Elimination of Harmonic Interference by Adopting a Shunt Active Filter Solution

The Use of UPS, Variable Frequency Drives, and Soft Starters is on the Rise. In many continuous plant industries, there is a growing demand for the installation of UPS, Variable Frequency Drives, and Soft Starters. However, these devices are also recognized to generate harmonics that can lead to power quality disturbances, voltage deflection, neutral loading, and a decrease in the lifespan of switchgear. As a result, the need for larger capacity switchgear and increased maintenance costs for distribution devices, such as transformers, also arises. There are several devices available in the market that aim to mitigate harmonic interference, including active and passive filters. Among these, harmonic filters that do not require any system modifications are suitable for industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, agro, food, textiles, and other continuous plant industries. The use of such filters results in a reduction in neutral current, improved power quality, longer lifespan of switchgear, and cost savings in switchgear expenses. In this study, power quality enhancement was achieved by maintaining voltage balancing and reducing total harmonic distortion, using unequal DC sources. The use of MATLAB software was used to conduct simulation work and investigational results were given to validate the theory. This approach reduces initial costs and complexity, making it a suitable solution for industrial applications.