Voltage violation in four‐wire distribution networks integrated with rooftop PV systems

Abstract

Integration of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems in a three-phase four-wire distribution network cause voltage-violations namely voltage-rise and voltage unbalance. This study investigates the factors that affect both the voltage-rise and voltage unbalance in low voltage distribution network integrated with the rooftop PV systems. The concerning factors are classified into active factors such as; loads active powers, PV active powers, and bus reactive powers, and passive factors such as; numbers of feeder buses and neutral-grounded resistances. The study also determines the factors conditions at which the highest values of both voltage-rise and voltage unbalance occurred. Moreover, the most and least significant effects of individual factors on both voltage-rise and voltage unbalance are studied. The studied system is simulated and implemented in MATLAB software environment and the feeder loads are modelled based on Back–Forward Sweep method. The simulation results identify that the conditions of the worst voltage-rise and voltage unbalance cases depend on the collective influence of the studied factors.