Power quality improvement using optimized Passive Filter for 12-pulse rectifier-chopper in LCI fed synchronous motor drives

This paper investigates a 12-pulse rectifier-chopper topology for the mitigation of harmonics in LCI fed synchronous motor (SM) drives, which uses a multi-winding transformer, diode rectifiers and a chopper in cascade named as “rectifier-chopper”. An optimized shunt passive filter is selected using a modified particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique to improve the total harmonic distortion (THD) and power factor (PF) at AC mains. The proposed PSO algorithm is formulated and implemented in the MATLAB-SIMULINK environment for three varieties of loads on LCI-SM drive, namely constant torque variable speed loads, constant speed variable torque load and variable speed variable torque load to meet the requirements in wide range of applications. The obtained results show considerable improvement in the power quality at the input AC mains of the LCI fed synchronous motor drives for all varieties of loads and presents a basis for selection of a suitable passive filter combination.