An Improved Hybrid DSTATCOM Topology to Compensate Reactive and Nonlinear Loads

This paper proposes an improved hybrid distribution static compensator (DSTATCOM) topology to address some practical issues such as power rating, filter size, compensation performance, and power loss. An LCL filter has been used at the front end of a voltage source inverter (VSI), which provides better switching harmonics elimination while using much smaller value of an inductor as compared with the traditional L filter. A capacitor is used in series with an LCL filter to reduce the dc-link voltage of the DSTATCOM. This consequently reduces the power rating of the VSI. With reduced dc-link voltage, the voltage across the shunt capacitor of the LCL filter will be also less. It will reduce the power losses in the damping resistor as compared with the traditional LCL filter with passive damping. Therefore, the proposed DSTATCOM topology will have reduced weight, cost, rating, and size with improved efficiency and current compensation capability compared with the traditional topology. A systematic procedure to design the components of the passive filter has been presented. The effectiveness of the proposed DSTATCOM topology over traditional topologies is validated through both simulation and experimental studies.