POWER QUALITY

Document By
SANTOSH BHARADWAJ REDDY
Email: help@matlabcodes.com
Engineeringpapers.blogspot.com
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ABSTRACT:
THE UBIQUITOUS APPLICATIONS OF POWER ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENTS
RESULTED IN POWER QUALITY PROBLEMS, SUCH AS VOLTAGE DISTORTION
DUE TO HARMONICS GENERATED IN SUPPLY CURRENTS OF VARIOUS ORDER
ENERGY EFFICIENT ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENTS AND NON LINEAR LOADS ON
VOLTAGE AND CURRENT WAVE FORMS. THE POWER QUALITY IS OF
INCREASING CONCERN OF ELECTRIC UTILITIES ,SINCE THE ILL EFFECTS OF
HARMONICS CAUSES THE DETERIORATION OF VARIOUS SENSITIVE
ELECTRONIC AND ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT DESIGNED TO OPERATE ON PURE
SINUSOIDAL WAVE FORM OF A.C. SUPPLY AT RATEDVOLTAGE AND
FREQUENCY. HARMONIC DISTORTION AND SUBSEQUENT EQUIPMENT DAMAGE
ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS POWERQUALITY PROBLEMS NOW A DAYS .
THE THREE MAIN IMPORTANT FACTORS RELATED WITH POWER QUALITY
ARE UTILITY, CUSTOMER AND EQUIPMENT MANFACTURERS. THE AIM OF
THIS PAPER IS TO TAKE A OVERVIEW OF DIFFERENT SOURCES OF HARMONIC
GENERATION , THEIR EFFECTS, MEASUREMENT AND ELIMINATION TECHINIQUES
TO BRING THE TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION WITHIN PERMISSIBLE LIMIT
BY USING HARMONIC SUPPRESSOR SYSTEMS .
INTRODUCTION:
Harmonic Voltages and Currents are the integral multiples of the fundamental frequency. In
India ,for 50Hz. frequency of second harmonic is 100Hz, third harmonic is 150Hz. and so
on.
Though the applied voltage is sinusoidal because of their nonlinear characteristics the
current drawn by them is non sinusoidal. This non sinusoidal current after passing through
the low impedance of power causes distortion in sinusoidal voltage which can be split up
as sinusoids of the different frequencies, which when added together results in original
distorted waves. Advancements in power electronics caused the use of such a equipment in
power system at LV,MV,HV and EHV levels increasing at a faster rate, harmonics is
negative by product of this development. Utility of nonlinear loads resulted in large
harmonics in supply currents causing distortion of the voltage wave form resulting in
deterioration of power quality.
Deviation from sinusoidal shape is generally expressed in terms of harmonic
components. All the harmonic current deteriorates the performance and impose various
problems. Therefore , identification of sources of harmonic are important.
Sources of harmonics:
Harmonics of different orders generated when connected power system network by different
sources as below:
• The non linear loads such as inverter fed adjustable speed drive.
• The use of powerfactor correction capacitor creates parallel or series resonance
problems increasing the harmonic distortion.
• Process control and solid state power conversion equipments.
• Energy efficient compact flourescent lamps.
• Use of AC and DC adjustable speed drives
• Static VAR compensators.
• Transformers produces very high levels of harmonics when they are initially
energized, the so called in rush current will generate harmonics of several orders.
• Cycloconverters,Lift control system,Traction,AC voltage regulators, UPS, Battery
chargers.
The following are the undesirable effects of harmonic on the
operation of different equipment connected to power system network. The effect of
harmonic depends on harmonic voltages and currents are the integral multiples of the
fundamental frequency.

EFFECTS OF HARMONICS:
• 1.The duration presence of long duration harmonic cause more serious effects on
the various equipments connected to the power system .
2. Amplitude of harmonics ….large amplitude harmonics of short duration under
resonance condition cause dielectric breakdown due to over voltages.
Now a days various devices and equipment being measured applications are more
sensitive compared to the past.
• The capacitor used for power factor correction and in different filters decreases
resulting in increasing in current drawn by capacitor beyond permissible limits. The
capacitor acts as sink for harmonic currents resultant effect of harmonics is overloading ,
hence over heating increases dielectric stress and increase the power lost. The thermal failure
of capacitor may take place because of higher temperature.
• Non sinusoidal power supplies results in reduction of torque of induction motor
• It will increase interference with telephone , communication and logic circuits.
• Error in reading of induction type energy meters which are calibrated for pure
sinusoidal A.C power.
• Higher order harmonics causes voltage stress and carona .
• Presence of harmonics in power system network can cause additional
losses in power system network, overheating of transmission lines, transformers and
generators etc.,
• Malfunction or even failure of electronic or computer controls.
Hence it is clear that day by day the increase in harmonic contents will
impose new problems on operations of electronic equipment . The energy efficient
electronic equipment that will be produced in future trends result in poor
performance due to the voltage distortion. Hence it is essential to have the proper
coordination between the supply authorities and consumers regarding the power
quality problem, their causes and results and solutions available to eliminate them.
IMPORTANCE OF HARMONIC MEASUREMENTS:
• Meaurement provides the real time information about the power system network
to utilities, consumer and designer .Filters designed after harmonic measurements are
technically better and economical.
• Measurement provide information to analyze the combined effect of harmonic
generated by different loads on power quality.
EQUIPMENT USED FOR MEASUREMENT OF HARMONICS:
In these systems it is necessary that the signal input to the
harmonic analyzer should faithfully represents the voltage and current signals to be
analysed Hence the accuracy of Transducer used in harmonic measurement is very
important. Measurement of the harmonic current is performed by using current
transformer up to 50th harmonic without any problem.
I) Capacitive voltage transformer offers considerable error in the transformation
ratio at harmonic frequencies .The error is significant even for harmonics of order below
25.
II) Potential transformer
III) Switchable capacitive voltage divider (CVD) . For each phase of the system with
capacity to reproduce harmonics other than 50Hz accurately .
IV) The AC system measurement in the frequency domain are carried out by a
harmonic analyzer equipped with grade signal conditioners and ADC. The harmonic
analyzer are microprocessor based high precession instrument using fast fourier techniques
to analyze the input signal.
Different types of instruments available for harmonic measurement are :
• Power profiler BME 303A: It can measure and print in addition to various
electric quantities voltage and current total harmonic distortion and frequency.
• Power network analyzer DIP8000: It is portable three phase network
analyzer designed for power surveys in which the measured data are transformed to PC
for evaluation and documentation.
• Measurement setup: The measurement is done via high quality probe. The
computer loads the waveforms of graph sheets.
• Memory hicorder 8840(Hioki make) :It is used to measure three line
currents and there line to voltage.
• Dynamic signal analyzer model Hp3561: The parameters such as
fundamental frequency of A.C. current, line or phase voltage across potential transformer.

HARMONIC ELIMINATION TECHNIQUES:

To avoid the ill effects of harmonics on the operation of sensitive
equipments, it is necessary to keep harmonic contents below safe limit by installing
filter at load end. The simplest way of eliminating harmonics of different orders is to
install filters at the location generated by different loads are connected in two ways in
power system network.
• 1.SERIES CONNECTED FILTERS: Such type of filters are connected in
series with power system network and offer high impedance at turning frequencies high
impedance offered by filters allow very little harmonics are passed. The drawback of
series filters are high cost, because the rating of filter component required is rated full
load current.
• 2.SHUNT CONNECTED FILTERS: It is most commonly used filters in A.C.
power system network and offers very low impedance path to harmonics. Shunt type of
filters are cheaper than series type because the shunt connected filters are designed for
graded insulation levels which makes the components cheaper than the series filter
components.
Following are the different techniques used to eliminate harmonics of different orders
to keep harmonic distortion within permissible limit.
• PASSIVE FILTERS:
These are LC resonating or parallel resonating circuits which offer very high or low
impedance at tuning frequency. These filters are resistive at tuned frequency, capacitive
at below tuned frequencies and inductive beyond tuned frequency.
TYPES OF PASSIVE FILTERS:
• 1.Series passive filters: These are connected in series and offers very high
impedance to different harmonics at tuned frequency, because of its very high cost
such type of filters are not used.
• 2.Shunt passive filters: These are connected between line and earth and
offer very low impedance at resonant frequency. Hence particular harmonic or harmonics
directed to earth and prevented from passing further. The high pass shunt filters are
connected to the point of common coupling block all over the harmonic frequency and
passes all higher frequency.
• 3.Single tuned filters
• 4. Double tuned filters.
• 5. Triple tuned filters.
• 6. continuously tuned filters.
Passive techniques employs following devices:
• 1.Passive L-C shunt filters.
• 2.Power factor correction capacitor.
ADVANTAGES OF PASSIVE FILTERS
 1.Simple in construction, less costly and efficient
 2.Serves dual purpose harmonic filtration and power factor correction of
load.
DISADVANTAGES OF PASSIVE FILTERS:
• 1.Cannot function under saturated condition.
• 2.Number of passive filters installed must be equal to the number of harmonic
levels to be compensated.
• 3. Connection of passive filters necessities a specific analysis of each
installation.
 • 4.Non adaptability to system variations .
• 5.Bulky in size.
• 6.Tendency to resonate with the other load.
2.ACTIVE FILTERS:
When the number of harmonics to be filtered, large no of branches of passive
filters will be required . The large no of branches of passive filters will be required. The actual
number of branches will depend upon no of harmonic level of branches will depend upon no
of harmonic level to be compensated. Hence, because of passive filter use for filtration of large
no of harmonics results in large size &more cost. Introduction of self commutated devices e.g.
MOSFETS, IGBT etc. Accelerated the research in design of active filter & resulted low cost,
high performance active filter suitable to eliminate the harmonics of different orders to
overcome the drawbacks of passive filters.
Active filters compensates voltage of current harmonic signal measured. The
injected voltage or current harmonic signal measured. The injected voltage or current harmonic
signals in to the power system network is of same magnitude and opposite in phase of the
measured harmonic signal . It comprises power converter and control loop which controls the
harmonics injection of the filter as the function of harmonic signal measure.
TYPES OF ACTIVE FILTERS :
• 1.SHUNT TYPE ACTIVE FILTER:
These devises are designed to constantly monitor the harmonics in the load current and same
harmonic equal in magnitude and opposite in phase thus cancel the original harmonics. These are
connected in parallel with harmonic generating non-linear load.
• 2.SERIES TYPE ACTIVE FILTER:
These are connected in series with network and non-linear load . it introduces a suitable voltage
through a matching transformer, voltage introduce by series filter is in such a way that the
supply sees a very high impedance for harmonic and low impedance for fundamental.
• 3.HYBRID FILTERS:
these are combination of passive and active filter to improve performance similar to active
filter –
with reduction in cost.
DISADVANTAGE OF ACTIVE FILTER:
Complex and costlier.
HARMONIC CANCELLATION:
The phase cancellation or cancellation technique is used in case of static power converters to
eliminate lower harmonic. To use the above technique the following conditions must be
satisfied.
1.Trasformerratio and impedance must be equal.
2.The delay angle of each pulse must be exactly same.
3.the loads must be equal.
ISOLATION TRANSFORMER;
These are used in isolating third harmonic that are common when delta to star configuration is
used.
HARMONIC BLOCKING:
When harmonic content is less, then harmonic blocking technique is used
to protect the most effected equipment e.g. capacitor bands used for power factor correction
offers very low impedance to high frequency harmonics, may get damaged because of large
current drawn due to thermal break down. In this case inductor or damping resistor is
connected in series to protect the capacitor bank.
HARMONIC SUPPRESSOR SYSTEM:
Moreover a novel control method called Harmonic suppressor system is designed in
which a new control method is used. It operates with sensing nonlinearities present in
the load. The compensation process involves novel technique which is achieved without
any complication and involves control logic. To achieve this current controlled logic.
These schemes either use
(1) a reactive volt ampere calculator to set the compensator current
reference which
generates a delay in compensation process and a low pass is also
required to eliminate the ripple from sensed D.C. link voltage which also
introduces a time delay or
(2)error between D.C link voltage reference and the sensed D.C. link capacitor voltage
to set the amplitude of the source current reference.
Single phase compensator and it’s operating principle are given below:
 A single phase compensator is operated in a controlled current Boost type converter
mode.
The current drawn from the utility is made to flow a sinusoidal reference current
within a fixed hysterisis band. The height of this window determines source current
profile, it’s harmonic spectrum and switching frequency of the devices. The link
capacitor voltage is kept constant throughout the operating range of the compensator.
CONCLUSION:
Harmonic distortion is increasing day by day at a faster rate and is a matter of
concern to the utility, customer and manufacturers of different equipment. To keep the
harmonic distortion to low value, following actions are necessary.
 In India it is necessary first to create awareness regarding harmonic problems, their
effects and elimination techniques among the utility, consumers and manufacturers of
different equipments to make power system less polluted.
 The harmonic standards should be imposed on the equipment and should be made
mandatory to the manufactures and consumers. The equipment should strictly comply
to the harmonic standards before selling it in open market.
 The utility should monitor the installation of high tension consumers periodically,
regarding the harmonic distortion and penalties should be imposed on customers
using equipments crossing specified limits.
 Filters should made compulsory to H.T. consumers.

REFERENCES:
1. “Power quality issues standards &guide lines”, IEEE,Vol-32,May96
2. IEEE recommended practices and requirements for harmonic control in electric
power system standard 519-1992.

Document By
SANTOSH BHARADWAJ REDDY
Email: help@matlabcodes.com
Engineeringpapers.blogspot.com
More Papers and Presentations available on above site