SIMULATION OF A DYNAMIC VOLTAGE RESTORER IN

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS WITH MICROGRIDS

Qiongni Li*, Chang Liu†, Lin Shen*, Gengyin Li*

*State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources
(North China Electric Power University)
Changping District, Beijing 102206, P.R.China
E-mail: liqiongni_06@yahoo.com.cn,malen112@qq.com, ligy@ncepu.edu.cn
†
The Chinese Academy of Finance and Development, Central University of Finance and Economics
39th Xueyuan Nan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100081, P.R.China
E-mail: amandalegend@hotmail.com

Keywords: Microgrid; voltage sag; dynamic voltage restorer;
detection method; PSCAD/EMTDC
Abstract
This paper analyzes the structure, the operating characteristics
and the control strategy of microgrid. Based on the
requirements of power quality and research achievements of
the traditional power system, it is considered to introduce the
Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR) in power distribution
system with microgrid to improve the power quality. A
method to detect voltage sags is presented, which
incorporates morphological low-pass filters with the d-q
transformation. A simulation model of the DVR based on
PSCAD/EMTDC is proposed. Combining with the microgrid
model, the simulation results prove that the topology and
control strategy of DVR is correct and effective.
1 Introduction
In order to make full use of the economic benefit and the
reliability improvement by the distributed power generation,
and to minimize its impact on the main grid, the concept of
microgrid was raised [3]. As part of the distribution network,
the microgrid faces customers eventually, so its power quality
assurance is an important aspect concerned by the researchers
[10].
The diversity of micro-sources and the complexity for control
methods of converters make the cause of power quality
problems for the distribution systems with microgrid have
many new features [4, 5]. Voltage sag is a serious harm and
very common power quality problem, and it can be
compensated by two basic methods: series voltage
compensation or parallel current compensation. Series voltage
compensation method is widely used, in which the most
representative compensator is Dynamic Voltage Restorer
(DVR). To compensate voltage sag, DVR demands a quick
detection on sag voltage and characteristics of fundamental
wave.
The voltage sag can be detected in real-time when it go
through d-q transformation and mathematical morphological
filter, which is formed by the opening and closing operations
in mathematical morphology. Based on the detection method,
DVR is introduced into the power system with microgrid to
do modelling and simulation.
2 Detection method of dynamic voltage restorer
Voltage sag is defined as an RMS variation with a magnitude
between 10% and 90% of nominal and duration between 0.5
cycles and one minute. Voltage sag is one of the most serious
harm among power quality problems, which always causes
the economic loss of the sensitivity load [7].
With the development of power electronic technology and
high-power switch devices, Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR)
is applied widely, which can compensate voltage sags, swell,
flicker and fluctuation. Its good dynamic performance and
relative advantages on capacity makes it become one of the
most economical and effective means to solve the dynamic
voltage problem [6].
2.1 Dynamic voltage restorer
DVR is a power electronic compensation device connected in
series between the source and sensitive load. It is equivalent
to a controlled voltage source which can produce voltage with
any amplitude, phase and waveform needed. The structure of
DVR is available as Figure 1.
Figure 1: schematic of DVR.
It consists of four parts such as energy storage, invertor, filter voltage signal directly from the ABC space to the d-q space
circuit and transformer. It can calculate the value of voltage with the linear transformation in Equation (1):
compensation and control signal of power electronic switch
on inverter, then access in load circuit in series through filter ªu º
circuit and transformer to ensure the quality of load voltage. ªud º 2 ªsin Zt sinZt 2S /3 sinZt 2S /3 º « a »
« » « » «ub » (1)
¬uq ¼ 3 «¬ cosZt  cosZt 2S /3  cosZt 2S /3 »¼ « »
With normal supply in power distribution system, DVR can ¬uc ¼
work in standby mode, without any influence on the system.
And when the voltage fault take place in system, DVR can Analysis indicates that through d-q transform, fundamental
inject compensating voltage into system in milliseconds, to active components and reactive component in three-phase AC
compensate the fault voltage and keep the load voltage in the system can be described as DC component in d-q transform
level required without changes. The amplitude and phase coordinate, with the harmonic component corresponding
angle of compensating voltage by DVR can be controlled for original n  1 harmonic wave.
the active and reactive power compensation [2].
D-q transform method is only applicable to the three-phase
2.2 Compensation voltage detection circuit, but voltage sag occurs as single-phase events more
often [7]. This problem can be solved through constructing
Compensation voltage detection is very important to achieve virtual three-phase system referring to single-phase voltage,
the good performance of DVR, and it effects real-time and as shown in Figure 3.
accuracy of compensation. The typical detection methods
include RMS value evaluation method, fundamental
component method, wavelet transform method and d-q PLL
transform method. With good dynamic performance, d-q
transform method, given in Figure 2, is one of the most
widely applied detection algorithm, especially in power
quality control devices with high requirement on real time. virtual ud
ua abc-dq
3-phase
transform uq
system

Figure 3: Single phase d-q transform.

The harmonic component in ud and uq can be filtered by using

Figure 2: d-q transform detection method. low-pass filters, and the positive sequence fundamental
voltage RMS valve and the phase shift can be calculated, as
When three phase voltage is balance and has no harmonic Equations (2) and (3):
wave, the d-q transform method can calculate the voltage
RMS instantaneously. However, the imbalances and harmonic U11 Vd2 Vq2 (2)
wave often exist actually, so low pass filter is necessary
before or after d-q transform. The dynamic response time and Vq
precision of the detection algorithm is decided by low-pass D arc tg (3)
Vd
filter, which could bring time delay [9].
The obtained DC component becomes three-phase positive
This paper uses d-q transform detection method combining
sequence fundamental voltage component through the d-q
with mathematical morphological filter, for calculation of
inverse transform. The d-q inverse transformation is given by
compensation voltage.
Equation (4):
2.3 Instantaneous voltage d-q decomposition
transformation detection method ªua º ªsin Zt  cos Zt º
« » 2« » ªud º
«ub » «sin Zt  2S / 3  cosZt  2S / 3 » « » (4)
The instantaneous voltage d-q decomposition transformation 3« » ¬uq ¼
«u »
detection method is based on general instantaneous reactive
power theory. The basic principle is to convert three-phase
component in ABC coordinate to corresponding component
in d-q coordinate, so that this algorithm can effectively detect
the above voltage problem.
After sampling, the voltage is taken a d-q transformation and
phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit, and the PLL provide the
phase angle Zt. The three-phase d-q transform can vary
¬ c¼ «¬sin Zt  2S / 3  cosZt  2S / 3 »¼
Compared with system voltage, we can get instruction voltage
for DVR to compensate. Considering the influence factors of
DC capacitor voltage of inverter, instruction signal to control
the inverter can be calculated, then inverter can output voltage
value based on modulation to compensate voltage sag in the
system.
3 Mathematical morphology filters
3.1 Mathematical morphology filtering algorithm
Mathematical morphological method is used in digital signal
processing based on a "probe" called structural element to
deal with the collected signals. By its continuous move, the
probe can examine the relationships between each part and
3.2 Morphological low-pass filters
Both opening and closing operations have low-pass
characteristics, but using the two kinds of filters alone can not
achieve the ideal filtering effect [2, 8]. Generally, the
concatenation of opening and closing operations is used in
morphological filtering, and in that way, the alternating filters
are defined as Equations (9) and (10):
get useful global or local features of signals [8]. OC filter: OC  f  n   f D g x g   n  (9)
Mathematical morphology is based on two basic CO filter: CO  f  n    f x g D g   n  (10)
morphological transformations: erosion and dilation, and
includes morphological opening, morphological closing Compared to single open or closing operation, the signal after
operation as well as their combination. opening-closing and closing-opening operation can be more
close to the original signal.
Suppose the input sequence f(n) and structural element g(n)
are discrete functions defined on F={0, 1, …, N-1}and G={0, 80
Original signal
1, …, M-1}respectively, and NtM. Then the dilation and 60

corrosion of g(n) on f(n) are defined as Equations (5) and (6): 40

^ `
20

Dilation˖  f †g   n max f  nmg m (5) 0

Erosion˖  f 4g   n min ^ f  nmg m` (6) -20

-40

where, n=0, 1, …, N-1; m=0, 1, …, M-1. -60

-80
80
According to the definition, both of the operations can smooth Average value Co filter
60
the signal. The dilation fills with valley value and increase the
maximum of sequence; instead, the corrosion cuts peak value, 40

resulting in increasing the minimum value of sequence. 20

Figure 4 is the wave after dilation and erosion respectively. 0

-20

-40
Oc filter
-60

-80
0.290 0.300 0.310 0.320 0.330 0.340 0.350 0.360 0.370 0.380

Figure 5: CO filter, OC filter and alternating hybrid filter.

Because of the characteristics of opening and closing, usually

Figure 4: dilation and corrosion.
The result of expansion-corrosion and corrosion-expansion
the output of alternating filters deviate down or up, as shown
in Figure 5. To solve the problem of signal deviation,
alternating hybrid filter is produced by taking average
combination of the two alternating filters [1], as Equation (11):
are shown in Equations (7) and the (8), defined as opening Y n ^OC ª¬ f  n º¼  CO ª¬ f  n º¼` 2 (11)
and closing operation:
If the chosen structure element is wider than half period of the
Opening˖  f Dg  n ª¬ f 4g † º¼  n  (7)
harmonic, the DC component of the signal after d-q transform
Closing˖  f xg   n ª¬ f † g 4 º¼  n  (8) can be can be preserved by morphological filter [9], given in
Equations (12) and (13):
The opening operation of mathematical morphology can be
used to filter the peak noise above the signal, and the closing
operation can inhibit the valley noise below the signal.
Ud ^OC ¬ªu d  n ¼º  CO ¬ª u d  n ¼º` 2 (12)
Uq ^OC ª¬u q  n º¼  CO ª¬u q  n º¼` 2 (13)
4 Modelling of microgrid system with DVR on
PSCAD/EMTDC

4.1 Distribution power system with microgrid

The new microgrid technology is considered to be an
important form for saving investment, reducing the energy
consumption and improving the reliability of the power
supply. The micro sources in microgrid include micro-
turbines, fuel cells, photovoltaic, wind power, battery and the
flywheel, which are not more than 100 kW in capacity Figure 7: Voltage sag waveform (kV).
generally. The resources usually connect to the distribution
power systems through power electronic equipment[10]. When the voltage sag occurs in microgrid system, DVR has a
good dynamic performance to compensate the voltage wave
As this paper do research on power quality and improvement quickly and accurately. The voltage at B point is shown in Fig
measures, we mainly focus on the external characteristic of 8, compared with that at A point.
the distributed power, the micro sources can be simplified as
DC source or rectified AC source when modelling.

4.2 Model of system with DVR on PSCAD/EMTDC

The simulation model of the distributed power system with
micro turbines is established as an example. In micro turbines
power generation system, the diodes are often used to form
uncontrolled rectifying circuit and the boost DC-DC is added
to stabilize the output voltage of permanent magnetism
generators, which is low and fluctuating. In this model, the
micro source is simplified as a rectified AC source and the
load adopts constant impedance model. The inverter is Figure 8: Voltage wave before and after compensation (kV).
controlled in PQ method.
Before compensating voltage is injected to the grid by the
In this model, the distributed sources are distributed on the inverter of DVR, the voltage compensation value can be
line L1 and L2. The terminal of L2 is connected with calculated based on the detected amplitude, phase, given in
sensitive load. When voltage sag is caused and the power Figure 9.
supply of sensitive load B can’t meet the requirements of
power quality. To improve the voltage quality, the DVR is
used in series with L2 between A and B. The model is shown
in Figure 6.

Figure 6: Model of microgrid system with DVR.

Figure 9: Sag voltage amplitude (kV) and phase angle shift
5 Simulation results and analysis (degree).

The stable operating model of distribution power system with
DG is established based on PSCAD/EMTDC. The system has
a 7.5kV/50Hz 3-phase voltage source, with a 1MVA DVR
operating on, which has independent phase control. The a-
phase 50% voltage sag ,accompanying 40 degree phase angle
shift, happens at A point when t=0.6s, and last for 4 circles.
The voltage wave is given as in Figure 6.
The amplitude and phase of the compensating voltage is
controllable to keep voltage in normal levels. Through the
analysis of the effect of mathematical morphological filter, as
shown in Figure 10, we can find it has a good dynamic
performance and is able to meet the real-time requirement of
DVR.

Figure 10: Morphological filtering effect of ud .
The simulation results prove that the DVR is able to
compensate the voltage sag effectively.
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detection for a single-phase dynamic voltage restorer
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6 Conclusions
In this paper, DVR is introduced into the power system with
microgrid to control the voltage in sensitive load, when
voltage sag happens. To achieve better compensating effect, a
detection method based on d-q transform combining with
mathematical morphological filter is presented, which has
good dynamic performance. A simulation model of the DVR
incorporating with microgrid based on PSCAD/EMTDC is
proposed. The simulation results show that the voltage sag
can be compensated by DVR accurately and effectively,
verifying the feasibility of the algorithm.

Acknowledgements
This work was supported in part by National Basic Research
Program of China (2009CB219706), and “111” Project
(B08013).

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