Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Texas at Arlington, 2009.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 50-54) and index.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-52).

Thesis (MTech (Electrical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009 / Traditionally, harmonics are ignored in overall efficiency and energy usage studies. However, in the modern era, power systems contain levels of harmonics which can no longer be ignored by engineers, planners, energy conservationists and economists. The directions of power flows have to be considered when harmonics are present in the power network. A methodology and new formulae for individual and overall efficiency and energy usage is developed at each frequency (f1, h and H) and forms the main contribution to research in this field. Two case studies were conducted; a measurement based laboratory experiment set-up and a simulated case study. In the set-up, measurements of current, voltage and power at different points in the network for the 1st, 5th and 7th frequencies were taken. Current and voltage results were used for hand calculations to prove the measured power flows and directions. The measurements were taken with a Fluke 345 three-phase harmonic power quality analyzer. For the simulated case study, a network was investigated using the DIgSILENT and SuperHarm software packages. Their results were compared and it was found that DIgSILENT is the preferred package for power results. It was found that the total harmonic distortion limit for voltage in the simulated network exceeded an acceptable level. The harmonic mitigation solution chosen was to design a passive filter to decrease the distortion by shifting the resonance point of the network. The method to design the passive filter and its impact on efficiency and energy usage is included in the thesis. Unique power flow direction diagrams are developed as part of the methodology and form an essential step in the derivation of the new formulae. Efficiencies, power losses and energy usage at individual and combined frequencies were determined. Results showed the negative effects of harmonics on overall efficiency, energy usage and power losses of the system. The methodology and new formulae developed was found to be effective and their application is recommended for use by industry.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

M.Ing. / The study looks into the impact of harmonic distortion on power-plant equipment in general, and then focuses on the impact it has on power transformers operating near the thermal limit. The feasibility of the study is firstly evaluated and then the theory on harmonics and transformer losses is analysed. The study had been narrowed down to power transformers due to the high numbers of failures nationally and internationally attributed to unknown causes. A transformer model is then developed through theoretical considerations. Finally, a case study is done on the capability of a fully loaded transformer under harmonics conditions evaluated through transformer capability calculations and the proposed transformer model. Thereafter the transformer model developed is verified with measured results. The main impact of harmonic current distortion on power transformers is an increase in the rated power losses that results in a temperature rise inside the power transformer. The heat build-up can lead to degradation of insulation, which can shorten the transformer’s life and lead to eventual breakdown. The harmonic current distortion impacts transformer losses – namely, ohmic losses, the winding eddy current losses and other stray losses. All of these harmonic effects on transformer losses are verified theoretically, mathematically and practically. The harmonic impact on the transformer capability is then evaluated through a numerical example of a transformer feeding a harmonic load. The transformer capability is determined via two methods – namely, harmonic capability calculations in the standard “IEEE Recommended Practice for Establishing Transformer Capability when Supplying Nonsinusoidal Load Currents”, [11] and a proposed transformer model derived from theoretical and mathematical analysis. The results show that an increase in the winding eddy current losses can decrease the maximum permissible nonsinusoidal load current substantially. If the load current of the transformer is derated accordingly it translates into a loss of the output power capacity of the power transformer. The standard recommended capability calculations for winding eddy current losses are conservative and not satisfactorily accurate. This results in a large loss of power capacity. The proposed transformer model includes a parameter that estimates the winding eddy current loss in the transformer that results in a smaller loss in power capacity. Furthermore, it was shown that the harmonic current distortion levels could exceed the permissible levels although the harmonic voltage distortion levels are within acceptable levels. The proposed transformer equivalent model is thereafter practically verified with experimental results of papers published by M.A.S. Masoum, E.F. Fuchs and D.J. Roesler, [19], [20] and [29].

M.Ing. / With the increased use of nonlinear loads such as variable speed motor drives and rectifiers, the voltages and currents on the power system grid are no longer sinusoidal. These non-sinusoidal waveforms cannot be analyzed by conventional power theories and the usual recourse is to decompose the nonlinear waveform into a set of harmonics. Harmonic voltage and current components are detrimental to the power system and may cause additional losses, or premature failure of equipment, and as such they have a definite influence on the quality of supply. This thesis shows the limitations and potential pitfalls of harmonic decomposition and other power theories, and examines various methods used for identifying, quantifying and modelling nonlinear loads. The aim of the thesis is to evaluate methods for attaching a specific disturbance or non-linearity on the voltage waveform to a specific load connected at the point of common coupling. The power theories examined include the total complex power, the IEEE working group definitions of apparent power, true power factor and harmonic adjusted power factor. Some new techniques for estimating the degree to which a load is disturbing the voltage at the point of common coupling is introduced, including the calculation of correlation indices, and the the use of wavelets.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1983. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-159).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1983. / Vita. Bibliography: leaves 156-159.