Control of distributed power flow controllers using active power from homopolar line currents

Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) devices can be used for power flow control in AC transmission grids, improving power line utilization and performance. Nowadays, Unified Power Flow Controllers (UPFC) are one of the most useful FACTS, allowing the simultaneous control of the bus voltage and line active and reactive power. However, due to high costs and reliability concerns, the utilization of this technology has been limited in such applications. The concept of Distributed FACTS (DFACTS) and Distributed Power Flow Controller (DPFC) was recently introduced as a low coast alternative for power flow control. This paper presents a distributed power flow controller that uses third-harmonic frequency currents transmitted through the line to independently control active and reactive power flow at fundamental frequency. Simulations were carried in the Matlab/Simulink environment.