Flower Pollination Algorithm for Power Quality Enhancement in Smart Grids

In modern power systems, maintaining power quality has become a critical challenge, especially with the implementation of smart grids. Active Power Filters (APFs) are widely used to address these issues due to their ability to rapidly filter distortions and provide immediate compensation. To manage both voltage supply disturbances and load current variations, the Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC) is commonly employed. The UPQC integrates both shunt and series active power filters in a unified system, utilizing a shared dc link capacitor. Effective regulation of the dc link capacitor voltage is crucial for the optimal performance of the UPQC. A PI controller typically used for this purpose. This study focuses on optimizing the PI controller parameters of the shunt active filter in the UPQC using the Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) to enhance power quality. A MATLAB simulation model of a microgrid incorporating the UPQC was developed, and the results have been analyzed and discussed.