Modeling and Simulation of Custom Power Devices to Mitigate Power Quality Problems

A Power quality problem is an occurrence manifested as a nonstandard voltage, current or frequency that results in a failure or a misoperation of end use Equipments. Utility distribution networks, sensitive industrial loads, and critical commercial operations all suffer from various types of outages and service interruptions which can cost significant financial 1oss per incident based on process down-time, lost production, idle work forces, and other factors. With the restructuring of Power Systems and with shifting trend towards distributed and dispersed Generation, the issue of Power Quality is going to take newer dimensions. The aim therefore, in this work, is to identify the prominent concerns in the area and thereby to recommend measures that can enhance the quality of the power, keeping in mind their economic viability and technical repercussions. In this paper ectromagnetic transient studies are presented for the following two custom power controllers: the distribution static compensator (D-STATCOM), and the dynamic voltage restorer (DVR). Comprehensive results are presented to assess the performance of each device to mitigate the power quality problems.