Simulation and experimental study of single phase PWM AC/DC converter for Microgrid application

Single-phase PWM AC/DC converter used for Microgrid application has been widely tested mostly using linear loads. The behavior of the converter with the linear and static/dynamic loads need to be analyzed when it is connected to the grid, particularly with the Indian house hold power supply. This paper presents simulation and experimental results to verify the behavior of PWM AC/DC converter with different loading scenarios-lighting loads, resistive loads and BLDC motor load. All experiments are performed on real time digital simulator test bed, to evaluate the converter's performance in real time. The main focus of the study is to analyze the effects of DC and AC bus during the instants of switching and their response to the sudden load changes. Experiments are conducted on scenario based approach considering each type of load individually and at the end all the loads together. The converter parameters are chosen in such way that to have good efficiency and cost effective. The effect on line current due to improper design of converter parameters is explained in detail using simulation and experimental results. Also the bidirectional power flow capability of the converter is shown using simulation results for Indian power supply specifications.