EE 326 Power System Analysis 1

Lecture 2 : Per Unit System Representation

In this lesson, the student will be able to:

• Discuss and explain the basic concepts and process of per unit system in power system analysis

• Understand the process of changing the base of per unit quantities

• Able to apply the concept of per unit system in solving simple power system

References:

[1] J. D. Glover, M. S. Sarma, and T. J. Overbye, Power System Analysis and Design, 5th ed. 2014.

[2] Paul M. Muchinsky.Gonen Turen, Modern Power system Analysis, vol. 53, no. 9. 2012.

Introduction

Power system quantities (power, voltage, current and impedance) can be expressed as a per unit of a

specific value. In per-unit system, this specific value is called the base value. Calculations done in power

system is usually done using the per-unit system representation so as to avoid calculation errors in dealing

with big numbers since power and voltage are usually expressed in MW and kV respectively (e.g. 100

MW and 69,000 volts).

For example,

If we specify a base voltage of 69 kV, an actual voltage of 67 kV would be 0.971 per unit, that is

67
=0.972 p . u .∨ per unit
69

Per-Unit Quantities
Per-unit quantities are calculated as follows:

actual quantity
per unit quantity =
base quantity

The per unit quantities are unitless. Therefore, it is customary to use p.u. or pu or per unit as a suffix to a

per unit quantity. Take note that the base quantity is always a real number such that the phase angle of a

per unit quantity is the same with its actual quantity.

The four quantities associated in power system are power, voltage, current and impedance. In

determining the base values, only two of these four quantities are specified and these determine the other

two. Usually, the power (base power, kVA or base kVA) and the voltage (base voltage, kV or base kV)

are the ones being specified.

Single-Phase Systems

For single-phase systems, the subscripts 1 ∅∧ln are used. To determine the base values of the four

quantities (power, voltage, current and impedance), specify first the base power (base kVA) and the base

voltage (base kV) and use the formula below to determine the base values of the current and the

impedance.

base power , kV A 1 ∅
base current , A=
base voltage , k V ln

2
( base voltage ,k V ln)
base impedance=
base MV A 1 ∅

2
( base voltage ,k V ln) ×1000
base impedance=
base kV A1 ∅

The subscripts 1 ∅∧ln indicate single-phase and line-to-neutral respectively.

Three-Phase Systems
For three-phase systems, the subscripts 3 ∅∧¿ are used. To determine the base values of the four

quantities (power, voltage, current and impedance), specify first the base power (base kVA) and the base

voltage (base kV) and use the formula below to determine the base values of the current and the

impedance.

base power ,kV A 3 ∅

base current , A=
√ 3 ×base voltage , k V ¿

base power ,kV A 3 ∅

base current , A=
√ 3 ×base voltage , k V ¿

( base voltage , k V ¿ )2 ×1000

base impedance=
base kV A 3 ∅

The subscripts 3 ∅∧¿ indicate three-phase and line-to-line respectively.

Changing of the Base of a Per-Unit Quantity

Changing of the base of a per-unit quantity is necessary when there is already a given per-unit impedance

of a circuit element (e.g., generator, transformer, transmission line and load) and the base value chosen is

not the same as the base value to which the per-unit impedance is based. Take a look at the transformer

nameplate below.
Looking at the transformer nameplate, it indicates an impedance of 0.04 which is based on the 100 kVA

and 11kV which are transformer ratings.

We only choose 1 base power for the whole system we are studying, if we choose a base power of 50

kVA and base voltage of 13 kV, we still need to change the per unit impedance of the transformer which

is 0.04 (base power 100kVA and base voltage 11kV ) to a new per unit impedance but now on a 50 kVA

and 13kV base. To do that,

Per unit impedanc e new =( per unit imepdanc e old ) ( ( )

base voltag e old 2 base powe r new
base voltag e new base powe r old
)

For the transformer in the example, its new per-unit impedance is,

( ) ( 100 kVA )
2
11 kV 50 kVA
Z new =( 0.04 ) =0.0143 p .u .
13 kV

To summarize,

100 kV and 11 kV 50 kVA and 13 kV, chosen base values

per-unit impedance (old) = 0.045 p.u. per-unit impedance (new) = 0.0143 p.u.

Example:
The figure below shows a simple power system. A generator is serving a load through two transformers

and a transmission line. The transformer winding, transmission line resistance and shunt admittance are

neglected.

V S =220 ∠ 0 ° volts Zload =0.8+ j 0.2 Ω

x line =3 Ω

50 kVA 20 kVA
240/480 volts 460/115 volts
x eq =0.10 p . u . x eq =0.10 p . u .

Using a base power of 20 kVA and base voltage on the generator side of 240 volts, do the following:

1. draw the per-unit circuit

2. determine the per-unit impedances and the per-unit source voltage.

3. Calculate the load current both in per-unit and in amperes.

Solution:

Since there are two transformers with different voltage levels at its primary and secondary side, it can be

seen that there are three zones, zone 1 is at the primary of the 50 kVA transformer which is the generator

side, zone 2 is at the transmission line while zone 3 is at the load side.

For the base power, there is only one base power for the whole system being studied. For the base

voltage, each zone has different base voltage which should be determined.

From the given, a base voltage of 240 volts is chosen on the generator side (zone 1). For zone 2, the

voltage ratio of the 50 kVA is used to determine the base voltage

Therefore

V base 2= ( 480
240 )
( 240 )=480 volts

Similarly for zone 3, use V base 2 and the voltage ratio of the 20 kVA, that is

V base 3= ( 115
460 )
( 480 )=120 volts

Then solve for base impedance for zone 2 and 3

For zone 2,

2
( V base2 ) 480
2
Z base2 = = =11.52 ohms
Sbase 20000

For zone 3,

2
( V base3 ) 120
2
Z base3 = = =0.72 ohm
Sbase 20000

Also solve for the base current in zone 3 since it is asked,

S base 20000
I base 3= = =166.67 A
V base3 120

Look at the given again,

The chosen base power is 20 kVA. The 50 kVA transformer has a pu impedance of 0.1 pu which is base

on 50 kVA power. This pu impedance must be changed now base on the chosen base power of 20 kVA.

To do that,

( ) ( 2050 kVA
kVA )
2
480V
ZT 1 ,new =( 0.1 ) =0.04 p . u .
480V
For the 20 kVA transformer, although the rating is equal to the chosen base the pu impedance is base on

460/115 volts rating. This pu impedance must be changed, now using V base 2∨V base 3 . To do that,

( ) ( 2020 kVA
kVA )
2
460V
ZT 2 ,new =( 0.1 ) =0.0918 p . u .
480V

Or

( ) ( 2020 kVA
kVA )
2
115
ZT 2 ,new =( 0.1 ) =0.0918 p .u .
120

On to the transmission line, the given is the actual reactance of the line, so there is a need to convert this

to per unit value. Using Z base2 as it is located at zone 2,

x line 3
x line, p .u . = = =0.26 p . u.
Z base 2 11.52

For the load, there is a need to convert this actual value of load impedance to a per unit value using Z base3 ,

Z load ( 0.8+ j0.2 )

Zload , p . u .= = =1.11+ j0.278 p .u .
Z base3 0.72

And lastly the source voltage is still actual value, solving for its per unit value

VS 220
V S , pu= = =0.9167∠ 0 ° p .u .
V base 1 240

Now, that everything is converted to per unit quantity, the per-unit equivalent circuit can be drawn as

shown below. The red arrow is the current flow.

 The per unit equivalent circuit for this power system has only one loop, so we use KVL to solve for the

current.

0.9167 ∠ 0 °
I load, p .u . =
j0.04 + j 0.26+ j0.0918+1.11+ j 0.278

I load , p .u . =0.707 ∠−31.11° p . u .

To get the actual value of the load current, we just multiply it with the base current which is the I base 3

I load =( 0.707 ∠−31.11 ° )( 166.67 )

I load =117.85∠−31.11° A

Some advantages of Per Unit System

• One advantage of this system is that power system engineers avoid making serious calculation

errors when referring quantities from one side of the transformer to the other side (in per unit

system, the windings can be eliminated such that quantities such as voltage, current and

impedances do not change when referred to either side)

• There is no √ 3 involve as in per phase analysis