Harmonics can be great for an a capella singing group, but it's not what you want from your power. Harmonic distortion is the presence of unwanted additional waveforms and it can cause some major issues.
Ideally, voltage to your facility changes smoothly from positive to negative and back again 60 times per second, exhibiting what's called the fundamental waveform. Non-linear devices, such as electronic light ballasts and variable frequency drives, draw current in high-frequency pulses rather than continuously. This results in additional waveforms added to the circuit at higher frequencies but at lower amplitudes.
When these harmonics are added to the fundamental frequency, a distorted waveform results. This distorted waveform can cause several problems for end-use equipment. These include overheating of motors, overloading of neutral conductors, nuisance tripping of circuit breakers, malfunctioning of electronic equipment and destruction of power factor correction capacitors.
There are several solutions to harmonics issues. These solutions include circuit devices, such as reactors, special transformers and harmonic filters. However, the more effective they are, the higher the cost.
The first step in solving a harmonics problem is to carefully evaluate your electrical system and equipment to determine the source and extent of the problem. Armed with this information, you can find the right harmonics solution for your application.
Understanding harmonic distortion and its remedies can help you prevent power quality problems from interrupting your operations.
