Load Flow Study - Available Fault Current and Voltage Regulation

[StruggleEngr]

Hello all,

How does a higher available fault current provide better voltage regulation?

I was watching a presentation on a System Analysis - Load Flow Study. The presenter had a slide regarding voltage regulation and that it is the percent difference between the voltage at a certain point in the system at no-load and full load. The presenter mentioned that a higher available fault current provides better voltage regulation but did not elaborate. My guess is why the higher available fault current equals better voltage regulation is because there is less impedance in the system and therefore less voltage drop at the point being analyzed. Is my guess correct, or is there more to the voltage regulation in a load flow study? Thank you so much for your attention and participation.

V/R,
SE

 

[jghrist]

Your guess is correct.

 

[Parchie]

Think about why some systems are called "stiff". In order to be called a stiff" source, there must be a big number of generators connected to the utility--> meaning, larger MVA driving the system! With so many generators in parallel, the system impedance approaches infinitely small and that for a large current going out of the system, there is little to no voltage drop from the system to the load! That explains why systems with high available fault current will also have less voltage drop-->very stiff, voltage won't budge even if the load is quite large.