Reduction of voltage flicker of a simulated arc furnace by reactive compensation

Abstract The paper describes a single-phase laboratory model of an arc furnace with fast acting reactive compensation by a thyristor controlled shunt reactor to reduce system voltage variations. Sampled values of load current are processed by a microprocessor based system to obtain the fundamental reactive component which is then used as a control parameter for the compensator. Results for a step change of load illustrate the fast response. Voltage flicker with low frequency amplitude-modulated load changes is significantly reduced.