Can Reactive Power Compensation Capacitors Be Connected in Series With Active Power Filters?

Reactive power compensation capacitors and active power filters are two common power electronic devices in power systems. They have the functions of compensating reactive power and filtering harmonic currents respectively. In practical applications, many companies often consider connecting these two devices in series in order to achieve better power quality and energy efficiency. So, can reactive power compensation capacitors be used in series with active power filters?
Reactive power compensation capacitor is a device that improves power factor by compensating capacitor power. In the power system, the reactive power of the load will cause power losses, power system voltage fluctuations, current harmonics and other problems. The reactive power compensation capacitor is connected in parallel to the load circuit to provide the reactive power required by the load. This can effectively improve the power factor of the power grid, reduce grid losses, and improve the stability of the power system.
However, reactive power compensation capacitors may introduce harmonic currents, adversely affecting power quality. To solve this problem, active power filters were introduced. An active power filter is a device that can actively control the output current and filter out harmonic currents. It can detect the harmonic current components in the power system and generate the opposite harmonic current through the inverter to realize the compensation of the harmonic current.
It can be seen that it is possible to use reactive power compensation capacitors in series with active power filters, and their respective advantages can be fully utilized. When connected in series, reactive power compensation capacitors can provide basic reactive power compensation and improve the power factor of the power system. At the same time, active power filters can monitor harmonic currents in the power system, adjust the output in real time, filter out harmonic components, and effectively reduce the impact of harmonic currents on the power system.