IJIRST International Journal for Innovative Research in Science & Technology| Volume 2 | Issue 06 | November 2015

ISSN (online): 2349-6010

Power Conditioning by Shunt Active Filter

Prof. Sumita D Chakrabortty
Assistant Professor (Head of Department)
Department of Electrical Engineering
Mahavir Swami College of Engineering & Technology, Surat

Prof. Naimesh Zaveri

Professor(Head of Department)
Department of Electrical Engineering
C K Pithawala College of Engineering & Technology, Surat

Abstract
In modern distribution systems the proliferation of non-linear loads results in a deterioration of the quality of voltage waveforms
at the point of common coupling (PCC) of various consumers. Therefore, power-conditioning equipment is becoming more
important for electric utilities and their customers. With the rapid development of semiconductor devices in power and control
circuits, a new generation of equipment for power quality, the active power filters, has been developed. Their advantages over
conventional means are more flexibility and very fast control response. The control of an active filter comprises two major parts:
the reference current computation and the current control. There are two fundamental methods of generating the reference
current: (i) frequencydomain methods, based on the Fourier analysis and (ii) time-domain analyze, based on the theory of
instantaneous imaginary power in the three-phase circuits, often called p-q theory.
Keywords: Active Filters, PWM-VSI, Point of common coupling (PCC), Current Reference, Harmonic compensation,
and IEEE-519 etc.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

I. INTRODUCTION
In view of the wide spread use of harmonics-sensitive electronic equipment, power conditioning equipment is becoming more
important for both electric utilities and their customers. With rapid development of power semiconductor devices in power and
control circuits, a new generation of equipments that help maintaining a good level of power quality, namely active power filters,
has been developed. Theirs advantages over conventional means are more flexibility and very fast control response. This paper
aim to present the actual status of active power filters based on state of the art power electronics technology and also their future
prospects and directions.
The wide use of power devices (based on semi-conductor switches) in power electronic appliances (diode and thyristor
rectifiers, electronic starters, UPS and HVDC systems, arc furnaces, etc) induces the appearance of the dangerous
phenomenon of harmonic currents flow in the electrical feeder networks, producing distortions in the current/voltage waveforms.
As a result, harmful consequences occur: equipment overheating, malfunction of solid-state material, interferences with
telecommunication systems, etc... Damping harmonics devices must be investigated when the distortion rate exceeds the
thresholds fixed by the ICE 61000 and IEEE 519 standards.
The common application of active filtering combines the tasks of harmonic filtering and power factor compensation. Apart
from this complex comprehensive active filters have been proposed in the context of total power quality management concept.
Some of the powers filtering applications are categorized as custom power devices.
Advantages of active filters over conventional mean of compensation such as passive filters, special transformer connections and
specially designed transformers are mainly:
Flexibility in defining and implementing the functions of the filter, a very fast control response, and no additional problems
caused by possible resonant frequencies or network configuration.

II. ACTIVE FILTERS CLASSIFICATION

The technical literature proposes various types of active filters and their classification can be made from different points of view,
like as:
A. Electrical System Type
Related to the type of electrical system where they are functioning, active filters are divided into ac and dc filters. Active dc
filters have been proposed to compensate current and/or voltage harmonics on the dc side of power converters, and are mainly
applied in HVDC and traction systems. However, in most of the cases, the term active filter refers to active filters.
B. Power Circuit
Active filters in power systems applications are implemented as voltage-source or current source PWM inverters.
C. System Configuration
There are two basic active filter configurations: shunt and series; complex structures obtained by integration of the two above
mentioned configurations, referred as unified power quality conditioner, are also used.

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D. Control Strategy
The control strategies of active filters are mainly based on the Fourier analysis and instantaneous reactive power theory.

III. ACTIVE FILTER POWER CIRCUIT

Active filters are basically static power converters designed to synthesize a current or voltage source. There are two types of
power circuits used for active filters implementation:
A. Voltage Source Inverters
Which have a voltage source on the dc bus (a capacitor working as energy storage device). The inverter output delivers the
voltage waveform required for compensation purpose. For high power applications, where efficiency and losses are of primary
concern, a single pulse of voltage, for each cycle, can be used to synthesize an Ac voltage. For application requiring dynamic
performances, the pulse width modulation technique is mostly used.

B. Current Source Inverters

It is characterized by a current source inverter on the dc bus (an inductor working as energy storage device). The circuit results
from rectifier topology, using force commutated devices with reverse blocking capacity as switches, and are typically driven by
using pulse width modulation techniques.

Fig. 1: Shunt active filtering of non-linear loads.

A shunt active filter is designed to be connected in parallel with the load. It detects the harmonic current of load and injects
into the system a compensating current, identical with the load harmonic current but in opposite phase. Therefore, the net current
drawn from the distribution network at the point of coupling of filter and the load will be a sinusoidal current of only
fundamental frequency. Fig.1 shows the principle of operation and the connection scheme of a shunt active filter (made of a
static power converter).

IV. ACTIVE FILTERS CONTROL

Active filter control is an important tool in achieving the overall compensation objectives. There are mainly two kinds of control
strategies for analyzing and extracting current or voltage harmonics from distorted waveforms:
A. Frequency-Domain
That is based on the Fourier analysis in the frequency-domain;
B. Time-Domain
That is based on the theory of instantaneous reactive power in the three-phase circuits and is often called p-q theory.
Regarding the quantity that has to be measured and analyzed in order to generate the reference signal required by the active
control system, there are three kinds of approaches:
load current detection;
supply current detection;
Voltage detection.

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Load current detection and supply current detection are recommended for shunt active filters working locally, for individual
non-linear high-power consumers. Voltage detection is suggested for: (a) shunt active filters functioning in complex equipments,
so called uniform power quality conditioner, whose destination is mostly to equip the distribution substations; (b) shunt active
filters located in the distribution system and supported by utilities. The series active filters are mostly controlled on the basis of
supply current detection.

V. P-Q THEORY DESCRIPTION

The p-q theory, or Instantaneous Power Theory, was developed by Akagi et al in 1983, with the objective of applying it to the
control of active power filters.
Initially, it was developed only for three-phase systems without neutral wire, being later worked by Watanabe and Aredes, for
three-phase four wires power systems.
This theory is based on time-domain, what makes it valid for operation in steady-state or transitory regime, as well as for
generic voltage and current power system waveforms, allowing to control the active power filters in real-time. Another important
characteristic of this theory is the simplicity of the calculations, which involves only algebraic calculation (exception done to the
need of separating the mean and alternated values of the calculated power components).
The p-q theory performs a transformation (known as Clarke Transformation) of a stationary reference system of coordinates
a b - c to a reference system of coordinates - - 0, also stationary.

Fig. 2: Generation of reference compensating current by p-q method

VI. SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS

A. Simulation of Shunt Active Filter Based On P-Q Theory for Steady State Condition

Fig. 3: Simulation Diagram of Shunt Active Filter Based On p-q Theory

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Fig. 4: waveforms of phase-A (a) distorted load current (b) compensating current by filter (c) source current after compensation

Fig. 5: harmonics spectrum of phase-A (a) distorted load current (b) compensating current by filter (c) source current after compensation

Fig. 6: Wave Forms of (a) Distorted Load Current in Phase-A and (b) THD of Load Current (28.66%)

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Fig. 7: Wave Forms of (a) Compensated Source Current in Phase-a, and (b) THD of Source Current (2.57%)

Fig. 8: Wave Form of the Voltage across Capacitor Connected on D.C. Side of Inverter

VII. CONCLUSIONS
Proliferation of the power electronic equipments leads to an increasing harmonic contamination in power transmission or
distribution systems. Many researchers from the field of the power systems and automation have searched for different
approaches to solve the problem. One way was open by introducing the harmonic compensation by using active filters.
Simulation results were obtained before and after the use of the active filtering. From the analysis of the experimental data, in
case of a nonlinear load of rectifier type, one may observe that there are different levels of current distortion produced depending
on the load and its control mode, with high values of the total current harmonic distortion and low power factor.
Using the active filter, the experimental data show that the total harmonic distortion of current (THDi) decreases to 1%-4%, and
the power factor rises up to 0.98-1. A 30% decrease of the r.m.s. value of the current was also recorded.

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