Analysis of Rectifier circuits with power factor correction

Abstract

Power Factor, the ratio between the real power and the apparent power forms a very essential parameter in power system. It is indicative of how effectively the real power of the system has been utilized. With rapid development in power semiconductor devices, the usage of power electronic systems has expanded to new and wide application range that include residential, commercial, aerospace and many others. Power electronic interfaces have proved to be superior. However, their non‐linear behavior puts a question mark on their high efficiency. The current drawn by the interfaces from the line is distorted resulting in a high Total Harmonic Distortion(THD) and low Power Factor(PF). Individually, a device with harmonic current does not pose much serious problem however when used on a massive scale the utility power supply condition could be deteriorated. Other adverse effects on the power system include increased magnitudes of neutral currents in three‐phase systems, overheating in transformers and induction motors etc. Hence, there is a continuous need for power factor improvement and reduction of line current harmonics. Development of new circuit topologies and control strategies for Power Factor Correction (PFC) and harmonic reduction has become essential. This project aims to develop a circuit for PFC using passive filters.