HARMONIC STUDY AND ANALYSIS IN AUSTRALIA

Care Labs provides several services for electrical installations such as electrical safety inspection, testing, calibration, and certification services and we offer comprehensive harmonic study and analysis services.

Trained professionals will examine harmonic risks, training programs, documentation, and, PPE to ensure your electrical safety program is up to date, compliant, and comprehensive.

Care Labs are capable of identifying harmonics at an early stage and can adopt appropriate steps to mitigate the effects of harmonic distortions to ensure the safe operation of the equipment.

Harmonics are electric voltages and currents that can introduce inefficiencies in the electrical system. They cause wasteful heat and can cause power quality problems.

Harmonic voltage analysis is a mathematical approach in predicting potential resonances and harmonic distortion levels depending on the available data.

Harmonic frequencies enter the electrical system through nonlinear electrical switching devices like AC variable frequency drives, DC drives, fluorescent lights, computers, etc.

There is a high chance of equipment malfunction during high harmonic voltage/current levels. so, a timely harmonic study and analysis are important.

Present harmonic limits in 415 voltage systems are 5% which includes 4% odd harmonics and 2% even harmonics.

Effects of Harmonic Distortion:

Causes circulating current and high voltage
Equipment malfunction and destruction due to excessive voltage distortion
An increased presence of internal energy in components leading to its failure and shortened life span
Fault tripping of branch circuit breakers
Error in metering
Explosion and fires in wiring and distribution system
Generator failures
Reduction in system power factor
High installation and utility costs
Loss of productivity
Downtime and unnecessary tripping of drives
Usage of larger motors

The possibility of occurrence of harmonic problems are very less but they tend to reduce power system reliability and level of power quality and its efficiency on appearing. So harmonic study and analysis is essential as it

Prevents voltage and current harmonics
Limits frequency variation
Voltage and current unbalance
Improve power factor analysis and maintain value close to one
Limits voltage fluctuations

Harmonic study and analysis will provide an insight into the potential cause & effect of power quality issues and will help in avoiding harmonic-related issues in the design stage itself and decrease the possibility of undesired effects.

Care Labs Work Process of Harmonic Study and Analysis:

Highlight available nonlinear loads, capacitor banks, and medium voltage cables of long length from the electrical one-line diagram
Identify the place of common coupling (PCC)
Identify in-plant system buses which are prone to be affected by harmonic distortions
Obtain harmonics-related data from all nonlinear loads
Obtain important data of voltage and current harmonics at the predetermined PCC including highest and lowest short circuit fault levels and the permitted harmonic levels of Australia
Perform harmonic analysis of the electrical network using ETAP
Obtain both the whole and discrete levels of current and voltage wave distortions at the buses and the PCC
Plot harmonic frequency spectrum
if the harmonic distortion levels exceed the permitted levels, a suitable mitigation solution is proposed and applied
Reperform the analysis after the addition of mitigation solution

Care Labs Service Benefits:

Harmonic due to large installations are included in the standard AS/NZS 61000.3.6 with effect from 1999. The scope of this standard is to give guidance in determining the size of the distorting equipment that may be supplied from high voltage or the voltage at the PCC is greater than 240/415V.

Low and high voltages according to IEC terms are (in terms of line-to-line voltage)

Low voltage: V <= 1 kV
Medium voltage: 1 kV < V <= 35 kV
High voltage: 35 kV < V <= 230 kV
Extra high voltage 230 kV < V

AS2279.2 allows harmonic analysis in three stages. Stage 1 involves a quick assessment of the ratio of converter rating to the fault level at PCC.

Stage 2 involves higher ratings if the existing background harmonics have been measured.

If the background is below 25%, stage 2 allows converter size depending on fault level and converter type.
If the background is between 25% and 75%, converter ratings of half that given above point are allowed.
For higher background, a full harmonic investigation is done.

Care Labs have their crew members deployed in various locations, so our specialists are nearby in case of a routine or emergency. In a very short period, Care Labs have been established as an ISO 9001:2008 certified organization and has acquired a reputed client base with excellent feedbacks.

We offer harmonic study and analysis services in all the major cities of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

Book your harmonic study and analysis in Australia or get a quote today by contacting us!