English

Abstract

Induction machines play an important role in popular electrical loads, leading to many relevant control methods. One of the most crucial control strategies is to design an efficient method to minimize power losses against continuous and random voltage variation. This paper proposes a novel optimal scheme to minimize power losses of loads containing 3-phase induction motors, considered critical loads of an electric power grid. The study evaluates the effects of the voltage fluctuation on the 3-phase induction AC motors, presenting an effective method to design a newly reactive power compensator. This compensated system includes decentralized compensators at each load together with a central compensator unit using only one common controller to optimize the operation and efficiency of the whole network. The paper introduces a step-by-step procedure to control reactive power compensation capacity for each induction motor, improving voltage quality at loads, reducing active power losses, and prolonging the devices' lifespan. Simulation results and experiments are also provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed method.