Power Quality Improvement by Suppressing Harmonics using Power Active Filters

Power electronics loads introduce harmonic currents into the utility power system. This paper presents Minimization of harmonics using power active filters, which satisfy the current harmonic suppression for the improvement in power quality. The techniques considered include here is the shunt & series active power filters.

Modern high-speed rail traction systems exert heavy and complex loadings on supply grids. Usually, power is taken between two phases, thereby causing substantial unbalance between phases in networks originally not at all built for this kind of operation. Unless remedied, the result will be deterioration of power quality, not only harmful to the traction system itself, but also prone to spreading through the supply grid, disturbing other users of power in the same grid. The paper treats active power filters for power quality improvement in grids dominated by high speed rail traction, as well as highlights a couple of recent installations of power active filters for this purpose [1].