Harmonic Distortion Responsibility Attribution between Utility and Specific Low-Tension Costumer - Case Study

Abstract

The Electric Power Quality studies the electromagnetic phenomena that can cause disturbances in the electrical systems, which can be of permanent regime (steady state voltage, power factor, harmonics, voltage unbalance, voltage fluctuation, frequency variation) or transient voltage variations). With the technological advance in the area of power electronics, an increase and diversification of the amount of appliances that need electric energy for its operation is occurring. These devices (non-linear loads) produce distorted (ie non-sinusoidal) current, even when powered by a sinusoidal source, and can also distort the voltage at the connection point with the utility. These distortions are called harmonic distortions of current and voltage and are classified as permanent regime perturbations. As harmonic distortions cause several problems in the various consumers connected to the electrical system, ranging from noises, vibrations and variations in light intensity, shortening the useful life of the appliances, and in the case of the industrial sector, which can lead to a halt to the production process. Due to the importance of the theme, there are rules with limits for these distortions, and this work has as a proposal to investigate computationally a responsibility assignment between a concessionaire and residential consumer of low voltage in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, through the network model of the concessionaire and possible electro-electronic equipment We will analyze some methodologies found in the literature, such as the Harmonic Power Method, Conformity and Non-Compliant Current Method and Superposition Method. As simulations, they were done in an ATP Draw environment, where the necessary results were generated for the review of methodologies analyzed, thus verifying, as limitations and potentialities of its own.