Experimental Validation of Z-Source Network-Based Solar PV Backed Unified Active Power Filter for Power Quality Enrichment

This research paper introduces Unified Active Power Filter (UAPF) based on the Z-Source Inverter (ZSI) assisted by a Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) to improve the quality of power. This inverter offers significant benefits as it offers better buck/boost functionality, can control the phase angle output, has fewer harmonics, does not require filters and has high performance over the traditional inverter. For the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) feature, a low step-up Direct Current (DC)-DC converter module is used as a DC-DC switched power apparatus. The compensation feature of the UAPF depends on the method of control used to generate reference signals. In this proposed method, the Improved Second-Order General Integrator (ISOGI) is used to obtain the ZSI-UAPF reference current. The ISOGI-based control system only utilizes converter and load current measurement, since the feedback signals do not need voltage information and associated sensors. The proposed controller works efficiently with the SPV and battery system and enables distributed power to be coupled with loads under various operating conditions. The ZSI-based SPV-UAPF provides mitigation for long-range current and voltage interference and meets the grid's active power requirements. The experimental findings based on a digital real-time platform justify the efficiency of PV with ZSI topology under balanced and unbalanced voltage and load conditions.