Understanding Power

Quality
February 7, 2007
University of Sta. Tomas

Marvin Ryan G. Bathan

Power Quality Team
Power Services / MERALCO

Objectives

• To understand the concept of EMC and

what specifically becomes a power quality
problem

• To establish collaboration among involved

parties in dealing with PQ problems

Objectives

• To have a common understanding of power

quality and its attendant terminology

• To be acquainted with the typical causes

and solutions to specific power quality
problem

1
Power Quality

Power Quality - the quality of the voltage,

including its frequency and the resulting
current that are measured in the Grid,
Distribution System, or any User System

Quality?

Quality is a relative term

Power Quality is relative to the sensitivity of

a device, equipment, or system

Power Quality Problem

"Any power problem manifested in

voltage, current, or frequency deviation
that results in failure or mis-operation of
utility or end-user equipment."

2
PQ Problem Illustrated

Failure

Normal

Failure

Power Quality Issues

Power quality issues may be viewed

from three different perspectives:

2 End-user
2 Utility
2 Equipment Manufacturer

PQ Problem Solution:
A joint effort

• Solution to PQ problems is not the

responsibility of only one party.

• The solution is a concerted effort between

the power supplier, the electricity user,
and equipment manufacturer.

3
MERALCO Power Quality Team

Profile:
PEE – 1
REE – 5
RME – 1
MBA – 1
Trainings:
Attended various PQ
conferences/trainings
here and abroad
Seminars conducted:
Regular speaker in PQ
seminars and lectures

PQ Services

PQ Services

4
PQ Services

PQ Services

C
A
Voltage Sag Problem
S
E Voltage Unbalance Problem
S Transient
T
U Harmonics
D
Y Interesting

5
Background
• series of compressor breakdowns
• 5 replacements since the installation
of their 3 compressors
• Refrigeration experts says that the
power supply caused the breakdown
• Customer requested for technical
assistance in characterizing their
power supply

Simplified Schematic Diagram

S1

R1

S2

R2

S3

R3

64% FLA
• Compressor - 230Vac, Current 3-phase,Voltage
60Hz
Compressor S
1 S S 2 R R 3 R 1 L –L L –L L –L
2 3 1 2 2 3 3 1
• Contactors
1 - 240
44.8 44.1 Vac,
43.5 46.7 41.0 75
48.0 FLA, 450 LRA
2 31.5 35.2 34.6 31.5 35.9 35.2 228.3 232.8 228.3
3 39.7 39.7 38.0 36.7 40.0 37.9

Voltage Protection

• Programmable
Voltage Monitor
• ±10% over and
under voltage set-
point
• 5% voltage
unbalance set-
point

6
Compressor 3 Inrush
Current

80 Amperes. 180 Amperes.

Loads running Represents the
were the AHU current drawn by
and condenser. the AHU,
condenser, and
compressor.

760 Amperes.
Compressor #3 was
started.

Compressor 1 Inrush
Current

32 A

60 A

320 A

Compressor 1 Inrush
Current

30 A

70 A

350 A

7
 RMS Voltage Variation
V RM S A B (V)
RMS Voltage Profile
V RM S B C (V)
V RM S CA (V)
275
Overvoltage Transformer tap
265
incidents. change.
255
Voltage

245
235
225
215
8/30/04 15:00
8/31/04 12:00
9/1/04 9:00
9/2/04 6:00
9/3/04 3:00
9/4/04 1:00
9/4/04 22:00
9/5/04 19:00
9/6/04 15:33
9/7/04 12:33
9/8/04 9:33
9/9/04 6:33
9/10/04 3:33
9/11/04 1:33
9/11/04 22:23
9/12/04 19:23
9/13/04 16:23
9/14/04 13:23
9/15/04 10:23
9/16/04 7:23
Date & Tim e

RMS Voltage Variation

Monitoring Site Minimum Average Maximum Count

Compressor 3 95.67% 103.79% 112.31% 264
Compressor 1 96.42% 101.80% 106.61% 141

Voltage Unbalance

Monitoring Site Minimum Average Maximum Count

Compressor 3 0.08% 0.62% 1.09% 264
Compressor 1 0.16% 0.50% 0.98% 141

8
Voltage & Current Harmonics

• Maximum Voltage THD » 3.88%

• Average Voltage THD » 2.06%

• Maximum Current TDD » 10.72%

• Average Current TDD » 1.97%

Compressor Cycling
Compressor 3
Number of
Date
Starts
The number of
30-Aug-04* 6
31-Aug-04 20 start and stops the
1-Sep-04 20 compressor makes
2-Sep-04 4 could be greater
3-Sep-04 1
4-Sep-04 1
that those listed in
5-Sep-04 0 the table!
6-Sep-04 1
7-Sep-04 2
8-Sep-04 1
9-Sep-04 3
10-Sep-04** 2

*Started at 3:30 PM **Ended at 3:48 PM

Compressor Cycling

Compressor 1
Date Number of Starts
10-Sep-04* 7
11-Sep-04 10
12-Sep-04 0
13-Sep-04 30
14-Sep-04 35
15-Sep-04 31
16-Sep-04** 18

*Started at 3:48 PM **Ended at 1:08 PM

9
Causes of Intermittent Cycling

• Too sensitive Voltage protection

• Erratic operation of low pressure switch
• Insufficient refrigerant
• Closed suction service valve

Causes of Intermittent Cycling

• Partially open discharge valve

• Insufficient fluid flowing through the
condenser
• Presence of air in the system

Conclusion

• Power supply characteristics conforms

with the PDC recommended limits and
therefore could not have caused the
compressor breakdowns.
• It is the intermittent cycling of the
compressors that lead to its premature
failure.

10
Recommendation

Coordinate closely with your supplier to

address the intermittent cycling of the
compressors.

General PQ Evaluation
Procedure

Ξ Problem Category Identification

Ξ Power Measurements & Data Collection
Ξ Solution Range Identification
Ξ Solution Evaluation
Ξ Optimum Solution

Solution Range Identification

 Equipment Design/Specification
 Customer Systems
 Utility Distribution System
 Utility Transmission System

11
 Good Day!

For your comments / suggestions / questions

MARVIN RYAN G. BATHAN

powerservices.powerquality@meralco.com.ph
mavinrya@yahoo.com
1622-3591

Voltage Unbalance
Maximum deviation from the average of
the three-phase voltages divided by the
average of the three-phase voltages,
usually expressed in percent

•Unbalanced distribution of single phase loads

•Unstable system neutral
•One-phase out power supply

Background

Customer business is lead recycling

Customer complained of frequent

breakdown of 3-phase motors

12
Profile of Voltage Unbalance
Voltage Unbalance Trend

7
Voltage Unbalance (%)

0
10:11
3:11
20:11
13:11
5:45
22:45
15:45
9:45
2:45
19:45
12:45
5:45
22:45
15:45
8:45
1:45
19:45
12:45
5:45
22:45
15:45
8:45
1:45
18:45
11:45
4:45
22:45
Time

Solution

Redistribution of single-phase welding

machines

Voltage Sag

A decrease in RMS voltage between 10% to

90% of the nominal value for duration from
half cycle to 1 minute

1 minute
or less

Starting of electric motors

Switching “on” of large loads
Fault on either distribution, transmission, or generation
systems

13
 Voltage Sag

PerkinElmer Main - 6/3/2004 14:50:13.142

V RMS AB V RMS BC V RMS CA
460
• Nominal Voltage: 460V
450 • Magnitude: 88.41%
• Duration: 4 cycles
RMS Voltage (V)

440 • Cause: Fault on the

adjacent substation
430

420

410

0.000 0.025 0.050 0.075 0.100 0.125 0.150

Time (s)
EPRI/Electrotek PQView®

Susceptibility
Curve

Information Technology
Industry Council (ITIC)
curve was developed to
accurately reflect the
performance of computer-
type equipment.

It is generally applicable to
other equipment containing
solid-state devices.

Voltage Sag Problem

• Mall somewhere in the north

• 3 transformers, 1.5MVA each, 34.5kV /
230V
• Mall tenants are complaining of power
“fluctuations” that causes equipment
shutdown
• Mall pumps and fans shutdown on
power “fluctuations”

14
Monitoring Results
Parameter Minimum Average Maximum Limits Comment
Vab – 102.37% Within
RMS Voltage 99.83% Vbc – 103.32% 105.83% ±10% Recommended
Vca – 101.15% Limits

Voltage Vab – 1.16% Within

Harmonic 0.31% Vbc – 1.20% 2.50% 5% Recommended
Distortion Limits
Vca – 1.18%
Current Total Vab – 3.63%
Demand Outside
Distortion 0.66% Vbc – 4.37% 13.59% 5% Recommended
Vca – 3.94% Limits

Within
Voltage
0.38% 1.02% 1.85% 2.5% Recommended
Unbalance
Limits

Voltage Sags
Date Time Magnitude Duration Coincident Data Effect on
Customer
7/26/05 18:36 38.75% 9 cyc
7/26/05 18:40 36.67% 8 cyc
Equipment Failure Shutdown
7/26/05 18:41 34.79% 9 cyc
7/26/05 18:42 36.12% 7 cyc
7/30/05 13:27 87.67% 2 cyc Transient
7/31/05 12:51 82.86% 3 cyc NPC 230kV
7/31/05 12:51 88.77% 2 cyc line trip
8/1/05 18:33 88.32% 4 cyc Lightning
8/2/05 16:46 71.39% 5 cyc Transient Shutdown
8/6/05 16:48 88.02% 13 cyc Transient
8/11/05 10:23 70.11% 4 cyc No data Shutdown
8/15/05 11:00 81.87% 1 cyc No data
8/17/05 14:10 69.09% 5 cyc Transient
8/17/05 14:10 89.41% 1 cyc Transient

Findings / Recommendation

• Voltage regulation, unbalance, and

voltage harmonics are within prescribed
limits
• Adjust the -5% under-voltage relay
setting to -10% and include 1 sec delay
• Holding coils could be installed to
increase voltage sag ride-through
• Reduce ITDD levels to within limit

15
Customer Facility

• High rise residential building

• 2 - 53 story buildings with 396 semi-
furnished units
• each unit is equipped with two
refrigerators and two freezers
(personal-size)

Supplier Investigation

“Cause of motor-compressor failure is

due to low voltage”

Monitoring Equipment

16
Monitoring Results Phase AB, BC and CA RMS Voltage Chart

245 244

242

240 240

238

235 236
Volt

234

230 232

230

225 228

226

220 224
15:35:00

17:35:00

19:35:00

21:35:00
23:35:00

1:35:00

3:35:00

5:35:00

7:35:00

9:35:00
11:35:00

13:35:00

15:35:00

17:35:00

19:35:00

21:35:00
23:35:00

1:35:00

3:35:00

5:35:00

7:35:00

9:35:00
11:35:00

13:35:00

15:35:00

17:35:00

19:35:00

21:35:00

23:35:00
1:35:00

3:35:00

5:35:00

7:35:00

9:35:00

11:35:00
13:35:00

15:35:00
Time

4 days monitoring

Monitoring Results

Nominal Voltage: 230V

VAB VBC
VCA
242.7
Maximum 238.4 239.9
(+5.52%)
227.0
Minimum 229.6 231.1
(-1.3%)

Most Probable Cause

• Voltage sags and short duration interruptions

can contribute to the degradation and
eventually failure of the motors.
• If the motor-compressors were running prior
to an interruption, large inrush current will be
imposed on the motor winding as it tries to
restart when power is restored.
• Results to over-heating and additional motor
stress

17
Recommendations

• Installation of time delay switch. This will

provide ample time for pressure
equalization in the compressor and thus
lower the motor load.
• Installation of a thermal protector on the
motor-compressor. This will prevent
burning of the motor winding due to
overloading / overheating.

What is the best solution?

Increasing Cost

Equipment
Over-all Specification
Control
Protection
Inside
Protection 1
Utility
Plant 2 Controls
Solution
3 Motors
4
Other Loads

Think about it….

18
 End of Presentation

Good day!

Background

An electrical service contractor offered Company

X installation of additional capacitor banks to
improve pf and avail of the pf discount

Background

• Several days after the installation of the new

capacitor banks, the existing old capacitor
bank failed.

• The electrical service contractor sought the

help of MERLACO PQ Team to determine the
feasibility of installing a 1800 kVar capacitor at
the high voltage feeder in place of the existing
capacitor banks.

19
Single Line Diagram

Requirements for
evaluation

• Magnitude of harmonic currents

• Equivalent circuit model

Current TDD

Measured using Dranetz-BMI 7100 PQ Node

Ch ann el A v e ra g e M a x im u m
IT D D A 1 7 .8 5 % 2 5 .2 1 %
IT D D B 1 7 .1 7 % 2 3 .8 7 %
IT D D C 1 8 .0 8 % 2 4 .2 0 %

20
Harmonic Current
Statistical Summary of Current TDD and Harmonics CP05
Average
CP95
25.00%

20.00%
% of Base Current

15.00%

10.00%

5.00%

0.00%
TDD

11

13

15

17

19

21

23

25
TDD and Individual Harm onics
PQView ®

Equivalent Circuit
• Equivalent circuit for nth harmonic frequency

• Equivalent circuit for fundamental frequency

Variable Definitions

• XT0 - tx impedance at fund. freq. ω 0, 0.0649 pu

• XS0 - source impedance at fund. freq. ω 0, 0.021189 pu
• XC0 - capacitor impedance at fund. Freq. ω 0, 1.94 pu
• VCh - hth harmonic component of voltage across the
capacitor
• Vh - hth harmonic component of the voltage at
transformer secondary
• Ich - hth harmonic component of the current through
the capacitor
• Ih - hth harmonic current generated by the load

21
Resonant Frequency
   
• Determine hr  − h2 X S0  
 X  
I Ch  C0 
= Ih
 1 − h 2  X S 0  
  X 
  C0  

Let, X S0
1 − hr 2 =0
X C0

Which results to

XC0 1.94
hr = = = 9.57
X S0 .021189

Effect of Resonance
Determine the effect of resonance to the capacitor current
and voltage, and the load voltage

 2   
 −h   h 
 hr2   hr 
I Ch = 2  h
I VCh = jX S I h  2 
 1 −  h    1 −  h  
  h2     h2  
  r    r 

  h 
  
  hr 
Vh = jI h  hX T 0 + X S  2 
  h 
 1−   
   h2   
   r  

Effect of Resonance

Equations for equivalent

circuit for fundamental − XC0
frequency VCh =
X S 0 − XC0

1. 0
I Ch =
X S0 − X C0

− XC0
Vh =
X S 0 − X C0

22
Harmonic Current & Voltage
Magnitude
h Ih Ic Vc Vh
1 -1.00000* -0.51011* -0.95038* -0.92472*
3 0.02760 -0.00301 0.17814 0.00732
5 0.20403 -0.07664 2.72252 0.09594
7 0.05450 -0.06275 1.59227 0.04215
9 0.01023 -0.07852 1.54958 0.02290
11 0.03950 0.16233 -2.62120 -0.00043
13 0.01907 0.04161 -0.56850 0.00988
15 0.01060 0.01787 -0.21164 0.00801
17 0.04940 0.07231 -0.75549 0.04625
19 0.03610 0.04837 -0.45215 0.03958
21 0.01393 0.01758 -0.14873 0.01737
23 0.01300 0.01572 -0.12141 0.01808
25 0.00753 0.00883 -0.06271 0.01154

Effective voltage across the capacitor will

reach as high as 460% of nominal voltage!

Recommendation

Installation of the capacitor at the high

voltage feeder should be complemented
with preventive measure/s to prevent
harmonic resonance. This could be
through:
– installation of reactors at the capacitor for
harmonic de-tuning or
– filtering of the harmonics at the harmonic
generating load.

23