Modified thyristor-controlled LC fault current limiter (MTCLC-FCL) for enhanced stability and power quality in microgrids

Abstract

In this study a cost effective and simplified topology of modified thyristor-controlled LC compensator-based fault current limiter (MTCLC-FCL) has been proposed to enhance the system stability and improve the power quality in microgrids. In microgrid environment with high usage of power electronic converters, issues such as harmonic distortion, voltage variations, and dynamic instability frequently arise. The proposed MTCLC-FCL is designed to mitigate power oscillations and reduce voltage sags caused by the intermittency of solar and wind generation as well as to suppress the fault currents under severe fault conditions. The performance of the MTCLC-FCL, integrated with microgrid is evaluated through MATLAB/Simulink studies. The simulation outcomes demonstrate that the overall dynamic response improves and voltage sag along with total harmonic distortion (THD) substantially reduces, thereby the overall power quality of the microgrid enhances. The comparative assessment on the basis of THD, transient stability indices, and fault current reduction levels, indicates that the proposed MTCLC-FCL topology gives better system performance compared to traditional superconducting FCLs (SFCL) and thyristor-controlled series compensation (TCSC) devices.