Power quality of smart grids with Plug-in Electric Vehicles considering battery charging profile

The impact of different battery charging rates of Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) on the power quality of smart grid distribution systems is studied in this paper. PEV battery chargers are high power nonlinear devices that can generate significant amount of current harmonics. PEVs will be an integral component to the operation of smart grids and therefore their power quality impacts must be thoroughly analyzed. Based on decoupled harmonic load flow analysis, different PEV charging scenarios (e.g., time zone scheduling, charging rate and penetration level) are tested for a typical large distribution network topology. The impacts of PEV charge rate on voltage profile, fundamental and harmonic losses, transformer loading and total harmonic distortions are demonstrated.

I. Introduction

POWER QUALITY is an important consideration in the reliability and security of smart grids which is likely to be heavily impacted by the growth of Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEV s) over the coming years [1]. In order to design and prepare smart grids for the adoption of PEV s, it is necessary to analyze the impacts that simultaneous PEV units charging including their charging schemes, durations and rates will have on performance and the power quality of smart grids. Specifically, the stresses imposed on local neighborhood circuits including distribution transformers, which are the weakest link in smart grids, needs to be ascertained.