An Introduction to

Power Quality

By:
Hossein Mahdinia Roudsari
 What is a Power Quality Problem?

Any occurrence manifested in voltage,

current, or frequency deviations that
results in failure or mis-operation of
end-use equipment.
Dictio
n ary
 What does that mean?

Its dependant on your

susceptibility.

Given the quality of supply do I have

to worry about problems with my
equipment or systems?
Typical Financial Loss Per Event
Industry Typical Loss
Financial $6,000,000/event
Semi-conductor mfg. $3,800,000/event
Computer operations $750,000/event
Telecommunications $30,000/minute
Data processing $10,000/minute
Steel/heavy mfg. $300,000/event
Plastics $10,000-15,000/event

Source: The Cost of Power Quality, Copper Development Association, March, 2001
 Sources Of Power Problems
Referenced at the utility PCC (point of common coupling)

Utility
lightning, PF correction caps, faults, switching
impact from other customers
Internal to the facility
individual load characteristics, motors, ASDs
computers, microprocessors
wiring
changing loads

Typically, 70% of all PQ events

are generated within the facility
Types Of Power Quality Disturbances
(per IEEE 1159)

Transients
RMS Variations
Short Duration Variations
Long Duration Variations
Sustained
Waveform Distortion
DC Offset
Harmonics
Interharmonics
Notching
Voltage Fluctuations
Power Frequency Variations
Types of Power Quality Problems
 What is a Transient?
Momentary (& undesirable) high frequency sub-
cycle event
Usually measured in microseconds
May also be called a Spike, Surge or Impulse
Characteristics of a Transient:
Rise time (dv/dt)
Ring frequency
Point-on-wave
Multiple zero crossings
Magnitude
 Transients
Unipolar Bipolar Oscillatory
Positive Notching
200

100

-100

-200
Negative Multiple Zero Crossings
A transient power quality event has occurred on DataNode H09_5530.
The event occurred at 10-16-2001 05:03:36 on phase A. Characteristics
were Mag = 478.V (1.22pu), Max Deviation (Peak-to-Peak) = 271.V
(0.69pu), Dur = 0.006 s (0.35 cyc.), Frequency = 1,568. Hz, Category = 3
Upstream Capacitor Switching
 Transients

Possible Causes Possible Effects

PF cap energization Data corruption

Lightning Equipment damage

Loose connection Data transmission errors

Load or source switching Intermittent equipment operation

RF burst Reduced equipment life

Irreproducible problems
 What is an RMS Variation?
(longer duration events)

A change in the RMS voltage. Typically 16 ms

(1 cycle) or longer

Reduction in voltage: Sag or Interruption

Increase in voltage: Swell
 RMS Voltage Variations

Sag Swell Interruption

100

-100
 Motor Starting
Timeplot Chart
Volts Amps
222.5 900
Min Max Median
CHA Vrms 206.11 222.25 219.19
CHA Irms 1.40 847.71 207.16

800
220.0

700

217.5

600

215.0
500

400
212.5

300

210.0

200

207.5
100

205.0 0
09:49:00.5 09:49:01.0 09:49:01.5 09:49:02.0 09:49:02.5 09:49:03.0 09:49:03.5 09:49:04.0
CHA Vrms CHA Irms

09/13/96 09:49:00.50 - 09/13/96 09:49:04.00

 IEEE1159 Characterizations
(RMS Variations)

Instantaneous (0.5 - 30 cycles)

Sag (0.1 - 0.9 pu)
Swell (1.1 - 1.8 pu)
Momentary (30 cycles - 3 sec)
Interruption (< 0.1 pu, 0.5 cycles - 3s)
Sag
Swell
Temporary (3 sec - 1 minute)
Long Duration (beyond 1 minute)
 What is Directivity?
Where the problem originated referenced to the point being
monitored (where the instrument is)

Typically referred to as Upstream or Downstream

Upstream
Source side. Originated from the source of supply (can be utility)
Downstream
Load side. Originated from a load
Helps you identify where the problem is and what actions to
take.
 Case Study Major Financial Institution
(Benefits of Learning Directivity)

Problem Utility Sag

Damaged elevator controls
No UPS alarms (2 static, 1 rotary)
No reported problems with critical systems

02/19/2002 PM Module Temporary Rms Voltage Mag = 366.V (0.76pu), Dur = 3.300 s,
00:29:29.26 Category = 2, Upstream Sag
Input Sag AB

02/19/2002 SYSA Input Temporary Rms Voltage Mag = 353.V (0.73pu), Dur = 3.300 s,
00:29:29.26 Category = 2, Upstream Sag
Sag AB

02/19/2002 SYSB Input Temporary Rms Voltage Mag = 372.V (0.78pu), Dur = 3.300 s,
00:29:29.26 Category = 2, Upstream Sag
Sag AB
 Utility Sag

Utility Supply RMS Trend

Utility Supply Waveforms

Corresponding UPS Swell

Utility Supply

UPS Swell

UPS Output
 Conclusion

Utility sags damaged elevator controls

Corresponding UPS Swell coincident with utility
return to normal
Cause of swell being investigated by manufacturer
Possible effects of swells
Damaged power supplies and other devices

Without monitoring, the customer would

be unaware of the UPS problem. The next
time, the damage could be worse
 PQ Rule #1
For a source generated Sag, the current
usually decreases or goes to zero
August 14, 2003 Blackout:
Long Duration Interruption
 PQ Rule #2
For a load generated Sag, the current
usually increases significantly.
Waveforms
Volts Amps
400 1500

300
1000

200
500

100

-500

-100

-1000
-200

-1500
-300

-400 -2000
09:49:00.90 09:49:00.95 09:49:01.00 09:49:01.04 09:49:01.09
CHA Volts CHA Amps

Pre/Post-trigger at 09/13/1996 09:49:00.947

File: C:\DranView\K_DEMO pq+ with inrush data.dnv
 RMS Voltage Variations
Causes and Effects

Possible Causes Possible Effects

Sudden change in load current Process interruption
Fault on feeder Data loss
Fault on parallel feeder Data transmission errors
Motor start PLC or computer misoperation
Undersized distribution system Damaged product
Motor failure
Common RMS Voltage Variations
Visualization methods using power monitoring
instrumentation
Sampled data
Recorded Waveforms
Magnitude vs. Time
Timelines
Magnitude vs. Event Duration
CBEMA (IEEE 446)
ITIC
3-D Mag-Dur
Equipment susceptibility curves
Custom curves that represent that specific device
IEEE 446 - 1995 Limits (CBEMA)
Information Technology Industry Council
(ITIC) Curve
Another Perspective 3D Mag-Dur Histogram
 Case Study

(Laser Printer Heating Cycle)

 Voltage Timeline

Vl-n= 120 --> 108 45 seconds

SAG when heater turns on

V l-n

I load
Overlay Voltage & Current - Heater turning on
 What is a harmonic?
An integer multiple of the fundamental
frequency

Fundamental (1st harmonic) = 60hz

2nd = 120hz
3rd = 180hz
4th = 240hz
5th = 300hz

Linear Voltage / Current
No Harmonic Content

voltage

current
Non-Linear Voltage / Current
Harmonic Content

voltage

current
When should I be concerned about Harmonics?
Harmonics are typically considered a problem when they are always
presentSteady state distortion that is continuously occurring.
Although any waveform can have harmonics we are typically
concerned with the cumulative effects of continual harmonic distortion
on the power system

Waveforms
Amps
200

150

100

50

-5 0

-1 00

-1 50

-20 0
14 :34:4 2.20 14:34 :42.2 1 1 4:34 :42 .22 14 :3 4:4 2.23 14 :34:4 2.24 14:3 4:4 2.25 1 4:3 4:42 .2 6 1 4:34 :42 .2 7
CH A Amps

Wav eform event at 03/22/1999 14:34:42.480

File: C:\DranView \Q_DEMO Cycle by cycle harmonics.dnv
 How are harmonics measured?

Individual Harmonics
2, 3, 4, 5, 650+
Fourier Transform, FFT, DFT
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)
Ratio, expressed as % of sum of all harmonics to:
Fundamental (THD)
Total RMS
Load Current (I TDD only)
Interharmonics
Content between integer harmonics
Required for new IEC standards (IEC 61000-4-30)
 Harmonic Spectrum
Event waveform/detail
% of FND
12.5

10.0

7.5

5.0

2.5

0.0
Thd H05 H10 H15 H20 H25 H30
CHA Volts

Total RMS: 24882.56 Volts

DC Level : 880.46 Volts
Fundamental(H1) RMS: 24725.89 Volts
Total Harmonic Distortion (H02-H50): 10.60 % of FND
Even contribution (H02-H50): 7.97 % of FND
Odd contribution (H03-H49): 6.99 % of FND
 PQ Rule #3
Even harmonics typically do not appear in a properly
operating power system.
Symmetry

Positive & Negative halves the same: Only odd harmonics.

If they are different: Even & Odd harmonics
 What are Triplen Harmonics?

Harmonics whos order is a multiple of 3

3, 6, 9,

Why should I be concerned about

Triplen Harmonics?
Triplen Harmonics add in the neutral.
Additive Triplen Harmonics
 Harmonics (sustained)

Possible Causes Possible Effects

Rectified inputs of Overload of neutral conductors
power supplies
Overload of power sources
Non-symmetrical current
Low power factor
Intermittent electrical noise
from loose connections Reduced ride-through
 Case Study

(Laser Printer Heating Cycle)

Continued
Current Waveform - heater on
HARMONIC DISTORTION - heater on

Harmonics V l-n Vthd = 2.8%

Harmonics I load Ithd = 5%

Current With Printer Idle
Harmonic Distortion - Idle

Harmonics V l-n Vthd = 3.1%

Harmonics I load Ithd = 140%

 Review of What We Just Saw

Nearly Sinusoidal Current

Low Voltage Harmonic Distortion (4%)

Voltage and Current In-phase

Power Factor Near One

Flat-topping of Voltage when Idle

Corresponds with Current Pulse
 Other PQ Concerns
(defined in IEEE 1159)

Frequency
Frequency different from the ideal 50/60hz
Frequency not synchronized with the grid
Unbalance
Deviation from the average 3 phase voltage (IEEE)
Voltage Fluctuations (Flicker)
Small changes to the magnitude of the voltage
Visual perception. Effects on lights
How Many Can You Find?
Monitoring Approaches
and Tools

Handheld/Portable

(Reactive) Vs. Permanently

Installed (Proactive)
 Reactive Monitoring

After the fact - Reactive

Forensic approach
Problem Solving, Hopefully youll
find it!
Portable instrumentation typically
used
 Proactive Monitoring
Permanently installed monitoring systems
Anticipate the future, On-Line when trouble
occurs
Monitor system dynamics
Preventive Maintenance, Trending, identify
equipment deterioration

Power Quality and Flow