ANN-Based SVC Switching at Distribution Level for Minimal-Injected Harmonics

Abstract

Electrical distribution system suffers from various problems, such as reactive power burden, unbalanced loading, voltage regulation, and harmonic distortion. Though DSTATCOMS are ideal solutions for these systems, they can be costly and have complexity compared to other reactive power compensation solutions. Phasewise-balanced reactive power compensations are required for fast-changing loads needing dynamic power factor correcting devices leading to terminal voltage stabilization. Static var compensators (SVCs) are preferred for these loads due to low cost and simple control strategy. These SVCs, while correcting power factor, inherently create harmonics due to the nonsinusoidal currents caused by the operation of thyristor-controlled reactors. This paper proposes minimizing the harmonics injected into the distribution systems with the operation of TSC-TCR-type SVC used in conjunction with fast-changing loads at the LV distribution level. The fuzzy logic system and ANNare used to solve this nonlinear problem, giving optimum triggering delay angles used to trigger thyristors in TCR. The scheme is attractive and can be used at SVC installations in distribution systems for steady-state reactive power compensation.