Response Time of Reactive Power Based on Different Definitions and Algorithms

Dynamic reactive power compensation equipment typically requires a fast response to output the necessary reactive power. The term “dynamic response time of reactive power” is often used but has never been clearly defined. This paper summarizes the reactive power calculations under different definitions and algorithms and considers these calculations in terms of signal processing to simulate and analyze the step response. This paper subsequently focuses on the widely used instantaneous reactive power algorithm and finally concludes that the dynamic reactive power response time closely depends on the reactive power calculation method itself. The single-phase instantaneous reactive power algorithm has the fastest response time. The reactive power response time of dynamic reactive devices in power systems is a minimum of a quarter of one cycle time for the well-known and widely used single-phase reactive power algorithms.