A REVIEW OF SIGNAL ENERGY ANALYSIS FOR THE RAPID-DETERMINATION OF DYNAMIC SECURITY LIMITS

This article presents an overview of the signal energy method for the rapid determination of power system dynamic security limits. The key q uestions concerning this method are addressed. These include: (1) What is the basis of signal energy transient-stability-limit estimation? ( 2) Which physical quantity(ies) yield(s) the most accurate estimates? (3) How is the method used for accelerating the transient-stability-li mit search? and (4) Can it be adapted to multiple-processor environmen ts (i.e., either multiprocessor work stations or local area networks ( LANs))? Signal energy limit search strategies, deployed on single-proc essor hardware, are shown to be extremely rapid and accurate, and to c ompare favourably to the published performance of the only other known method for accelerating the transient-stability-limit search (i.e., t he ''second kick'' method). Also, tests show that by combining signal energy analysis and multiple processors, transient-stability-transfer- limit determination is achievable, on average, in less than the time r equired for two simulations and with an error under 1%.