Investigation of power electronics solutions to power quality problems in distribution networks

Power quality is one of the major concerns in the distribution network nowadays. Many methodologies and equipment have been designed and developed to mitigate power quality issues that are encountered in an electrical system. All devices are susceptible to failure or malfunction when they encounter a power quality problem. This paper reviews the different types of power quality issues, their causes, and lists possible solutions for the mitigation of these issues, particularly the power electronics type solutions. The Dynamic Voltage Restorer and the Distribution Static Compensator are investigated in detail, simulated using MATLAB/Simulink and PSCAD, and the simulation results are compared to determine which device is best suited for mitigating power quality issues pertaining to voltage sags in a distribution network. Conclusions are drawn based on the simulation results and recommendations are made for possibility of future work.