EMC Compliant Harmonic and Reactive Power Compensation Using Passive Filter Cascaded with Shunt Active Filter

Abstract

A novel control method for active power filters in conjunction with a cascaded passive filter circuit is presented and analysed in this paper in order to comply with EMC regulations. The principles of analysis, design, operation and control of the new circuit equipped with IGBTs are presented. This enables the compensation of rapidly changing harmonics and reactive power. The new configuration improves the rating of the active power filter, reducing power losses in the switches compared to existing and newly developed active filters. Furthermore, the paper also presents a mathematical modelling of the proposed system equations. The frequency response of the proposed system is also discussed. The proposed circuit has been checked using a dedicated software simulation program, which was specifically developed for this purpose. An experimental set-up has been designed and implemented in order to apply the new method using IGBTs and other passive devices.