Series active power filter in power conditioning

Abstract

Power quality has become an important issue nowadays for several reasons, e.g. modern society’s growing dependence on electricity and the fact that poor power quality may generate significant economic losses in few moments. Probable power quality problems are, e.g. harmonics, flicker, voltage dips and supply interruptions. The power quality may be improved by using filters and compensators.

The purpose of this thesis is to research the operation of the series active power filter (SAPF) in power conditioning. Therefore, this thesis presents a comparison of three series hybrid active power filters (SHAPFs) in current harmonics filtering. In addition to this, it is shown how the voltage dip compensation performance of the SAPF is improved in a unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) application.

The three SHAPFs included in the comparison are series connected topology (SCT), filter connected topology (FCT) and electrically tuned LC shunt circuit (ETLC). The operating principle of these filters is to direct the harmonic currents produced by the load to flow in the LC shunt circuits instead of the supply. In the case of the SCT this phenomenon is boosted by applying so-called active resistance in the supply branch using the SAPF. In the case of the FCT a similar action is achieved by applying the compensation voltage in series with the LC shunt circuits using the SAPF. In the case of the ETLC the performance of the LC shunt circuit is enhanced by applying so-called active inductances in series with the LC shunt circuit using the SAPF. The SHAPFs are compared by searching for their best current filtering performance using various main circuit and control system configurations and loads. The operation of the SHAPFs is first analysed mathematically. After this, the current filtering performance of the SHAPFs is inspected using simulations and experimental tests. The experimental tests are carried out using SHAPF prototypes. As a result, it is shown that the current filtering performance of the SCT is the best. It is also shown that the main circuit and control system configurations have a significant impact on the current filtering performance of SHAPFs.

In addition to this, the current and voltage harmonics filtering and voltage dip compensation performances of the UPQC are researched in this thesis. The voltage dip compensation performance of the SAPF is improved by using the PI-control method. The operation of the UPQC is first inspected using mathematical analysis. After this, simulations and experimental tests are performed using various supply voltage conditions. The functioning of the proposed control system is verified by the presented results.