Multi-Pulse Voltage Source PV Converter with STATCOM Capability for Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Plants

In this work, a multi-pulse voltage source PV converter (MPVSC-PV) with static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) and solar power transfer (SPT) based integrated approach is presented for a large-scale solar photovoltaic plant (LSPP). This MPVSC-PV converter utilizes a 48-pulse (
$8\times 6$
-pulse) VSC based on diode clamped converter (DCC) converters with multi-pulse transformers (MPTs), fed from a single PV array to feed large power into the grid. The structure of MW scale LSPP is discussed with its droop mechanism for active and reactive power regulation. Moreover, high power conversion is achieved in conditions of abundant solar power availability and under the absence of solar power in terms of reactive power compensator. The grid voltage is regulated with the reactive power support from the MPVSC-PV converter. The multi-pulse approach reduces lower order harmonics and provides improved power quality. The harmonic analysis, solar PV generation, and STATCOM results are demonstrated.