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Abstract
RAKESH KUMAR BELCHANDAN. Active and reactive power compensator using wide band gap semiconductors for voltage support in low voltage networks. (Under the direction of DR. MADHAV MANJREKAR)The purpose of this research is to develop and demonstrate a solution for voltage support at the low voltage distribution networks using wide band gap semiconductor devices. The distribution networks need just the active power or reactive power or the combination of both for voltage support depending on the load conditions. Conventional equipments operating at mid-voltage levels such as static VAR compensator (SVC) and static synchronous compensators (STATCOM) are incapable to foresee and respond to the problem aroused at low voltage levels. Moreover, they are only capable of generating reactive power but at the distribution levels, with smaller X/R ratios, active power plays a major role for voltage stability. To keep the distribution level voltage within limits, voltage regulators are used traditionally to keep the voltage constant at the consumer ends but they have their operational limitations and require maintenance after certain number of operations. So, in this thesis, effort has been made towards an inexpensive and reliable system that can be employed in the house-holds and power exchange can take place at the local point-of-common-coupling. Employment of such micro-system in large numbers at the distribution level will drastically reduce the transmission requirements.The proposed solution deals with the development of low voltage grid-tied inverters with active and reactive power controls for fine-tuned voltage control. The integrated system developed has the photo-voltaic and battery energy storage system for power generation and storage. The effectiveness of this solution has been demonstrated using simulation and experimental results. The hardware setup has been designed tohandle the power level upto 10 kW.