Performance Improvement of a 33/11 kV, 31.5 MVA Substation Using Fixed Capacitor Banks: A PSIM-Based Comparative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22153/kej.2026.12.019Keywords:
Power factor; capacitor bank; active power; reactive power; apparent power; line current; PSIM simulationAbstract
The systems for transmitting and transforming electrical power are important for delivering electrical energy from generation to consumption; however, these systems typically operate at less than their potential efficiency. In this study, the capability to enhance the efficiency of a 31.5 MVA, 33/11 kV substation was investigated through the installation of a fixed 3 Mvar capacitor bank connected in a Y–Y configuration to improve the power factor of the substation. PSIM was employed as the software tool to evaluate the substation’s performance at varying load conditions, namely, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% and 100% of its rated capacity. The largest improvement in power factor occurred within the load range of 10%–40%, with the power factor increasing from approximately 0.77 to 0.97. Further studies were performed to compare the effects of different capacitor bank configurations (Y, Y-Y, Y-Y-G, delta and delta + delta) at 50% load. At such load, the power factor improved from 0.645 to 0.962 when the delta configuration was used. This configuration provided the most substantial power factor correction and voltage stability amongst all the configurations. This work conducted the first comparative analysis of different capacitor configurations by using PSIM to assess the efficiency enhancement of a 3 Mvar capacitor bank in the Iraqi context. Results showed that compared with traditional Y–Y setups, the delta connection offers better power factor correction and voltage stability.
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