Compact dynamic phase angle regulator for power flow control

The need for a low-cost, high reliability power flow control technology is becoming exceedingly clear in the face of increased renewable penetration and electrification of automobiles. This paper proposes a power routing technology called the compact dynamic phase angle regulator (CD-PAR) for dynamic control of active/reactive power. The proposed device is a hybrid solution realized by pairing a fractionally-rated low-frequency transformer with a fractionally-rated power converter for a solution that is of lower cost and of higher reliability compared to traditional power electronics technologies for grid applications. The paper provides discussion of the technology and its implementation, followed by simulation and experimental measurements at 13 kV / 1 MVA. Key design challenges and their potential resolutions are also discussed.