Power Quality Monitoring and Analysis for Distribution Network of University Campus

Abstract

Abstract Today’s power system is a blend of sustainable alternative energy sources. Being this, power system is facing multiple technical operational issues and out of these, one prominent issue is power quality (PQ). The efficiency of sustainable energy system is dependent on power quality of supply. The last two decades have witness that the understanding and analysis of power quality issues have made a significant position in the power system for trouble-free operation and drawn the attention of researchers. PQ is the electrical limits for satisfactory operation of equipment’s in coordination with power utilities. The violation of these limits describes the PQ issues and the integration of power electronic equipment’s is the real cause behind the advent of these issues. This study presents the monitoring, analysis and causes of common PQ issues in a distribution network of newly constructed academic building of grid connected university campus fed by utility power supply and solar energy. The primary focus of this study is to observe the PQ main and commonly observed PQ issues as Voltage Sag, Voltage Swell, Rapid Voltage Change, Phase Angle Jump and Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). Plenty of PQ events which have been recorded and monitored, and the most frequently occurred and dominating PQ issue in this network is THD. Out of all total 869 PQ events which had been recorded and monitored, 793 events are showing issues of THD. The violation of PQ IEEE/ IEC standards in these events and particularly in neutral harmonic distortion currents indicates the severity of these issues and forces the study for rigorous analysis and recommendation of mitigation techniques.