Solar PV System and Battery-operated DSTATCOM for Power Quality Enhancement: A Review

Abstract

The current trend indicates a rapid rise in electricity demand within the power generation, transmission, and distribution sectors. Among the critical facets of power systems, stability stands out as paramount. This crucial stability factor guarantees the continuous operation of systems that may encounter disruptions, faults, abrupt load fluctuations, voltage instability, voltage fluctuations (both swells and sags), harmonics, and variations in frequency while maintaining a stable state. Voltage and frequency fluctuations, along with various other issues stemming from instability in electrical power systems, pose the potential for system failure and damage. Distribution networks, in particular, are grappling with significant power quality challenges due to the unregulated utilization of diverse linear and nonlinear loads. These loads, exemplified by solid-state controllers, introduce harmonics and reactive currents into the alternating current (AC) mains. This detrimental impact on power quality, manifesting as voltage sag, voltage swell, voltage notching, flickering, and phase unbalance, can result from such practices in AC power sources. In the realm of three-phase distribution systems, the incorporation of nonlinear loads on the distribution network has given rise to a multitude of power quality concerns. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the various power quality difficulties that have arisen as a consequence. These concerns related to power quality are evident in both three-phase three-wire and three-phase four-wire systems, encompassing notable obstacles associated with excessive reactive power demand, uneven loads, and inadequate voltage control. An essential aspect to underscore pertains to the primary limitation noted in the three-phase, four-wire distribution setup, which concerns an excessive flow of current through the neutral conductor. To address issues associated with reactive power and other facets of power quality in the distribution network, a specialized custom power apparatus referred to as a distribution static compensator (DSTATCOM) is utilized for remediation. The primary emphasis of this study revolves around the incorporation of DSTATCOM into three-phase distribution systems. An unconventional energy source, frequently represented by a solar cell, is directly linked to a static synchronous compensator (DSTATCOM) situated adjacent to the DC-link capacitor. This setup is designed to achieve the goal of resolving power quality concerns within the distribution system. The mitigation of neutral current is achieved by employing transformers in conjunction with a distribution static compensator.