PROBLEM OF

POWER QUALITY,
ITS CAUSES,
EFFECTS AND
SOLUTION
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THE IMPACT OF POOR POWER QUALITY

Power quality problems and its root cause

Various types of Power Quality problems and its effect in

Industries

Solutions to Power Quality Problems

Benefits to be achieved from clean power

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 POWER QUALITY
PROBLEMS AND ITS
CAUSE

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POWER QUALITY PROBLEMS AND ITS CAUSE

With the rapid growth of Industrinization, Modernization &

urbanization, there has been an ever increasing demand of power
generation and as a consequence the generating capacity has been
out placed by energy demands

With the advent of semi-conductor and microcomputer, there has

been a increased use of electronic equipment to control electrical
equipment and maximize their production. This constitute >75% of
the total industry load.

Mainly termed as non-linear loads – these are adjustable speed of

AC and DC drives, Electric Furnaces, Welding Machines, Motor
loads, uninterruptable Power Supply, energy efficient lighting.

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POWER QUALITY PROBLEMS AND ITS CAUSE

These non-linear loads are the major causes and major victims of
Power Quality Problems. These loads draw rapid dynamic reactive
power generates variable current harmonics of different orders and
sometimes draw unbalanced load currents as well

These leads to Poor Power Factor, high voltage and current distortion

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COMMON TYPES OF
POWER QUALITY
PROBLEMS AND ITS
BUSINESS IMPACT

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COMMON TYPES OF POWER QUALITY PROBLEMS

3-Phase Sags/swells
balanced Overvoltage

Poor Power Factor Notches

Harmonics Transient (Spike)

Phase unbalance Flicker

Blackout Noise
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 POWER FACTOR PROBLEMS

Causes
 Large motors, Highly inductive
and capacitive load like
Electric Furnaces, Drives,
Welding Machine, UPS etc.

Signs/Symptoms
 Power Factor penalty on utility bills
Business Impact
 Huge financial loss with effective high cost of electrical
energy.
 Wasted electrical capacity
Solution
 Static Var Compensator based PFC system. 8
 POWER FACTOR PROBLEMS

Example: RUPA & CO. LTD.

MAY 2017 JULY 2017

NET BENEFIT : Rs. 3,84,669.26 PER MONTH

 PROBLEM OF CURRENT HARMONICS
Harmonic Current Distortion is the most
common form of electrical pollution in
today’s industrial, institutional and
commercial facilities
Causes
 “Non-linear” loads: VFDs, electronic
power supplies, Arc Furnaces,
anything electronic, Welding
equipment
Signs/Symptoms
 Transformers/cables overheating
 Nuisance tripping of circuit breakers
 Fuses blowing
 Voltage Distortion
 Capacitors overheating
Business Impact
 Low energy efficiency
 High repair costs
 High demand and demand charges
 Deterioration of production quality
Solution
 Active Harmonic Filter 10
 PROBLEM OF VOLTAGE HARMONICS
Harmonic Voltage Distortion is the most
pernicious power quality problems
encountered in today’s industrial,
institutional and commercial facilities
Causes
 Usually, Current Distortion flowing
through standard transformers
 Rarely, Distorted Voltage from Utility
Signs/Symptoms
 Sensitive equipment “crashing”
intermittently: Computers, PLCs, VFDs,
Medical equipment, Communication
systems
 Motors overheating
 Capacitors failing prematurely
 High replacement rate for sensitive
electronics
Business Impact
 Unreliable electrical system: Downtime
 Intimately unavailable IT and financial
transaction systems
 High repair costs
 Low energy efficiency
Solution
 Eliminate current distortion
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AN INDUSTRIAL EXAMPLE OF CALCULATION OF LOSSES
DUE TO HARMONICS

POWER AUDIT READINGS TAKEN ACROSS DIFFERENT LOADS PRESENTS IN A

TABULAR FORM
CURRENT THD
P
H
A V.GRID I.GRID KW/P KVAR/Q KVA/S PF V.THD LOAD
S TOTAL 3 5 7 9 11 13 17 19 23
E

PTM – 4
R 415 306 5.3 23 4.5 18 5   8.9 3 5 3  
APFC ON
Y 416 390 239 49 247 0.967 3.9 14.4 4.9 9 4.6   6.3 2.5 3.5 2.1  
(300 KVAR)
B 413 336 4.3 16.2 2.5 11.3 5.2   6.9 2.8 3.3 2.9  
R 415 475 2.2 21.9 1.4 19.4 4.5   6.5 2.8 3.0    
APFC OFF
Y 422 443 231 227 325 0.713 2.5 21.3 2.3 19 4            
(300 KVAR)
B 414 430 4.6 21.1 2.5 18 4.2 1.2 6.5 1.9 29    
PTM – 3
R 413 354 3.0 23.7 3.2 18.1 9.0 1.5 5.4 4.0 3.2 3.1  
APFC ON
Y 410 399 216 86 235 0.919 4.0 21.9 4.6 17.1 8.3 0.8 2.1 3.0 2.5 2.9  
(300 KVAR)
B 407 237 2.9 26.9 3.6 19.2 10.0 1.9 5.1 2.5 1.0    
R 410 423 1.9 21.9 1.5 11.2 7.8   4.3 1.2      
APFC OFF
Y 407 406 211 178 277 0.763 2.2 21.3 0.9 12.3 6.9   2.9 1.3      
(300 KVAR)
B 405 346 2.1 23.8 3.5 12.9 7.4   1.8 2.0 1.0    
CR (MILL) (1)/AUX PANEL – CDW – (SKIM PASS-1)
R 421 587 1.6 24.2 1.1 20.1 12.9 0.9 1.3 1.5 1.3    
APFC OFF
Y 424 567 276 298 407 0.677 1.0 24.3 2.2 20 13.0 0.8 1.4 2.3 1.0    
(550 KVAR)
B 417 521 1.6 25.4 0.8 21.1 13.7 1.3 1.6   0.9    
R 415 480 1.4 29.4 2.9 27.5 8.5 0.9 3.0 1.8 2.6    
APFC ON
Y 418 424 292 -101 3.9 0.944 1.4 33.7 7.3 31.0 9.5 1.5 2.7 2.8 2.6    
(550 KVAR
B 413 384 1.0 31.2 6.7 28.4 8.0 1.2 2.5 0.9      

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AN INDUSTRIAL EXAMPLE OF CALCULATION OF LOSSES
DUE TO HARMONICS

 
Calculation of financial implication:

Average 5th Harmonics = 18.6; Average 7th Harmonics = 7.3; Average 11th Harmonics = 4;

Installed Transformer 2.5 MVA

Core Loss @0.25% = 6.25 KW

Calculation of Harmonic loss with APFC panel

Loss due to 5th Harmonic factor to fundamental =

Loss due to 7th Harmonic factor to fundamental =

Loss due to 11th Harmonic factor to fundamental =

Loss due to 5th Harmonic with APFC Panel = 6.25 × 0.186 × 25 = 29.06 KW

Loss due to 7th Harmonic with APFC Panel = 6.25 × 0.073 × 49 = 22.36 KW

Loss due to 11th Harmonic with APFC Panel = 6.25 × 0.04 × 121 = 30.25 KW

∴ Total Loss due to 5th, 7th and 11th Harmonics with APFC = 29.06 + 22.36 + 30.25 = 81.67 KW

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AN INDUSTRIAL EXAMPLE OF CALCULATION OF LOSSES
DUE TO HARMONICS

Calculation of financial implication:

Average 5th Harmonics = 18.6; Average 7th Harmonics = 7.3; Average 11th Harmonics = 4;

Installed Transformer 2.5 MVA

Core Loss @0.25% = 6.25 KW

Calculation of Harmonic loss with QualPower

 Harmonics = 5%

 Loss due to 5th harmonic with QualPower = 6.25 × 0.05 × 25 = 7.81 KW

Loss due to 7th harmonic with QualPower = 6.25 × 0.005 × 49 = 1.53 KW

Loss due to 11th harmonic with QualPower = 6.25 × 0.005 × 121= 3.78 KW

∴ Total Loss due to 5th, 7th and 11th Harmonics with QP = 7.81 + 1.53 + 3.78 = 13.12 KW

Hence, saving of losses due to QualPower is = 81.67 – 13.12 = 68.55 KW

Cost of energy savings = 68.55 × 24 × 30 × 7.5 = Rs. 3,70,170.00 per month
Yearly savings = 3,70,170.00 × 12 = Rs. 44,42,040.00
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 SOLUTIONS TO
POWER QUALITY
PROBLEMS

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 SOLUTIONS TO POWER QUALITY PROBLEMS

Existing facilities
 Power Quality Audits conducted by a REMOTE Power Quality Team utilizing
Permanent meters are the ideal solution because the customer has Quick
access to the highest level of Power Quality professionals with no travel costs
 If necessary, temporary Power Monitoring equipment will be installed in
strategic locations to gather Power Quality and Energy consumption data
 
New construction
 Modeling tools are used instead of Power Quality measurements
 In both cases the methodology is the same:
1. Identify the source of the problems
2. Quantify the criticality of the problems and financial impact to the
customer’s business
3. Provide Power Quality Report and recommend one or more solutions to
the problems
4. Solve the problem(s) with the appropriate solutions/products
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AS A SOLUTION TO
POWER QUALITY
PROBLEMS….

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INTRODUCING

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 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

 Mains Voltage: 415 V AC (L-L), 3-Phase

+10% / -15%, three wire/four wire
 QUALPOWER Capacity: 50KVAR to
200KVAR
 PF almost unity
 Current THD ≤ 5%, Harmonic elimination
 Load balancing between phases
 Compensates Over Voltage due to Ferranti
effect
 Control: continuous and step less reactive
power control

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 STATIC VAR COMPENSATOR(STATCOM)

QUALPOWER is a static var compensator (STATCOM) which

acts as a PWM Voltage source such that it can deliver
controlled reactive power to the network.

This system has a high speed DSP based control system,

thereby having a very fast response time and is thus capable of
dynamic compensation for harmonic waves.

Primarily for this feature STATCOM is ideally suited for Var

compensation of rapidly changing loads.

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THE SIGNOTRON MAKE QUALPOWER SERIES PROVIDES
THE FOLLOWING POWER OPTIMIZATION

 Improves POWER FACTOR up to unity.

 Balances Load Current in 3 phase 4-wire system

 Compensates for over-voltage due to Ferranti effect.

Eliminates harmonics

Input current THD<5%

Mitigates voltage fluctuation & flickers

Ensure load balancing between phases

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 APPLICATION OF QUALPOWER

QUALPOWER is specially suited for fast changing loads and loads

with high harmonics where capacitor based panel will fail to deliver full
var compensation so as to get maximum rebate from electricity
boards.

Such types of loads are –

Induction Furnace

Arc Furnace

DC/AC Drives

Diode/Thyristor based charger

All types of welding machine

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 BENEFITS OF REDUCED HARMONICS
AND IMPROVED POWER FACTOR

 Tariff related power factor incentives and avoidance of low p.f. penalty. About 12-
15% of rebate in the cost of energy consumed for >0.99.
 Reduction in line & equipment current leading to blocked capacity and or
deferred capital investment.
 Reduction in losses of operating temperature and consequent improved in life of
equipment.
 Reduced damage/over loading of equipment.
 Reducing in demand and demand charges.
 Reduction in current and losses.
 Tax benefits.
 Improved Voltage stability margins.
 Improved voltage profile and efficient operation of power equipment.
 Reduction in mal-functioning & unwanted tripping.
 Improved quality productions

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INPUT CURRENT WAVEFORM AT RECORDED IN INDUSTRY
 REDUCTION OF HARMONICS

Non-linear loads generate harmonic current. The harmonic current loads the
network and voltage distortions. Distorted voltage may cause malfunctioning in
sensitive computerised devices & other process control equipment

Undistorted current waveform with

Distorted current waveform
QUALPOWER

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 NEAR UNITY POWER FACTOR

QUALPOWER ensures almost unity for all types of load (lagging and leading)
which not only avoids penalty for low power factor but also ensure maximum
rebate benefit for near unity power factor as offered by respective power utility
boards.

Power Factor Real-time continuous

> 0.99 control of PF

Suitable for Maximum rebate

rapidly changing on energy cost
load

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 FLICKER REDUCTION

Rapidly varying reactive power causes voltage fluctuations at the point of

common coupling. The human eye perceives this frequency of voltage
fluctuations as flickering lights. QUALPOWER reduces the flickering.

(Applying only reactive power compensation results in stabilizing the voltage level and decreasing voltage
fluctuations significantly)

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 LOAD BALANCING

3-Phase 4-Wire QualPower performs load balancing by current

compensation

Suitable for IT industry, large office complex, commercial mall

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 COMPARISON OF QUALPOWER WITH APFC

Sl. Feature QUALPOWER APFC

No.
1 RELIABILITY High Low

2 LIFE >20 years <5 years

Possible for rapidly varying load as Not suitable for rapidly varying load or
3 POWER FACTOR > 0.99
well as capacitive PF capacitive PF

HARMONIC Seriously disadvantage,

4 COMPENSATION
Achievable up to 33rd order
Harmonic distortion gets worse

5 3Ø LOAD BALANCING Possible Not possible

High maintenance with frequent capacitor

6 MAINTENANCE Negligible
failure because of harmonic contents

7 FERRANTI EFFECT Compensation possible Compensation not possible

COLLATERAL POWER Significant.

8 WASTAGE
Negligible
Causes additional energy cost

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 CONCLUSIONS

Advanced technology offers unthinkable

combination of benefits to the users

Provides high return on investment

Free of maintenance, static, noise free, user

friendly and elegantly designed

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION

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