Siemens Industry, Inc.

Power Technology Issue 117

Low-voltage Harmonics Filters for Power Plants

Bernhard Cronje
Consultant – Network Consulting
bernhard.cronje@siemens.com

Summary
During the commissioning phases of a Siemens combined cycle power plant project
(750 MW), problems were experienced with power quality on the internal 11 kV and 415 V auxiliary power
supply systems. Siemens PTI was consulted to analyze the cause of the problem and to propose suitable
mitigation equipment. This was extremely important for the successful commissioning and handover of
the complete power plant to the end-client. The proposed solution was in the form of passive high-pass
harmonics filters on the low-voltage (415 V) supply system. The filters were installed and commissioned
successfully and measurements showed that the filters functioned as intended.

Problem description
Problems were being experienced with equipment failure and malfunction on certain 415 V auxiliary
supply circuits of the power plant. In one instance, uninterruptable power supplies tripped on overvoltage
conditions and in another case, critical air conditioning units malfunctioned. A Siemens PTI consultant
visited the site with power quality analyzers to perform measurements under various system operating
conditions and to investigate the problem.
Repetitive transient voltage oscillations were detected on the 11 kV and 415 V supplies (see Figure 1
below) and high levels of harmonics distortion existed in the range between 3 kHz and 4,5 kHz. Analysis
of the network showed that this was due to a parallel resonance that existed between the connected 11kV
cable capacitance and the system impedance (see impedance plot in Figure 1 below). The commutation
notches caused by the large Startup Frequency Converters (SFCs) and the Static Excitation Equipment
(SEE) excited oscillations in this critical frequency range.

Voltage
oscillations
Z [Ohm] Impedance: 11kV Auxiliary supply
10000

BBT
1000

11kV
Auxiliary 100
supply

10

Cable
capacitance
1 f [Hz]
SFC SEE 10 100 1000 10000 100000
415 V
~ ~
~ Power quality
problems

Figure 1 - Auxiliary Supply Diagram, Voltage Wave Shape

and Impedance Plot Showing the Parallel Resonance
Power Technology August 2014

Solution
® ®
By constructing a detailed model of the auxiliary supply system in PSS SINCAL and PSS NETOMAC,
the disturbance could be analyzed in detail and mitigation measures in the form of passive harmonics
filters could be designed and tested. Two solutions were developed and compared; a single high-pass
filter for the 11 kV side versus two smaller high-pass filters on the 415 V side (low voltage – LV). The pros
and cons of the two designs were compared and the low-voltage filters were chosen as the preferred
solution.

Implementation
The LV filters were in the form of three standard indoor panels with standard series filter modules and an
additional panel with the resistors required, to realize high-pass damped filters. The filter configuration is
shown in figure 2 below:

415 V

5th Filter 11th Filter

Resistors
400 kvar 100 kvar

5th Filter 11th Filter

400 kvar 100 kvar
High pass High pass

Figure 2 - LV Filter Single Line Diagram and Panel Arrangement

An external contractor was tasked with the manufacture and supply of the filters, delivery to site,
installation and commissioning. This was done in a fairly short period of time and the measurements
during commissioning of the filters showed a marked improvement in the voltage wave shape (see figure
3 below). The harmonics distortion levels were reduced to acceptable levels and the connected
equipment now operated trouble free.

Page 2
Power Technology August 2014

415 V wave shape 415 V wave shape

without filters with filters

Figure 3 - LV Voltage Wave Shape – without and with Filters

Achievements
In the past, this type of problem was solved by installing a high-pass filter of between 2 and 6 Mvar on the
medium-voltage (11 kV) supply. This is, after all, where the disturbances come from. Such a medium-
voltage filter requires a lot of space (4 m x 8 m as an outdoor filter) and is expensive. In this specific case,
the effects of the disturbances were limited to a specific low-voltage supply, making the LV filters an
attractive option. By using the much smaller and cheaper low-voltage filters, the disturbance levels could
successfully be reduced to acceptable levels.

Subject to change without prior notice

© 2014 Siemens Industry, Inc. All rights reserved.

The information provided contains merely general descriptions or characteristics of performance which in case of actual use do not
always apply as described or which may change as a result of further development of the products. An obligation to provide the
respective characteristics shall only exist if expressly agreed in the terms of contract.

All product designations may be trademarks or product names of Siemens AG or supplier companies whose use by third parties for
their own purposes could violate the rights of the owners.

Page 3