Impact of Power Conditioning Systems with Advanced Inverter Capabilities on the Distribution Network

In recent years, the number of PVs connected to the distribution system has increased, and this causes voltage fluctuations in the distribution system. Therefore, application of smart inverters with advanced capabilities such as voltage control, as power factor control and reactive power control has been investigated. These capabilities can provide auxiliary support to the distribution network and help stabilize voltage and frequency fluctuations. However, these potentially-beneficial operating modes of smart inverters and their impact on the power system operation are not well-known. Conventional simulation packages do not have the tools to run simulations with these inverters. In order to fill this gap and investigate these points, a brand-new simulation platform called Sora-Grid is being developed. In this paper, Sora-Grid's additional capabilities and its unique approach to integrating smart inverters into the power flow calculations are presented. Some simulation works have been undertaken to show its operation. Furthermore, results give an insight into understanding the behaviors of smart inverters and how they impact the distribution grid operation. A typical distribution network with several residential houses equipped with PV panels and PCS are modeled and the impact of changing operating conditions and active power output on the system voltage are investigated. Also, the interaction between PCS and how they affect each other's output is also observed.