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VIII SEMESTER-POWER QUALITY

UNIT-I & II

CBEMA Curve. A set of curves representing the withstand capabilities of computers


in terms of the magnitude and duration of the voltage disturbance. Developed by the
Computer Business Equipment Manufacturers Association (CBEMA), it has become a de
facto standard for measuring the performance of all types of equipment and power systems,
and is commonly referred to by this name.

Harmonic Distortion. Periodic distortion of the sine wave. See Distortion and Total
harmonic Distortion (THD).

Harmonic Filter. On power systems, a device for filtering one or more harmonics
from the power system. Most are passive combinations of inductance, capacitance, and
resistance. Newer technologies include active filters that can also address reactive power
needs.

Sag. A decrease to between 0.1 and 0.9 pu in rms voltage or current at the power
frequency for durations of 0.5 cycles to one minute.

Sustained. When used to quantify the duration of a voltage interruption, refers to the
time frame associated with a long duration variation (i.e., greater than one minute).

Swell. A temporary increase in the rms value of the voltage of more than 10% the
nominal voltage, at the power frequency, for durations from 0.5 cycle to one minute.

Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). The ratio of the root-mean- square of the
harmonic content to the root-mean-square value of the fundamental quantity, expressed as
a percent of the fundamental.

Transient. Pertaining to or designating a phenomenon or a quantity which varies between


two consecutive steady states during a time interval that is short compared to the time
scale of interest. A transient can be a unidirectional impulse of either polarity or a damped
oscillatory wave with the first peak occurring in either polarity.

Under voltage. When used to describe a specific type of long duration variation, refers to a
measured voltage having a value at least 10% below the nominal voltage for a period of
time greater than one minute.

Voltage Fluctuation. A series of voltage changes or a cyclical variation of the voltage


envelope.

Voltage Imbalance (Unbalance). Conditions in which the three phase voltages differ in
amplitude or are displaced from their normal 120 degree phase relationship or both.
Frequently expressed as the ratio of the negative sequence or zero sequence voltage to the
positive sequence voltage, in percent.

Voltage Interruption. Disappearance of the supply voltage on one or more phases.

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Usually qualified by an additional term indicating the duration of the interruption (e.g.,
Momentary, Temporary, or Sustained.)

Voltage Regulation. The degree of control or stability of the rms voltage at the load. Often
specified in relation to other parameters, such as input-voltage changes, load changes, or
temperature changes.

Waveform Distortion. A steady state deviation from an ideal sine wave of power
frequency principally characterized by the spectral content of the deviation.

Voltage flicker occurs when heavy loads are periodically turned on and off in a weak
distribution system. If the distribution system’s short circuit capacity is not large enough,
voltage fluctuations will occur. Starting large motors require an inrush of current, which
causes a decrease in voltage. This voltage depression may cause a visible flicker on lighting
circuits connected to the same power system. Voltage flickering can be extremely harmful
to sensitive electronic equipment. Computerized equipment requires stable voltage to
perform properly. For this reason, voltage flicker is a major power quality problem. The
magnitude of the voltage flicker depends upon the size and type of the electrical load that is
producing the disturbance. A sag in voltage can also cause a voltage flicker, sudden voltage
drops in the electrical distribution system can generate inrush current which can travel to
sensitive equipment. Voltage flicker can also be defined with respect to phase over-lapping.
According to Kirchhoff’s voltage law, the sum of voltages in a 3 phase system should always
be the same irrespective of the load condition. If the voltage drops in one phase, it has to
be shared by other two phases increasing the nominal voltage values of the other two.

CBEMA Curve is one of the most frequently employed power acceptability curve. It was
developed by the Computer Business Equipment Manufacturers Association in the 1970s, as
a guideline for the organization's members in designing their power supplies. Basically, the
CBEMA curve was originally derived to describe the tolerance of mainframe computer
business equipment to the magnitude and duration of voltage variations on the power
system. Also, the association designed the curve to point out ways in which system
reliability could be provided for electronic equipment. Eventually, it became a standard
design target for sensitive equipment to be applied on the power system and a common
format for reporting power quality variation data. The CBEMA curve was adapted from IEEE
Standard 446 (Recommended Practice for Emergency and Standby Power Systems for
Industrial and Commercial Applications - Orange Book), which is typically used in the
analysis of power quality monitoring results.

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CBEMA Curve
The CBEMA curve was derived from experimental and historical data taken from mainframe
computers. The best scientific interpretation of the curve can be given in terms of a voltage
standard applied to the DC bus voltage of a rectifier load.

The CBEMA curve is a susceptibility profile with the abscissa (horizontal axis)
representing the duration of the event, while the ordinate (vertical axis) indicates the
percent of voltage applied to the power circuit. In the center of the plot is the so called
acceptable area. Voltage values above the envelope are supposed to cause malfunctions
such as insulation failure, over excitation and overvoltage trip. On the other hand, voltages
below the envelope are assumed to cause the load to drop out due to lack of energy. In
other words, the concept is that if the supply voltage stays within the acceptable power area
then the sensitive equipment will operate well. However, if such an event persists for a
longer time, then the sensitive equipment might fail.

To elaborate, the CBEMA curve shows that voltage transients of certain magnitudes, say
about 200%, are acceptable for short periods of time - 1 millisecond. Yet, that same
transient with a duration of 1/2 cycle or 8.333 milliseconds would already cause
malfunctions (i.e. disruption of data). Also, the CBEMA curve illustrates that voltage levels
below nominal are acceptable, provided that they do not drop below the magnitude and

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duration indicated by the curve. Thus, a decrease in nominal voltage by 30% for 1/2 cycle
would not cause disruption of data. Moreover, the CBEMA curve shows that voltage levels of
even zero can be tolerated for a very brief period of time - 4.167 milliseconds or 1/4 cycle.
However, losing voltage for only a little more than 1/4 cycle for a computer and/or other
extremely sensitive equipment would already cause unwanted disruption.

In short, computers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), power distribution units


(PDUs), instrumentation, telecom and other solid-state systems will operate reliably when
applied properly. Nonetheless, all these units are voltage and time sensitive, which means
that voltage sags and swells, as well as interruptions and transients will critically affect their
operation.

Furthermore, balanced voltage sag events in three phase systems can be treated effectively
as a single phase equivalent. The CBEMA curve is originally utilized to address this case.
Yet, most voltage sags are unbalanced, just like the phase-to-ground fault (most common
type of fault) in which only one of the phase voltages is depressed. All the highlighted
causes of voltage sag events will have to be considered if one is to develop a meaningful
power acceptability curve for three phase systems. However, developing a single power
acceptability curve to capture all these possible scenarios is nearly impractical. The
recommended approach is to model several fault types in conjunction with a dynamic load
• The increasing use of electronic equipment which can cause electromagnetic interference
has heightened interest in “power quality.”

model to obtain a power acceptability curve.

In using the CBEMA curve, one must first determine the nature of the power quality
disturbances that are most prevalent in a facility. Power quality phenomena associated with
powering, grounding, and protecting solid-state devices can be measured, analyzed, and
evaluated using test equipment specifically intended for digital logic systems. These
instruments, when located near the suspected disturbance, or when measuring the unusual
operation of the power distribution system, will provide data on voltage variations and
fluctuations and the specifics on how the power quality problem places the equipment at
risk. The measurements and results can then be analyzed in combination with the CBEMA
curve to help understand the nature of power quality disturbances.

However, in 1994, the Information Technology Industry Council was formed by a working
group of the CBEMA. They developed the so called ITIC curve (revised in 2000), which has
replaced the CBEMA curve in general usage for single-phase 120 Volt 60 Hz systems.

Voltage Sag:

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• Visual effect of small voltage variations on electrical lighting

– “Impression of unsteadiness of visual sensation induced by a light stimulus whose


luminance or spectral distribution fluctuates with time”
• Can be caused by load switching (compressor, arc furnace, etc.)

NOTCHING: Caused by semiconductor converters

Some Relevant Standards:

1. IEEE 519- Recommended Practices for Harmonic Control


2. IEEE 1519- Recommended Practices for Monitoring Power Quality

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