The Fast Hartley Transform Used in the Analysis of

Electrical Transients i n Power Systems

G. T. Heydt
Electrical and Communications Systems
National Science Foundation
Washington, DC 20550

possibilities in Hartley space. A discussion of the potential

Abstract

This paper

concerns the use of the fast Hartley

pitfalls cf the method are also presented.

transform in the analysis of electrical transients in power sys-

I. T h e Hartley Transform

tems. Both periodic and nonperiodic signals are studied.

The fast Hartley transform (FHT) is a real transform which

The Hartley transform [l]of time function x(t) is X(Y)

is very similar to the fast Fourier transform (FPT). The

00

X(Y)=

FHT has many of the useful properties of the FFT, however

the FIJT is a purely real transformation and computational
advantages are associated with this fact.

x(t) cas(t) d t

(1)

-03

where cas(.) is the cosine - and

- sine function

This paper
cas(t) = cos(t)

addresses several of the properties of the FHT as used in

+ sin(t) .

power systems including representation of initial conditions,

The Hartley transform enjoys many of the familiar properties

convolution properties and symmetries, filtering and window-

of the Fourier transform, but the Hartley transform is purely

ing, aliasing errors in both the Hartley frequency and time

real. Bracewell has written a definative text on the Hartley

domains, and certain properties related to time scaling and

transform and its properties [2] (in fact, the transform is

zero padding. Practical methodologies are presented for the

sometimes termed the Hartley-Bracewell transform).

calculation of electrical transients; these signals may occur in

Marly of the most useful properties of the Hartley

electric power systems due to nonperiodic phenomena such as

transform are also useful properties in Fourier transform

periodic

methodo!ogy. For example, convolution in time is rendered

switching

surges

and

transformer

inrush

or

phenomena such as those found in electronic power process-

to be a product,

ing devices. The methodology presented is useful for power

oc,

Z(t) = x

quality assessment. The basis of the method is Ohms law

which, in the time domain, is the convolution
v(t)

=z

* i(t).

* y(t) = J

x(t -.)Y(T)dT

--M

Z ( V ) = -2[ X ( U ) Y ( V )

+ X(-V)Y(Y) + X(Y)Y(-Y)

- X(-U).(-@].

This convolution is rendered to be a sum of products in Hart-

Also, there are analogs to both the discrete Fourier transform

ley space, and under some conditions, these products collapse

and the fast Fourier transform algorithm. The discrete Hart-

into a single product which is identical to the F F T case. The

ley transform (DHT) is

usual parameters found in a power system result in frequency

band limits which translate as especially rapid calculation

perties (e.g., time scaling, modulation, etc.) can readily be

N-1

X(kAv) =

x(iAT) cas(ikATAv)

(3)

i=O

where x(iAT) is periodic with period NAT and resolution A u

is 27r/(NAT).

transcribed to Hartley notation. Bracewell has tabulated the

most important of these relations in 121.

Evidently, (3) is identical to the discrete

Fourier transform with cas(.) replacing the complex exponen-

II. Calculation and S y m m e t r y Considerations

The notation v is used to distinguish the Hartley

In this paper, the bus voltage in a power system, v(t) is

transform from the Fourier transform. In in the latter, w or

calculated. This is a time function and the voltage itself is

f is usually used as the transform variable.

usually measured with respect to ground. Let the bus vol-

tial.

Equation (3) has been evaluated in a fast algorithm

tage be the result of some nonsinusoidal injection current,

known as the'fast Hartley transform (FHT) [3,4]. The FHD

i(t). If z(t) denotes the inverse transform of the transfer

is an exact calculation of the DHT (in the same way that the

impedance Z(.d) between the busses at which v(t) is measured

fast Fourier transform is an exact calculation of the discrete

and at which i(t) is injected, then

Fourier transform).

v(t) = z

Before leaving preliminaries related to the Hartley

transform, note that the Hartley and Fourier transform pairs

1
V(U)= (Z(v)I(v)
- Z(-U)I(Y)
2

* i(t)
- Z(U)I(-U) - Z ( - l ~ ) I ( - L ~ ) ~ )

Equation (4) is purely real, a fact which suggests computational convenience over the Fourier transform. However, the
several terms in (4) are clearly less convenient than the
and the discrete Hartley and Fourier transform pairs
X(kAv)
X(kAR)

++

++

Fourier analog,

x(iAT)
For this reason, special cases and symmetries are studied to

x(iAT)

simplify (4). Heydt, Olejniczak, Sparks, and Viscito first sug-

are related by

gested the use of (4) for the calculation of bus voltages due to
nonsinusoidal injection currents in [5]. The main application

is in the area of assessment of the impact of power electronic

Im(X(kAR))]An = A y
X(kAv) = Re(X(kAn) -I-

X(w)

loads. These loads typically have load currents i(t) which are

[Ev(X(v)) - jOd(X(v))]v=L,

band limited, periodic, and nonsinusoidal.

For example,

most rectifier or inverter devices are generally considered to

be band limited to below the 49th harmonic of the funda-

X(kAR) = [Ev(X(kAv)) - j O d ( X ( k i \ u ) ) ] ~ , = ~ n

mental frequency. Power modulated devices rarely involve

where Re, Im, ET, and Od denote the real part, imaginary
part, even part, and odd part respectively. The latter two

frequencies above 20 K H z .

Harmonic impact studies are

often limited to the 25th harmonic of the power frequency.

parts are
The symmetry properties of I(kAv) are readily found
1

Ev(X(v)) = 5 ( X ( Y )

+ X(-Y))

noting that if i(kAT) is an even periodic function, I(kAn) is

purely real, and X(u)is purely an even function,

1
Od(X(v)) = - (X(Y) X(-U)).
2

x(nAT) = x(-nAT)

Using these relationships, the familiar Fourier transform pro1814

-+

X(n4v) = X(-nAL/).

Similarly, if i(kAT) is odd, X(nAc/) is also odd

x(nAT) = -x(-nAT)

III. Errors and the FHT

-+ X(nAu) = X(-nAu).

The essence of the proposed algorithm is the following

These results are also shown using (3) directly along with the

steps:

periodicity property c a d = cas(8+2~). Under even and odd

the case
z(nAT) = x

= nAT.

i(t) at

symmetry of x(nAT), the convolution property becomes, for

* y(nAT)

ii.

Evaluate the FHT of i(t).

iii.

Calculate the FHT of z(t) of sampling

at

Z(lir)

w =nAn.

when either x ( n A T ) and/or y ( n A T ) is even

Z(nAu) = X(nAu) Y(nAu),

iv.

Convolve in Hartley space.

v.

Calculate v(t) using the inverse FHT.

(5)

when either x ( n A T ) and/or ( y n A T ) is odd

There are errors associated with each step and they are
Z(nAv) = - X(-n A u)Y(-n A U ) .

(6)

briefly discussed in this section. Note that the desired end

The odd half wave symmetric case,

x(nAT) = x(n

result is v(t) at times t = nAT,

+ (N/2)),

v(nAT) =

Z(w)I(w) eJwnATdlir

(7)

inay be analyzed by resolving x into a purely even and purely

odd function

In connection with step (i), enumerated above, the sam1

e(nAT) = - (x(nAT)
2

pling of i(t) results in frequency domain aliasing as evidenced

+ x(-nAT))

by the overlapping versions of I(w) which make up the

1
o(nAT) = - (x(nAT) - x(-nAT))

2
x(nAT) = e(nAT)

discrete time Fourier transform I(eJwAT)[5]. The aliasing in

+ o(nAT).

Hartley space is identical since I(u) is readily obtained at

Then E(nAu) and O(nAu) are purely even and odd respec-

each value o f nAR from the discrete Fourier transform.

t,ivcly. Convolutions with x(nAT) are therefore analyzed by

Taking the FHT

superimposing signals e and o and using the special results

discrete Hartley transform values which are samples of

(5) and (6) respectively. Figure 1 shows an example of an

I(cas nAv) at spacing

of

the samples i(nAT) yields a set of

odd half wave symmetric x(nAT) ( a continuous depiction is

Au=-.
shown in the figure for illustrative convenience; however,

2n
NAT

tficse signals are sampled at time resolution AT). The even

Taking the discrete (or fast) Hartley transform results in no

arid odd parts of x are e and

further loss of information since the samples i(nAT) may be

0.

The discrete Harley

exactly recovered from the FHT provided that the length of

transforms are E and 0 respectively.

the FHT, N, is larger than the number of the time domain

Thc fundamental concept of calculating v(nAT) using

samples.

the fast Hartley transform is to numerically process

The Hartley analog of time domain convolution is multiZ(nAu)I(nAv)

+ Z(-nAv)I(nAu)

+ Z(nAu)I(-nAv)

- (n-Av)I(-nAv)

plication, in this case by I(cas nAu).

Use of samples of

Z(nAu) for this convolution is preferable over samples of z(t)

because of the natural band limitation of Z(Au) (i.e., Z(w)) in

power networks.

(or Eq. (5) or ( 6 ) under special cases of symmetry).

Sampling of Z(Au) results, however, in

time domain aliasing. Reference t o the DFT will help illustrate this point: it is necessary to sample Z(W) at
1815

U=-

27r

NAT

iii.

Picket fence effect [6, 71

iv.

Leakage [SI

W . Windowing and Other Refinements

The use of the Hartley transform for circuit solutions in

band limited applications is, in effect, a variation on the use

,-

of the Fourier and Laplace transforms for circuit solutions

(examples in power engineering are extensive and illustrated

by references [8] and [9]). What is new is the use of a real

transform and a quantitative assessment of error in band limited cases.

These innovations lead one to the following

interesting areas which are suggeshed for future research:

i.

A full quantitative assessment and error analysis for

real transform solutions of circuits problems.

ii.

A study of novel and fast methods to calculate Z(nAv)

(e.g., [81).

iii.
Fig. 1.

Illustration of resolution of an odd half wave

function into even and odd parts.

A serious application in which real time solutions are

required.
The question of leakage raised in the previous section

in order to match its frequency domain sampling rate to that

was discussed by Girgis and Ham in [SI for Fourier frequency

of I(w) implied by the DFT. There will be an odd number of

space. In brief, this effect is a phenomenon which occurs

samples centered at w=O.

It is important to note that the

when the sample wave, i(t) for example, is not sampled

algorithm uses only samples of Z(w) from a low-pass fre-

sufficiently to capture all the time phenomena. Often, raising

quency region whose bandwidth is dictated by the sampling

N will satisfy this difficulty, but there are practical cases in

period A T of i(t). Thus, this sampling period must be

which this simple (but computationally ineffective) solution

selected small enough both to sufficiently control aliasing in

may not be appropriate. For example, if i(t) is composed of

i(t), and to not severely band-limit Z(w). The band-limiting

two or more periodic waves which result in a non-periodic

of Z(w) can be interpreted as introducing time domain

wave, e.g.,

smoothing. Finally, the inverse DFT of the product of samples is taken to form i(nAT).

i(t) = sin f i t

+ sin V i t,

I(Av) wiil exhibit leakage for any value of N. This case

It is clear that the potential pitfalls of the proposed

occurs in practice when a power modulator causes the ac load

method are identical to those of the use of the DFT for this

current waveform to be modulated by an asynchronous

purpose. The main pitfalls are

(often high frequency) signal. One alternative solution to the

i.

Time domain aliasing

minimization of leakage is to time-window the wave in ques-

ii.

Time domain smoothing

tion. By this methodology, i(t) is the windowed value

1816

Propagation of Nonsinusoidsl Waveforms in Power

i'(t) = w(t) i(t).

Systems," submitted for publication, IEEE Trans.

The window w(t) should be small near 5 = 0 and t-NAT,

Power Delivery.

but it should be unity in mid-range values of t.

[SI

V.

A. A. Girgis, F. M. Ham, "A Quantitative Study of Pitfalls in the FFT," IEEE Trans. on Aerospace and Elec-

Conclusions

tronic Systems, v. AES-16, No. 4, July 1980, pp. 4 3 4

The fast Hartley transform has been proposed for any

439.

electric circuit calculation involving convolution in time.

[7]

The method is especially applicable in cases in which fre-

A. Oppenheim, R. Schafer, 'bigital Signal Processing,"

Prentice Hall Co., Englewood Cliis,NJ, 1975.

quency band limitations occur. Such is the case in electric

[8]

power systems in which power electronic loads cause non-

G. T. Heydt, "A New Method for the Calculation of

sinusoidal load currents and bus voltages to occur. Special

Subtransmission and Distribution System Transients

symmetry cases have been listed which are applicable when

Based on the FFT," IEEE Winter Power Meeting, Jan.

i(t) is even or odd.

27 - Feb. 9, 1989, New York.

[9]

Among the errors associated with the FHT solution of

M. Saied, A. Al-Fuhaid, M. El-Shandwily, "s-Domsin

electric power circuits are time aliasing, the picket fence

Analysis of

effect, time domain smoothing and leakage. The use of time

Uniform Lines," IEEE Summer Power Meeting, July

windows has been proposed t o limit leakage.

24-29, 1988, Portland, OR, paper 88 SM 597-7.

VI. A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t

I would like to acknowledge the useful work of Mr.

Kraig J. Olejnicsak in the preparation of this paper.

References

PI

R. V. L. Hartley, "A More Symmetrical Fourier

Analysis Applied to Transmission Problems," Proc.
Institute of Radio Engineers, v. 30, No. 3, pp. 144-150,
March 1942.

121

R. N. Bracewell, "The Hartley Transform," Oxford

University Press, New York, 1986.

131

R. Sorensen, D. Jones, C. Burrus, M. Heideman, "On

Computing the Discrete Hartley Transform," IEEE
Trans. on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, v.
ASSP-33, No. 4, October 1985, pp. 1231-1238.

141

IEEE, "Programs for Digital Signal Processing," IEEE

Press, New York, 1979.

151

G. Heydt, K. Olejniczak, R. Sparks, E. Viscito, "Application of the Hartley Transform for the Analysis of the
1817

Electromagnetic

Transients

on Non-