Cost-Effective Single-Phase to Three-Phase Power Conversion for Rural Electrification in Developing Countries

In several rural or remote areas, single-phase distribution systems are commonly utilized due to considerations of construction and maintenance costs. However, the demand for three-phase power in these areas is increasing due to social development. To solve this demand, a single-phase to three-phase power flow controller for low- and medium-voltage single-phase AC systems is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the proposed system consists of a reversing YN dll transformer and three half-bridge converters to achieve the feature of single-phase to three-phase conversion. Secondly, employing control strategies based on rotating coordinates, this system not only achieves the unity power factor as well as compensates for the harmonic currents generated by the loads, but also blocks voltage fluctuations from the grid such as grid voltage sags, swells, and harmonics to ensure the security and stability of the loads. Finally, the static and dynamic performance of the system under each operating condition is verified by simulation, demonstrating its rapid response capabilities.