Summation of Supraharmonics in Neutral for Three-Phase Four-Wire System

Abstract

Due to the increase in electronic loads such as LED lamps, power supply units for computing loads, voltage frequency drives in industries; high-frequency distortion is introduced into the power system. These high-frequency components appear due to the switching components of different power electronic converters present in the mentioned loads. The switching frequency components are most often in the range of 2 kHz to 150 kHz referred to as supraharmonics. The paper aims to show, with simulations and measurements, how supraharmonics sum in neutral and to quantify the neutral supraharmonic current as a ratio of single-phase current. This paper defines characteristics of supraharmonic emission that influence their summation in the neutral conductor through studies of devices connected in a balanced three-phase four-wire system. The paper further defines the relation of the supraharmonics emission with the number of devices connected at each phase. A mathematical model to predict the supraharmonics in a neutral conductor based on single-phase current and the number of devices is further proposed.