Design and Specification of Harmonic Filters for Variable Frequency Drives

Jess A. Baez Moreno ITESM (Departamento de Ingeniera Elctrica) Monterrey, NL. CP. 64849 ABSTRACT
This paper presents a method that can be applied to design and specify low voltage harmonic filters for variable frequency drives. The proposed methodology is used to analyze an electrical distribution system feeding a group of variable frequency drives.

2. SOLUTION METHODOLOGY
Figure 1 shows a one-line diagram of a electrical distribution system feeding a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD). The harmonic filter consists of a capacitor and an inductor connected in series.

1. INTRODUCTION
Generalized use of Variable Frequency Drives has increased harmonic distortion at electrical distribution systems. Some pieces of equipment, such as personal computers, programmable controllers and microprocessor-based instrumentation are very sensitive to harmonic distortion. Proper application of harmonic filters can help to keep harmonic distortion within acceptable limits. This paper describes a simple methodology that can be applied to design harmonic filters for an electrical system that will feed variable frequency drives. The proposed methodology calculates the harmonic voltage attenuation factor produced by filters [1]. Attenuation factor is then used to estimate voltage harmonic distortion at the point of connection and also the harmonic currents injected into the system. A computer program (EXCEL Macro) was developed using Visual Basic for Application language to simulate system performance. The application of this program to the analysis of a electrical distribution system feeding a group of VFDs is also presented.

Utility

~
Low Voltage Bus

Nonlinear Load (VFD)

Filter

Figure 1. One-line diagram of the electrical distribution system feeding the VFD A harmonic filter modifies all harmonic voltages at the point of connection(Low Voltage Bus). Maximum attenuation occurs for the voltage whose frequency is equal or close to the resonant frequency of the filter. In order to quantify how harmonic voltages are affected, we will define the attenuation factor[1] as

a n ( h) =
Where:

V ( h) Vf ( h )

V(h): Harmonic voltage without the filter at the low voltage bus. Vf(h): The h-th Harmonic voltage with the filter at the low voltage bus an(h) : Attenuation factor of the harmonic voltage(h) due to the (n-th) tuned filter.

Figure 2 illustrates the basic circuit used to calculate the h-th harmonic attenuation factor produced by the n-th harmonic filter. In this diagram, I(h) represents the h-th harmonic injected by the variable frequency drive, Zs(h) accounts for the system impedance and Zn(h) represents the n-th harmonic filter impedance at the h-th harmonic.

Yeq (h) =

2 kVAn h 2 hn SCKVA 2 + j h h 2 hn jh

Yeq (h) =
where:

1 kVAn + SCKVA jh

jh SCKVA

h Zs(h) Zn(h)

2 n

jh KVAn

I(h)
2 h 2 hn = 2 2 h hn

j h KVAn

Figure 2. Circuit used for harmonic voltage calculation.

The attenuation factor an(h) is then obtained as [1]:

The n-th harmonic filter impedance at the harmonic frequency (h) can be expressed in terms of the filter kVAR(kVAn) and its tuning frequency (hn) as:

Z n ( h) =

j kVAn

h 1 j h 2 hn 2 = 2 h kVAn h hn 2 (hn )

1 kVAn + SCKVA V (h) Yeq (h) jh an(h) = = = SCKVA Vf (h) Ys(h) jh kVAn an(h) = 1 + SCKVA

The distribution system impedance seen by the low voltage bus at the harmonic frequency (h) is related to the low voltage bus short circuit kVA as follows:

When more than one filter is used, the attenuation factor of the h-th harmonic voltage is given by

Zs( h ) =

jh SCkVA

an(h) = 1 + where:

In order to simplify the calculation, the filter and the system are represented by their admittance values.

kVAn (1) kVAn ( N ) + L+ N SCKVA SCKVA

1

Yn(h) =

kVAn h h 2 2 j h hn
2 n

2 2 h hn ( k ) k = 2 2 h hn ( k )

( (

) )

Ys(h) =

SCKVA jh

Harmonic currents flowing into the tuned filters and into the system(utility) with the connected filter(s) can be calculated as follows:

The equivalent admittance seen by the VFD is calculated by adding Yn(h) and Ys(h)

In(h) =

V ( h) I ( h) ; Is ( h ) = Zn(h) an( h )

Is(h)

Zs(h)

If(h)

Zn(h)

I(h) V(h)

Once these currents have been calculated, it is possible to get filters specifications with the aid of the worksheet filter.xls [3] The above procedure is summarized in the flowchart shown in Figure 4.

Figure 3. Harmonic filter and system current calculation

Read system data Utility SCMVA, XFMR(Z and kVA) Drive KVA, Harmonic Spectra (%I(h)), Displacement power factor Filter(s) kVAr, Detuning Factors() Maximum allowed THDV(THDVmax)

Evaluate harmonic Voltages and THDV without filters DrivekVA V (h) = [%I(h)][h] SCKVA
THDV =
2 [V (h)] h 5
=

Calculate harmonic filter loading and harmonics flowing into the system V(h) I (h) In(h) = I s (h) = Zn(h) ; an(h)

43

Calculate filter specs using spredasheet filters.xls

Calculate attenuation factors an(h), resulting harmonic voltages and THDV

an(h) = 1 + 1 kVAn (1) kVAn ( N ) + L+ N SCKVA SCKVA

Generate Report *Voltage/current distortion * Filter sepecifications)

13.8 kV

SCMVA 50

5.75%

1000 kVA

Vf (h) =

V (h) an (h)

THDV =

[Vf (h)]
h=5

43

12903.2 SCKVA

480 V THDV 3.58% 472.50 A RMS 233.62 A RMS 250kVAr @ 600V 5-th 7-th

0.031911 500kVAr @ 600V

0.03256

Modify filter(s) kVAr

NO
THDV<THDVmax?

YES

900 kVA 6-pulse 250 HP 480-V CSI VFD(measured)

Figure 4. Flowchart for the proposed solution methodology

3. COMPUTER PROGRAM
The computer program was developed in an Excel Workbook (VFD.XLS), using Visual Basic for Applications Language[2]. Harmonic Spectra of Variable Frequency Drives is stored in one worksheet within the same workbook. To add harmonic spectra of a non listed VFD(or group of VFDs), the user types in this worksheet a name for this load and its harmonic spectra. Simulation results are stored into the following Worksheets: 1) SUMMARY : Summary of the results obtained in the simulation (THDV, Filter specs) 2) VOLTAGES: Harmonic voltages in the low voltage bus without filters, with filters and with plain capacitors(no tuning reactor) 3) CURRENTS: Harmonic currents flowing into the system with and without filters, and filter currents 4) FILTER-5: 5th harmonic filter design specifications 5) FILTER-7: 7th harmonic filter design specifications The program assumptions: was written under the following

4. SIMULATION RESULTS
The proposed methodology and the computer program (VFD.XLS) were used to simulate the sample electrical distribution system depicted in figure 5.
UTILITY

~
480 V

13.8 kV
SCMVA=50 1000 KVA Z (%) = 5.75

...
150-HP PWM VFDs TOTAL LOAD =900 KVA

5th

7th

300 kVAR

150 kVAR

=0.95

=0.95

Figure 5. One-line diagram of the electrical system This system feeds a group of PWM variable frequency drives with a total load of 900 kVA operating at 0.9(-) displacement power factor. This loading condition results in a very high harmonic current and voltage distortion. The proposed methodology was used to analyze the effect of connecting two harmonic filters on low voltage bus harmonic distortion levels. Filter 1: 300 kVAR, 5-th harmonic filter tuned at hn=4.75 Filter 2: 150 kVAR, 7-th harmonic filter tuned at hn=6.65 The computer program calculates harmonic voltage and current distortion with and without filters and also calculates harmonic filter loading. A summary of the simulation results is presented in figure 6 (actual program output). The effect of these harmonic filters on harmonic voltages and currents distortion is presented in Tables 1 and 2. Total harmonic current distortion (THDI) is reduced from 35% to 7.5% and total harmonic voltage distortion is reduced from 15.76 to 4.56 %. Figure 7 shows the 5-th harmonic filter spec sheet.

1)This application was developed for VFDs operating at 240V and 480 V systems. For applications at 240V, 480 V capacitor banks are used, and the total KVAR rating is adjusted to the next multiple of 25 kVAR For applications at 480V , 600 V capacitor banks are used and the total KVAR rating is adjusted to the next multiple of 50 kVAR For example, if the user chooses a 300 kVAR bank at 480 V, the required kVAR rating at 600 V is 300(600/480) ^2 = 468.75 kVAR. The bank kVAr rating is adjusted to 500 kVAR. 2) Load at the low voltage bus consists only of VFDs and the resistive effect is neglected 3) 5th and 7th harmonic voltage distortion at the high voltage side is given a as 2%. (This value can be modified in Worksheets FILTER-5 and FILTER-7 4) Voltage at the low voltage bus is assumed constant (1.0 pu).

Figure 6. Simulation Results (summary)

Table 1. Voltage at the low voltage bus with and without filters connected NO FILTERS FILTERS h %I(h) % V(h) a(h) % Vf(h) 5 33.7 11.753 6.03 1.9504 7 1.09 0.5322 7.66 0.0695 11 7.37 5.6546 2.55 2.2158 13 3.5 3.1736 2.39 1.3287 17 3.5 4.1501 2.25 1.8409 19 2.1 2.783 2.22 1.2526 23 1.6 2.5668 2.18 1.1759 25 1.4 2.4413 2.17 1.1247 29 0.8 1.6182 2.15 0.7513 31 0.9 1.946 2.15 0.906 35 0.6 1.4648 2.14 0.6848 37 0.5 1.2904 2.14 0.6042 41 0.4 1.1439 2.13 0.537 43 0.3 0.8998 2.13 0.4228 THDV(%) 15.176 4.5581

Table 2 . Harmonic currents flowing into the system and harmonic filters loading XFMR(NO FILTERS) XFMR(FILTERS) 5TH FILTER 7TH FILTER I(AMPS) I(AMPS) I(AMPS) I(AMPS) 1082.5 982.62 402.75 196.90 364.8 60.54 347.45 43.18 11.8 1.54 1.60 8.66 79.8 31.26 21.50 27.02 37.9 15.86 10.24 11.78 37.9 16.81 10.20 10.88 22.7 10.23 6.11 6.39 17.3 7.93 4.64 4.75 15.2 6.98 4.05 4.12 8.7 4.02 2.31 2.33 9.7 4.54 2.60 2.61 6.5 3.04 1.73 1.73 5.4 2.53 1.44 1.44 4.3 2.03 1.15 1.14 3.2 1.53 0.86 0.86 379.2 1147.0 35.0% 73.85 985.39 7.52% 348.55 532.63 55.01 204.44

FUNDAMENTAL 5 7 11 13 17 19 23 25 29 31 35 37 41 43 HARM. CURRENT RMS CURRENT THDI (%)

Low Voltage Filter Calculations:

SYSTEM INFORMATION: Filter Specification: Capacitor Bank Rating(Available) Rated Bank Current: Nominal Bus Voltage: Capacitor Current (actual): Filter Tuning Harmonic: Cap Impedance (wye equivalent): Reactor Impedance: Filter Full Load Current (actual): Filter Full Load Current (rated): Transformer Nameplate: (Rating and Impedance) Load Harmonic Current: Utility Harmonic Current: CAPACITOR DUTY CALCULATIONS: Filter RMS Current: Harmonic Cap Voltage: RMS Capacitor Voltage:

Example Filter Design Spreadsheet

5 th 500 k V A r 481 Amps 480 384.9 Amps 4.75 0.7200 0.0319 402.8 Amps 503.4 Amps 1000 5.75 86.54 % F u n d 67.8 Amps

Power System Frequency: Capacitor Rating: Derated Capacitor: Total Harmonic Load: Filter Tuning Frequency: Cap Value (wye equivalent): Reactor Rating: Supplied Compensation: Utility Side Vh: (Utility Harmonic Voltage Source) Load Harmonic Current: Max Total Harm. Current:

60 H z 600 Volts 60 H z 320 k V A r 900 k V A 285 H z 3684.1 uF 0.0846 m H 335 k V A r 2.00 % T H D

348.6 Amps 416.4 Amps

579.3 Amps 103.9 Volts 512.9 Volts

Fundamental Cap Voltage: Maximum Peak Voltage: Maximum Peak Current: FILTER CONFIGURATION:

502.3 Volts 606.1 Volts 819.1 Amps

CAPACITOR LIMITS: (IEEE Std 18-1980)

Peak Voltage: Current: KVAr: RMS Voltage:

120% 180% 135% 110%

<> <> <> <>

101% 120% 103% 85%

XL =>

0.0319

500 kVAR 600 V

FILTER REACTOR DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS:

Reactor Impedance: Fundamental Current:

0.0319 402.8 Amps

Reactor Rating: Harmonic Current:

0.0846 m H 416.4 Amps

Figure7. 5th Harmonic filter specifications

5. CONCLUSIONS
The filter design iterative procedure can be greatly simplified using the equations presented in this paper along with the program developed. Using the proposed methodology, it is possible to determine the required rating of the filters to keep harmonic distortion (voltage and current) within acceptable limits and also define filters specifications.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The author wishes to acknowledge the support received from Electrotek Concepts Inc., which allowed me to develop this project.

REFERENCES
[1] Peeran S.M. and Cascadden C. Application, Design and Specification of harmonic filters for Variable Frequency Drives, IEEE Trans. Ind. Applicat., vol. 31, pp. 841-847, July/August 1995 [2] Boonin Elisabeth, Using Excel Visual Basic for Applications, QUE, 1995 [3] ELECTROTEK, Harmflo+ Tech Notes, Issue # 932, September, 1993

Jesus Baez. Received his BSEE in 1987, his Master of Engineering degree in Electric Power Engineering in 1990 and his Master of Sciences Degree in Control Engineering in 1995 from ITESM, Campus Monterrey. He is professor of the Electrical Engineering Department at ITESM since 1992. His research interest is simulation and analysis of distribution and industrial power systems.