I

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I
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I
I
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I
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ecause the incdence of harmonic-related not only cannot cancel the harmonics completely I
I
problems in utility and industrial power but also cause problems, such as enlarging the dc I
systems is increasing, active power filters volt-age ripples and ac peak current of the rectifier. I
I
have attracted great attention and have been ex- This is because a diode rectifier with smoothing dc I
pected to be an effective remedy. Generally, an ac- capacitors behaves like a harmonic voltage source I
I
tive filter has been considered to be a current source rather than as a harmonic current source. Another I
connected in parallel with the load (harmonic aspect is that there may be LC passive filters or I
I
source). The approach is based on the principle of power-factor correction capacitor banks connected I
injecting harmonic current into the ac system, of on the load side (downstream) from the point where I
I
the same amplitude ancl reverse phase to that of the an active filter is connected. In this case, the equiva- I
load current harmonic:;. It has been wrongly be- lent circuit downstream seen from the connection
lieved that the active filter is an ideal harmonic point of active filter would not be a current source
compensator whose compensation characteristics even ifthe main loads are a harmonic current source.
would not be influenced by the source impedance When a conventional parallel active filter is applied
(as happens with a pas:,ive filter). In this article it to compensate a diode rectifier or a power system
will be shown, however, that such active filters such that downstream contains passive filters and/or
(designated here as parallel active filters) are only capacitor banks, the current injected by the active
effective for those nonlinear loads which can be filter will flow into the diode rectifier or the load
considered as current -source type of harmonic side that presents low impedance. As a result, har-
source (harmonic currmtsource herein), such as monics of the source current cannot be completely
phase-controlled thyrktor rectifiers with large dc canceled. Moreover, harmonic current flowing into
inductance for dc drives, etc. the diode rectifier or the system downstream in-
Parallel active filters have been studied by many creases greatly, and overcurrent may occur due to
contributors since 1970s [l}-[9], and have been put the injected current.
into practical use [lo]-[ 121. Unfortunately, no paper A series active filter has been proposed to com- I
has discussed the charact:eristics and application con- pensate for harmonics of diode rectifiers [ l b ] ,[17]. I
I
siderations of parallel aci:ive filters when they are ap- Although the series active filter is not found in com- I
plied to nonlinear loads that are voltage-source type mon practical use, [16] and E171 have shown that I
I
of harmonic source (harmonicvoltage source),such the series active filter is more suitable for harmonic I
as diode rectifiers with direct smoothing dc capaci- compensation ofdiode rectifiers, i.e., harmonic volt- I
tors for ac drives, etc. This may be because traditional age sources. This paper puts more emphasis on the I
I
harmonic sourceswere mainly phase-controlled thyris- application issues of both parallel and series active I
tor rectifiers and cycloconverters, which can be re- filters in power systems. Their features and required I
I
garded as current-sourceloads. operation conditions are clarified analytically and I
On the other hand, since more and more diode demonstrated through real field testing. I
I
rectifiers with smoothing dc capacitors are used in I
electronic equipment, household appliances, and ac Two Types of Harmonic Sources I
I
drives, harmonics generated by these loads have be- I
come a major issue. Naturally, attempts have been Current-Source ,Type of Harmonic Sources I
I
made to use parallel active filters for harmonic com- (Hurmonic Current Sources) I
pensation of these diode rectifiers. However, it has As is well-known, thyristor converters are a com- I
I
been found in the field that the parallel active filters mon source of harmonic currents. The distortion of I
I
I
This article was presented in its original firm at the 7th Intl Conference on Harmonics and Quality of Power, Las I
Vexas, Nevada. Pen(: is with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.0. Box 2009, Bldg. 91 02-1, Oak Ridge, T N !I
37831 -8038. He is a Stnior Member of the I E E E .
1077-2618/98/$10.00O1998 IEEE /E hdustry Applications Mogozine = September/Ocfober I 998
m
 Voltage-Source Type of Harmonic Sources
(Harmonic Voltage Sources)
Nowadays, another common harmonic source is
that of diode rectifiers with smoothing dc capaci-
tors as shown in Fig. 3(a). Fig. 4 shows the current
and voltage waveforms. Although the current is
highly distorted, its harmonic amplitude is greatly
affected by the impedance of the ac side, whereas
the rectifier voltage (i.e., the voltage at the rectifier
input terminal as shown in Fig. 4(b)) is characteris-
tic and less dependent upon the ac impedance.
4 Therefore, a diode rectifier behaves like a voltage
source rather than a current source. Fig. 3(b) shows
the equivalent circuit of the diode rectifier system,
where the diode rectifier is represented as a volt-
/L age-source type of harmonic source (or harmonic
voltage source). Accordingly, the harmonic cur-
Current-SourceType
AC Source Harmonic Source rent originates from the rectifier voltage, and its
contents are determined by, and dependent, upon
(b) the rectifier voltage and the ac impedance.
Fig. I . Typical current-source type of harmonic source. ( d j Thyristor rectifier
for dc drives, heater drive, etc. (b) Per-phase equivalent circuit of thyristor Characteristic Andysis of farale/ Active Filters
A parallel active filter is a pulse-width modulation
(PWM) inverter to be placed in parallel with a load
(or a harmonic source) to inject a harmonic current
with the same amplitude as that of the load into the
ac system. Its control is implemented through ade-
tection and extraction circuit of the load harmonic
current. In order not to lose generality, the har-
monic current source is represented as Nortons
equivalent circuit, and the harmonic voltage
source as Thevenins equivalent circuit, respec-
tively, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A pure cur-
rent-source type of harmonic source is a special case
of the Nortons equivalent with ZL-+W. A pure
voltage-source type of harmonic source is a special
case of Thevenins equivalent with ZL--+O.

For Harmonic Current Sources

Fig. 5 shows the basic p,rinciple of a parallel active
filter compensating for a harmonic current source,
where the harmonic source is represented as Nor-
tons equivalent, 2 s is the source (line) impedance,
ILO is the equivalent harmonic current source, Z L is
Fig. 2. Typical voltage and current waveforms of thyristor rectifier. the equivalent impedance on the load side which
I may include passive filters and power-factor cor-
I rection capacitors, and G is the equivalent transfer
I the current waveform, i.e., the generation of har-
I function of the active filter including the detection
I monics, results from the switching operation. circuit of harmonics and the delay of the control
I
I
Fig.l(a) shows a typical thyristor rectifier, where a circuit. In general, G has the function of notching
I sufficient dc inductance produces a constant dc the fundamental component, that is, IGlf=O at the
I current. Fig.2 shows the source voltage and recti-
I fundamental, and IGlh= 1 for harmonics. In the fol-
fier current waveforms. Because the harmonic cur- lowing analysis, all equations are represented in
rent contents and characteristics are less dependent per unit (pz).From Fig. 5 , the following equations
upon the ac side, this type of harmonic source be- are obtained.
haves like a current source. Therefore, they are
called current-source type of harmonic source (or I , =GI, (1)
harmonic current source) and represented as a cur-
rent source shown in Fig. l(b).

/ F E lndusfry Applicutions Muguzine a September/October 1998

I
 z, (3)
I, = lGG .I,,, +-. 1 vs
z,+- ZL z,+Z--I
1-G 1-G

Focusing on harmonics, when the followingequation

(4)
VL

Voltage-SourceType
is satisfied, (l), (2) and (3) can be rewritten as AC Source Harmonic Source

(b)
Fig. 3, Typical voltage-source type of harmonic source. (a)Diode rectifier for
ac PWM drives, electronic equipment, etc. (b) Per-phase equivalent circuit of

where, the subscripts, h and f, represent the har-

monic components and the fundamental compo-
nents respectively. ''I'/'' represents the magnitude
of a transfer function.
Equation (6) shows that the source current be-
l
comes sinusoidal because of l-Glh=O for har-
monics when ( 4 )is satisfied. Therefore, ( 4 )is the
required operating condition for the parallel ac-
Fig. 4. Typical current a n d voltage waveforms of diode rectifier, (a)line
tive filter to cancel the load harmonic current.
current, (b) line-to-neutral voltage and line-to-line voltage at the rectifier
From ( 4 ) , i t is seen t h a t only G can be
inbut.
pre-designed and determined by the active filter
while Zs and ZLare determined by the system,
i.e., the ac source imprdance and the load charac;
teristics. Therefore, compensation characteristics
zs 's, k
+
of the active filter are determined not only by the
active filter itself but also by the ac source and
load impedance just like the case of conventional
passive filters'. O n the other hand, we have
IZLI>>IZ~I for a pure current-source type of har-
monic source such as a thyristor rectifier with a
large dc inductance. So (2) and (4)can be reduced
to the following equations, respectively.

AC Source
-
A

Parallel AF
-
Harmonic Source

1 LO
Fig. 7. B a s k primipZe ofparazzeel active filter for harmonic current source.

source impedance, Zs. So far, this property has been

alleged as the advantage the active filter, making it
Equation (8)shows that compensation character- superior to the passive filter. However, this superior
istics of the active filter are not influenced by the property holds true only under the condition of

/FEE Industry Applitotions Mogozine m September/O[tober I 998

bl
 For Harmonic Voltage Sources
Fig. 6 shows the basic principle of parallel active
filter compensating for a harmonic voltage source,
where the load is represented as Thevenin's equiva-
lent, i.e., a voltage source VL with an impedance
ZL. From Fig. 6, we have the following equations.

I , =GI, (10)

z,+- L L

1-G
Fig. 6. Basic principle of parallel active filter for harmonic voltage source.
I
I
I lZ~l>>lZsl. Equation (9) can be easily satisfied by
I
I the active filter. G is determined by the active filter,
I and mainly dominated by the detection circuit of
I
I harmonics, delay time of the control circuit, and
I current response of the PWM inverter of the active
I
Therefore, when the following equation
I filter. Ingeneral, ll-Glb=0.1-0.3, so the compensa-
I tion rate of harmonics, which is defined as (1-11s
I
I /I~0/).100%, ranges over 90% - 70%.
I However, the load impedance, ZL, will become
I
I very low for harmonics when a parallel (or shunt)
I passive filter or power-factor improvement capaci- is satisfied, the source current will become sinusoi-
I tor bank is connected on the side of the thyristor dal. That is,
I
I rectifier. Consequently, compensation characteris-
I tics of the active filter are influenced by the source
I
I impedance, Zs, because the condition, ~ZLI>>1Zsl,
I is no longer satisfied [13]. Moreover, it is clear
I
I from (7) that the current flowing into the passive I, =o
I filter 'connected on the load side is equal to ILh-
I
I ILOh=VSh/ZL. This current may be devastatingly
I large when the ac source is stiff and has appreciable
I
I voltage distortion, VJh. This means that ambient L
I harmonics upstream will flow into the passive fil-
I
I ter. The load harmonic current, I L O ~will, be en- Equation (13) is the required operating condi-
I tirely compensated by the active filter but not by tion that should be satisfied when a parallel active
I
I the passive filter and the passive filter will absorb filter compensates for a harmonic voltage source.
I all ambient harmonics upstream instead. There- However, it is difficult for a parallel active filter to
I
I
fore, special considerations are needed when a par- satisfy (13 ) , because a harmonic voltage source usu-
I allel passive filter and a parallel active filter are ally presents a very low internal impedance, ZL.
I placed in the same power system. If one tries to use
I For example, considering a diode rectifier with a
I a combined system of parallel active filter and par- large smoothing electrolytic dc capacitor, we have
I allel passive filter to compensate load harmonics, 12,= 01 as long as no series reactor is placed on the
I
I the compensation responsibility of both the active ac side of the rectifier. So (13) cannot be satisfied
I filter and passive filter should be clear and well only with the source impedance, Zs, which is usu-
I
I controlled. For example, using an active filter to ally under 10 percent (0.1 pu).
I compensate for the fifth- and seventh-order har- Providedthat lZjl=?%=O.O3pu,/l-G/h=O.l for
I
monics and a passive filter for higher order har- the fifth-order harmonic, a series reactor of o.06pu
monics is a good responsibility-sharing of (i.e., 6 percent) has to be placed on the ac side ofthe
harmonic compensation, since an active filter is diode rectifier to let lZs+ZL/(l-G)I=3pu. More-
better for lower order harmonic compensation and over, it is evident from (12), (14)and (16) that (i)
a passive filter is better for higher order harmonic the parallel active filter makes the source imped-
compensation. In this case, only the fifth- and sev- ance equivalent to zero as seen from the load side,
enth-order harmonics of the load current should be thus lowering ac impedance to the load, (ii) har-
extracted as the reference of the active filter so that monic current injected by the parallel active filter
the active filter would not inject higher order har- will flow into the load, and (iii) distortion of the
monic current into the line. source voltage, vsb, also causes a large harmonic

/E lndustry Applications Muguzine a Sepfember/Ottober I998

current to flow into the load. These effects will
largely increase the load harmonic current and the
required volt-ampere (VA) rating ofthe parallel ac-
tive filter, especially when ZL is small. These prob-
lems will be shown later, in the discussion of field
testing results.

Characferisfic Analysis of Series Active Filters

A series active filter, as discussed in this paper, is to
be placed in series between the ac source and the
load (or harmonic source) to force the source cur-
rent to become sinusoidal. The approach is based
on a principle of harmonic isolation by controlling
output voltage of the series active filter. In other
Fig. 7. Basic principle of series active f i l t e r f o p a harmonic current source
words, the series active filter is to present high im-
pedance to harmonic current, therefore blocking
harmonic current flcw from the load to the ac
source and from the ac source to the load side. As in
the preceding section, characteristics of series ac-
tive filters are developed for harmonic current
sources and harmonic voltage sources.

For Harmonic Curvent Sources

Fig. 7 shows the basic principle of a series active fil-
ter compensating for a harmonic current source,
where Vc represents output voltage ofthe series ac-
tive filter and the load (or harmonic source) is rep-
resented as Nortons equivalent. If the series active
filter is controlled as
V, =KGI, , (17)
then we get the source current as follows,
where G is the equivalent transfer function of a de-
tection circuit of harmonic current, including delay
time of the control circuit. G is supposed to equal
zero at the fundamental and approximately equal to
1 for harmonics, that is, IGk=O and / G / h = l .K is a
gain with the dimension of ohms inpu. Distortion
voltage of the ac source, V S h , usually is much
smaller than harmonic current of the harmonic
source. So when
is satisfied, we have
AC Source Harmonic Source
Fig 8. Racic PrinciBle of ceriec a c h e filter for a harmonic uoltage source.
I
I
K , should be large and the impedance of the load I
I
side, IZ&, be small for harmonics, in order to sup- I
press the source harmonic current. However, for a I
I
conventional phase-controlled thyristor rectifier, Z L I
is almost infinite, so (19) cannot be satisfied. I
I
It is clear from (20) that the required output I
voltage of the series active filter, Vc, also becomes I
I
infinite. As a result, the series active filter cannot
I
compensate for a current-source type of harmonic I
source theoretically. If a parallel passive filter is
placed with the thyristor rectifier, however, Z L
will become very small, (19) can be easily satisfied,
and the required output voltage, Vc, becomes very
small as well. This case is the combined system of
series active filter and parallel passive filter, which
has been discussed in 1141. In addition, it should be
noted that the series active filter has a very impor-
tant feature, that is, it provides harmonic isolation
between the source and load. Equations (20) and
(21) indicate that neither the source harmonics,
VSh, will appear on the load side, nor the load har-
monics, ILO, will flow into the ac source.

Is =o, (21) For Harmonic Voltage Sources

I
Fig. 8 shows the basic principle of series active fil- I
that is, the source current becomes sinusoidal. ter compensating for a harmonic voltage source. If l
I
Here, (19) is the required operating condition for the series active filter is controlled as I
the series active filter 1-0compensate for a harmonic I
I
current source. Equation (19) requires that the gain, V, = K G I S ,

m
(22) I

IFF IndustryApplications Mogozine September/Ocfober I998

~

I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I in Fig. 9, can be adapted. In this case, we have al-
I
I most K=-. Also, the ramp (or triangular wave)
I
I comparison control method shown in Fig. 10 can
I be used, where the reference of output voltage, Vi,
I
I is given by
I Fig. 9. Hysteresis control method for series active filter.
I
I V,* = G ( K I , - V L ) . (27)
I
I
I Hence, assuming that the active filter follows its
I
I
reference bona fide, i.e.,V, = V i , the source current
I becomes
I
I
I V, - (1- G)V,
I Fig. 10. Ramp-comparison control method for series I, =
I
active filter. Z , + Z L +KG
I
I
I When Vxi, is relatively small and
I the source current becomes
I
I ll-Glb < < l (29)
I
I
I is satisfied, the source current becomes sinusoidal
I even with K= lpu and IZ~+ZLIK,
that is,
I
I Therefore, when (24)is satisfied, we have ( 2 5 ) and
I (26) as:
I
I
I Equation (29) is the required operating condi-
I
I tion for the series active filter to compensate for a
I harmonic voltage-source load, which depends only
I
I I, =o (25) on the series active filter itself. It is also clear from
I (30) that the compensation characteristics of the se-
I
I
ries active filter are independent from the source im-
I pedance Zs and the load impedance ZL. Hence the
I series active filter can suppress harmonics of the
I
I Equation (24) is the required operating condi- source current effectively.These conclusionsregard-
I tion for the series active filter to compensate for a ing the series active filter compensating for a
I
I harmonic voltage source. To realize a large gain, K , harmonic voltage-source load are completely
I the hysteresis-comparator control method shown equivalent to those of the parallel active filter com-
I

Basit Operating Printiple Operates os a current source Operates us a voltage sourte

Capacitive Or voltage-source loads Or harmonic
Inductive or current-source loads or harmonic SOUrceS,
Adaptive loads e.g., diode rectifiers with direct smoothing capacitors for ac
e.g., phase-controlled thyristor rectifiers of dc drives
drives

Compensation Characteristics
Application Considerations
Excellent and independent of the source impedance, Z, for cur-
rent-source loads, but depend on Z, when the load impedance,
Z, , is IOW
Iniected current flows into the load side and may cause
overcurrent when applied to a capacitive or voltage-source load
Excellent and independent of the source impedance, Z, and the
load impedance, Z,, for voltage-source loads, but depend on Z,
when the loads are a current-source tvue
A low impedance parallel branch (parallel passive filter or
power-factor improvement capacitor bank) is needed when ap-
died to an inductive or current-source load

Ilndustry Applications Magazine September/October 1998

pensating for a harmonic current-source load. Ex-
perimental verificationis shown two sectionshence.

Comparison of P a d e l Active Filters

and Series Active filters
In the previous sections, compensation characteris-
tics of parallel active filters and series active filters
were analyzed theorerically. The corresponding re-
quired operation conditions of both parallel active
filter and series active filter for harmonic current
sources and harmonic voltage sources, respectively,
were derived. In circuit configurations, duality re-
lationships exist between the parallel active filter
and the series active filter, that is, Fig. 5 is the dual
ofFig. 8, and Fig. 6 is the dual ofFig.7. Therefore,
the properties of the corresponding adaptive loads Fig. 11. System configuration of parallel active filter.
(harmonic sources) are each the dual of the other.
Table 1 summarim comparisonsofparallel active 40
filters and series active filters, where their respective
features and application considerations are listed.
(dB-pu)
Field Testing Results of Compensation
for Harmorric Voltage Sources 0
For a harmonic current-source load as shown in
Fig. 5 , compensation characteristics of the parallel
-20
active filters have been frequently discussed in the
literature. This configuration has been considered
as a typical case for studying active filters. The -49
combined system ofa series active filter and aparal-
le1 passive filter, which is the case in Fig. 7, has
been presented in [14] and 1151. However, com- Fig. 12. Compensation characteristics of parallel active filter for a harmonic
pensation character]stics for harmonic voltage voltage source w i t h different load impedances.
sources have not been studied and reported so far. I
In addition, the author has found the difficulties
sors and current control), G, is the equivalent
and problems mentioned in previous sections when
transfer function of the harmonic detection circuit
installing a parallel active filter to compensate for
(in the experimental system, first-order high-pass
harmonics generated from ac drives. Therefore, for
filter with cutoff frequency,fc=SOHz, is used on
the typical harmonic voltage-source load-an ac
the synchronous reference frame, see [l5f and [ 8 ]
drive's diode rectifier with smoothing dc capaci-
tor-charactetistics Df both parallel active filter for details), z is the delay time of the control circuit
(a DSP digital control is used in the practical sys-
and series active filter are discussed in this section
by simulation and experiment. tem, T = 30 psec), andaol(s+oo) is the transfer
function of the isolation amplifier used in the con-
Parallel Active Filters trol circuit. From (1 l), the compensation charac-
Fig. 11 shows the practical system configuration teristics can be obtained as
discussed here by simulation and experiment,
where the circuit constants are indicated in detail.
L,, C, and Rr form a small passive filter to reduce
the pulse width modulation (PWM) switching rip-
ples generated from the inverter of the active filter. I"Ll",=O Iz, +&I
The load is a 60 k W ac drive and the active filter is a
50 kVA commercial product. The equivalent
Fig. 12 shows the calculated values plotted in
transfer function of the parallel active filter, G, is I
the solid lines. It is clear that, the smaller the load
given by I
impedance, the worse are the compensation charac- I
teristics. Fig. 13 shows the simulation waveforms I
I
with Z ~ = 0 . 2 4 %(i.e., a small series ac reactor, as I
shown in Fig. 11, is placed). Harmonics remained I
I
in the source current after the parallel active filter I
where k is the equivalent gain (k=1+0.01-1k0.1, was started. In addition, harmonic current of the I
I
the error results from the precision of current sen- load, especially the peak value, increases largely I

IFF Industry Applications Mogozine September/Ortober I998


Fig. 13. Simulated waveforms of parallel active filter for a harmonic
voltage source (diode rectifier) w i t h ZL=O.24%.
(4
Fig. 14. Field testing results ofparallel active filter for a harmonic
voltage source (diode rectifier) w i t h ZL=0.24%, IS, IC, and IL: 2OOAldi6
time: Smsldiv.
Fig. 15. Field testing results of parallel active filter for a harmonic
voltage source (diode rectifier) w i t h ZL=7.30%, IS, IC, and IL: 2OOAldiv,
time: Smsldiv.
Fig. 16. System configuration of series active filter for harmonic
compensation of a diode rectifier.
I
/FEE Industry Applications Magazine I September/October 1998
due to the injected harmonic current from the ac-
tive filter, which may cause overcurrent. When the
series inductance ZLis reduced to zero, the parallel
active filter will form a positive feedback, because
the injected current will completely flow into the
load side and then will be picked up by the active
filter itself as its current reference.
With the same conditions, experiments were
performed in the field. The experimental wave-
forms are shown in Fig. 14, which exactly agree
with the simulation waveforms shown in Fig. 13.
The FFT results of the experimental waveforms are
plotted as X in Fig. 12, which agree with the cal-
culated results very well. In Fig. 14, the dc voltage
of the parallel active filter was 8OOV, the rms VA
rating and the peak VA rating of the active filter
were 76% and 123% of that of the load, respec-
tively. (The peak VA rating is defined as the prod-
uct of peak voltage value and peak current value,
divided by 2, that is, the peak VA rating =
(V, / fi fi.
.(I, / Therefore, it is not economi-
cal and practical for a parallel active filter to com-
(b) pensate for a harmonic voltage-source load,
especially when the load-side impedance is low,
because the required VA rating of the parallel ac-
tive filter may be even larger than that ofrhe load.
In the case of applying a parallel active filter to a
harmonic voltage source, a large series reactor must
be placed on the load side to enhance the load im-
pedance. Fig. 15 shows experimental waveforms
with larger series inductance, Z ~ = 7 . 3 %In . this
case, the source current, Is, becomes sinusoidal,
and the rms and peak VA ratings of the parallel ac-
tive filter were 33% and 49% of that of the diode
rectifier, respectively. To compensate for a har-
monic voltage source, therefore, a minimum 6% of
series inductance should be placed on the load side
to meet the required operation conditions as men-
tioned previously in the discussion of parallel ac-
tive filters for harmonic voltage sources.
Series Aciwe Filters
From the above-mentioned analytical and experi-
mental results, it is evident that the injected har-
monic current from a parallel active filter flows
into the load side rather than into the source side
for a harmonic voltage-source load, and is thus un-
able to cancel the harmonic current of the source
and enlarging harmonic current of the load in-
stead. To solve the above problems, a large series
reactor should be placed on the load side. However,
a large series reactor is bulky, increases costs, and
causes a fundamental voltage drop, hence it is un-
desirable. Since it has been shown in the previous
analysis that series active filters are better suited for
harmonic compensation of a harmonic voltage
source, a series active filter is applied to harmonic
compensation of the diode rectifier in this section.
The validity is corroborated by experiment.
 Fig. 16 shows the system configuration of a se-
ries active filter used to compensate for the diode
rectifier. The series active filter is placed between
the ac source and the load through a three-phase
transformer, the main circuit of which is the same
circuit used in the parallel active filter shown in
Fig. 11, composed of three-phase bridge PWM in-
verter. Lr, Cy, and R, form a switching ripple trap
just like the switching ripple filter used in the par-
allel active filter. The hysteresis control method (a) (b)
shown in Fig. 9 is usvd, the average switching fre-
Fig. 17. Field testing results of series active filter, VTa: 635Vldiv, ISa:
quency is 4 kHz, and the dc voltage of the series ac-
ZOOAldiu, VCa: 254Vldiv, time: Smsldiv. (a) before being started, (b) aft6
tive filter is 340V, which is much lower than that
being started.
of the parallel active filter of Fig. 11.
Figs. 17, 18, and 19 show experimental and
simulated waveforms under the same conditions.
Note that no series reiwtor is placed on the rectifier
side, that is, ZL=O.After the series active filter was
started, the source current became sinusoidal. The
output voltage of the series active filter, Vc, was
65V. Without the aforementioned problems of the
parallel active filter, ]:he series active filter has ex-
cellent compensation characteristics. The rms VA
rating of the series active filter was 25% of that of
the load. Also, it is clear that since the current (in (a) Before Started (b) After Started
this case, the source current is equal to the load cur- Fig. 18. Field testing results of series active filter, upper trace=VLab:
rent) becomes sinusoidal, the peak value of the load 63SVldiq middle trace=ISa:2OOAldiv, lower trace=VCa:254Vldiv, time:
current, and the tipples ofthe dc voltage of the rec- Smsldiv.
tifier, are minimized. In addition, the series active I
filter and the diode rectifier can share the same dc
capacitor (source)by selecting an appropriate turns
ratio for the isolation rransformer [l8]. In this way,
the dc voltage control will become very easy.
Futher, the switching ripple filtering inductor, L,,
can be incorporated into the transformer to reduce
component count.

Cctnclusions
In this article, comm'm nonlinear loads have been
characterized into two types of harmonic sources,
I
current-source type of harmonic source and volt- Fig. 19. Simulated results of series active filter. I
age-source type of harmonic source. Compensation I
I
characteristics of both parallel active filters and se- network such as at a point of common coupling, I
ries active filters have been discussed analytically the network impedance and main harmonic I
I
and experimentally for these two types ofharmonic sources downstream from the installation point I
sources. The corresponding required operation should be investigated in order to get good petfor- I
conditions, features, application issues, and adap- mance and to minimize influence to the loads I
I
tive harmonic sources of both filters have been pre- downstream. In some cases, a combined system of I
sented. The fact that the traditional active filter, parallel active filter and series active filter may be I
I
the parallel active filter, is not panacea to harmonic necessary by utilizing the harmonic isolation func- I
compensation, and that and one cannot use it tion of the series active filters. No doubt active fil- I
I
blindly, has been clearly addressed. The parallel ac- ters are superior to passive filters if used in their I
tive filter will increase harmonic current and may niche applications. I
I
cause overcurrent of the load when the load is a har- I
monic voltage source. Instead, it has been verified References I
I
that the series active filter is better suited for com- 111 H. Sasaki and T. Machida, "A new method ro eliminare AC I
pensation of a harmonic voltage source such as a di- harmonic currenrs by magnetic compensation-consider- I
arions on basic design," l E E E Tram P A S , Vo1.90, no. 5, p. I
ode rectifier with smoothing dc capacitor. The 2009, 1971. I
conclusions of this article also imply that when a 121 L. Gyugyi and E. C. Strycula, "Active AC power filters," I
I
parallel active filter is installed in a power system IEEEIIAS Annu. Meeting, 1976, p. 529. I

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I 131N Mohan, H A Peterson, W F Long, G R Dreifaerst, and 1131F. 2.Peng, H. Akagi, and A. Nabae, Some considerations
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I C4] H Akagi, A Nabae, and S Atoh, Control strategy ofactive [14]-, A new approach to harmonic compensation in
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I Lorenz, Flux based active filter controller, IEEEIIAS 381-387.
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I IS] S Bhattacharyaand D M Divan, Synchronous frame based 1995, pp.O.017-0.026.
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I half-controlled rectifiers, presented at PQA97, Cnlum-
monic current compensation with active filters, IEEEIIAS
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I
I

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