Chapter 1 - Introduction to Power Quality

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the definition, measures, and classification of electric power quality as well as related issues. Power quality can be defined as the measure, analysis, and improvement of the bus voltage to maintain a sinusoidal waveform at rated voltage and frequency. Main causes of disturbances and power quality problems are unpredictable events, the electric utility, the customer, and the manufacturer. The magnitude-duration plot can be used to classify power quality events, where the voltage magnitude is split into three regions and the duration of these events is split into four regions. Some of the main detrimental effects of poor power quality include increase or decrease of the fundamental voltage component, additional losses, heating, and noise, decrease of appliance and equipment lifetime, malfunction and failure of components, controllers, and loads, resonance and ferroresonance, flicker, harmonic instability, and undesired torques. Documents for control of power quality come in three levels of applicability and validity: guidelines, recommendations, and standards. Three techniques are used for harmonic analysis: time-domain simulation, frequency-domain modeling, and iterative procedures. Harmonic current propagation produces harmonic voltages throughout the power systems. Many mitigation techniques for controlling power quality have been proposed. The proper placement and sizing of shunt capacitor banks in distorted networks can result in reactive power compensation, improved voltage regulation, power factor correction, and power/energy loss reduction.