Electric shock hazard in circuits with variable-speed drives

Abstract

The conventional approach to electrical safety under fault condition in typical power systems considers earth fault currents of sinusoidal waveform and frequency of 50/60 Hz. However, in circuits with variable-speed drives, there is earth fault current flow with harmonics, and these harmonics influence the threshold of ventricular fibrillation. The paper presents earth fault current waveforms in circuits with variable-speed drives without inverter output (motor) filter and with one of the two types of inverter output filters being used. The details of both filters are presented, and the effect of harmonics of earth fault current on ventricular fibrillation is evaluated. Furthermore, the effect of harmonics, which occurs in circuit of variable-speed drive, on the tripping current of residual current devices is presented. Residual current devices may be utilized to ensure protection against direct and indirect contact, but limitations in their proper operation, due to harmonics, may exist. Operational characteristics of a proposed residual current device dedicated to circuits with earth fault current containing harmonics, as in the variable-speed circuits, are presented.