Power Quality Flashcards
5 Environmental causes why a commercial power grid might experience power problems
-Hurricanes
-Lightning Storms
-Snow
-Ice
-Flooding
3 Non-Environmental causes why a commercial grid might experience power problems
-Equipment failure
-Traffic accidents
-Major switching operations
4 causes why a facility might experience power problems
-Load construction
-Heavy start up loads
-Faulty distribution components
-Background electrical noise
How is a power quality disturbance generally defined?
Any change in power that interferes with the normal operation of electrical equipment
What device is commonly used to view AC power?
Oscilloscope
What are changes in a sine wave that indicate power quality disturbance
(8 answers)
Size
Shape
Symmetry
Frequency
Notches
Impulses
Ringing
Drops to zero
7 categories of power quality disturbances
(T.I.S.S.W.V.F)
Transients
Interruptions
Sag/Under voltage
Swell/Overvoltage
Waveform Distortion
Voltage fluctuations
Frequency Variations
Potentially, what is the most damaging type of power quality disturbance?
Transients
2 types of transients are?
Impulsive
Oscillatory
How long may impulsive transients last?
5-50 nanoseconds
What does ESD stand for?
Electrostatic discharge
What is created when a lightning strike occurs that can cause damage by inducing current onto nearby conductive structures?
Electromagnetic fields
What are two surge suppression devices used to try to eliminate ESD?
TVSS- Transient voltage surge suppressors
SPD- surge protection devices (same thing)
What electronic device is used to help protect against impulsive transients, swells and other high voltage condition?
MOV (Metal Oxide Varistor)
What is the most effective method of protection against power disturbances for electronic equipment?
Cascading SPD and UPS devices
What is the most recognized problem with an oscillatory transient?
Tripping of adjustable speed drives (indication of overvoltage on drive)
What devices can be installed ahead of an adjustable speed drive (ASD) to help prevent the drive from tripping due to an overvoltage?
Reactors or Chokes
What are the four types of interruptions and their time frames?
IMTS
Instantaneous- 0.5 – 30 cycles
Momentary- 30 cycles –to two seconds
Temporary- two seconds to two minutes
Sustained- greater than two minutes
One of the most common examples of what can cause an interruption in commercial power systems are
utility protective devices (circuit reclosures)
What does Sag mean and how long does it last?
Reduction in AC voltage at a given frequency
0.5 cycles to 1 minute
Common causes of sag
- Starting of large loads
Instead of using “Across The Line” motor starters, what are some alternate motor starting methods to reduce the load on the rest of the electrical infrastructure?
- Autotransformer starters
- Start-delta starters
- Solid state or soft starters
- Adjustable speed drives (ASD) or Variable speed drives (VFD)
What does Swell mean and how long does it last?
Increase in AC voltage at a given frequency
0.5 cycles to 1 minute
Common causes of swell
- High impedance neutral connections
- Sudden large load reductions
- A single phase fault on a three phase system
Common solutions for swells are
- Power Line conditioners
- Uninterrupted Power Systems (UPS)
- Ferroresonant “control” transformers
What is harmonic distortion?
corruption of the fundamental sine wave at frequencies that are multiples of the fundamental
What are some indications that harmonics may exist in a system?
-Overheated transformers, neutral conductors & electrical distribution equipment
-Tripping of circuit breakers
-Loss of synchronization of timing circuits that are dependent upon a clean sine wave trigger at the zero crossover point
Why has harmonic distortion been a significant problem with IT equipment?
Because of “switch-mode power supplies”
(AC power is converted to pulsating DC)
When harmonics exist in a three-phase four-wire circuit, what may happen to the neutral currents?
The current on the neutral conductors do not cancel each other out, instead they add together, the neutral current could be 1.73 times the phase current. (Damage to the insulation)
What are some of the methods used to deal with problems associated with harmonics?
Installation of K-rated transformers
Over-sizing neutral conductors
Harmonic filters
What is a voltage imbalance?
supplied voltages not equal