Thyristor Switched Smart Transformer for Active Power Flow Control in Multi Micro grid System

An intentional active power flow control between microgrids in a multi micro grid system in the grid connected mode is achieved at the point of common coupling. The thyristor controlled on load tap changing transformer at the point of common coupling is equipped with voltage based power flow controller where different tapping are switched according to the required power flow condition to be satisfied and the amount of power to be transmitted. Accordingly, the voltage based droop control associated with the distributed generation units in each of the micro grid changes their active power generation. Thus, without much communication to other elements of the micro grids, the Smart Transformer at the point of common coupling allows active power exchange. The simulations performed in MATLAB/SIMULINK for both three phase and single phase system follows that active power flow control is achieved in a multi micro grid system using the thyristor switched Smart Transformer. Hardware implementation has also been initiated to analyze the concept of power flow control with thyristor switched Smart Transformer and results are studied. The proposed system shows its operational effectiveness, which can be employed to solve grid emergencies in real time. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.