A New Approach to Harmonic Allocation for Medium-Voltage Installations

Abstract

Distributors need to allocate a maximum allowed level of harmonic current to medium-voltage customers to keep voltage distortion acceptable. The paper describes a new approach, based on the concept of voltage droop, requiring much less calculation and data than required by the present approach based on an IEC technical report. The discrepancy between the new method and the present is studied by comparing some carefully selected scenarios. It is shown that the proposed method gives results within 20% of the standards-based approach which makes it a very attractive alternative for harmonic allocation.

Keywords:

• Distribution systems
• Harmonics
• IEC standards
• harmonic allocation
• voltage droop