Effect of Stand by Power System

International Journal
International Jo urnal of Electrical

of Electrical Engineering
Engineering and Technology (IJEET),
and Technology (IJEET), ISSN 0976 – 6545(Print) IJEET
ISSN 0976 – 6545(Print), ISSN 0 976 – 6553(Online) Volume 1, Number 1, May - June (2010), © IAEME
ISSN 0976 – 6553(Online), Volume 1

Number 1, May - June (2010), pp. 118-126 ©IAE ME
© IAEME, http://www.iaeme.com/ijeet.html
EFFECT OF POWER QUALITY ON STAND BY POWER

SYSTEMS
Preethi Thekkath
Research scholar
Anna University Coimbatore
E-Mail id: Preethi.tkt@gmail.com
Dr. G. Gurusamy
Dean EEE department
Bannari Amman Instituteof Technology
Sathyamangalam
ABSTRACT :
Increasing application of electronics to all kinds of appliances makes possible real
time communication and continuous operation. This improves facilities performance
levels throu gh effective data & energy management. But electronic d evices are non linear
loads and introduce disturbance in the facility they are fed b y. Therefore facilities &
sensible equipment are becoming more dep endent on both quality & continuity of electric
power supply. In this paper an attempt is made to compare power qu ality aspects of DG
set with utility supply. Harmonics at the out of DG set & single phase UPS (load fed from
DG) wer e measured using Fluke 434 Analyzer. Harmonic effects are more pronounced
when operated on DG b ecause of its high internal impedance.
1. INTRODUCTION
Proper design and imp lementation of emergency power supply systems is
essential for improving reliability and quality of power supply for critical loads.
Auxiliary power sources are independent from the utility grid. They mainly supply
backup energy in the case of planned outages and when the mains fail. Stand by power
systems are reserve of power supply and they ensure continuity of operation in the event
of long normal power outage namely power failure or maintenance procedures or
continued low power quality of supply. [1] Their continuity of operation ranges from few
seconds to days.
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International Jo urnal of Electrical Engineering and Technology (IJEET),
Engine driven generators have a reciprocating engine diesel or petrol engine. It is

supplied by fuel from the fuel tank associated to gen - set. Engine drives the generator
single phase or three phase which supplies energy to critical loads. Control unit provides
the required power supply in terms of voltage &frequency eg: speed regulator for engin e
& voltage regulator for generator. This starts the gen-set automatically, synchronize it
with the power supply, disconnect the load from utility power source & connect it to the
generator without a power interruption to the load. Gen-sets are selected with voltage,
frequen cy & power r atings to suit the load that will be connected. [1] Quality of electrical
wave at generators output is very important.
Non linear loads dr aw high harmonic level to the upstream facility. If the
harmonic content is high the gen-set will not be able to provide the power required in
which case it has to be oversized. Although gen-sets can be automatically switched on,
they don’t take up load immediately. There is a delay between power disturbance and
load transfer to the gen-set.
2. VOLTAGE HARMONIC DISTORTION IN DG -SETS
The shape of open circuit voltage and its harmonic components is affected by the
geometrical arrangement of armature & pole windings .To reduce the fundamental &
harmonic voltage of the output, armature coil pitch is made different from that of the
poles. Application of non linear loads causes greater harmonic distortion because higher
field current increases internal voltages including harmonics [2]. Fundamental
components are attenuated by armature reaction but harmonics are not, especially when
the load is non-linear. These h armonic currents when passing through the internal
impedance of the generator cause sub cyclic voltage distortions.
3. UTILITY SUPPLY AND DG-SET – COMPARISON OF
CHARECTERISTICS
“Figure 1” shows %THD of current harmonics in utility supply. .For a high
quality AC voltage source its source impedance should be nearly zero, its frequency
should be constant, its voltage magnitude should be constant and its open circuit voltage
wave shape is purely sinusoidal.
119
Figure 1 %THD of current harmonics in utility supply

Sub cyclic voltage disturbances due to repeated semiconductor switching cannot
be compensated by control of field/armature/AVR/governor. This is due to the fact that
duration of the disturbance is lesser than the typical response time of the circuit. [2]
Harmonic currents introduced during switching & sub transient generator reactance
between stator & rotor, determines the magnitude of sub cyclic voltage disturbance.
Generator reactance h ave different values for positive, negative and zero sequence
harmonic currents. [2]
“Figure 2” shows the inrush in DG set during loading. Voltage output of diesel
generator will be constant as long as system voltage is constant. As loads are turned on &
off there is sudden rise & fall in voltage when the generator adjusts itself to the load.
Momentary load variations is more in the DG set than the utility supply. Source
impedance of DG set varies as the load varies. DG set offers high source impedance to
harmonic creating loads.[3]
Figure 2 Inrush in DG-set during loading

Non linear single phase loads highly distort the voltage waveform of three phase
DG set. Under unbalanced conditions supplying single phase non linear loads, the
120
common neutral carries zero sequence triplen harmonics that are additive in the neutral
along with positive & negative sequence components from unbalance.[3] We some times
experience that single phase UPS unable to work in heavily loaded DG set due to
distortion in current waveform but works well with utility supply. Sensitivity adjustments
have to be done in the UPS to enable it to work with DG supply. Another alternative is to
reduce the load thereby reducing the current distortion.
3.1 Comparison of % THD current harmonics when loaded lightly and
heavily
“Figure 3” shows the peak values of rms voltage/current when moderately loaded.
There is a neutral current of 4 amps flows whose peak value is 8.7 amps. “Figure 4 “%
THD of Third harmonic current is 290.6 % which is the highest harmonic content.
Figure 3 Volts/ Amps/ hertz under moderately loaded conditions
Figure 4 Third harmonic content in the neutral of DG output under moderately loaded
conditions
121
“Figure 5” shows the peak values of rms voltage/current when lightly loaded.
There is a neutral curr ent of 1.8 amps flows whose peak value is 3.5 amps. “Figure 6” %
THD of Third harmonic current is 45.2 % which is the highest harmonic content.
Figure 5 volts/amps/hertz under light loads
Figure 6 Third harmonic content in the neutral of DG output under reduced load
In the case of DG set the frequency seldom remains constant but varies as load
varies. We always see UPS initiate alarms or may not function properly when operated
on DG set.
“Figure 7” shows that the current waveforms are nearly sinusoidal as the DG set
is having less number of non linear loads connected to it .
”Figure 8 “is more distorted on account of more number of non linear loads.
122
Figure 7 DG output current waveforms with less number of non linear lo ads
Figure 8 DG output current waveforms with max number of non linear loads(mainly
UPS, Air conditioners, Tube lights &fans)
“Figure 9” shows the output waveform of a stand b y UPS which was working on
its battery unit when the unit was shifted to work on DG owing to a power failure of
utility supply.
Figure 9 Output volltage waveform of UPS when connected to DG
123
4 EFFECTS OF HARMONIC CURRENTS &VOLTAGES ON GEN-

SETS
4.1 Temperature rise
The main effect of presence of voltage & current harmonics in Gen -set is the
operating temperature rise as a result of power losses. It is an additional stress on
insulation which if sustained can shorten the in- service period. These losses occur in
core & windings. The rise in stator & rotor winding losses results from both increase in
r.m.s current value, due to distortion & increase in effective resistance of windings due to
skin effect.
Additional losses associated with high harmonics occur mainly in the stator
windings & d amping cage. Additional harmonic torques are the effect of interaction
between air gap flux (mainly the fundamental component) & fluxes produced by rotor
harmonic currents. [3] Positive sequence harmonics produce a forward ro tating field that
adds to the torque & supports the machine rotation, where as other harmonics have the
opposite effect. Harmonic torques influence the instantaneous value of resultant torque &
cause fluctuation.
4.2 Automatic voltage regulator problems
Automatic voltage regulator of a DG set maintains its terminal voltage at constant
value under steady state conditions. It senses the terminal voltage, compares it with the
set value & corrects error if any by changing the field excitation currents.[ 3] Automatic
voltage regulator can malfunction if there is considerable amount of harmonic distortion.
4.3 Over loading of neutral conductor
Harmonic currents can lead to overloading problems on the neutral .Under the
conditions of current deformation, heat deformation inside the cable due to Joule effect is
evidently greater compared to ideal conditions. Line capacity is reduced & neutral
conductor is overloaded, without the neutral current exceeding the normal phase current.
In the Presence of single phase loads, triplen harmonics add up in the neutral conductor
rather than summing to zero. Neutral currents increase almost 170% than p hase currents.
When the system is on DG set, it is very important that loads in all the phases are to be
balanced & UPS load in the system is 30%of the DG set capacity.
124
4.4 Effects on other sensitive loads

Triplen harmonics other higher order harmonics f lowing in the neutral con ductors
results in high frequen cy voltage d rops due to higher path impedance. [3] This results in
large voltage difference between n eutral & system ground causing malfunctioning of
computers unless properly ground ed.
5. Experiments done
Experiments were carried out on 125 KVA DG set which is used as stand by for
utility supply various loads wer e turned on & off and the momentary voltage variations &
frequen cy variations were recorded. Output of single ph ase loads like ups were monitored
and how the variations in DG output affected their operation was studied.
5 CONCLUSIONS
It was found that fifth harmonic content of current in the three lines were
excessively high at the DG set output which can b e reduced by using short pitched angle
of nearly 150 degrees. Single phase UPS which were working smoothly on utility supply,
were not functioning properly on DG set. Neutral current third harmon ic content was
125
excessively high. Harmonic distortion at the generator output affected other sensitive
loads too.
6. REFERENCES
1 Hand book of Power Quality by Angelo Baggini, University of Bergamo, Italy
2. Alternating current generators – section 7 Standard hand book for Electrical Engineers.
th
McGraw Hill, 11 Ed1978, ISBN007020974X
3. Selected topics in Power quality By Dr.Ashok. S Department of Electrical Engineering
NIT Calicut.
126

Effect of Stand by Power System

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International Journal

International Jo urnal of Electrical

ISSN 0976 – 6553(Online), Volume 1

EFFECT OF POWER QUALITY ON STAND BY POWER

Engine driven generators have a reciprocating engine diesel or petrol engine. It is

Figure 1 %THD of current harmonics in utility supply

Figure 2 Inrush in DG-set during loading

Figure 3 Volts/ Amps/ hertz under moderately loaded conditions

Figure 5 volts/amps/hertz under light loads

Figure 9 Output volltage waveform of UPS when connected to DG

4 EFFECTS OF HARMONIC CURRENTS &VOLTAGES ON GEN-

4.4 Effects on other sensitive loads

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