Comparison of UPQC Topologies for Power
Quality Enhancement in Grid Integrated Renewable
Energy Sources
Nirav Karelia Amit Vilas Sant
Electrical Engineering Dept, SoT Electrical Engineering Dept, SoT
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Petroleum Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Petroleum
University University
Gandhinagar, India Gandhinagar, India
nirav.karelia@sot.pdpu.ac.in amit.sant@sot.pdpu.ac.in
Abstract—Unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) is a
custom power device that provides a complete power quality
solution. The only drawback of UPQC is that it cannot
maintain the voltage in case of grid interruption. Different
UPQC topologies are reported. This paper presents a detailed
comparison of design and operational aspects of two UPQC
topologies, namely (i) UPQC− Multiconverter, and (ii)
UPQC−Distributed Generation. Both of these topologies
address the inability of UPQC to maintain continuous power
supply even under grid failure, while meeting the IEEE
standard 519. An attempt is made to compare the performance
of both these topologies with respect to harmonic current and
reactive power compensation, sag/swell mitigation, number of
switches, switch ratings, etc. Further, in case of
UPQC−Distributed Generation a sub classification based on
energy sources and energy storage elements is also presented.
The operation of the two topologies under different operating
scenarios is also compared.
Keywords—Custom Power Devices, Distributed Generation,
Power Quality, Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC)
I. INTRODUCTION
The widespread use of power electronics have resulted in
the problems related to poor power quality in terms of
current and voltage harmonics, voltage flickers, and voltage
imbalance. Apart from this, the lightning strikes, switching
of capacitor banks, and various network faults may also
result in transients, voltage sag and swell, and interruptions
that may degrade the power quality [1].
For tackling the power quality issues, active power filters
are developed with a wide spectrum of features to mitigate
different power quality problems [2]. Generally, series active
power filter is employed to mitigate all source voltage related
problems like sag/swell, harmonics, flickering, etc [3]. Shunt
active power filters are designed to provide reactive power
and harmonics current compensation [4].
Unified power quality conditioners (UPQCs) are a
combination of both series and shunt active power filters
employed for mitigating both current and voltage related
abnormalities [5]. The only drawback of UPQC is its
inability to handle the situation when there is interruption in
power supply. Two UPQC configurations, UPQC-
Multiconverter, and (ii) UPQC – Distributed Generation, are
reported in literature for dealing with this issue [5], [6].
UPQC - Multiconverter compensates for voltage and
current in multibus/ multifeeder systems. In case of voltage
interruption, feeder where critical load is connected is fed
from the adjacent healthy feeder through series inverter of
healthy feeder and shunt inverter of faulty feeder [5].
978-1-7281-2327-1/19/$31.00 ©2019 IEEE
Vivek Pandya
Electrical Engineering Dept, SoT
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Petroleum
University
Gandhinagar, India
vivek.pandya@sot.pdpu.ac.in
The UPQC−Distributed Generation integrates any type of
distributed generation source. This source is integrated in the
at the dc-link through suitable interface [6]. In case of ac
generation, the interfacing is done through rectifier as
reported in [7]. Apart from addressing flickers, voltage
sag/swell, reactive power compensation and load current
harmonic mitigation, in normal operation it works in grid
interconnected mode and can inject power into grid. In case
of grid failure, UPQC−Distributed Generation operates the
load in islanding mode while ensuring that there is no
interruption of power supply for load [7]. This paper states
the detailed operating analysis and comparison of UPQC –
Multiconverter and UPQC – Distributed Generation. Also,
the operation of these two topologies is analyzed for different
operating conditions.
II. UNIFIED POWER QUALITY CONDITIONER
UPQC is custom power device where shunt and series
active power filtering functionalities are integrated together
to provide a complete power quality solutions [3]. A variety
of UPQC topologies, classified according to physical
structure, converter topology, compensation techniques,
application, system configuration, etc. are reported in [3].
Fig. 1 shows the typical schematic of UPQC. In principle,
UPQC comprises of two inverters connected back to back in
shunt and series configurations with a common self-
supporting dc link comprising of capacitor bank [4]. It also
uses shunt coupling inductors for interfacing the shunt
inverter to the network. These L-C filters eliminate high
frequency switching ripples generated by inverters. A series
injection transformer used to connect the series inverter with
the network. In UPQC, the shunt active power filter operates
as a controlled current source and the series active power
filter operates as a controlled voltage source. The shunt
active power filter tackles the current-related problems,
whereas the series active power filter deals with the voltage
related problems.
Fig. 1. Typical schematic of UPQC
 The purpose of UPQC is to maintain sinusoidal source
current with unity power factor along with load bus voltage
regulation [4]. UPQC operated to compensate for supply
voltage power quality issues, such as, sags, swells,
unbalance, flicker, harmonics, and for load current power
quality problems such as harmonics, reactive current, and
neutral current compensation [2].
III. UPQC − MULTICONVERTER
The typical schematic of UPQC−Multiconverter used in a
distribution system is shown in Fig 2 [5]. In this
configuration, one shunt and two or more series active power
filters are present. The structure of UPQC − Multiconverter
comprises of three converters, namely as series inverter 1
(VSC 1), series inverter 2 (VSC3) that acts as series active
power filter and shunt inverter (VSC2) that acts as shunt
active power filter. The series active power filters 1 & 2
compensate for the source voltage related problems of their
respective feeders, whereas the shunt active power filter,
which shares the common dc-link, compensates for load
current imperfections (reactive power and load current
harmonics) of the main feeder 1. In addition, when there is
an interruption in supply voltage on feeder 1, the shunt active
power filter (VSC2) compensates for supply voltage by
power transfer from adjacent feeder 2 to feeder 1 through
series active power filter (VSC3).
As shown in Fig. 2, both series inverters and a shunt
inverters are fed from a common dc-link capacitor and
connected to the distribution system through two series
transformers and a shunt transformers. Secondary sides of
the series-connected transformers are directly connected in
series with Bus 1 and Bus 2, and the secondary side of the
shunt-connected transformer is connected in parallel with
load L1. Here, the series active power filter VSC1 connected
at bus1 regulates the load voltage VL1 against sag/swell and
disturbance in the system to protect the nonlinear load
connected to feeder1, the shunt active power filter VSC2
compensates the reactive and harmonic components of
nonlinear load current iL1 as well as supplies power in case of
voltage interruption at feeder1 and the series active power
filter VSC3 regulates the load voltage VL2 against sag/swell,
interruptions and disturbances in the supply voltage VS2 to
protect the sensitive load connected to feeder2. In order to
achieve these goals, series converters (i.e., VSC1 and VSC3)
operate as voltage controllers while the shunt converter (i.e.,
VSC2) operates as a current controller [5].
IV. UPQC − DISTRIBUTED GENERATION
The ever increasing energy demand and environmental
result have resulted in increased grid penetration of
renewable energy sources [3]. This has resulted in increased
focus on distributed generation to solve the problems faced
by the conventional ac power systems. UPQC−distributed
generation topology incorporates distributed generation to
add the feature of uninterrupted power even under grid
failure while incorporating the standard features of UPQC.
UPQC−distributed generation operated in interconnected
and islanded mode. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 respectively show
typical schematic of UPQC−distributed generation in
interconnected and islanded mode [6]. The system consists
of a series active power filter, a shunt active power filter, and
a distributed generation unit connected to dc-link through
rectifier. In addition to voltage support in case of grid failure,
UPQC−distributed generation can compensate for voltage
sag and swell, current harmonics, and reactive power in both
the modes [6].
In the interconnected mode, the operation of
UPQC−distributed generation is divided into two sub-modes
according to the direction of power flow.
Fig.3. Interconnected mode operation of UPQC- Distributed
Generation [6]

Fig.4. Islanded mode operation of UPQC-Distributed

Fig. 2. Typical schematic of UPQC−Multiconverter used in a
Generation [6]
distribution system [5]
 V. COMPARISON BETWEEN UPQC - MULTICONVERTER AND UPQC - DISTRIBUTED GENERATION
TABLE 1. Comparison between UPQC, UPQC-Multiconverter and Different UPQC-Distributed Generation

Shunt Compensation
Harmonic Current
Compensation
Reactive Power
Compensation
Sag/Swell Mitigation
Harmonic Voltage
Compensation
Power supply during grid
failure
Number of Converters
Number of Switches
Switch rating
Control Strategy
Operating scenarios
* SG - Synchronous Generators based (used in internal combustion engines, gas turbines and Combine Cycle Gas
Turbines, solar thermal, biomass, geothermal etc.
** IG - Induction Generator based (used in wind energy systems, micro turbines and small hydro generation)
† PV - Photo Voltaic (used in solar PV generation), ††FC - Fuel Cell, †††BS - Battery Storage
UPQC Distributed
UPQC UPQC Distributed Generation
UPQC
Multiconverter Generation (SG*/IG**) (PV†/ FC††/ BS†††)
√ √ √ √
√ √ √ √
√ √ √ √
√ √ √ √
√ √ √ √
X √ √ √
2 3 2 2
12 (Controlled) and 6 12
12 18
(uncontrolled) (Controlled)
6 switches of medium
6 switches of lower
6 switches of medium rating for series
rating for series
rating for series inverter, inverter, 12 switches
inverter1, 12
6 switches of higher of higher rating for
Low switches of higher
rating for shunt inverter, shunt inverter ( DC-
rating for series
6 rectifiers switches of DC converter
inverter2 and shunt
higher rating considered integral to
inverter
PV/FC/BS)
simple complex Moderate Moderate
simple complex Moderate Moderate

In One submode of operation, it is called the forward-

flow mode, in which the DG supplies power through the
shunt active power filter to the load along with main source.
In the second submode, called the reverse-flow mode, DG
supplies power to the load through the shunt active power
filter along with the main source and injecting active power
into the main source through series active power filter [7].
When the voltage interruption occurs, the proposed
UPQC changes operation from the interconnected mode to
the islanded mode, and the shunt active power filter provides
required power to the load. In the interconnected mode, DG
source delivers only fundamental active power to the source
and load. The shunt active power filter will compensate the
reactive and harmonic power of the non-linear load to keep
the source current THD within the standard limit. Voltage
sag, swell and interruption from the grid can be compensated
by the series active power filter. Distributed Generator
converter will not be affected by any voltage disturbance at
the point of common coupling (PCC) and hence will
continue operation in any situation. In case of voltage
interruption or black out in the grid supply, DG converter
will be islanded. In islanded mode, the series converter will
be disconnected and DG converter will remain connected
and maintain the required voltage at PCC. The series active
power filter will be reconnected once the grid power is
available [7].
VI. DISCUSSIONS
Following are the key inferences drawn based on Table I.
i. Drawbacks of UPQC : Major drawback of UPQC is
its inability to continue power supply in case of
voltage interruption at main source. UPQC-
Multiconverter and UPQC-Distributed Generation can
continue to supply power to the load in case of voltage
interruption of main source by fetching power from
adjacent feeder and distributed generation source
respectively.
ii. No. of Converters : In UPQC there are two
converters, one for series compensation and one for
shunt compensation. Whereas in UPQC-
Multiconverter there are three converters, two for
series compensation and one for shunt compensation.
In UPQC-Distributed Generation, according to the
type of DG source, additional converters, such as
rectifier and/or DC-DC converter, are required along
with the two converters required for series and shunt
compensation.
iii. Switch Rating : Rating of switches of the converters
in UPQC is low as it compensates the harmonics as
well sag/swell component from source voltage and
reactive power and harmonics generated by the load.
 Such current has comparatively far smaller magnitude
as compared to the fundamental current demanded by
the load. However, in UPQC-Multiconverter, 12
switches, of higher power rating, are required as its
shunt converter of main feeder and series converter of
adjacent feeder plays additional roles of supplying
rated power in case of interruption along with
compensating current imperfection of the main feeder
and voltage imperfection of the adjacent feeder,
respectively. In UPQC-Distributed Generation, only
shunt inverter will carry full rated power during
interruption which saves a cost of one high power
converter as compared to the UPQC - Multiconverter.
Here DC-DC converter has not been counted for
costing as it has been assumed to be integral to the
PV/FC/BS system.
iv. Control Strategy : Control strategy for shunt
converter and series converter in conventional UPQC
is simple as compared to UPQC - Multiconverter and
UPQC - Distributed Generation as in later cases power
flow has to be maintained along with harmonic voltage
and current compensation and sag/swell mitigation.
The control strategy is most complex in UPQC -
Multiconverter as three different converters are
operating in coordination with one another. In UPQC-
Distributed Generation, where PV/FC/BS are acting as
source, the control scheme is comparatively less
complex to UPQC - Multiconverter as DG source is
coupled to dc link through DC-DC converter which is
integral to the source. In case of SG/IG based DG,
only rectifier stage is required to connect with dc link
which again does not require any control stage.
VII. CONCLUSIONS
The operation of UPQC – Multiconverter and UPQC –
Distributed Generation is analyzed in this paper. Also, the
operation of these two newer topologies is compared with
the standard UPQC. Based on the analysis presented, it is
concluded that the standard 12-switch UPQC topology is the
simplest and cheapest of all the options mentioned here
having an only major drawback of inability to maintain the
supply in case of grid failure. Irrespective of the control
complexities and more number of switches, UPQC -
Multiconverter is very good option when there is availability
of power distribution feeder in the vicinity which saves the
cost of separate power source installation. UPQC -
Distributed Generation is best suitable, when distributed
generation sources are easily/readily available, due to its
simpler control and operational capabilities.
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