Combining Volt-VAr and Watt-VAr Control in Smart Inverters to Mitigate Voltage Rise on Distribution Network

Muammar Zainuddin, Muhammad Asri, Frengki Eka Putra Surusa, Andi Takdir

Abstract


The high penetration of photovoltaic (PV) generators into the distribution network has an impact on voltage violations. Smart inverter (SI) functionality with reactive power capabilities has been introduced by providers to support grid voltage. Meanwhile, the inverter with reactive power controls requires a large power capacity and need to be effective under fluctuating power loads and intermittencies in solar PV. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the performance of Volt-VAr and Watt-VAr control modes implemented on SI as well as to propose the combination to mitigate voltage rise. A comprehensive assessment was conducted on active and reactive power performance, as well as daily voltage profiles in PV system with due consideration for the solar irradiance and ambient temperature. Moreover, the case study was the multi-inverter PV system with a total power capacity of 2,000 kW connected to the real distribution network in Gorontalo, Indonesia. A Quasi-dynamic simulation was applied based on power flow analysis to evaluate profiles for inverter loading, transformer loading index (TLI), and voltage deviation index (VDI) as well as the active power losses. The proposed control combination was based on droop settings and focused on three different cases considered easy to implement. The results showed that PV system effectively generated active power daily and compensated for dynamic reactive power without overloading the inverter and transformer. Furthermore, the voltage network deviation index was significantly reduced from the initial value. The proposed control strategy effectively mitigates voltage rise during peak power.

Keywords


Inverter loading index; PV power losses; smart inverter; transformer loading index; voltage rise violations

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DOI (PDF): https://doi.org/10.20508/ijrer.v15i2.14881.g9055

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