When is it best to use Passive Harmonic Filters (PHFs) versus Active Harmonic Filters (AHFs)?
On applications that have a large, single nonlinear load it is generally more economical to use one PHF for harmonic mitigation rather than an AHF because the capital cost of one AHF will generally be much higher than the capital cost of a PHF.
Individual PHFs can be used on systems that have a number of nonlinear loads as long as the total cost (capital cost + installation cost) of the PHF method is less than the total cost (capital cost + installation cost) of the AHF system.
On applications that have a high number of individual nonlinear loads it is generally more economical to use one AHF for harmonic mitigation rather than install individual series connected PHFs on each of the nonlinear loads
