DIFFERENT METHODS OF
HARMONIC
MEASUREMENT
WHY HARMONIC ANALYSIS ?
When a voltage and/or current waveform is distorted, it causes
abnormal operating conditions in a power system such as:
• Voltage Harmonics can cause additional heating in induction and
synchronous motors and generators.
• Voltage Harmonics with high peak values can weaken insulation
in cables, windings, and capacitors.
• Voltage Harmonics can cause malfunction of different electronic
components and circuits that utilize the voltage waveform for
synchronization or timing.
• Current Harmonics in motor windings can create
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI).
Necessity for the measurement
of harmonic voltages and currents
• 1. A knowledge of the background levels is necessary to check them
against
• planned levels or limits specified in the relevant standards. Further, it
• assists tracking the trends with time or seasonal variations.
• 2. At the boundaries of a system under study, sometimes it is necessary to
• develop equivalent networks that are frequency dependent. Further, the
• driving point impedance at a location enables one to assess the system
• capability to withstand power quality disturbances.
• 3. Some equipment may be generating excessive harmonics. Further,
some
• equipment performance may be unacceptable to the utility or customer.
The harmonic tests enable one to identify such situations.
METHODS OF HARMONIC MEASUREMENT
• Harmonic analyzers
• Flicker-meter
• OSCILLOSCOPE
• FOURIER SERIES
• TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION
HARMONIC ANALYZERS
Harmonic analyzers are simple instruments for measuring and recording harmonic
distortion data. They comprise a meter with a waveform display screen, voltage
leads, and current probes. Some of the analyzers are hand-held devices, and
others are intended for tabletop use. Some instruments provide a snapshot of the
waveform and harmonic distortion at a particular instant, whereas others are capable
of recording snapshots as well as a continuous record of harmonic distortion over
time. The nature of a particular power quality problem will determine which instrument
one should use.
When measuring currents one should make sure that the probe has sufficient
current rating and that it is suitable to monitor high frequencies. One can obtain
current probes that are useful between the frequencies 5 Hz and 10 kHz for a maximum
current rating of 500 A rms. At higher frequencies, currents and distortions are
considerably lower than at lower frequencies. Hence, some loss of accuracy might
not be all that important. Typically, a 5.0% loss in accuracy can be expected if the
waveform contains significant levels of higher-order harmonics.
OSCILLOSCOPE
An oscilloscope is valuable when performing real-time tests. Looking at
the voltage and current waveforms can provide much information
about what is happening, even without performing detailed harmonic
analysis on the waveforms. One can get the magnitudes of the voltages
and currents, look for obvious distortion, and detect any major variations
in the signals.
There are numerous makes and models of oscilloscopes to choose
from. A digital oscilloscope with data storage is valuable because the
waveform can be saved and analyzed. Oscilloscopes in this category
often also have waveform analysis capability (energy calculation, spectrum
analysis). In addition, the digital oscilloscopes can usually be
obtained with communications so that waveform data can be uploaded
to a personal computer for additional analysis with a software package.
The latest developments in oscilloscopes are hand-held instruments
with the capability to display waveforms as well as performing some
signal processing. These are quite useful for power quality investigations
because they are very portable and can be operated like a voltohm
meter (VOM), but yield much more information. These are ideal
for initial plant surveys. A typical device is shown in Figs. 11.10 and
11.11. This particular instrument also has the capability to analyze
harmonics and permits connection with personal computers for further
data analysis and inclusion into reports as illustrated.
FLICKER-METER
FOURIER SERIES
f (t) = Fourier Series of a periodic function f (t) =
Co Ch cos hωt θh
h1
1 T 2 2
Co o f ( t ) dt , Ch Ah Bh
T
2 T
A h o f ( t ) cos( hωt )dt
T
2 T
B h o f ( t ) sin( h ω t ) dt
T
h = harmonic order
THD υ % Percentage of the Total Harmonic Distortion of
a nonsinusoidal voltage waveform
2
Vh
h 2 (5)
100
V1
THD i %
2
Ih
h 2
100 (6)
I1
Vh hth harmonic component of the voltage
I h hth harmonic component of the current
~ ~2
VH RMS value of the voltage distortion h
V
h 2
~ ~2
IH RMS value of the current distortion Ih
h 2
~
I RMS value of a nonsinusoidal current =
~2
Ih
h 1
~
V RMS value of a nonsinusoidal voltage =
~2
Vh
h 1
Drive kVA
THD υ % HF 100
SC k VA
h 2 I 2h / I1
HF Harmonic Factor = h 5
