EFFECT OF DIFFERENT ARC FURNACE MODELS ON VOLTAGE DISTORTION

Elham B. Makram
IEEESenior Member

Tongxin Zheng

IEEE Student Member

Adly A. Girgis
IEEE Fellow

Electrical and Computer Engineering Department

Clemson University

Clemson, SC 29634-0915

ABSTRACT In this paper, different arc fumace methods are

reviewed for the purpose of harmonic analysis. In general, these
models may be classified into time domain method and frequency
domain method. The difference between these two methods is
discussed and evaluated. In this paper, six typical arc furnace
models from the time domain and frquency domain methods are
selected to study their effects on harmonic analysis. Simulation
results are also provided. Comparisons between these results show
the effects of different arc furnace models on voltage waveform and
percentage of harmonic components distribution. which provides a
discussion of the differences between time domain and frequency
domain methods. finally, recommendations are made for the
application of some of these models.

KEYWORDS:Arc Furnace, Nonlinear Load,Harmonic Analysis

I.

INTRODUCTION

An A.C. arc fumace is an unbalanced, nonlinear and time

varying load, which can cause many problems to the power system
quality. An arc fumace load may cause unbalance, harmonic,
interharmonics and voltage flicker. The dynamic property of arc
fumace has also resulted in chaotic characteristic [11.
It is necessary to develop an accurate three-phase arc furnace
model for the purpose of harmonic analysis and flicker
compensation. Since the arc melting process is a nonstationary
stochastic process, it is difficult to make an accurate deterministic
model for an arc furnace load. The factors that affect the arc
fumace operation are the melting or refining materials, the electrode
position, the electrode arm control scheme and the supply system
voltage and impedance. Thus, the description of arc fumace load
depends on the following items: arc voltage, arc current and arc
length (which is determined by the position of electrode).
Current research efforts on arc fumace models consider the
above parameters and their interrelationship. At present time, there
are many methods for three-phase arc fumace load modeling. In
general, they can be classified into time domain and frequency
domain analysis methods. For detail, the arc fumace models may
be classified as:
(1) V-I Characteristic Method [26]
(2) Time Domain Equivalent Nonlinear Circuit Mode1[7-8]
(3) Harmonic Voltage Source Model [9-101
(4) Harmonic Domain Solution of Nonlinear Differential
Equation [1I]
(5) Random Process Method [2-51.[12-14]
The V-I Characteristic method given in the reference [2-6) is

simple and direct, it can satisfy a certain operating condition, and the
simplification of V-I Characteristic is the main factor of accuracy.
The time domain equivalent circuit method is based on the V-I
characteristic, more simplification is made than the V-I
characteristic method (reference [7-81). Harmonic voltage source
method mentioned in reference [9-101is based on the harmonic
study of a certain kind of the arc voltage waveform. The problem is
that under this voltage waveform, the arc furnace system is not
operating at the maximum power transfer condition. A method in
reference [11J presents good results of arc fumace simulation, but it
is based on an experimental formula.
The harmonic domain
solution of nonlinear differential equations depends on system
topology and operating condition. Random process can reflect the
operation of arc furnace system, but this model is mainly for voltage
flicker analysis.
In order to compare the difference of different arc fumace
models, six models from time and frequency domain methods are
discussed and presented in section 11. Numerical results from an
actual arc fumace system are presented in Section IJI. In section
IV, the differences between the arc fumace models are discussed.
The conclusions are drawn in section V.

II.
1.

ARC FURNACE MODELS

TIME DOMAIN ANALYSIS METHOD

Time domain method is one of the two basic methods for the
study of arc fumace system. For the harmonic analysis, FFT is
applied to the actual waveforms to get the harmonic components in
the frequency domain method.
It can be classified as V-I
CharacteristicMethod and Equivalent Circuit Method.
V-I CHARACTERISTIC IVIC) METHOD
VIC Method utilizes the numerical analysis method to solve the
differential equation (which is used to describe the arc fumace
system) with nonlinear VIC. Since different VIC's will result in
different arc voltage waveform, in this paper different VIC's are
entitled as different models.

MODEL 1
Figure 1 shows the actual VIC and its piecewise linearlization in
reference 121. The assumption is that the arc ignition voltage Vi8
and the arc extinction voltage V , are determined by the arc length
during arc furnace operation. Let R , and R, be slopes of line OA
and line AB, thus, the positive half cycle of VIC is expressed as,

Paper accepted for presentation at the t?' Intenrdinal

Conference on Harmonics and Quality of Power
ICHQP '98,jointly organized by IEEEIPES and NTUA,
Athens, Gmce, October 1416,1998
0-7803-5105-3/98/$10.00 0 1998 IEEE

1079

[R,i

i e i, and increasing or i e i, and decreasing

i > i, and increasing

V,, + (i - i2)R2
i e i, and decreasing
V, + (i - i3)R3
Where, R I , R, and R, are the coressponding slopes of each
section, and

In this model, the mean voltage level V,,,which is a function of

the arc length, is used to reflect the operating condition, Vig , V,,

Figure 1:V-I Characteristic of Model 1

and V , are also considered to be proportional to V,,, .

MODEL 2
Another type of simplification on VIC [4]is shown in Figure 2,
which is refered to as model 2. Since the arc voltage changes its
polarity very fast, this model neglects the voltage rising time, which
results in a sudden change in the arc voltage when the arc current is
at zero crossing. Thus, the positive half cycle of VIC is expressed

as,

V = sig(i). V,,,+

(2)

D:H]

Let 1 be the arc lengtb, A and B are the coefficients from

experimental formula, then
V, z A - k B . 1
(3)
Where V,, reflects the arc fumace operatingcondition.

400

-0.5

0
CU~C.N(A)

0.5

IW

Figure 3: V-I Characteristic of Model 3

With different VIC's, the arc fumace system is described by a
set of nonlinear differential equations.
Because of the
nonlinearlirity. the time domain solution can be divided into the
Direct VIC method and Voltage Source Method.
(A) Direct VIC Method (DVIC)
For a simple arc fumace system, the arc fumace system can be
expressed as following,

-- 1

-0.5

0
Cunmt(A)

0.5

Figure 2 V-I Characteristic of Model 2

MODEL 3
Figure 3 shows the nonlinear approximationof VIC [6]. In this
model, the arc melting process is divided into three sections. In the
first section, the arc is from extinction to reignition. The voltage
magnitude increases from extinction voltage -V, to ignition
voltage Vig ,the arc fumace acts as a resistance, and the arc current

Where, V, and I, are the arc voltage and current, V, is the supply
voltage. R and L are the equivalent resistance and inductance.
The numerical method may be used for the time domain solution
of differential equation. Supposing Euler method is applied to
approximate the differential operator, the discrete form of equation
( 5 ) may be expressed as
2L
2L
V, ( t )=V,(t) +-I,,,(t - At) - (-+ R)14( t )

I,(t

changes its polarity from -i, to i, . The second section is the

beginning of arc melting process. There is a sudden voltage drop
across the electrode, thus the arc voltage decreases from Vig to V ,,
and the arc current has a little increase from i, to i, . In this
approximation, the voltage drops in an exponential way. The third
section is the normal arc melting process, the arc voltage drops
slowly and smoothly from V,, to Vex. Since the melting process
spans most of the half cycle, the mean value is assummed to be V,,, .
Because the arc current increases to its maximum before it drops i, ,
the VIC is divided into current increasing and decreasing parts in
this section. After approximating each section of VIC, it can be
expressed by equation (4),

At

At

- At) = (V,( t - At) - R I ,

(t

- At)-V,

(I-

At))-

At

2L

(6)

v, 0)= f(I. ( 1 ) )
Thus, at each time step the differential equation changes to a set
of nonlinear algebraic equations. The solution of this set of
equations results in the arc voltage and current at the same time step.
(B) Voltage Source Method
In the DVIC method, it is difficult to solve the nonlinear
algebraic equations.
Since the voltage waveform is changing
continuously, the arc voltage value changes slightly between two
successive samples. Thus, a voltage source method can be formed
to solve the equation approximately. First, the initial values of arc

1080

voltage and current are assumad to be known. ?hen, the initial

guess of arc voltage at time step n is assumed to be the arc voltage at
time step n-I,and the arc Current at time n is calculated from the
first part of equation (6). Finally, the arc voltage is calculated from
the nonlinear VIC expression.
This method is simple and direct, but the convergence depends
on the initial values of the arc voltage and current, and the VIC
expression. If the arc voltage has a sudden change in VIC, this
method will produce more errors than DVIC.
TIME DOMAIN EOUNALENT CIRCUIT (TDEC)
Unlike the VIC method, the TDEC method forms an equivalent
circuit constructed by voltage source and resistors, after studying the
VIC, arc voltage and current waveform. In fact, TDEC makes so
many simplifications on VIC that the accuracy is affected.

classified as Harmonic Voltage Source and Harmonic Domain

Solution of Nonlinear Differential Equation Technique.

HARMONIC VOLTAGE SOURCE (HVS) METHOD

MODEL 6

H V S method first applies Fourier transform to the arc voltage

waveform to obtain its harmonic components, then the current
harmonic components are calculated through the arc voltage
harmonic components [9].
Since the arc voltage changes its polarity very fast, reference [9]
considered the arc voltage to be a square wave with the magnitude
of U,. Let 0 be the system frequency and u,(t) be the arc
voltage, then the fourier series of

with k = 1.3,5,7.....

U,,(t) = x-sinkwr
wd

MODEL 4

k 4

Reference [7]provides a timing-switch model. Since there is a

foamy slag across the arc furnace, the equivalent circuit in reference
[7] is changed to the one shown in Figure 4. At time tl, the arc
extincts and the current changes its polarity, the arc voltage is the
voltage across the foamy slag, When the voltage on the foamy slag
increases to the melting voltage at time t2, the arc begins to melt and
keeps the constant arc voltage U,, Because the diference between
currents at time tl and tz is very small.the current is asuumed to be
zero, which is called current gap. ntus, at time tl arc voltage is
assummed to change polarity and at time t2 arc melting process is
assummed to be activated. This forms a timing-switch arc furnace
model. The voltage level U, depends on the arc length, which
reflects the operating condition.
In this model, the approximation of arc voltage U, and the
estimation of switch time tl and t2are the main factors of acuracy.
n

U,(t) may be expressed as :

(7)

Idc

Let the source voltage V, =fiEsin(wt+a)

Zkk

and let system

at the kth harmonic frequency. Assuming the

impedance be

current to be zero when voltage change its polarity, the fundamental

frequency component of the arc voltage is expressed as
U,,= 6,Esin(#, -a)
(8)
where,
1
sing,
-=Z1-&--wher k = 1,3,5.7 .....
(9)

k-1

' 1

Moreover, the phase angle of source voltage is calculated by

assuming the maximum power transfer in the fundamental
frequency. Thus,

From above calculation, an equivalent circuit for the

fundamental frequency component can be represented as an
equivalent arc resistance and a reactance. The equivalent circuit is
shown in Figure 6.

IL
L
I
@+

RI
Figure 4 Equivalent Circuit of Model 4

MODEL 5
Reference [8] presents another equivalent circuit of an arc
fumace load, which is shown in figure 5. This circuit is based on
the same VIC as MODEL 1. Arc voltage is considered to be a
square-wave voltage source (whose magnitude is U, that is called
the arc clamper) with a negative resistor during arc melting process.
In this model, since the time-shift of ac clamper starting point has
much influence on the arc current waveform, its approximation is
the main factor of simulation accuracy.

~~~~

Figure 6:Fundamental Frequency Equivalent Circuit

Where,

6,Z, sin(4, -CY)

6,cos#, sin($, - a)
Figure 7 shows the equivalent circuit for the calculation of kth
harmonic components, where U, is the harmonic voltage source.
RNL

= cos(#, -a)

RI
Figure 5: Equivalent Circuit of Model 5
2.

FREQUENCY DOMAIN ANALYSIS

The frequency domain analysis method represents the arc

voltage and current by their harmonic components. It can be

Figure 7: Harmonic Voltage Source Circuit

In this model, it is assumed that the arc fumace load draws the
maximum power in the fundamental frequency, which is not always
true for the actual arc fumace operation. This constitutes the main
source of error.

1081

HARMONIC DOMAIN SOLUTION

DIFFERENTIALEOUATION (HDSNDE)

OF

With these parameters shown in table 1, the six models are

studied. and the results are shown in Figure 9-14 respectively. The
source voltage, voltage at PCC, arc voltage and arc current are
shown in each figure. Comparisons of these results are summarized
in the following comments,
(1) The six models result in different arc voltage waveforms.
Arc voltage waveforms of model 1 , 2 and 3 have the same
pattern. They have transient at the beginning of arc
melting process, but the arc voltage goes up when the arc
begins to extinct, which is not the case in fact. Arc
voltages of models 4 and 6 are similar with the squarewave pattern, but these phenomenon such as the transient
and the voltage drop at the beginning and the end of arc
melting process, are not presented.
The arc voltage
magnitude of model 4 is higher than that of model 6. The
arc voltage waveform of model 3 is more accurate than
that of other models, since it is consistent with the actual
measurement,
(2) There are minor differences in the arc current waveforms.
The current waveforms of models 1,2.3,4 and 5 have the
same pattern that the current increases slowly before arc
melting. While the arc current of model 6 does not have
the current gap phenomenon, and has few hannonic
components.
(3) The voltage waveforms at PCC have little difference
among each model. They all look like sinusoidal, the only
difference is the voltage distortion in the period between
arc extinction and arc reignation.
The percentage harmonic components of arc voltage, arc current
and voltage at PCC are summarized in Table 2. Comparison
between them shows the following,
(1) The arc voltage of model 1 has the largest percentage
harmonic components. Although the percentage harmonic
components of the six models are close to each other,
model 6 has the smallest fundamental frequency
component.
(2) The arc current of model 2 has the largest percentage
harmonic components, while those of model 1,3.4 and 5
are close to each other.
However, the arc current
waveform of model 6 has less distortion than that of
others, since the fundamental frequency component is too

NONLINEAR

Reference [111 provides a harmonic domain solution method of

nonlinear differential equation. In this model. the arc fumace load
model is developed from the energy balance equation, which is
actually a nonlinear differential equation of arc radius and arc
current. The arc radius waveform can be calculated from the given
current waveform, and the method used here is the Harmonic
Newton-Raphson method. As a function of the arc current and the
arc radius with analytical expression, the arc voltage can also be
calculated. This model uses some experimental parameters to
reflect the arc fumace operation, but it neglects the influence of its
supply system. Since this method depends on the experimental
formula, which is different with different arc fumace loads, the
simulation of this model is not provided in this paper.

Et. SIMULATION RESULT

To show the comparison of different arc &ace models, a
simple arc fumace system is studied in single phase. The system
configuration is shown in Figure 8.
Pcc

2.

AF

The parameters of this system are obtained from an actual

system provided in reference 161. There is a foamy slag in parallel
with the arc fumace. The rated power of the arc fumace is 55 MW.
In figure 8, the system impedance is represented as 5, bus PCC
represents the Point of Common Coupling and bus AF is the low
voltage side of the transformer whose impedance is given as Z,.
The system parameters and the parameters of each model are
presented in Table 1.

Table 1. System and Arc Fumace Model Parameters

Parameters
Items I
1
E=566V f =6OHz R, =50&
System

Model 1
Model 2
Model 3
Model 4
Model 5

Model 6

Z, = 0.0528+ jO.46-

Vi, = 350.7N

V, = 289.79'

high.

Z, = 0.3366 + j 3 . 2 W

R, = 5 0 4
i, = 7.02kA
R, = 4 . 7 6 n R
i, = 80kA

v,, = 289.79 c = 1.68MW

(3) The voltage distortion at PCC has slight difference, except

that fundamental freauencv ComDonent of model 6 is a
little bit small.
(4) Model 6 has the largest power consumption with 17MW
and the highest power factor, which is caused by the
maximum power transfer assumption
.

Iv. DISCUSSION

D = 20.65kA

Table 3 summarizes the differences between each arc furnace

model that are mentioned above in section 11. it reveals the
Vi,= 350.79 V, = 320.73' V, = 289.7511 V, = 30% following:
DVIC method is simple and direct, it is not influenced by the
=289-75V R2 =-0*76mR i2 =80kA
supply system parameter (such as distorted source voltage and
system impedance) and the initial value of differential equation. It
can achieve higher accuracy than other methods and has no
U, =3ON w, = 28.72" + k r ox, =37.16' +krc
convergence problem. However, by depending upon the operating
condition, VIC changes with arc length, it is difficult to get a
U, = 320.2N
precise approximationof VIC. VS method has no difference from
R, = 50mQ R2 = -0.572mn a =39.04"
DVIC but convergence problem which depends on the initial value
of differential equation. High error will exist if there is a sharp
U, = 245.01V a = 41.4" 6,= 0.8152
voltage change in VIC. Normally TDEC method can not achieve
good results like DVIC, because it depends on the simple
XNL=16mR RNL=3mCL Uk=312/nsin(ka)
approximation of VIC. In addition. the structure of equivalent

1082

-- SOllrceVdtagc
-.-

-- Sourcevoltage
-.-

VdtageatpcC

-400. -Arc

t\.

CY

0.005

600

Time(=)

Figure 1 2 Voltage and Current Waveform from Model 4

-- sourcevoltage
--- VoltageatpcC .
I

200.
h

-200

0"'-

600-

=
:?
',!

+x

--

sourcevoltage

-.-

VoltageatpcC .

j
I!
I/
I Ii
!.,

+\
. I.---,\..\J;./i

\\

g 1-

\'

"."._ Arc current

-6co

VoltageatpcC .

/---a
I?.,

-400. -ArcVoltage

-600

SOllrceVdtage

-./

-200-

-400. -ArCVoltage

-4

r?

-0

-400. -Arcvoltage

-600
0

a\=:/ AJ

Voltage

-.."...Arcanrent
0.01
0.015
0.02
Timc(sec)
Figure 9: Voltage and Current Waveform from Model 1

VottageatKX

0.005

0.01
Time(=)

0.015

0.02

Figure 11: Voltage and Current Waveform from Model 3

Note: All the current waveforms in the above figures are scaled to 200, in order to mach the voltage waveform.

1083

Time Domain Method

Harmonics
Fund (V)
. .

7th(%)
9th(%)
1Ith 1%)
.,

3
I

Fund (U)
3rd(%)
. .

I
I

51.99

Model3
278.73
33.60
1957
13.55
9.90
7.36
53.88
15.73
5.49
2.71
1.53
0.93
380.80
3.13
1.82
1.25
0.91

Equivalent Circuit
Model4
I Model 5
274.46
268.13
35.13
33.20
19.77
19.92
13.04
13.97
10.71
8.98
8.63
6.24

55.02

Model 6
220.56
33.30
19.94
14.20
11.00
8.96
74.85
8.91
3.21
1.64
0.99
0.66
370.64
2.52

1.44

1lth (%)

0.85
380.24
3.37
1.93
1.28
0.91

0.67

0.64

0.67

0.79

0.56

0.68

14.35
0.85 16

14.02

14.37
0.8618

14.43
0.8541

14.78
0.8665

17.19
0.9390

5th(%)
7th(%)
ab(%)
1 Irh (a)
Power (MW)
Power Factor

0.8515

Time Domain Method

V-I CharacteristC
DVIC

arc

length
I

The most accurate one if Not acuuate when the arc

VIC is approximated
P d l Y

1.08

380.15
3.05
1.82
1.28
0.99

1.51

1.08
0.83

Frequency Domain Method

vs

No influenceon VIC and No influeme on VIC and

the solluion procedure
the. solluion procedure

15.00
5.37
2.72
1.63

57.47
14.84
5.06
2.37
1.27
0.73
379.01
3.17
1.80
1.18
0.81

Frequency
Domain

9th(%)

54.84
16.36
5.59
2.64

17.40
6.01
2.81
1.54
0.93
381.80
3.33
1.91
1.25
0.88

Modell
274.47
36.16
20.69
13.77
9.75
7.12

V-I Characteristic
1 Model2 I
282.84
35.29
20.25
13.18
9.07
6.44
I

TDEC

HVS

HDSNDE

Equivalent circuit changes

with arc length

No Influence

As a variableto be solved
in the n o n l i m
differential equation

key

Depends on TDEC

Influencesequivalent
circuit parameter

No consideration

Influencesequivalent
circuit parameter

Influencesthe solution of
differential equation

Not accurate becaw of

the maximum power

Dependson the
experimental formula of

transfer assumption

the arc length

Converge

Not Necessary

AbsolutelyConverge

Depends on the initial

value, may have

Converge

oscillation

FET is applied on the

timedomainwaveform

FIT is appliedon the

tim domain waveform

FIT is appliedon the

time domain waveform

Available by assuming
VIC changes with arc

Availableby assuming
VIC changeswith arc
length

Available by assuming
TDECparameteras
random variables

length

DNot Available

Direct Solution

Not Available

Increasethe accuracy of
Includethe network
VIC approximationand
of iterattion is needed when Changeequivalent circuit Eleminate the maximum differetial equation and
Increasesthe a?
VIC approxmwon
to satisfy more precise VIC power transfer assumption improveexperimental
thereexista sudden
fomular
changeof arc voltage

1084

circuit changes with VIC and some of TDEC's parameters are

determined by the system parameter, although this method is simple
for circuit analysis. HVS is straightforward for harmonic analysis
without convergence problem. However, HVS method determines
the parameter of equivalent circuit through the supply system
parameter with the assumption of maximum power transfer, which
can not reflect the arc fumace operating condition. FDSNDE can
achieve good resblt if the experimental formula is accurate. But
this method only studies the differential equation of the arc furnace
load, which neglects the interaction between the supply system and
arc furnace load operation.

V. CONCLUSION
This paper presents several typical arc fumace models in the
time domain (TD) and the frequency domain (FD) for the harmonic
analysis. Results of six models from an actual arc fumace system
are presented and compared. The differences between each model
are also discussed and summarized.
From the simulation
procedure, it shows that TD method is more accurate than FD
method, since it can represent the nonlinearity easier in TD than in
FD. However, the FD method is more efficient than TD method,
because it can represent the variable directly in the harmonic
domain.

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R C , N0.2Mar. 1985, pp.82-93.

BIOGRAPHY
Tongxin Zheng is a research assistant at Clemson University. He
received his BS degree in 1993 from North China Institute of Electric
Power, MS degree from Tsinghua University, China in 1996.
Presently he is working towards the Ph.D. degree in Electrical
Engineering at Clemson University, Clemson, SC. His research
interests include power quality, power system analysis and
optimization.
Elham B. Makram (SM '82) was born in Assuit, Egypt. She
received the B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Assuit
University, Egypt in 1969. She received the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees
from Iowa State University in 1978 and 1981 respectively. She is
presently a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at
Clemson University, Clemson, SC. Dr. Makram is senior member,
IEEE,member of ASEE, Sigma Xi, NSPE and CIGRE. She is a
registered professional engineer. Her present research interests
include. computer simulation of power systems, high impedance
faults and power system harmonics. She is the recipient of the 1991
Alumni Research Award, the 1992 NSFFAW award, the 1993 S W E
distinguished engineering educator award, the 1994 outstanding
faculty award at Clemson University, and the 1996s Provost's Award
for Scholarly Achievement.
Adly A. Girgis (S'80-SM'81-F92) is a fellow of the IEEE. He
received the B.S. (with distinction first class honors) and the M.S.
degrees in Electrical Engineering from Assuit University, Egypt. He
received the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State
University. He is currently Duke Power Distinguished Professor of
Power Engineering in the Electrical and Computer Engineering
Department and Director of the Clemson University Electric Power
Research Association. His present research interests are real-time
computer applications in power system control, instrumentation and
protection, Signal processing and Kalman filtering applications in
power systems.

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