Coping with Harmonics in Smart Grid: variable speed driveswith Back-to-Back Voltage Source Converter versus the matrix converter

Abstract

In this master thesis it has been investigated to utilize the matrix as a shunt active power filter and an adjustable speed drive and then compare the matrix converter with the Back-to-Back voltage source converter in terms of active filtering capability and reactive power compensation.In first steps to utilize the matrix converter as a motor drive and a shunt active power filter the control systems for the Permanent magnet synchronous machine, shunt active power filter and 3-phase LC-filter are built. In second steps the simulation result of the matrix converter as motor drive and shunt active power filter is compared with the Back-to-Back voltage source converter in terms of active filtering. The simulation results show that the matrix converter can operate as motor drive very well, but it cannot operate as a shunt active power filter at the same time. In other words it does not have the capability to compensate the harmonic current of the nonlinear load and to make the source current sinusoidal and harmonic free.Whereas the simulation results for Back-to-Back voltage source converter shows that, it can operate as motor drive and a shunt active power filter at the same time. In other word Back-to-Back converter has a good capability for the harmonic current and reactive power compensation.From the simulation results it can be concluded that the Back-to-Back voltage source converter is the best in terms of active filtering capability and reactive power compensation.