Apparatus and method for reactive power control
Apparatus and method for controlling reactive power. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a bidirectional power converter comprising a switched mode cycloconverter for generating AC power having a desired amount of a reactive power component.
1. Apparatus for controlling reactive power comprising:
a bidirectional power converter comprising a switched mode cycloconverter operable in an AC to DC mode for generating reactive power stored in a storage device of the bidirectional power converter and operable in a DC to AC mode for creating AC power from DC power, receiving a high-frequency AC signal created by the storage device, and generating AC power having a desired amount of a reactive power component, wherein the bidirectional power converter is a resonant converter and generates the desired amount of the reactive power component as determined by a reactive power control schedule.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reactive power control schedule comprises a list of reactive power amounts and a corresponding time of day for generating each reactive power amount of the list of reactive power amounts.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reactive power control schedule comprises a schedule of reactive power to be generated as a function of one or more of AC grid voltage, bidirectional power converter output power, change in AC grid voltage, or a fixed value.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bidirectional power converter is a static VAr compensator.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the switched mode cycloconverter is a single-phase cycloconverter.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the switched mode cycloconverter is a three-phase cycloconverter.
7. A method of controlling reactive power comprising:
determining a desired amount of a reactive power component to be generated; and
generating AC power, using a resonant power converter comprising a switched mode cycloconverter, having the desired amount of the reactive power component, wherein the desired amount of the reactive power component is determined based on a reactive power control schedule,
wherein the switched mode cycloconverter is operable in an AC to DC mode for generating reactive power stored in a storage device of the resonant power converter and operable in a DC to AC mode for creating AC power from DC power, receiving a high-frequency AC signal created by the storage device, and generating the AC power having the desired amount of the reactive power component.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising receiving the reactive power control schedule.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the reactive power control schedule comprises a list of reactive power amounts and a corresponding time of day for generating each reactive power amount of the list of reactive power amounts.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the reactive power control schedule comprises a schedule of reactive power to be generated as a function of one or more of AC grid voltage, bidirectional power converter output power, change in AC grid voltage, or a fixed value.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the cycloconverter is part of a bidirectional power converter, and wherein the bidirectional power converter is a static VAr compensator.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the switched mode cycloconverter is a single-phase cycloconverter.
13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the switched mode cycloconverter is a three-phase cycloconverter.
14. A system for controlling reactive power, comprising:
a DC source for generating DC power; and
a bidirectional power converter, coupled to the DC source for receiving the DC power, comprising a switched mode cycloconverter operable in a AC to DC mode for generating reactive power stored in an storage device of the bidirectional power converter and operable in a DC to AC mode for creating AC power from DC power, receiving a high-frequency AC signal created by the storage device, and generating AC power having a desired amount of a reactive power component, wherein the bidirectional power converter is a resonant converter and generates the desired amount of the reactive power component as determined by a reactive power control schedule.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the reactive power control schedule comprises a list of reactive power amounts and a corresponding time of day for generating each reactive power amount of the list of reactive power amounts.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the reactive power control schedule comprises a schedule of reactive power to be generated as a function of one or more of AC grid voltage, bidirectional power converter output power, change in AC grid voltage, or a fixed value.
17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the switched mode cycloconverter is a single-phase cycloconverter.
18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the switched mode cycloconverter is a three-phase cycloconverter.