Assessing the Performance of a Static Var Compensator for an Electric Arc Furnace

The advantages of a static var compensator (SVC) for electric arc furnace (EAF) and ladle melt furnace (LMF) applications are well known. The SVC minimizes the impact of the EAF and LMF on the utility and improves the efficiency of both furnaces. In this application, it was desirable to quantify the performance of the SVC. This paper describes power quality measurements that were taken on the electrical distribution system to evaluate the performance of the SVC. The purpose of the power quality measurements was to monitor the voltage regulation, harmonics, flicker, and other power quality quantities at the 138-kV utility point of common coupling (PCC), as well as the 34.5-kV system serving the SVC, EAF, and LMF. The measurements and subsequent analysis established a baseline for the SVC performance and identified areas of concern. This paper describes the analysis of the measurements and evaluation of the SVC performance.