Comparative Analysis of Volt-Var Control Parameter Settings of Smart PV Inverters: A Case Study

Abstract

This paper aims to take a deep dive into existing reactive power control strategies in Smart Inverters (SI) that can be utilized for voltage regulation using its different features of setting. There are different standards to maintain power grid bus voltages within the desired threshold limits. In this paper, different international settings are normalized in consideration of USA power grid limits, and these normalized settings are applied to Volt- Var control of smart PV inverters. The selected parameter settings for Volt- Var control are investigated using a modified IEEE 13 bus system as the case study. To evaluate the system performance under each condition, a real time simulation model is developed using Typhoon Hardware In Loop (HIL). The simulation results verify that different features (size of dead-band, voltage limits, absorbing/injecting amount of reactive power) of Volt- Var control plays a critical role in voltage regulation under high PV penetration conditions that have to be carefully considered at design and operational stages.