Compensation Of Power Quality Problems Research Articles

A Unified Topology for the Integration of Electric Vehicle, Renewable Energy Source, and Active Filtering for the Power Quality Improvement of the Electrical Power Grid: An Experimental Validation

Electrical power grids are facing challenges concerning new linked technologies and associated contributions of power electronics, both regarding innovative topologies of power converters and advanced power management algorithms. Additionally, technologies related to renewables and electric mobility have several points in common, especially about the interface with the power grid, which allows to foresee a convergence for unified solutions in the power grid interface, without jeopardizing the functionalities and added values of each technology. Encompassing this purpose, this paper presents a unified topology, based on a three-phase structure, which, in addition to a collaborative operation with the power grid targeting the compensation of power quality problems, also enables the integration of a renewable energy source and an electric vehicle. The main contribution of this paper resides in the fact that only an interface with the power grid is necessary to involve three central features of smart grids: renewables, electric mobility, and power quality. Overall, the unified topology presents a four-quadrant structure, both in the perspective of AC and DC interfaces, offering multiple functionalities, mainly to the power grid. In the AC interface, the structure operates in interleaved mode, while in the DC interface, the structure operates in multilevel mode. The global control algorithm is presented, covering the interconnection between the mentioned technologies, as well as the details of implementation of the individual control algorithms regarding each interface. A laboratory prototype, connected to a three-phase 400 V-50 Hz power grid, was used to obtain an experimental validation for a maximum operating power of 12.5 kW, corroborating the essential advantage characteristics and the correct functioning of the presented unified topology.

A Review on Power Electronics Technologies for Power Quality Improvement

Nowadays, new challenges arise relating to the compensation of power quality problems, where the introduction of innovative solutions based on power electronics is of paramount importance. The evolution from conventional electrical power grids to smart grids requires the use of a large number of power electronics converters, indispensable for the integration of key technologies, such as renewable energies, electric mobility and energy storage systems, which adds importance to power quality issues. Addressing these topics, this paper presents an extensive review on power electronics technologies applied to power quality improvement, highlighting, and explaining the main phenomena associated with the occurrence of power quality problems in smart grids, their cause and effects for different activity sectors, and the main power electronics topologies for each technological solution. More specifically, the paper presents a review and classification of the main power quality problems and the respective context with the standards, a review of power quality problems related to the power production from renewables, the contextualization with solid-state transformers, electric mobility and electrical railway systems, a review of power electronics solutions to compensate the main power quality problems, as well as power electronics solutions to guarantee high levels of power quality. Relevant experimental results and exemplificative developed power electronics prototypes are also presented throughout the paper.

Experimental Validation of an Advanced Load-Shift System Operating as Shunt Active Power Filter

This paper presents a load-shift system with advanced functionalities for the power grid. When compared with the conventional approach, an advanced load-shift system allows the compensation of power quality problems on the power grid side, namely problems related to current harmonics, current imbalances, and low power factor. The advanced load-shift system is composed by a bidirectional ac-dc converter to interface the power grid and by a bidirectional dc-dc converter to interface an energy storage system. Since the main innovation is related with the power grid interface, the focus of this work is on the analysis of the ac-dc converter, which is based on a three-phase four-leg voltage source converter. A theoretical study and the details concerning the control algorithm are presented and discussed along the paper. A laboratory prototype of the advanced load-shift system was developed, and the main details of implementation are described in the paper. Experimental results obtained with the developed prototype prove that the advanced load-shift system contributes for the technology progress in this area, validating a new operation concept concerning the power quality on the power grid side. For all the operation modes, the system operates with high power factor and the currents on the power grid side are balanced with a low total harmonic distortion and in phase with the respective power grid voltages.

Compensation of power quality problems through DSTATCOM using various phase locked loops

Compensation of power quality problems through DSTATCOM using various phase locked loops

Compensation of power quality problems through UPQC‐S using enhanced complex coefficient filter

Compensation of power quality problems through <scp>UPQC‐S</scp> using enhanced complex coefficient filter

Control of UPQC based on steady state linear Kalman filter for compensation of power quality problems

A frequency lock loop (FLL) based steady state linear Kalman filter (SSLKF) for unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) control in three-phase systems is introduced. The SSLKF provides a highly accurate and fast estimation of grid frequency and the fundamental components (FCs) of the input signals. The Kalman filter is designed using an optimized filtering technique and intrinsic adaptive bandwidth architecture, and is easily integrated into a multiple model system. Therefore, the Kalman state estimator is fast and simple. The fundamental positive sequence components (FPSCs) of the grid voltages in a UPQC system are estimated via these SSLKF-FLL based filters. The estimation of reference signals for a UPQC controller is based on these FPSCs. Therefore, both active filters of a UPQC can perform one and more functions towards improving power quality in a distribution network. In addition to the SSLKF-FLL based algorithm, a bat optimization algorithm (based on the echolocation phenomenon of bats) is implemented to estimate the value of the proportional integral (PI) controller gains. The bat algorithm has a tendency to automatically zoom into a region where a promising alternative solution occurs, preventing the solution from becoming trapped in a local minima. The complete three-phase UPQC is simulated in the Matlab/Simulink platform and the hardware is tested under various power quality problems.

Compensation of Power Quality Problems in Wind-Based Renewable Energy System for Small Consumer as Isolated Loads

This paper addresses the compensation of power quality problems such as balancing of load, compensation of neutral current, and distortions of the load current in a wind-based renewable energy system working at an isolated location for small consumers. For this purpose, an adaptive theory based momentum least mean square (MLMS) algorithm is used to operate the voltage source converter, which enhances the power quality in the system. This control is also responsible for keeping constant frequency and voltage at the point of common interface under mechanical and electrical transients. In addition, the reactive power is also compensated. The MLMS is a modified control of basic LMS that utilizes the past gradient information to reach improved adaptation performance instead of using its current value. This control has removed the drawback of LMS algorithms such as weight convergence dependence on the selection of the step size parameter. Moreover, it is observed that with inputs having high noise components, the MLMS algorithm performs better. Therefore, the application of the proposed control seems better in wind-based power generation where the input conditions are uncertain. The entire setup is developed in MATLAB/SIMULINK as well as tested in a real-time implementation. The performance results are observed to be effective.

Improved vehicle-for-grid (iV4G) mode: Novel operation mode for EVs battery chargers in smart grids

The experimental validation of a novel operation mode for electric vehicles (EVs) to support the grid power quality is presented. The proposed operation mode, denominated improved vehicle–for–grid (iV4G), is directly associated with the EVs operation aiming the compensation of power quality problems associated with current harmonic distortion and reactive power, improving the total power factor of the electrical installation. Simultaneously with the proposed iV4G, where the EV injects current harmonics and provides reactive power, the EV can exchange active power with the grid (grid–to–vehicle, G2V, to charge the batteries or vehicle–to–grid, V2G, to deliver energy back to the power grid). In this paper, the proposed iV4G operation mode is experimentally validated with a developed EV battery charger prototype connected to an electrical installation of 230 V, 16 A, 50 Hz. The control strategies of the iV4G operation mode and the used prototype are described in detail along the paper. The achieved results confirm the feasibility and good performance of the proposed iV4G operation mode, working alone, and also when associated with the G2V and V2G operating modes.

Vehicle Electrification: New Challenges and Opportunities for Smart Grids

Nowadays, concerns about climate change have contributed significantly to changing the paradigm in the urban transportation sector towards vehicle electrification, where purely electric or hybrid vehicles are increasingly a new reality, supported by all major automotive brands. Nevertheless, new challenges are imposed on the current electrical power grids in terms of a synergistic, progressive, dynamic and stable integration of electric mobility. Besides the traditional unidirectional charging, more and more, the adoption of a bidirectional interconnection is expected to be a reality. In addition, whenever the vehicle is plugged-in, the on-board power electronics can also be used for other purposes, such as in the event of a power failure, regardless if the vehicle is in charging mode or not. Other new opportunities, from the electrical grid point of view, are even more relevant in the context of off-board power electronics systems, which can be enhanced with new features as, for example, compensation of power quality problems or interface with renewable energy sources. In this sense, this paper aims to present, in a comprehensive way, the new challenges and opportunities that smart grids are facing, including the new technologies in the vehicle electrification, towards a sustainable future. A theoretical analysis is also presented and supported by experimental validation based on developed laboratory prototypes.

Mitigation of power quality problems using distribution static synchronous compensator: a comprehensive review

Electric power quality (PQ) in distribution system has become increasingly significant subject both for end users and power suppliers with the deregulation of the electric power market. The inadequate performance of conventional compensation devices to mitigate PQ problems has revealed the use of advanced power electronics based compensation devices. Distribution static synchronous compensator (DSTATCOM) is one of the shunt connected custom power devices used to improve PQ, voltage and reactive power support and to increase the capability of the auxiliary service for utility grid. This study presents a comprehensive review of the various DSTATCOM configurations for single-phase (two-wire) and three-phase (three or four-wire) systems and control strategies for the compensation of different PQ problems in distribution systems. In addition, comprehensive explanation, comparison and discussion on DSTATCOM technology are performed. Furthermore, latest trends, practical consideration and some future research fields on DSTATCOMs are discussed in detail. This is intended to present a broad perspective on the status of DSTATCOM technology to researchers dealing with compensation of PQ problems in distribution systems.

Power quality improvement by unified power quality conditioner based on CSC topology using synchronous reference frame theory.

This paper deals with the performance of unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) based on current source converter (CSC) topology. UPQC is used to mitigate the power quality problems like harmonics and sag. The shunt and series active filter performs the simultaneous elimination of current and voltage problems. The power fed is linked through common DC link and maintains constant real power exchange. The DC link is connected through the reactor. The real power supply is given by the photovoltaic system for the compensation of power quality problems. The reference current and voltage generation for shunt and series converter is based on phase locked loop and synchronous reference frame theory. The proposed UPQC-CSC design has superior performance for mitigating the power quality problems.

Control of a Single Phase Unified Power Quality Conditioner-Distributed Generation Based Input Output feedback Linearization

This paper describes a novel structure for single phase Unified Power Quality Conditioner-Distributed Generation (UPQC-DG) with direct grid connected DC-AC converter for low DC output DG systems which can be used not only for compensation of power quality problems but also for supplying of load power partly. This converter has been composed of one full-bridge inverter, one three winding high frequency transformer with galvanic isolation and two cycloconverters. Proper control based on Input Output feedback Linearization is used to tracking the reference signals. The simulation and experimental results are presented to confirm the validity of the proposed approach.

Flexible Control of Single-phase Unified Power Quality Conditioner Using Frequency-domain Approach

Power conditioning devices are generally designed for full compensation of power quality problems irrespective of the requirements of the consumers. In this article, flexible control of a single-phase unified power quality conditioner is proposed, which attributes the responsibility of the consumer and the utility. For the flexible control of a single-phase unified power quality conditioner, an approach based on Fourier analysis is used. The performance of a single-phase unified power quality conditioner is evaluated for the mitigation of customer-generated harmonics, total current harmonics, reactive power, voltage harmonics, and their combinations, depending on the requirements. In this proposed control strategy, an indirect approach is used in which control is made over the fundamental supply current and fundamental supply voltage instead of the fast changing active power filter current and voltage, thereby reducing the effect of computational delay. A dynamic model of the unified power quality conditioner is developed in MATLAB/SIMULINK (The MathWorks, Natick, Massachusetts, USA), and simulation results demonstrating power quality improvement in the system are presented for a distorted supply and a combination of linear and non-linear loads.

Control Strategy for Selective Compensation of Power Quality Problems through Three-Phase Four-Wire UPQC

This paper presents a novel control strategy for selective compensation of power quality (PQ) problems, depending upon the limited rating of voltage source inverters (VSIs), through a unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) in a three-phase four-wire distribution system. The UPQC is realized by the integration of series and shunt active power filters (APFs) sharing a common dc bus capacitor. The shunt APF is realized using a three-phase, four-leg voltage source inverter (VSI), while a three-leg VSI is employed for the series APF of the three-phase four-wire UPQC. The proposed control scheme for the shunt APF, decomposes the load current into harmonic components generated by consumer and distorted utility. In addition to this, the positive and negative sequence fundamental frequency active components, the reactive components and harmonic components of load currents are decomposed in synchronous reference frame (SRF). The control scheme of the shunt APF performs with priority based schemes, which respects the limited rating of the VSI. For voltage harmonic mitigation, a control scheme based on SRF theory is employed for the series APF of the UPQC. The performance of the proposed control scheme of the UPQC is validated through simulations using MATLAB software with its Simulink and Power System Block set toolboxes.