Improved Reference Current Extraction Method for Electric Aircraft Active Power Filter Application

Abstract

This paper proposes a robust reference current extraction method useful for active power filters (APFs) connected to the More Electric Aircraft (MEA) grid for addressing power quality issues. Hence, it is essential to investigate and develop better APF harmonic compensating control algorithms that can eliminate the impact of harmonics emerging from the nonlinear loads connected to the MEA grid. The proposed method envisages a half-cycle moving window discrete Fourier transform filter approach to rapidly extract the fundamental positive sequence (FPS) from a polluted three-phase grid voltage. Thus, allowing the harmonic cancelation method to generate desired clean reference current which is in phase with FPS component of the grid voltage. This reference current is used in conjunction with the hysteresis current controller to generate appropriate gate pulses for the current-controlled voltage source APF. The employment of the digital filter in the control structure of the APF ensures improved power quality for the MEA grid as compared to traditional filtering algorithms. The numerical and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed control solution helps to reduce the total harmonic distortion under abnormal grid disturbances, thus, indicating the potential benefits of the proposed work for addressing power quality issues in MEA applications.

Keywords:

• active power filter (APF)
• direct control technique
• discrete Fourier transform (DFT)
• more electric aircraft (MEA)
• three-phase system

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bhumaiah Jula

Bhumaiah Jula holds a bachelor’s degree (Electrical and Electronics Engineering) from VCE, Warangal, JNTUH, India in 2009, and a master’s degree (Power Electronics and Electrical Drives) from VCE, Shamshabad, JNTUH, India in 2012. Currently studying for a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur, India, focusing on grid synchronization and converter control for electric aircraft and utility grid applications.

Raj Kumar Jarial

Raj Kumar Jarial is a member of DEIS. He received his Bachelor’s degree [B. Sc. Engg. (Electrical)], and Master’s degree (Power System) in 1989 and 1992, respectively, from the National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, India. Since 1994, he has been with the Department of Electrical Engineering, NIT Hamirpur, India. He is also the coordinator for the power transformer diagnostics center at NIT, Hamirpur, India. His current research interests include power electronics-based drives and high-voltage engineering.

Anant Kumar Verma

Anant Kumar Verma obtained his bachelor’s degree in Instrumentation Engineering from the University Science Instrumentation Center Srinagar, India, in 2012 and a master’s degree from the Dehradun Institute of Technology, India, in 2014. He completed his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur, India, and is presently working at Universidad de O'Higgins, Chile, with research interests in modular multilevel converters, grid synchronization algorithms, battery management systems, and electric vehicles.

Claudio Burgos-Mellado

Claudio Burgos-Mellado received the B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Chile, Santiago, Chile, in 2012 and 2013, respectively, and a dual PhD degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the University of Nottingham, U.K., and the University of Chile, Chile in 2019. He is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Engineering Sciences, Universidad de O’Higgins, Rancagua, Chile. His research interest includes modular multilevel converters, cyber-security for power electronics, battery management systems, and microgrids.

Manish Kumar

Manish Kumar received his B.Tech in electrical engineering from RGPV Bhopal in 2014, followed by M.Tech in control system engineering from NIT Patna in 2017. He completed Ph.D. in electrical engineering at NIT Hamirpur in 2023. He is active researcher in field of power electronics and control, his research work includes grid synchronization, drive and control, power quality improvement, and electric vehicle.

Héctor Levis

Héctor Levis obtained his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Universidad de O’Higgins, Rancagua, Chile in 2022. He is currently studying his M.sc in Electrical Engineering from the Universidad de O’Higgins, with research interests in HVDC transmission systems, battery energy storage systems, and frequency support from power converters.