Harmonics Survey & Study

Unlike faults which are usually sensible by protective devices, harmonics can remain undetected until nuisance tripping, insulation breakdown, or equipment failure occurs which causes loss of power, costly repairs, or replacement of equipment. The main sources of harmonics in industrial and commercial power systems are adjustable speed drives (ASD), uninterruptible power systems (UPS), chargers, switched-mode supplies, static frequency converters, etc.

Harmonics in the power system need to be measured, identified, and studied especially if changes are made to the power network which may affect the harmonics. Aside from the potential damages to the equipment, per IEEE-519 the harmonics shall be measured and studied to ensure Total Harmonic Distortions (THD) at the Point of Contact with the Grid (POC) is within a specific minimum range, otherwise, there are penalties applied from the utility company.