A good assumption for most consumers in Mexico is that the sinusoidal waveform voltage as generated is very good. In most areas, the supply voltage on power systems typically has much less than 1.0 percentage distorted. However, the disturbance level increases at the load end. For some type of loads, the current wave barely resembles like a sinusoidal wave.
Nonlinear loads like electronic converters can chop the supply waveform into arbitrary waveform. After the modern electronic equipment application in electrical systems, many engineers and consumers became very much concerned about the ability and quality of the system power supply to accommodate the harmonic disturbances.
Harmonic studies play an important role in characterizing and understanding the extent of harmonic problems. Harmonic studies are often performed when
- Finding an appropriate solution to an existing harmonic issue
- Installing large capacitor banks on a power system
- Installing very large nonlinear loads or devices
- Designing a harmonic filter
- Converting a power factor correction capacitor bank to a harmonic filter
Importance of Harmonic Studies:
Harmonic study and analysis provide a means to assess various possible control measures and their effectiveness under a range of conditions before implementing a final solution.
Harmonic disturbances are present on all electrical systems to some degree. Basically, we need to control the level of harmonics before they become a problem. There are three common causes of harmonic problems:
- The harmonic current source is too large.
- The network section in which the harmonic current flow is electrically long, leads to either high distortion in voltage or channel interference.
- The system response of the enlarges harmonic contents to a great degree than can be tolerated.
When harmonic distortion issue occurs, the basic controlling harmonics options are:
- Reducing the harmonic distortion currents generated by the loads.
- Adding filters to either reduction of the harmonic disturbance currents off the electric installation, eliminating these currents entering into the system, or distributing the harmonic currents locally.
- Modify the system supply frequency by filters, capacitors, or inductors.
Effects of harmonic distortion in a system:
- Nuisance tripping of circuit breaker
- Harmonic resonance
- Capacitor bank failure
- Skin effects for higher harmonic orders
- Reduced power factors
- Telephone interference
- Motor winding burnt & hunting
- Neutral overloading (double neutral)
- Causing electromagnetic interference to sensitive signals
- Maloperation of protective devices
- Overheating of cables, transformers, motors, generators and capacitor banks connected to the same electric supply
- Electronic displays & lighting may flicker
- Metering can give false readings.
- Added efficiency losses to the system composed by electrical installation and equipment.
- Unwanted overload or to oversize for transformers, cables
- Malfunctions of motors and generators
- Increased maintenance and replacement cost
- Interruptions and downtimes cost
- Increased electricity consumption
- Enlargement of the installations
- Stoppage of the productive process
- Reduced system capacity and thus increase capital expenditure by unnecessary expansion.
- Shorten the life of the equipment
Standards on Harmonics:
There are number of national and international level organizations working to come up with standard governing guidelines, best practices, and harmonic levels. The main aim of the standards is to give a common good practice for all work together to make sure the compatibility between end user equipment and the system.
The national/ international level standards & regulations that are governing harmonic distortion limits, including IEEE 519, IEC 61000-2-2, IEC 61000-3-2, IEC 61000-3-4, IEC 61000-3-6, NRS 048-2, and EN50160.
Benefits of Availing Harmonic Study and Analysis Service from Care Labs:
- Work as an assistant in predictive and preventive maintenance
- Identify the origin and frequency of events
- Develop maintenance schedules
- Ensure safe operation of components
- Evaluate the sensitivity of equipment to disturbances
- Evaluate and study flickers, harmonics, voltage, and frequency variations
- Monitor performance according to specifications
- Get a single point of contact for all your queries throughout the project life cycle
- Offers highly skilled electrical professionals to perform power quality analysis availed by you
- Meet employee/staff safety demands and dedication to electrical safety
- Achieve compliance with relevant regulations and standards in Mexico.
- Improve your electrical system performance by performing power quality analysis.
- Reduce the risk of expensive litigation, penalties for the damages caused by your electrical installation
- Get a reliable and trustworthy comprehensive report about your electrical installation using industry-recognized ETAP software
- Care Labs detailed study and analysis report will assist your professionals to find any risks or general wear and tear that could affect your safety
Contact us to know more about harmonic study & analysis or avail our service.
