Evaluation of Voltage Transformers’ Accuracy in Harmonic and Interharmonic Measurement

Abstract

The measurement of Power Quality (PQ), generally performed at Low Voltage (LV) level, is gaining more and more importance also at the Medium Voltage (MV) level, due to the increasing presence of switching power converters (both loads or generators) directly connected to MV grids. In this case, the use of Voltage Transformers (VTs) is unavoidable to scale voltage down to amplitudes compatible with the input ranges of PQ instruments. However, the current absence of an international standard dealing with VTs used for PQ measurements leaves the manufacturers and the users in a situation of complete uncertainty, since different products can have performance specifications tested and stated in completely different ways. This paper aims at defining an integrated approach for the evaluation of VTs accuracy used for PQ measurements, focusing on harmonics and interharmonics. The paper provides experimental results of the tests performed on a MV inductive VT according to the proposed procedure. As a result, it is demonstrated that VT accuracy in the measurement of a specific phenomenon should be evaluated with complex waveforms including the contemporary presence of different PQ phenomena.

Keywords

• Instrument transformers
• voltage transformers
• harmonics
• interharmonics
• power system measurements
• power quality