Pg14 Dugan

Harmonic distortion issues and voltage and current anomalies represent the areas where
common problems in power quality occur. Voltage and current anomalies can produce
problems; however, many can be corrected before they damage equipment. Use this chart
to help spot the symptoms:

Issue Symptoms Potential causes

 Lighting dimming,
computer lockups, relay
 Starting large loads, especially
and contactor chatter or
large inductive
complete dropout,
 Similar operations in neighbouring
Dips or Sags equipment and system
facilities
shutdowns
 Severe weather
 Spurious and unexplained
alarms and shutdowns

 Failed power supply  Fault on single phase of three-

 Overvoltage shutdowns phase system
Swells and alarms on variable  Sudden load decrease
frequency drives (VFDs)  Capacitor bank switching

 Lightning strikes
 Flashover and arcing
 Switching of capacitors
effects in distribution
 Reenergizing systems after a power
equipment
failure
Transients  Damaged insulation
 Sudden stoppage of large
 Failed electronics
equipment
 Computer lockups
 Dirty or worn contactors

Interruptions Equipment shutdowns Momentary loss of utility power

Overheated three-phase motors
Unbalance
and transformers
 Unbalanced loads across individual
phases of three-phase panelboards
 Unbalanced utility supply
 Operation of single-phase welders
 Open-delta transformers

 Overheated neutral  Nonlinear loads such as switching

Harmonics
conductors power supplies
 Overheated transformers
 Overheated inductive
motors
 Spurious and unexplained
alarms and shutdowns of
electronic equipment
 Converter sections of
uninterruptible power supply (UPS),
VFDs and battery chargers
 Welders
 Arc furnaces
 HARMONICS
Harmonics Definations & effect

Harmonics are sinusoidal voltages or currents having frequencies that are

integer multiples of the frequency at which the supply system is designed to
operate ( fundamental frequency; usually 50 or 60 Hz).
Harmonic distortion is caused by nonlinear devices in the power system. A
nonlinear device is one in which the current is not proportional to the applied
voltage. Figure 5.1 illustrates this concept by the case of a sinusoidal voltage
applied to a simple nonlinear resistor in which the voltage and current vary
according to the curve shown. While the applied voltage is perfectly sinusoidal,
the resulting current is distorted. Increasing the voltage by a few percent may
cause the current to double and take on a different waveshape. This is the
source of most harmonic distortion in a power system.

The harmonic currents in combination with line impedance of the distribution

network in turn causes distortion in supply voltage. The amount of voltage
distortion depends on a) system impedance b) load current. The value and
wave shape of the current drawn is decided by the characteristics of end user
equipment and the value of system impedance by the utility.
Harmonic resonance & its consequences.