harmonic currents- power systems innovations（谐波电流-功率系统的创新）（8页）.doc

Harmonic Currents Power quality used to be to the ability of the electric utilities to provide electric power without interruption. Today, power quality encompasses any deviation from a perfect sinusoidal waveform. This includes EMI and RFI noise, transients, surges, sags, brown outs, black outs, and any other distortions to the sinusoidal waveform. One distortion to the sinusoidal waveform which has dangerous consequences is harmonics. Harmonics can be present in voltage, current or both. It is forecast that before the end of the century, half of all electrical devices will operate with nonlinear current draw. These nonlinear loads are the cause of current harmonics. The term “ harmonic currents” is a popular buzz word in the power quality industry and the layman needs some information to understand the term and realize they can be a serious problem if not treated properly. The treatment and the details of harmonics is better left to the expert with the proper tools and training. Harmonic currents cause overheating of electrical distribution system wiring, transformer overheating and shortened transformer service life. Electrical fires resulting from distribution system wiring and transformer overheating were rare occurrences until harmonic currents became a problem. The frequency of such fires is now becoming more common. The life safety issues of electrical fires are not part of this discussion, but should be considered. Imagine the cost to a company such as a stock brokerage firm if a transformer and the distribution wiring failed during a busy trading day. Power is lost to their trading computer equipment and they cannot carry out their normal business of buying and selling financial instruments. An electrical system fire could result and destroy part of the electrical distribution system. These events could take days to correct to put this firm back in business. The entire distribution system would have to be surveyed