Research Output
Impact of nonlinear and unbalanced loads on neutral conductors in three-phase systems: modelling and simulation analysis
Observatory case study on total harmonic distortion in current at laboratory and office building
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Publication
The rise of nonlinear and unbalanced loads in modern electrical systems poses challenges to power quality management. These loads, prevalent in electronic devices and industrial equipment, induce harmonic distortions and unbalance, adversely affecting the neutral conductor in three-phase systems. This study investigates these effects through modeling and simulation using MATLAB/Simulink and symmetrical components theory for detailed power quality analysis. The research focuses on three scenarios: nonlinear loads, unbalanced loads, and combined nonlinear-unbalanced loads. Simulation results show that nonlinear loads significantly increase harmonic content, while unbalanced loads lead to notable power quality deviations. When combined, these conditions exacerbate harmonic distortions and unbalance, resulting in higher neutral current magnitudes. Key findings highlight the severe impact of combined load conditions on the neutral conductor, emphasizing the need for accurate modeling and analysis. This research provides valuable insights and practical recommendations for addressing the challenges of nonlinear and unbalanced loads, contributing to improved power system design and management.
Publication
This paper discusses the level of harmonic distortion in current power distribution system for laboratory and office building. These two places often house a significant number of equipment such as computers, air conditioners, etc which are significant nonlinear loads. The high number of these nonlinear loads affects the quality of the power system and energy at the linked grid. This is due to harmonics components in current that is resulted by the conversion and switching processes by the nonlinear loads. This case study is located at main operation buildings at School of Electrical System Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis at Pauh Putra Campus. This case study is intended to study the severance level of harmonics in current distortions at the said power distribution system. The tool used for data mining and analysis is the Fluke 1750, which records the data for 30 days. The analysis includes the level of harmonics in current at the point of common coupling at the power distribution system. It is benchmarked against relevant standards related to harmonics in current and power quality in grid. It is found that the harmonic distortion level exceeded the maximum value set by standards. This highlighted that the quality of power at this grid is low and results in losses of energy.