A control structure for PWM-controlled static synchronous compensators under unbalanced conditions and grid faults

Abstract Grid connected Voltage Source Converters (VSCs) are the heart of many applications with power quality concerns due to their reactive power controllability. Among the widely used grid-connected applications of the VSCs, the Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOMs) are commonly used for compensating the voltage quality problems that come from voltage sag and swell. In spite of superior feature of fast voltage regulation and reactive power support functionality, VSC-based STATCOMs have the major drawback of being sensitive to the grid disturbances, especially the unbalanced condition and faults. Moreover, when the STATCOMs are used in the Distributed Generation (DG) applications or reactive power support of the sensitive industrial load, the unbalanced condition becomes even more intolerable. Protection system usually trips due to over current or highly distorted current caused by negative sequence current flow under unbalanced conditions and system faults. This paper propose an alternative control structure to keep the VSC-based STATCOM online during the unbalanced condition and system faults by limiting the negative sequence current. This eliminates the need to redesign/overdesign of the STACOM power components and over rating of the semiconductor switches to operate under fault current. Converter MVA rating reduction will decrease the cost significantly. Proposed controller performance has been verified by simulation and Hardware-In-the-Loop test.