Harmonic attenuation-amplification effect on lighting branch circuits

Abstract

The Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) are widely adopted in residential and commercial sector. This adoption is proposed following the energy conservation and environmental protection efforts. Despite, the CFLs consume low power, many users using these loads can cause a harmonic impact depending of the Attenuation-Amplification Effect. For instance, if this Effect is neglected (e.g., using Harmonic Current Source Model-HCSM), the collective harmonic current of these loads can be poorly estimated and the methods used to reduce harmonic distortion and to improve the power quality can be insufficient. This work proposes a Total Attenuation-Amplification Factor (TAF Index) to assess the relation with the widely adopted THDI Index. Likewise, this work analyses 1575 voltage and current measurements studying the variation incidence of wire length, distortion and voltage regulation on the Attenuation-Amplification Effect for a single CFL connected at the same time. Thus, this Effect is also assessed on 37 CFLs connected one by one using a CFL Time Domain Model. The results show low incidence on the Attenuation-Amplification Effect when a single load is fed and the voltage regulation and wire length of the branch circuit are varied. However, based on simulations an Amplification Effect is presented when several CFLs are connected in parallel configuration on distorted supply voltage.