Development and testing of a real-time digital voltage flickermeter

Abstract

One parameter of power quality that traditionally has been very difficult to monitor is voltage flicker. Voltage flicker can cause objectionable light fluctuations and disruption of sensitive electronic equipment. Presented here are the results from the development and testing of a new real-time digital voltage flickermeter. The new meter utilizes digital signal processor (DSP) technology and digital algorithms to determine the magnitude and frequencies of instantaneous voltage flicker level in real-time. The flickermeter was used to monitor the voltage flicker on 21 distribution circuits with known large fluctuating loads. The results of this study are correlated with customer complaints on the monitored circuits. A comparison of measured voltage flicker levels on circuits with complaints and circuits without complaints with the existing "GE Flicker Curves".