System Shutdown

System Shutdown is a six-hour, four-module online program in which students learn the principles behind and the causes of various types of angle stability, the role that angle stability plays in a system shutdown and the sequence of events and reasons for the WECC July 2, 1996 system disturbance.

Fundamentals that are covered include:

Use of EXCEL based simulations to model transient stability in a one machine infinite bus system; effects of changes in transfer impedance, changes in MW output and varying fault clearing times on angle stability; use of the PowerSimulator to implement a controlled system shutdown; resynchronization and redispatch  of a system that has been separated into multiple islands; observation and analysis of the effects of mistakes that cause line overloads, voltage violations, cascading outages and system collapse. 

This is a six -hour online program with an online post test and three sets of Simulator Exercises. The four modules are:

SS-601 Angle Stability - Basic Principles: Components and characteristics of synchronous generators, synchronous Generator Rotor and Stator magnetic fields, behavior of synchronous generators under isolated, synchronized and loaded conditions, transient angle stability, small signal angle stability, use of an EXCEL simulation of a two machine system to observe the effects of changes in mechanical power, fault clearing time and damping on the system stability.

SS-602 Angle Stability - Energy Functions:Angle stability using the concepts of a potential energy function that measures magnetic energy stored in the network and a kinetic energy function that measures rotational energy stored in the rotating masses; transient stability using various analogies; use of the energy functions to calculate the maximum power output that can be generated so that a two machine system is stable.

SS-603 Controlled System Shutdown: Simulation of a tornado storm event with directions to take stations out of service to minimize damage; continuous observation of the criteria to withstand the loss of any single transmission line, management of load shedding and generation shedding 

SS-604 WECC July 2nd, 1996 System Disturbance: Description and analysis of the July 2nd, 1996 disturbance that resulted in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council system separating into five islands with service interrupted to more than two million customers.