Development and testing of a distribution electronic power transformer model

Conventional transformers are typically heavy, bulky and expensive. Their size can be significantly reduced by increasing the frequency of operation which allows a higher utilization of the magnetic core. A model of a high-frequency distribution transformer using power electronics is presented in this paper. Its impact on a distribution system has been analyzed under different types of faults. Several simulations have been carried out in order to validate the power quality control function of the transformer. The results show that the new transformer exhibits a very good performance, matching not only the functions of a conventional power transformer, but also providing additional capabilities to mitigate dynamic power quality problems.