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There has been a growing demand for using active power filters (APFs) for grid-connected converter systems based on nonconventional energy sources such as solar, wind, and fuel cells. In addition to power quality conditioning, the APF can also be used for bidirectional active power exchange with the three-phase four-wire grid and, therefore, acts as a multifunctional compensator. This paper presents a four-leg shunt multifunctional grid-connected power quality compensator. The compensator reference currents are generated using the instantaneous p-q-r theory. This paper proposes a simple modification to the conventional theory to eliminate the source neutral current from the three-phase four-wire power system. A digital controller is used to implement dead-beat current control. The outputs of the digital current controller are used as reference voltages for a 3-D space vector modulator (3D-SVM). A new approach for pulse width modulation waveform generation in 3D-SVM is proposed. All the intermediate steps are discussed from the viewpoint of implementation on a digital signal processor field-programmable gate array platform. The multifunctional compensator is analyzed, simulated, and tested experimentally for the most practical conditions in the power system, and the results are presented. Index Terms--Active power filter (APF), active rectifier, deadbeat current control, multifunctional compensator, p-q-r theory, 3-D space vector modulation.

A scheme for controlling parallel-connected inverters in standalone ac supply system is presented in this paper. This scheme is suitable for control of inverters in distributed source environments such as in isolated ac systems, large and distributed uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems,photo-voltaic systems connected to ac grids, and low-voltage dc power transmission meshes. A key feature of the control scheme is that it uses feedback of only those variables that can be measured locally at the inverter and does not need communication of control signals between the inverters. This is essential for the operation of large ac systems, where distances between inverters make communication impractical. It is also important in high-reliability UPS systems where system operation can be maintained in the face of a communication breakdown. Real and reactive power sharing between inverter scan be achieved by controlling two independent quantities - the power angle, and the fundamental inverter voltage magnitude.Simulation results obtained with the control scheme are also presented.

Generation is shifting from a centralized power generating facility having large synchronous generators to distributed generation involving sources of smaller capacity. Most of these sources require inverters on the front end while being connected to the grid. Lower available kinetic energy, coupled with less short-circuit current ratio compared to large synchronous generators, compromises the transient stability of the microgrid when isolated from the main grid. Sources in the microgrid use droop control to share power according to their capacity without any form of communication. This paper proposes a novel controller for inverters to improve the frequency response of microgrid under disturbances involving large frequency deviations. It also discusses design of various parameters defined for the proposed control. The microgrid, which has two inverters and two synchronous generators, is simulated using Simulink/MATLAB software to test the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper studies microgrids where loads are supplied by parallel-connected inverters controlled by decentralized active power/voltage frequency and reactive power-/voltage-magnitude droop control laws. A paralleled ac system, such as a multiinverter microgrid, is susceptible to circulating currents due to differences in voltage magnitude, frequency, phase angle, or dc offset. Circulating currents due to differences in voltage magnitude and dc offset have been known issues reported in literature. However, an in-depth analysis of the problem is required to ascertain the deviation of the system-operating condition from the desired condition. This paper provides a mathematical model that predicts the effect of voltage-magnitude offsets on reactive power sharing between inverters. Simulation and experimental results verify the accuracy of the analytical results obtained from the mathematical model. We examine the effect of dc-circulating currents and propose a simple capacitor emulation control law implemented in software to eliminate dc-circulating currents. This solution is a possible alternative for hardware implementation to eliminate dc-circulating currents. The effectiveness of the capacitor emulation control law has been verified through experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a method of emulating electrical loads using power electronic converters. The loads include machines such as induction motors and their associated mechanical load and also more complex machine systems such as wind-driven generators. The load emulator is, effectively, a dynamically controllable source or sink which is capable of bidirectional power exchange with either a grid or another power electronic converter system. Using load emulation, the feasibility of connecting a particular machine to a grid under various load conditions can be examined without the need for any electromechanical machinery. This paper considers the case of a power electronic voltage source inverter (VSI) emulating a three-phase induction motor connected to a three-phase ac grid. The VSI is operated in a mode where the current drawn from the ac grid is controlled by closed-loop control. The consistency of the experimental results with the simulation results proves the ability of the emulator and the proposed testing approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time integral of the output voltage vector of a three-phase inverter is often termed the inverter flux vector. This paper addresses the control of a three-phase four-leg sine-wave output inverter having an LC filter at its output, by controlling the flux vector in three dimensions. Flux vector control has the property that an output filter resonance is actively damped by an output voltage control loop alone. Furthermore, an inverter switching action inherently regulates the output voltage rapidly against dc-bus voltage variations. The flux vector control of sine-wave output inverters finds several applications in three-phase four-wire systems. This paper presents a flux modulation method for threephase four-leg inverters feeding unbalanced and nonlinear loads. All the necessary steps for the digital implementation of the flux modulator are presented. The switching behavior of the modulator has been evaluated, which is useful for the variable fundamental frequency applications of the inverters. To provide experimental validation, the modulator is implemented as a part of the control system for a stand-alone three-phase four-leg inverter with an LC filter at its output. Control system details are also provided. Experimental results indicate the effectiveness of the modulator and control system in providing balanced voltages at the output of the LC filter even under highly unbalanced conditions with nonlinear loads. The resonance damping and voltage regulation properties of the modulator are also apparent from the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]