Design and control methodologies for defining proper power quality interfaces for voltage disturbance compensation

Abstract

According to the thematic project "Interdisciplinary research activities in electric smart grids", this research proposes the development of a Power Quality Interface (PQI) to be installed at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) between smart microgrids and the respective electricity distribution networks. The principal application of the PQI would be to attend the utility's demands, which are focused on the power quality of the supplied voltages. This interface would operate in the same way of an utility interface, which is composed of DC-DC and DC-AC converters and energy storage systems. However, it is expected that the integration of quasi-steady-state compensators, such as the Static Var Compensator (SVC), with a Multi-Functional Power Electronic Converter would result in the reduction of the power processed by the electronic converters, and consequently, a lower final product cost could be achieved. Other topologies will be explored and evaluated before the final structure definition, and its effective implementation on the experimental network. It is important to highlight that the interaction of the PQI with other Distributed Energy Resources (DER) present in the grid/microgrid will also be a topic of this research, as it is one of the main aspects of the thematic project. (AU)