ECE 213: POWER SYSTEM I

Per unit System Representation

By

Juma Wabwire

The per-unit (p.u.) system

 This is a system whereby the power system parameters
i.e. voltage, current, power and impedance are
normalized.
 A base value has to be chosen and the p.u. value is the
ratio of the actual quantity to the base value.
 It is dimensionless.
Actual quantity
Per unit quantity =
Base value of quantity

 The base value is always a real number and hence the

phase angle remains the same for both the actual and the
p.u. quantities.
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Example 1
The nominal voltage at busbar A is 220 kV
and actual voltage at A is 200 kV. The per unit
voltage at A is:

Voltage in kV 200
VA( pu ) =   0.91 pu
Base voltage in kV 220

Why Use the Per Unit System?

 Multiple voltage levels e.g. Nampower network 400 kV,
330 kV, 220 kV, 132kV, 6.6 kV, 400V make circuit
analysis confusing
 Transformer impedance depends on
primary/secondary referral
 Normalize all quantities to help understanding
 Voltages, currents and impedances expressed in per
unit do not change when referred from primary to
secondary
 Per unit impedances of equipment of similar type are
usually similar if equipment ratings are used as base
values
 Manufacturers usually specify impedance of equipment
in per unit (or percent) using nameplate rating as base
 Per unit values result in more meaningful data
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 S P  jQ
S  P  jQ  S pu  
Sbase Sbase
P Q
S pu  Ppu  jQ pu  j
Sbase Sbase
Thus, Sbase  Qbase  Pbase  Vbase I base ............... (1)
SV I
S pu  
Sbase Vbase I base
Thus, from (1) the current base is given by
Sbase
I base  ................................................. (2)
Vbase
V Z I
V pu  
Vbase Z base I base
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Z R  jX
Z  R  jX  Z pu  
Z base Z base
R X
Z pu  R pu  jX pu  j
Z base Z base
The impedance base is given by
2
Vbase Vbase
Z base   ...................................... (3)
I base Sbase
and Z base  Rbase  X base

I base Sbase
Ybase   2 and Ybase  Gbase  Bbase
Vbase Vbase

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 Single phase networks
Sbase VAbase (1 ) kVAbase (1 )
I base (A)   
Vbase Vbase ( LN ) kVbase ( LN )
2
kVbase ( LN ) kVbase
Z base ( )  
( LN )

I base MVAbase (1 )

Change of base
 Sometimes necessary to convert pu quantities from one
base to another e.g. if the impedances in a power system
have been given in p.u. and the bases chosen are different
from those used to determine the p.u. quantities.
 The new p.u. values are determined as follows:

I base  old  Sbase  old  Vbase  new 

I pu new   I pu old    I pu old   
I base  new  Sbase  new  Vbase  old 

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 Vbase old    Sbase new  
Z pu new   Z pu old      
 Vbase new    Sbase old  
   
2
 Vbase new    Sbase old  
Y pu new   Y pu old      
 Vbase old    Sbase new  
   

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 Per unit impedance of a transformer
 Let the total series impedance of a two-winding
transformer, referred to the primary be Ze1.
Z Z I V1 I 2 N 1
Z e1( pu )  e1  e1 1base  
Z base V1base V2 I1 N 2
 The total series impedance referred to the secondary Ze2 is
given by  N2 
2

Z e 2  Z e1  
 N1 
2
Z Z I N  I
Z e 2( pu )  e 2  e 2 2 base  Z e1  2  2 base
Z 2 base V2 base  N 1  V2 base
V I I I
 Z e1 2 base . 1base . 2 base  Z e1 1base
V1base I 2 base V2 base V1base
Z e1( pu )  Z e 2( pu )
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Example 2
A 5 kVA, 400/200 V, 50 Hz single-phase transformer has
a primary and secondary leakage reactance each of 2.5
. Determine the total reactance in per unit.
Solution
Sbase = 5 kVA
Total reactance referred to primary
2
N 
X e1  X 1  X 2  1   12.5 
 N2 
V2
X base  base  32 
Sbase
X e1
X e1( pu )   0.39 pu
X base
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Per unit voltages in a transformer
V1( base ) N1

V2( base ) N2
V1( pu ) V1 V1( base ) V1 V2( base ) N 1 N 2
  .  . 1
V2( pu ) V2 V2( base ) V2 V1( base ) N 2 N 1

V1( pu )  V2( pu )

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Per unit currents in a transformer

Sbase S
I1( base )  and I 2( base )  base
V1( base ) V2( base )
I1( base ) V2( base ) N2
 
I 2( base ) V1( base ) N1

I1( pu ) I1 I1( base ) I1 I 2( base ) N 2 N 1

  .  . 1
I 2( pu ) I 2 I 2( base ) I 2 I1( base ) N 1 N 2

I1( pu )  I 2( pu )

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 Per unit quantities in three-phase systems
 In a Y-connected system,
VL  3V ph  VLbase  3V phbase
VL 3V ph
VL( pu )   =V ph( pu )
VLbase 3V phbase
I L  I ph  I Lbase  I phbase
IL I ph
I L( pu )   =I ph( pu )
I Lbase I phbase
I L( pu )  I ph( pu )
 The per unit voltage and current are the same as the per unit
phase values.
Show this is true for a -connected system
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S3   3VL I L  3V ph I ph
S3 base  3VLbase I Lbase  3V phbase I phbase
S3  3VL I L
S pu    VL( pu ) I L( pu )
S3 base 3VLbase I Lbase
3V ph I ph
S pu   V ph pu  I ph pu 
3V phbase I phbase
 S pu  VL pu  I L pu   V ph pu  I ph pu 
 The per unit phase and line apparent power are the same
irrespective of whether connection is Y or .
 Unless otherwise specified, base voltage in a 3- system is
line-to-line voltage and base VA is the total 3- base VA.
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  The base impedance using per phase values
 
2
V ph base 
Z ph( base ) 
Sbase (1 )
The base impedance using line values

     
2 2 2
VL base  3V ph base  V ph base 
Z L( base ) 
Sbase ( 3  ) 3 Sbase (1 ) Sbase (1 )
 Z ph( base )  Z L( base )
For a 3- system
Sbase (1 ) Sbase (3 )
I base  
V ph( base ) 3VL( base )
Thus, the per unit impedance of a 3- transformer is the
same irrespective of the winding connections e.g. Y-Y, Y-,
- . 15

Choice of Base Values

 Need base value for all quantities: Power, Voltage,
Current, Impedance, Admittance
 Base values do not have to be the same for all equipment
in the system. However, wise choice helps simplify the
analysis
Rules for choosing base values
 Choose ONE base power for the entire system e.g. total
system MVA, largest MVA or any round figure
 Choose ONE base voltage for each voltage level e.g. rated
voltage for a section. Base voltages for other sections
assigned as per transformer turns ratio.
 Other base values are chosen to get the same relations
between per unit quantities as between actual quantities.
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Base quantities in terms of kV and MVA

MVAbase
I base  kA
kVbase

 kVbase 
2

Z base 
MVAbase
2
 kVbase old    MVAbase new  
Z pu new   Z pu old      
 kVbase new    MVAbase old  
   

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Example 3
A portion of a power system consists of two generators
G1 and G2 in parallel, connected to a step-up
transformer that links them with a 230 kV transmission
line. The ratings of the components are:
G1: 10 MVA, 12% reactance
G2: 5 MVA, 8% reactance
Transformer: 15 MVA, 6% reactance
Transmission line: (4 + j60) , 230 kV
Where the percentage reactances are computed on the
basis of individual component ratings.
Express the reactances and the line impedance in per
unit with 15 MVA base.
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 Solution
Sbase(new) = 15 MVA
Sbase ( new ) 15
X G 1( new )  X G 1( old )  0.12   0.18 pu
Sbase ( old ) 10
Sbase ( new ) 15
X G 2( new )  X G 2( old )  0.08   0.24 pu
Sbase ( old ) 5
X tx ( new )  X tx ( old )  0.06 pu

For the transmission line

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kVbase 2302
Z base    3526.7 
MVAbase 15
(4  j 60)
Z pu   (0.0011  0.017) pu
3526.7
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Example 4 (work out)

A generator is rated 500 MVA, 22 kV and its Y
connected windings have a reactance of l.l p.u. per
phase.
a) Find the ohmic value of the reactance of the
windings. (1.06 )
b) If the generator is connected in a circuit for which
the base values are specified as 100 MVA, 20 kV
find the new p.u. value of the reactance on the new
bases. (0.266 pu)

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 Advantages of p.u. system
1. If the base quantities are properly specified the
ideal transformer winding can be eliminated as the
electrical parameters are the same when referred
on either side of the tx.
2. Device parameters tend to lie within a relatively
narrow range hence it is easy to detect errors.
3. Per unit phase quantities are the same as per unit
line quantities regardless of connection. Minimises
confusion.
4. Reduced computational effort.

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The one-line diagram

 One-line diagram (also know as single-line diagram) shows the
inter-connections of basic power system components.
 These include generators, transformers, CBs, VTs & CTs,
rotating loads, transmission lines etc.
 Some of the standard symbols used to represent these
components are given below.

- Rotating machine- general

- Synchronous machine
- Two winding power transformer
- Three winding power transformer

- Auto transformer
- Fuse
- Line, cable or busbar
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 - Current transformer
- 3- 3- wire delta connection
- 3- star neutral ungrounded
- 3- star neutral solidly grounded
- Isolator
- Circuit Breaker

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Example of one-line diagram system representation

 In a balanced 3- system, calculations are done for

one phase and the results extended to the other
phases while taking proper care of the phase
angles.
 The per phase positive sequence equivalent
circuits are therefore drawn for this purpose.

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 Example 5
The one-line diagram of a 3-bus system is given in Fig. E5.
Following are the ratings of the various components:
G1 = 50 MVA, 13.8 kV, X" = 0.15 pu
G2 = 40 MVA, 13.2 kV, X" = 0.20 pu
G3 = 30 MVA, 11 kV, X" = 0.25 pu
T1 = 45 MVA, 11 kV /110 kV Y, X = 0.1 pu
T2 = 25 MVA, 12.5 kV /115 kV Y, X = 0.15 pu
T3 = 40 MVA, 12.5 kV /115 kV Y, X = 0.1 pu
The line impedances are shown in the figure. Draw the
impedance diagram showing all components’ impedances
computed based on 50 MVA and 13.8 kV as base quantities
in G1.

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T1 T2
ZL1 = j50 

G1 G2
ZL3 = j25 
ZL2 = j25 

T1 T2

T3 T3

G3

Figure E5: System one-line diagram

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 Solution
MVAbase = 50 MVA ; kVbase = 13.8 kV
2
 kVbase ( old )  MVAbase ( new )
Z pu( new )  Z pu ( old ) .   .
 kV
 base ( new )  MVAbase ( old )
X G1( new )  X G1( old )  0.15 pu
For TL1
110
kVbase ( new )  13.8   138 kV
11
For G2
12.5
kVbase ( new )  138   15 kV
115
2
50  13.2 
X G 2( new )  0.2     0.1936 pu
40  15 
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For TL3
115
kVbase ( new )  15   138 kV
12.5
For G3
12.5
kVbase ( new )  138   15 kV
115
2
50  11 
X G 3( new )  0.25      0.2241 pu
30  15 
2
50  11 
 0.1     0.0706 pu
45  13.8 
XT 1

2
50  12.5 
 0.15     0.2083 pu
25  15 
XT 2
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 2
50  12.5 
 0.1     0.0868 pu
40  15 
XT 3
For TL
MVAbase
ZTL( pu )  Z act 2
kVbase
50  50
ZTL1( pu )  j  j 0.1313 pu
1382
25  50
ZTL 2( pu )  j  j 0.0656 pu
1382
25  50
ZTL 3( pu )  j  j 0.0656 pu
1382

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XT1= j0.0706 ZL1= j0.1313 XT2= j0.2083

XT1= j0.0706 XT2= j0.2083

X"G1= j0.15 X"G2= j0.1936
ZL2= j0.0656

ZL3= j0.0656

XT3= j0.0868 XT3= j0.0868

X"G3= j0.2241

Figure: Impedance diagram 30

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