Voltage harmonics
Power quality
Electricity moves through the transmission and distribution networks at a frequency of 50Hz and, in an ideal scenario, follow the pattern of a pure sine waves in a smooth and repetitive pattern.
However modern electronic equipment tends to cause distortion to sine waves, creating a rougher, noisier waveform. The higher frequency components of a distorted waveform are much smaller in amplitude than the 50Hz component but they also create heat as they pass through the network. As a result, a distorted waveform has higher losses than its pure sine wave-equivalent does.
It’s possible to correct distorted power flow with measures such as filters. These interventions need to be designed to work with the network to which they are fitted and have their own associated losses. They can be expensive to design and install and it’s important that we target networks where they deliver cost effective benefits.
