Design and real-time validation of PI and Fuzzy Logic tuned photovoltaic integrated DSTATCOM to improve power quality

Power loss and malfunctioning of equipment due to current and voltage harmonics produced by nonlinear loads are major concerns for both power suppliers and consumers. This paper employs DSTATCOM to mitigate these harmonic distortions in distribution systems. DSTATCOM is a current controlled voltage source PWM converter with passive components. It supplies compensating current that eliminates current harmonics and provides reactive power compensation thereby providing a smooth source current. The performance of DSTATCOM is controlled using proportional integral and fuzzy logic-based control (FLC) schemes to improve power quality at dynamic loading. As the penetration of photovoltaic (PV) systems in energy production is significant, the power quality issues for PV-integrated systems have also been investigated. The maximum power point for a PV array is tracked using perturb and observe and FLC methods. The complete system is simulated in MATLAB and extensively investigated for a large range of balanced and unbalanced nonlinear load conditions. The simulation results are validated in real time through the hardware in loop (HIL) test bench using Opal-RT controller. The proposed PV-integrated DSTATCOM with FLC yields better performance in terms of DC link voltage settling time, total harmonics distortion, and smooth source current as compared to other schemes.