This modular concept makes SVC PLUS uniquely adaptive without compromising on performance, construction time, and cost-effectiveness.
For indoor installations, converter modules with approximately ± 100 MVAr are available. In addition, hybrid solutions with mechanically switched capacitors (MSC) or reactors (MSR) are available, to expand the power range further.
It can be either used for utility applications, grid access, mobility applications and industrial applications.
Siemens has always been a leader in the reactive power compensation business, both in conventional and innovative technologies. Based on Siemens’ vast experience in shunt and series compensation, active filtering, and HVDC PLUS, SVC PLUS® was developed. The use of wellproven standard design key components such as reactors, capacitors, converter cooling, and auxiliary equipment, safeguard the reliability of SVC PLUS ® and guarantee operator convenience right from the start within the following applications and references:
| In Operation | Country | Project | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | United Kingdom | Greater Gabbard | Grid access |
| 2010 | Mozambique | Mocuba | Utility application |
| 2009 | New Zealand | Kikiwa | Utility application |
| 2009 | United Kingdom | Thanet | Grid access |
Mobility application:
E.ON (Germany)
SVC PLUS ® technology can be used for Static Frequency Converter (SFC) purposes in traction supplies.
Industrial application:
Thyssen Krupp (USA)
SVC PLUS ® is also applicable to improve flicker performance in industrial applications.
Please use the following link for a overview of our references.