  A low-cost reconfiguration stage connected at the output of balanced
three-phase, multi-terminal ac/dc/ac converters can increase the feasible set
of power injections substantially, increasing converter utilization and
therefore achieving a lower system cost. However, the approach has yet to be
explored for phase unbalance mitigation in power distribution networks, an
important application for future energy systems. This study addresses this by
considering power converter reconfiguration's potential for increasing the
feasible set of power transfers of four-wire power converters. Reconfigurable
topologies are compared against both conventional four-wire designs and an
idealised, fully reconfigurable converter. Results show that conventional
converters need up to 75.3% greater capacity to yield a capability chart of
equivalent size to an idealised reconfigurable converter. The number and
capacity of legs impact the capability chart's size, as do constraints on
dc-side power injections. The proposed approach shows significant promise for
maximizing the utilization of power electronics used to mitigate impacts of
phase unbalance.
