Introduction to harmonics and

reactive power compensation

By
Engr. Rodolfo R. Penalosa, PEE, PECE, APEC Engr., ACPE Engr.
President
Westco Electrical & Equipment Corp.
Former: Chairman, Board of Electrical Engineering, PRC
Former, Chairman, Technical Panel for Engineering & Technology,
CHED

11/28/19 RRP 1
• Displacement power factor (cos 1)
• Harmonics

• Power factor

• Voltage and current distortion

• Harmonic sources

11/28/19 RRP 2
 P = 443kW

S1  P  Q
2 2
1

Q1 = 568kvar
P
Displacement factor = = 0.62 (cos  1)
S1
11/28/19 RRP 3
11kV 50Hz or 60Hz 11kV 50Hz or 60Hz

SN = 750kVA
SN = 750kVA

400V 400V

Load 720kVA Load 443kW

Q1 = 568kvar
P = 443kW P = 443kW
Q1 = 568kvar Q1 = 0kvar
More load = (750 - 443)kW = 307kW
11/28/19 RRP 4
 Mathematical definition of the harmonics

Harmonics are sinusoidal quantities of a periodic

signal. The frequencies of these quantities are
are integer multiples of the system frequency

FFT Analysis is used to analyse periodic signals

and to show their all individual quantities.

11/28/19 RRP 5
Practical definition of the harmonics
Harmonics are currents which are produced
by non-linear loads like DC-drives, inverters,
UPS, rectifiers, etc., thus they are harmonic
current sources
Harmonics are voltages caused by harmonic
currents in network impedance’s
Harmonic analysers are used to measure
both harmonic currents and voltages
11/28/19 RRP 6
 11kV 50Hz or 60Hz

Fundamental current
Harmonic currents

Fundamental current
400V Harmonic currents

Variable
speed
drive
11/28/19 RRP 7
 11kV 50Hz or 60Hz

Fundamental current
Harmonic currents

zk = 6%

Fundamental current
400V Harmonic currents

Variable
50Hz
speed Load I5 I7 In
drive
11/28/19 RRP 8
 11kV 50Hz or 60Hz
Fundamental current Harmonic
Harmonic currents voltages

zk * U 2
Zn  *n U5 U7 Un
S Transf
1

Fundamental current
0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

Harmonic currents 400V

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

-0.2

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1

Variable
50Hz
speed Load I5 I7 In
drive
11/28/19 RRP 9
 1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

-0.2

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1

One cycle of the voltage or current to be analysed

11/28/19 RRP 10
1.1

0.9

0.7

0.5

0.3

0.1

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

-0.1

-0.3

-0.5

-0.7

-0.9

-1.1

Voltage or current harmonic components

11/28/19 RRP 11
The voltage distortion, which affects electric
networks, of all voltage levels and has a
direct impact on all loads connected thereto
is defined either as the individual harmonic
distortion of order “n” as:

Un
dn = x 100(%)
U1
where U1 is the fundamental component

11/28/19 RRP 12
 or as total harmonic distortion THD:


SU
2
n
2
THD = 100 * 2
(%)
U1
where Un is the harmonic component of
order “n” and U1the is value of the
Fundamental component

11/28/19 RRP 13
 Loads producing harmonics
• Variable speed drives in lifts, air con systems,
in industrial applications etc.
• Switch mode power supplies found for example
in computers and in other electronic equipment
• All kind of rectifiers and other devices with non
linear voltage/current characteristic
• Arc furnaces
• Welding machines

11/28/19 RRP 14
 Linear loads = sinusoidal currents
350

250
Voltage
Resistive
150
current
50

0
-50

-150
Inductive Capacitive
current current
-250

-350

11/28/19 RRP 15
 Non-linear loads, non-linear currents

100 80

0 0

2, 15E -02

-100 -80

5th harmonic 41%of 5th harmonic 23%of

fundamental current fundamental current

11/28/19 RRP 16
 Harmonics produced by the rectifiers:
n=kxp±1 where:
n = order of the harmonic
p = pulse number of the rectifier
k = 1,2,3…
I1
In = n where:

In = harmonic current of order n

n = order of the harmonic
I1 = fundamental current of the rectifier

11/28/19 RRP 17
 Harmonic spectrum
1.2

1.1

1 0.9

0.7

0.5

0.8 0.3

0.1

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

-0.1

0.6 -0.3

-0.5

-0.7

0.4 -0.9

-1.1

0.2

0
1
1
3
2
5
3
7
4 5
9 11 6
13 7

Harmonic order (n)

11/28/19 RRP 18
 Sequence of the harmonics

L1 L1
L1 L3 L2 L3 L2

5th harmonic 7th harmonic

negative sequence positive sequence
L3 L2
L2

Fundamental system L1 L3
positive sequence
3rd harmonic
zero sequence

11/28/19 RRP 19
 Effects of harmonics:
Effects damaging Economical Disturbing
equipment effects effects

Capacitor failures Cost due to the Nuisance tripping

additional losses of protection relays
Overheating P = I2 x R
Malfunction of
Motor vibration Metering errors control systems

Over voltage Short lifetime of Telecommunication

the equipment interference
Transformer noise

11/28/19 RRP 20
 DC-drive

L1
L2 DC-motor M
L3

6-pulse thyristor rectifier

11/28/19 RRP 21
 100

11.4kV 60Hz
0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2.5MVA -100
5.4%
Point of Order Supply current
measur. 440V of
harmonic A %

P = 450kW 1 1255 100

Q = 845kvar 5 515 41
S1 = 957kVA 7 122 10
PF = 0.426 11 108 9
STOT = 1056kVA 13 28 2
DC-drive

11/28/19 RRP 22
 Voltage source inverter

L1 AC-motor

L2 M
L3

6-pulse diode rectifier

Inverter

11/28/19 RRP 23
 Harmonic currents of a voltage source inverter without AC side
reactors supplied by a 2000kVA 6% transformer with different loads
850A850
750
850

650
550
I50Hz = 517A 750
650 I50Hz = 264A Load 50%
550
450
350 I250Hz = 53.6% 450
350
I250Hz = 68.1%
250
250
150
50 I250Hz = 277A 150
50
I250Hz = 180A
0A -50
-50
0,4800
-150
0,4850 0,4900
Load 100%
0,4950 0,5000
0,4800
-150
0,4850 0,4900 0,4950 0,5000

-250 -250
-350
-450 I350Hz = 28.8% -350
-450
I350Hz = 44.8%
-550 -550
-650
-750 I350Hz = 149A -650
-750
I350Hz = 118A
-850A
-850 -850

850A850 850
750
650 I50Hz = 350A 750
650 I50Hz = 179A
550 550
Load 25%
450
350
I250Hz = 64.2% 450
350
I250Hz = 72.9%
250 250
150
50
I250Hz = 224A 150
50
I250Hz = 130A
0A -50
0,4800 0,4850 0,4900 0,4950 0,5000
-50
0,4800 0,4850 0,4900 0,4950 0,5000
-150
-250
Load 75% -150
-250
-350
-450
I350Hz = 39.4% -350
-450
I350Hz = 51.9%
-550 -550
-650
-750
I350Hz = 138A -650
-750
I350Hz = 93A
-850A
-850 -850

11/28/19 RRP 24
 Voltage source inverter

4% AC-motor
L1
L2 M
L3

6-pulse diode rectifier

Inverter

11/28/19 RRP 25
 Harmonic currents of a voltage source inverter with 4% AC side
reactors supplied by a 2000kVA 6% transformer with different loads
600A 800 600

600
I50Hz = 500A I50Hz = 260A Load 50%
400A 400

400 I250Hz = 32.1% I250Hz = 42.2%

200A 200
200

I250Hz = 161A I250Hz = 110A

0A 0
0,4800 0,4850 0,4900 0,4950 0,5000
0
0,4800 0,4850 0,4900 0,4950 0,5000

-200 Load 100%

-200A -200

-400
I350Hz = 9.5% I350Hz = 17.9%
-400A
-600
-400

I350Hz = 48A I350Hz = 47A

-600A
-800 -600

600A600 600

I50Hz = 340A I50Hz = 170A Load 25%

400A400 400

I250Hz = 37.5% I250Hz = 51.1%

200A200 200

I250Hz = 128A I250Hz = 87A

0A 0
0,4800 0,4850 0,4900 0,4950 0,5000
0
0,4800 0,4850 0,4900 0,4950 0,5000

Load 75%
-200A
-200 -200

I350Hz = 13.6% I350Hz = 26.7%

-400 -400
-400A I350Hz = 46A I350Hz = 45A
-600A
-600 -600

11/28/19 RRP 26
 Summation of voltage source harmonics
0,4

0,3 11.4kV
0,2

0,1

0
0 2500 5000 7500 10000 12500 15000

-0,1

-0,2
I1 = 796A
-0,3
I5th = 214A (27%)
-0,4
380V
1

0,8
0,6
0,4
…... 8 pcs …...
0,2

0
4500 7000 9500 12000 14500 17000 19500
Voltage
-0,2
I1 = 96A source
-0,4
-0,6
inverters
-0,8
I5th = 26A (27%)
-1

11/28/19 RRP 27
 Switch mode power supply

4. 00E +02
L
3. 00E +02

2. 00E +02

1 . 00E +02

0. 00E +00

-1 . 00E +02
Switch
-2. 00E +02

mode
-3. 00E +02

power
-4. 00E +02

N supply

Current curve form

of the input current

11/28/19 RRP 28
Voltage and current of a switch mode power supply
400

Voltage
300

200

1 00

-1 00

-200
Current

-300

-400

3rd harmonic current up to 80% of the fundamental

11/28/19 RRP 29
 Cycloconverter

f1 3-phase AC system

3-phase AC system
where f2 < f1 M
11/28/19 RRP 30
 Harmonics produced by the
6-pulse cycloconverter:

f  f k  6  1  6  n  f
h 1 0

fh = frequency of the harmonic current

k = integer number 1,2,3….
n = 0,1,2,3…
f0 = output frequency of the cycloconverter

11/28/19 RRP 31
S U  I
1 1
P  U  I1  cos1
Q1  U  I1  sin 1 S1  P  Q 2 2
1

D U   2
In
n 1

STot  P  Q  D
2 2
1
2

11/28/19 RRP 32
 P = 443kW

S1  P  Q
2 2
1

Q1 = 568kvar
P
Displacement factor = = 0.62 (cos  1)
S1

11/28/19 RRP 33
 STOT  P  Q  D
2 2
1
2

P
Power factor   0.55

D = 357kvar
STOT

Q1 = 568kvar

P = 443kW
11/28/19 RRP 34
Parallel and series resonance

Theory and praxis

11/28/19 RRP 35
 Example of parallel resonance

I IL IC IR XL=ZL=1 (50Hz)
XC=ZC =1 (50Hz)
U R R=ZR =100
XC U=100V 50Hz
XL
1 1 1 1 U
   I  1A
Z Total ZL Z C ZR Z Total
11/28/19 RRP 36
 Example of parallel resonance

XL=ZL=1 (50Hz)
I XC=ZC =1 (50Hz)
IL IC IR
R=ZR =100
I R I=1A 50Hz
XC IR=1A
XL
UR=1Ax100=100V
1 1 1
     IR  1A
ZLC ZL ZC
11/28/19 RRP 37
 Resonance occurs if XL= XC

1
11kV 150MVA 50Hz f RES 
2 * * L * C

Harmonic Network
source inductance
400V
XL Capacitance
of the
XC
Harmonics
capacitor
bank

Variable
Speed Capacitor
Drive bank

11/28/19 RRP 38
 Example of series resonance

U
I = 100A
I
R  ( XL - XC )
2 2
XL=10 50Hz
UL = 1000V
U=100V 50Hz
G
XC=10 50Hz UC = 1000V

R=1 UR = 100V

11/28/19 RRP 39
11kV 150MVA 50Hz 11kV

Harmonics
Transformer’s
Inductance's

400V 400V

Harmonics

Variable
Speed
Capacitance
Drive Harmonic
Capacitor of the capacitor
bank source bank

11/28/19 RRP 40
 Case study No. 1

10kV 50Hz
Order Supply current
of
800kVA 0 kvar 50kvar 100kvar
harmonic
zk= 5% A A A
Point of
1 600 538 512
measurem. 400V 5 10 8 11
7 4 5 9
11 30 62 283
13 6 9 44
17 2 8 2
- 5 x 50kvar -

UPS THD(V) 3.8% 5.9% 19.6%

12-pulse

11/28/19 RRP 41
 Case study No. 1 cont.

10kV 50Hz
Current of the
Order capacitor bank
of
800kVA
harm. 50kvar on 100kvar on
zk= 5%
A A
400V 1 70 142
5 4 11
Point of
7 2 4
measurem.
11 36 327
13 16 69
- 5 x 50kvar - 17 9 3
UPS
12-pulse IRMS/A 83 364

11/28/19 RRP 42
 Case study No. 1 cont.
How to avoid resonance?
11kV 50Hz 250MVA

1MVA
Zk=5.4%

400V

7%
189Hz 2
f SYSTEM
f RES 
p
Each step 50kvar
11/28/19 RRP 43
 Case study No. 1 cont.
How to avoid resonance?

Capacitive Inductive
Z 1
f RES 
2 * * L * C

189Hz f/Hz
11/28/19 RRP 44
 Case study No. 1 cont.

10kV 50Hz

Supply current
800kVA Order
zk= 5% of 0kvar 50kvar 100kvar
Point of harmonic A A A
measurem. 400V
1 773 735 691
5 13 17 20
7 7 6 5
- 5 x 50kvar - 11 45 42 40
13 16 15 14

UPS 7% reactors
THD(V) 6.4% 6.0% 5.7%
12-pulse 189Hz

11/28/19 RRP 45
 Case study No. 1 finish

10kV 50Hz

Current of the
800kVA Order capacitor bank
zk= 5% of
harmonic 50kvar 100kvar 150kvar
400V A A A
Point of
measurem. 1 75 151 227
5 5 10 13
- 5 x 50kvar - 7 1 1 1
11 3 6 8
UPS 13 1 2 3
12-pulse 7% reactors
189Hz RMS / A 75.2 151.5 227.6

11/28/19 RRP 46
 Case study No. 2
Reactor saturation
10kV 50Hz

Supply current
1600kVA Order
zk= 6.14% of 0kvar 37kvar
Point of harmonic A A
measurem. 400V
1 610 596
5 148 259
7 37 69
- 12 x 37kvar - 11 33 12
13 12 23

Load 6% reactors
THD(V) 6.6% 8.9%
204Hz

11/28/19 RRP 47
 Case study No. 2 finish
Reactor saturation
10kV 50Hz

Current of the
1600kVA Order capacitor bank
zk= 6.14% of
harmonic 37kvar
400V A
Point of
measurem. 1 51
5 189
7 76
- 12 x 37kvar -
11 42
13 36
Load 6% reactors
204Hz RMS / A 217

11/28/19 RRP 48
 11kV 150MVA 50Hz

70 - 90% 2
f SYSTEM
f RES 
400V
p

10 - 30%

100%
7% 7% 7%

Tuning frequency 189Hz

11/28/19 RRP 49
 Case study No. 3

20kV 50Hz

Voltage distortion
1000kVA Order Capacitor
zk= 6% of current With Without
400V harmonic IC / A capacitor capacitor
% %
Point of 1 209 - -
measurem. 5 100 9.7% 7.7%
7 45 2.7% 1.3%
11 283 11.3% 2.3%

RMS 371 15.1% 8.1%

150kvar

11/28/19 RRP 50
 Case study No. 4

20kV 50Hz
Supply current
Order
500kVA of Without With
In= 722 harmonic capacitors 400kvar
Point of
A % A %
measurem. 400V
1 772 100 492 100
5 62 9 456 93

RMS
current 774 100.4 671 136
- 8 x 50kvar -

THD
voltage 5.6 16.2

11/28/19 RRP 51
 Case study No. 5
20kV 50Hz

2MVA
zk=6%
Supply current
Point of Order
of Filters 5th 5th,7th All
measurem. 400V
harm. off on on on
A A A A
1 1387 1065 956 860
5 402 51 51 52
7 44 57 1 2
11 245 193 77 10

THD(V) 12.0% 5.4% 3.0% 2.0%

5th 7th 11th

11/28/19 RRP 52
 Case study No. 6
22.9kV 60Hz

Supply current
Order
600kVA Filter 5th
of
zk=6% off on
harm.
A A
Point of
measurem. 380V IRMS 371 220
3 7 6
5 114 8
7 32 18
11 12 14

THD(V) 11.5% 4.8%

Middle frequency PF 0.69 0.98
furnace

5th filter F164-380-60/300-369/261-0820

11/28/19 RRP 53
 11kV 150MVA 50Hz

10 - 20%

400V

80 - 90%

100%

5th 7th 11th

11/28/19 RRP 54
 Case study No. 7
110kV

20MVA Supply current

zk=10% Order
of Without With
Point of harmonic Capacitor Capacitor
measurem. 20kV
A % A %
1 435 100 355 100
5 6 1.4 135 38

THD(V) 1.5% 10.8%

10Mvar
Capacitor
bank

11/28/19 RRP 55
 110kV 50Hz

Case study No. 8 10MVA

20kV THD 5.0%

TR1 TR2 TR3 TR4

THD 13.6%

TR5 TR6 TR7

THD 7.9% THD 16.7% THD 7.1%

11/28/19 RRP 56
 110kV 50Hz

Case study No. 8 finish 10MVA

20kV THD 0.8%

TR1 TR2 TR3 TR4

THD 2.2%

5th,7th,11th 5th,7th,11th 5th,7th,11th 5th,7th,11th

TR5 TR6 TR7

THD 1.7% THD 1.7% THD 1.5%

5th,7th,11th 5th,7th,11th,13th
11/28/19 RRP 57
 Case study No. 9
110kV 50Hz

6.0kV

2MVA --12 pcs-- 2MVA

zk=6% Point of zk=6%
measurement 660V

5th 7th 11th

Filter Filter Filter
450kvar 300kvar
DC-Drives
With Without
Filters Filters
THD(V) 1.94% 7.15%
at 660V

11/28/19 RRP 58
 Case study No. 10
161kV 60Hz Order Filters All filters
of off on
harm. % %
100MVA
zk=10.5% 5 0.4 0.3
22kV 11 1.0 0.3
13 0.6 0.3
17 4.9 0.5
19 5.8 0.6
29 1.8 0.3
31 1.3 0.2
35 3.9 0.5
37 4.8 0.6
47 2.6 0.1
49 1.7 0.1
18-pulse
rectifier 5th 7th 11th 13th
THD(V) 10.9 1.9
9.0Mvar 8.7Mvar 15.0Mvar 14.9Mvar

11/28/19 RRP 59