Ride-through capability of AC adjustable speed drives in regards to voltage dips on the distribution network

Recent developments in power electronics technology have led to a significant market penetration of adjustable speed drives (ASDs), which are economical, reliable and highly flexible in their use. However, ASDs are particularly sensitive to voltage dips from the distribution network. These events may result in the total disconnection of the specific ASD load, thereby causing loss of revenue for the particular user, who will lose production capacity and may also incur significant restart costs depending on the particular industrial process in which the ASD is used. This paper presents a ride-through control strategy of AC ASDs in regards to voltage dips and one-phase supply interruptions. This mitigation strategy has been validated on a test facility, results and performance are presented and discussed in this paper