Analysis of the Influence of the 6-Pulse Thyristor-Bridge Input Reactor Size on the Shunt Active Power Filter Work Efficiency: A Case Study

Abstract

This paper presents a case study in which the influence of the 6-pulse thyristor-bridge input reactor size on the shunt active power filter (SAPF)’s work performance is investigated. The purpose of using an SAPF in the power system is in most cases for fundamental harmonic reactive power compensation, harmonics and asymmetry mitigation. The work efficiency of such a filter depends not only on the designed control system, interface filter and dc-link capacitor parameters, but also on the parameters of the electrical system in which it is connected. Therefore, it is necessary to study and know the power system (supplier and consumer sides) before its installation. For instance, in the electrical system with diode or thyristor-bridge as loads, the SAPF performance efficiency may not be satisfied due to the high rate of current change (di/dt) at the points of commutation notches. In this paper, the performed simulation and laboratory experiments show that for a better operating efficiency of the SAPF, the input reactor parameters should be selected based not only on the effective reduction in the inverter switching ripple or the control system demand, but also on the parameters of the load, such as the parameters of the diode or thyristor-bridge input reactor. Apart from the experimental demonstrations on how the input reactor size influences the SAPF work efficiency, the novelties in this paper are: the formulated recommendations on how to choose the SAPF input reactor parameters (the SAPF is more efficient in terms of harmonics, asymmetry and reactive power mitigation when the inductance of its input reactor (L-filter) is smaller than the one of the diode or thyristor-bridge input reactor); the proposed SAPF control system; the proposed expressions to compute the SAPF input reactor inductance, DC voltage and capacitor.