Fault Compensations in Compensated Distribution Networks to Mitigate Powerline Bushfires Using a Backstepping Nonsingular Integral Sliding Mode Controller

A hybrid nonlinear control scheme combining the backstepping and nonsingular integral terminal sliding mode control schemes is presented for the residual current compensation (RCC) inverter in a compensated distribution network. The main control objective is to swiftly compensate fault characteristics to avoid powerline bushfire risks in bushfire-prone areas. The proposed control scheme is developed considering a second-order dynamical model of RCC inverters, comprising the neutral voltage and neutral current dynamics. The new control scheme is developed in a way that the neutral voltage tracking error is considered as the basis for developing the virtual control input for tracking the neutral current. At the same time, both tracking errors are considered to determine the nonsingular integral terminal sliding surface based on which the overall control law is derived for the RCC inverter. The performance of the proposed controller is evaluated in terms of compensating fault characteristics and compared with a nonsingular integral terminal sliding mode controller.