Power Quality Problems

Power quality is a vital attribute of any distribution andtransmission system. It is the duty of the utility to deliver power to the consumer that is reliable and consistent at a predeterminedvoltage and frequency. However, the quality of power is affected by numerous issues such as sags, swells, over voltage, etc. The following are some of the problems that affect power quality. Voltage Sags They are also known as voltage dips. These are voltage drops which last for a short period, from 8milliseconds to 60 seconds. They are caused by momentary faults in the transmission lineswhich get cleared quickly. The drop in voltage may range from 10 to 90 percent. Voltage Swells These are momentary increases in the voltage exceeding 110% which last less than a minute. They can be caused by phase to ground faults. Undervoltages These are caused by a drop in the voltage to less than 90% of thevoltage for more than 1 minute. They are also referred to asbrownouts. Overloading of the distribution system can cause undervoltage. Overvoltages They are similar to voltage swells except that they can last for more than a minute. The voltage exceeds 110%. Overvoltages are caused by poor voltage regulation. They can also be caused by switching of capacitors or by sudden load reduction. Wrong setting of transformer taps can also lead to overvoltages. Interruptions Interruptions are defined as the drop of voltage to 10%. Interruptions are further classified into momentary interruptions lasting from 8 milliseconds to 3 seconds, temporary interruptions lasting from 3 seconds to 1 minute and sustained interruptions or long duration interruptions which last for more than a minute.Power interruptions can cause loss to production lines in industries. Some of the ways of mitigating the effects of interruptions are by installing a UPS, an emergency genset or by having power fed from two different feeders. Transients See Article on Transients Unbalanced Voltages When the voltages in all the three phases are not balanced, this situation occurs. This is caused by single phase overloading of one phase. Loads such as arc furnaces also lead to unbalanced loading. Unbalanced loading can be harmful for loads such

astransformers and motors where the unbalanced currents which flow as a result of the unbalanced voltages can cause heating. Harmonics See Article on Harmonics Voltage Fluctuation These are caused by quick variations in the voltage between 90% to 105% of the rated value. Arc furnaces and welding transformers can cause voltage fluctuations. Voltage fluctuations can cause flicker in incandescent lamps
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