Control reconfiguration of VSC based STATCOM for De-icer application

Icing of power transmission lines during winter storms can cause serious power outages. There are some viable methods to solve this problem. Ice on power transmission lines can be melted effectively by passing dc currents through the transmission conductors. STATCOM equipment can provide a novel, cost-effective solution, by connecting via its dc terminals to a source or sink of electric power. In a conventional application, STATCOM can be used to provide fast reactive power for voltage support and power oscillation damping. The same equipment, with a simple control reconfiguration, by changing Iq reference under Iq regulation, giving fixed angle for angle control to keep charging DC capacitors and changing DC voltage according the demanded DC current through transmission conductors, can perform the ice melting function when it is needed. Simulation results for a 48-pulse VSC based ±150 MVA STATCOM validate the control reconfiguration of VSC based STATCOM for De-icer application.