Investigation of a low-cost power factor correction circuit for use with voltage source induction motor drives

This paper evaluates the operation of a low cost circuit for improving the power factor of capacitively smoothed diode bridge rectifiers. The circuit employs an inductor and a star/delta transformer arrangement connected to the rectifier. Simulation and experimental results are compared and illustrate that the circuit can considerably improve the power factor of the system but at the expense of a reduction in efficiency. The influence of the voltage distortion on the operation of the circuit is also considered.