41 - Active Filters

Abstract

The increased severity of power quality in power networks has attracted the attention of power engineers to develop dynamic and adjustable solutions to the power quality problems in the form of active filters. Active filters are also called active power line conditioners, and are able to compensate current and voltage harmonics, reactive power, regulate terminal voltage, suppress flicker, and to improve voltage balance in three-phase systems. All active power filters are developed with pulse width modulated (PWM) converters. The current-fed PWM inverter bridge structure behaves as a non-sinusoidal current source to meet the harmonic current requirement of the non-linear load. There are many possibilities to determine the reference current required to compensate the non-linear load. Normally, shunt active power filters are used to compensate the displacement power factor and low-frequency current harmonics generated by non-linear loads. Passive filters connected between the non-linear load and the series active power filter play an important role in the compensation of the load current harmonics. With the connection of the passive filters the series active power filter operates as a harmonic isolator.