Performance analysis of a residential single-phase voltage regulator under varying reactive load conditions

Abstract

This paper analyses the operation and control of a single-phase low-voltage regulator (LVR) prototype designed to mitigate voltage fluctuations at the point of common coupling (PCC) in residential networks, an issue amplified by the growing presence of photovoltaic (PV) systems and electric vehicles (EVs). A key operational challenge is managing performance under different load power factor which directly influence voltage regulation quality, accuracy, and efficiency. The regulator utilizes a series compensation approach with two fixed-ratio transformers, dynamically switched for precise voltage correction. The study analyses the LVR performance over different load conditions with varying amounts of reactive power demand/supply. Results confirm the LVR’s effectiveness in stabilizing consumer-end voltages for a load power factor ranging from 0.6 lagging to 0.6 leading.