Harmonics are currents or voltages with frequencies that are integer multiples of the fundamental power frequency being 50 or 60Hz (50Hz for European power and 60Hz for American power ! "or e#ample$ if the fundamental power frequency is 60 Hz$ then the %nd harmonic is &%0 Hz$ the 'rd is &(0 Hz$ etc! )n modern test equipment today harmonics can be measured up to the 6'rd harmonic! *hen harmonic frequencies are prevalent$ electrical power panels and transformers become mechanically resonant to the magnetic fields generated by higher frequency harmonics! *hen this happens$ the power panel or transformer vibrates and emits a buzzing sound for the different harmonic frequencies! Harmonic frequencies from the 'rd to the %5th are the most common range of frequencies measured in electrical distribution systems! Additionally$ harmonics are caused by and are the by+product of modern electronic equipment such as personal or notebook computers, laser printers, fax machines, telephone systems, stereos, radios, TVs, adjustable speed drives and variable frequency drives, battery chargers, !", and any other equipment powered by switched#mode power supply $"%!"& equipment' ,he above+mentioned electronic -./- equipment is also referred to as non+linear loads! ,his type of non+linear loads or -./- equipment generates the very harmonics they0re sensitive to and that originate right within your building or facility! -./- equipment typically forms a large portion of the electrical non+linear load in most electrical distribution systems! ,here are basically two types of non+linear loads1 single+phase and three+phase! -ingle+phase non+linear loads are prevalent in modern office buildings while three+phase non+linear loads are widespread in factories and industrial plants! )n today0s environment$ all computer systems use -./- that convert utility A2 voltage to regulated low voltage 32 for internal electronics! ,hese non+linear power supplies draw current in high amplitude short pulses! ,hese current pulses create significant distortion in the electrical current and voltage wave shape! ,his is referred to as a harmonic distortion and is measured in ,otal Harmonic 3istortion (,H3 ! ,he distortion travels bac4 into the power source and can effect other equipment connected to the same source! ,o give an understanding of this$ consider a water piping system! Have you ever ta4en a shower when someone turns on the cold water at the sin45 6ou e#perience the effect of a pressure drop to the cold water$ reducing the flow of cold water! ,he end result is you get burned7 8ow imagine that someone at a sin4 alternately turns on and off the cold and hot water! 6ou would effectively be hit with alternating cold and hot water7 ,herefore$ the performance and function of the shower is reduced by other systems! ,his illustration is similar to an electrical distribution system with non+linear loads generating harmonics! Any -./- equipment will create continuous distortion of the power source that stresses the facility0s electrical distribution system and power equipment! Harmonics are generally not an issue if you do not have any electronic -./- equipment or non+linear loads in your building or facility! However$ for the remainder of this discussion$ we are assuming that you do!
productivity during the emergency repair far e#ceeds the replacement cost of the transformer itself!
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High voltage distortion e#ceeding )EEE -tandard &&00+&;;% <=ecommended /ractice for /owering and >rounding -ensitive Electronic Equipment< and manufacturer0s equipment specifications! High current distortion and e#cessive current draw on branch circuits e#ceeding )EEE -tandard &&00+&;;% <=ecommended /ractice for /owering and >rounding -ensitive Electronic Equipment< and manufacturer0s equipment specifications! High neutral+to+ground voltage often greater than % volts e#ceeding )EEE -tandard &&00+&;;% <=ecommended /ractice for /owering and >rounding -ensitive Electronic Equipment!< High voltage and curent distortions e#ceeding )EEE -td! 5&;+&;;% <=ecommended /ractices and =equirements for Harmonic 2ontrol in Electrical /ower -ystems!< /oor power factor conditions that result in monthly utility penalty fees for maAor users (factories$ manufacturing$ and industrial with a power factor less than 0!;! =esonance that produces over+current surges! )n comparison$ this is equivalent to continuous audio feedbac4 through a /A system! ,his results in destroyed capacitors and their fuses and damaged surge suppressors which will cause an electrical system shutdown! "alse tripping of branch circuit brea4ers!
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1. Boltage distortion and voltage drop as mentioned in above items C' and C6 cause
the equipment connected to the branch circuit to draw more current to maintain the power rating (watts of the unit! ,he bigger the current draw from the unit$ the more it produces e#cess heat within the unit that was not factored for by its original design! )n turn$ the e#cessive heat causes premature component level failures within the unit! Additionally$ you will e#perience computers loc4ing up and other operational malfunctions that are une#plainable! ,hin4 about how many times we have e#perienced the <no problem found< syndrome with our computers7 ,he e#cessive heat produced can directly contribute to downtime! ,herefore$ downtime is identified as any event that incurs or contributes to lost productivity$ lost revenues$ lost savings$ and more importantly lost time! As we all have heard in the business world$ <,ime is .oney<! %! )n special facilities such as call centers or data centers$ the e#cessive heat produced due to the large concentration of monitors and /2s will also cost you money in energy )upees! ,he air computer room (2=A2 or building air conditioning system will run longer or harder$ therefore requiring more energy to maintain the desired temperature! '! ,elecommunications cabling is commonly run right ne#t to power cables! )f harmonics are above normal tolerances (more than 5D ,H3 as outlined in )EEE -tandard 5&;+&;;%$ then high frequency harmonics can be induced into phone lines and data cabling! ,he end result is noisy phone lines and une#plained data lose or data corruption in your 9A8 or *A8!
?! -oon to be imposed utility regulations limiting harmonics per )EEE -tandard 5&;+ &;;%!
Harmonic cancellation is performed with harmonic canceling transformers also 4nown as phase+shifting transformers! A harmonic canceling transformer is a relatively new power quality product for mitigating harmonic problems in electrical distribution systems! ,his type of transformer has patented built+in electromagnetics technology designed to remove high neutral current and the most harmful harmonics from the 'rd through %&st! ,he technique used in these transformers is call <low zero phase sequencing and phase shifting<! ,hese transformers can be used to treat e#isting harmonics in buildings or facilities! ,his same application can be designed into new construction to prevent future harmonics problems! 9isted below are four patents that are used in the design of these transformers! &! 2ombined /hase+-hifting 3irectional Gero /hase -equence 2urrent "ilter %! Gero /hase -equence 2urrent "ilter with AdAustable )mpedance '! /hase+-hifting ,ransformer or Autotransformer ?! /hase+-hifting ,ransformer or Autotransformer with 9ow Gero /hase -equence )mpedance!