In Electrical Engineering , a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) is a shunt-connected, reactive compensation device used on transmission networks. It uses power electronics to form a voltage-source converter that can act as either a source or sink of reactive AC power to an electricity network. It is a member of the FACTS family of devices.
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STATCOMS are alternatives to other passive reactive power devices, such as capacitors and inductors (reactors). They have a variable reactive power output, can change their output in terms of milliseconds, and able to supply and consume both capacitive and inductive vars. While they can be used for voltage support and power factor correction, their speed and capability are better suited for dynamic situations like supporting the grid under fault conditions or contingency events.
The use of voltage-source based FACTs device had been desirable for some time, as it helps mitigate the limitations of current-source based devices whose reactive output decreases with system voltage. However, limitations in technology have historically prevented wide adoption of STATCOMs. When gate turn-off thyristors (GTO) became more widely available in the 1990s[1] and had the ability to switch both on and off at higher power levels, the first STATCOMs began to be commercially available. These devices typically used 3-level topologies and pulse-width modulation (PWM) to simulate voltage waveforms.
Modern STATCOMs now make use of insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), which allow for faster switching at high-power levels. 3-level topologies have begun to give way to Multi-Modular Converter (MMC) Topologies, which allow for more levels in the voltage waveform, reducing harmonics and improving performance.
- ^ Azharuddin, Mohd.; Gaigowal, S.R. (2017-12-18). "Voltage regulation by grid connected PV-STATCOM". 2017 International Conference on Power and Embedded Drive Control (ICPEDC). pp. 472–477. doi:10.1109/ICPEDC.2017.8081136. ISBN 978-1-5090-4679-9. S2CID 26402757.