ABSTRACT
Recently, the usage of nonlinear loads has increased drastically. This creates many power quality (PQ) problems, like voltage sag, swell, harmonics and current disturbances. It may cause equipment tripping, malfunction or shutdown of domestic and industrial equipment. These effects could adversely affect the equipment and operation requirements for both the customers and the suppliers. This chapter deals with PQ analysis of microgrid (MG) systems using a unified power quality conditioner (UPQC). Despite the several benefits of MG, like excellent energy supply, reducing expansion of power distribution systems, environmental friendliness and soon, there are several challenges due to the integration of an MG with the grid or operating it in standalone mode. The PQ issue is one of the main technical challenges in distributed generation power systems. The feasibility investigations carried out in this chapter are to validate the performance of UPQC on PQ enhancement at the point of common coupling. This chapter also includes mathematical modeling, formulation of control techniques and extensive simulation analysis of UPQC on compensation of PQ distortion. Initially, the analyses on UPQC are verified using a conventional control scheme, and the limitations of this technique are identified. Then, the control scheme is modified and the results are tested using the proposed technique. The proposed model is developed in MATLAB/Simulink, and the result obtained validates the superiority of the proposed technique over others in terms of harmonics elimination and voltage sag compensation.
