Power Quality Disturbances

https://www.umatillaelectric.com/power-quality/

Nor Farahaida Abdul Rahman 2

 Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lecture, students are expected to be able
To identify types of PQ disturbances.
To identify the cause of PQ disturbances.
To monitor PQ disturbances.
To analyse and solve PQ disturbances.

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 Introduction
Power Quality (PQ) problems any deviation of peak/ rms
value, waveshape or frequency of instantaneous voltage
and/or current end-use equipment cannot work
properly.

4 major reasons for the increased concern:

a) Sensitive equipment: Electronic- and processor-based
equipment.
b) Economic values: Utility, manufacturer and customers.
c) Customer awareness.
d) Deregulation of power industry.

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 Transients
Power
frequency Interruptions
variations

Voltage
fluctuation Sags (dips)
(flicker)

PQ
disturbances

Noise Swell

Under/
Notching
Overvoltage

Harmonics

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 Transients
Transient disturbances refer to a sudden condition in which
the amplitude of voltage or/and current rise
tremendously.

The disturbances happen less than 50 ns to 50 ms.

Effects of transients:
Malfunction of electronic equipment, and motor
operation.
Power System (PS) breakdown.

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 The disturbances can be divided into 2 categories:
1. Impulsive transient.
2. Oscillatory transient.

Mitigation techniques: llimiting devices/ surge suppressor,

and good earthing system.

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 Impulsive Transient
It occurs for less than 50 ns to greater than 1 ms.

It only involves the increase of voltage or/and current

amplitude at one polarity (positive or negative) of voltage
or/and current waveforms.

The main cause of this disturbance is lightning.

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 [1]

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 Oscillatory Transient
The disturbance occurs between 5 s to 50 ms.

It involves the rise of voltage or/and current amplitude for

both polarities of voltage or/and current waveforms.

The causes of the oscillatory transient are

back-to-back capacitor switching,
energization of capacitor bank, and
unloaded transformers in power system.

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 It also characterized based on the frequency of the voltage
or/ and current waveforms:
1. Less than 5 kHz for about 0.3 ms to 50 ms low
frequency.
2. Between 5 kHz to 500kHz for 20 s medium
frequency.
3. Between 0.5 MHz to 5MHz for 5 s high frequency.

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 [1]

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[1]
 [1]

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 Swells
The disturbance has resulted the rise of voltage or/ and
current amplitude within 1.1 pu to 1.8 pu (in rms value).

Other than that, the disturbance is characterized based on

its time duration:
1. Between 0.5 cycle to 30 cycles for an increase of 1.1 pu
to 1.8 pu instantaneous swell.
2. Between 30 cycles to 3s for an increase of 1.1 pu to 1.4
pu momentary swell.
3. Between 3s to 1 minute for an increase of 1.1 pu to 1.2
pu temporary swell.

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 The causes of voltage or/ and current swell are
Single Line to Ground (SLG) fault,
the disconnection of heavy load, and
the energization of large capacitor bank in power
system.

The effects of the disturbance are

high temperature/ heat fire
PS breakdown

Mitigation technique: Dynamic Voltage Restorers (DVRs).

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 Interruptions
Interruption has resulted in the decrease of voltage or/and
current amplitude for less than 1.0 pu.

Other than that, the disturbance is characterized based on

its time duration:
1. Between 0.5 cycle to 30 cycles instantaneous
interruption.
2. Between 30 cycles to 3s momentary interruption.
3. Between 3s to 1 minute temporary interruption.

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 The causes of interruption are
faults in power system,
equipment breakdown, and
malfunction of control system

The effect of interruption is the tripping of protective

devices which leads to PS breakdown.

Mitigation technique: Uninterruptable Power Supplies

(UPSs)

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[1]

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 Sags (dips)
The disturbance has resulted in the decrease of voltage or/
and current amplitude within 0.1 pu to 0.9 pu (in rms
value).

Other than that, the disturbance is characterized based on

its time duration:
1. Between 0.5 cycle to 30 cycles instantaneous sag.
2. Between 30 cycles to 3s momentary sag.
3. Between 3s to 1 minute temporary sag.

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 The causes of interruption are
faults in PS,
heavy load energization, and
starting heavy motors.

The effect of interruption is the tripping of protective

devices which leads to PS breakdown.

Mitigation techniques: DVRs, tap changing transformers,

Switched-Mode Power System (SMPS), and soft starting
motor.

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[1]

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Characteristic of these disturbances are similar to the
temporary swell, interruption and sag except that the time
duration is longer than 1 minute.

Overvoltage

The amplitude of voltage increases for about 1.1 pu to 1.2 pu. It

can happen due to incorrect setting of tap changing
transformers.

Undervoltage

The amplitude of voltage decreases for about 0.8 pu to 0.9 pu. It

can happen due to the switching of large capacitor bank.

Sustain interruption

The amplitude of voltage decreases to 0.0 pu.

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 Harmonics
This disturbance results distortion of voltage or/ and
current shape, frequency, and amplitude. The distorted
voltage or/ and current waveforms consist of a sum of
multiple number of sinusoids in which the individual
frequency of each sinusoid is multiple integer of the
fundamental component of the PS.

It happens due to the implementation of nonlinear loads

which are equipment based power semiconductor devices.
These loads require distortion current for their operation.

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 Effects of harmonic problems
are
Malfunction of electronic
equipment.
Increase power loss in PS.

Mitigation techniques: passive

and active filters, Universal
Power Quality Conditioner
(UPQC)

[1]

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 Notching
The disturbance results a continuous repetitive dips in
voltage waveforms.

The cause of the problem is the operation of 3-phase

converter; during current commutation between 2 phases.

This problem affect the operation of electronic devices

based on microprocessors or programmable controllers.

Mitigation techniques: filters, isolation transformers and

line conditioners.

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[1]

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 Voltage Fluctuation (Flicker)
This disturbance results in random variation of voltage
amplitude.

The range of the amplitude is in between 0.9 pu to 1.1 pu.

This disturbance is caused by the use of arc furnace and

pulsating loads.

It can affect the eyesight of human.

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[1]

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 Power Frequency Variations
It involves a change of power frequency from its nominal
value.

The causes of this disturbance are faults in various points in

PS, disconnection of large unit of loads in PS, and the shut
down of multiple numbers of power generators.

Power frequency variations will affect the operation of

power generator and consequently shut down the whole
operation of PS.

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[1]

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 International & National Standards
International standards:
IEEE
IET
CBEMA/ ITIC (IT equipment)
ANSI, etc

National standard:
SIRIM

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 In Malaysia (1)
In Malaysia, the voltage regulation requirements (TNBs
side) are defined in 2 categories:
Range A:
For normal condition.
The required regulation is as follow:

Nominal voltage (V) % Variation of nominal voltage

400 & 230 -10 & +5
6.6k, 11k, 22k, 33k +/- 5
132k & 275k -5 & +10

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 In Malaysia (2)
Range B:
For short duration or unusual condition (contingency).
The utilitys distribution system including the points
before the consumer metering must be planned to be
maintained as follow:
Nominal voltage (V) % Variation of nominal voltage
400 & 230 +/-10
6.6k, 11k, 22k, 33k +10 & -10
132k & 275k +/-10

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 References
[1] Roger C. Dugan, Mark F. McGranaghan, Surya Santoso, H.
Wayne Beaty, Electrical Power Systems Quality, McGraw-
Hill, 2002.

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