Advances in Power Quality Enhancement: A Comprehensive Review of Custom Power Devices and Mitigation Strategies

Addressing power quality issues in distribution systems is of utmost importance for both consumers and suppliers. By effectively mitigating these issues, benefits such as increased efficiency, cost reduction, uninterrupted power supply, and minimized maintenance needs can be realized. Custom power devices have emerged as viable solutions to tackle challenges like voltage fluctuations, transients, imbalances, and harmonic distortions in distribution systems. Among these devices, the Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC) and the Photovoltaic Unified Power Quality Conditioner (PV-UPQC) stand out for their remarkable ability to improve power quality in distribution systems. Over the years, researchers have proposed various structural configurations of UPQC and PV-UPQC to enhance their performance. This study aims to comprehensively review the existing literature on UPQC and PV-UPQC models and evaluate how different structural setups impact the devices' performance and overall distribution system quality. Furthermore, the investigation delves into the characteristics, applications, and control strategies employed by these UPQC and PV-UPQC configurations to effectively alleviate power quality issues. By gaining insights from this extensive review, a more profound comprehension of the strategies for augmenting power quality in distribution systems can be achieved.