More in-depth analytical investigations of two Effective Harmonics Filters for More Electric Marine Vessel Applications

In the last decades, due to the substantial evolution of shipboard power systems (SPSs) towards all-electric ships, power quality (PQ) issues onboard ships have become a serious challenge. To deal with this problem, using active filters may not be very practical because they have limited rated powers, high implementation cost, and other deficiencies particularly for medium-voltage SPSa. Some cost-effective solutions such as passive power filters (PPFs) and fixed capacitor-thyristor controlled reactors (FC-TCR) might be a reliable solution for medium voltage SPSs due to their capability to operate in medium and high voltage applications, low cost and easy maintenance. The contribution of this paper is to provide more in-depth analysis and mathematical development to evaluate and compare the performance of these solutions. Moreover, developed mathematical formulas are suggested to enhance the FC-TCR capability in terms of harmonic filtering. Through intensive simulation studies of a practical shipboard power system, which are carried out in MATLAB/Simulink environment, it is demonstrated that the FC-TCR can enhance the power quality and voltage stability of SPSs better than traditional PPFs filters.