Rejean Arseneau

The effects of supply harmonics on the performance of compact fluorescent lamps

A performance evaluation of ten compact fluorescent lighting systems operated with sinusoidal and distorted voltage waveform conditions is described. The lamps are provided with either an electronic ballast, a magnetic core ballast, or a magnetic core ballast with a power factor correction circuit. The test results show that the electrical performance of the lamps for both sinusoidal and distorted voltage waveform operation is related to the type of ballast used. The operating cost of these lamps is calculated and compared to the cost of operating a conventional 60 W incandescent lamp. >

An improved three phase digital recorder system for calibrating power instrumentation

The paper describes an improved digital recorder system which is being used to provide reference values of voltage, current, active, reactive and apparent powers and harmonic quantities for three-phase sinusoidal and nonsinusoidal calibrations. The system has been designed to be used in the laboratory at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) or transported on-site for tests in electrical utility facilities. Test results have shown that for sinusoidal waveforms, the accuracy of the voltage and current measurements of the digital recorder is better than 25 /spl mu/V/V or /spl mu/A/A of full scale and better than 50 /spl mu/W/W of full scale for active and apparent power measurements. The accuracy of the system for measurements under the seven distorted waveforms conditions most commonly used at NRC is better than 50 /spl mu/V/V or /spl mu/A/A of full scale for voltage and current measurements and better than 100 /spl mu/W/W or /spl mu/VA/VA of full scale for active and apparent power measurements.

A calibration system for evaluating the performance of harmonic power analyzers

The paper describes a calibration system which is being used to evaluate the performance of harmonic power analyzers and related equipment. A method for verifying the software based calculations of the harmonic quantities obtained with the digital recorder of the calibration system is discussed. Test results of a harmonic power analyzer are also included. >

A test system for calibrating flickermeters

This paper describes a new calibration system for testing flickermeters. The test system is used to generate and measure all the combinations of amplitude changes and frequencies required for calibrating flickermeters. Two computer-controlled waveform generators are used to produce the test conditions. The percent modulations of the test waveforms are measured with two high accuracy sampling voltmeters. Digital logic and software control ensures that the modulated signals are only measured when either maximum or minimum modulation occurs. Test data indicates that the percent modulation of the waveforms generated by the calibration system for square wave and sinusoidal modulations are within 0.002% and 0.005%, respectively, of the nominal values specified in IEC Standard 61000-3-3.

No-load loss measurements of power transformers under distorted supply voltage waveform conditions

The problem of correcting the results of no-load loss measurements of power transformers for the effect of distorted supply voltage waveform on the magnetic flux in the core and hence on both the hysteresis and eddy current loss components of core losses is presented. The instrumentation requirements for no-load loss measurements to ensure proper application of the correction formula are described.

Application of IEEE Standard 519-1992 Harmonic Limits for Revenue Billing Meters

This paper identifies the potential for billing inequities at harmonic generating loads due to different measuring methods implemented in revenue meters. Potential problems are almost exclusively in the commercial and industrial sectors where demand and power factor charges are common. Field data are used to illustrate that compliance with IEEE Standard 519-1992 reduces the possibility of meter reading differences thus promoting a more equitable treatment of all customers.

A Comparison of Instrumentation for Measuring the Losses of Large Power Transformers

The results of a comparison of several different types of equipment and techniques for measuring the short circuit (copper) and open circuit (iron) losses of a large power transformer are presented. The measurements were made on a 233-MVA, 735-kV, single phase, 60-Hz power transformer with a short circuit power factor of 1.3%, at currents up to rated, and open circuit voltages to 115 percent of the rating. The short circuit tests were performed using two current comparator type high-voltage capacitance bridges, a thermal wattmeter, an electro-dynamic wattmeter system with conventional instrument transformers and a new semi-automated digital wattmeter system. For the open- circuit tests only the three wattmeters were employed. The average discrepancy between the five measuring systems used in the short circuit tests was less than 1% and between the three systems in the open circuit tests less than 0.5 %.

The effects of undervoltage on the performance of compact fluorescent systems

A research program for studying the economic aspects and the lighting and electrical performance of a wide range of different compact fluorescent (CF) systems under a range of operating conditions, including reduced supply voltage, is described. The program involves the participation of national lighting research and electrical metrology laboratories in Canada, the US, and abroad. The authors report some of the results from this program. They describe the lighting and electrical performance of eleven different types of CP systems operating at 100, 110, and 120 VAC. Performance parameters include relative luminous efficacy, active and apparent power consumption, harmonic distortion, power factor, and flicker index. Economic analysis of the operation of the CF systems at 120 V is also provided.<<ETX>>

Intercomparison of nonsinusoidal calibration systems at NRC Canada and SP Sweden

A portable and stable source of ac voltage and current capable of generating sinusoidal and distorted waveforms was used as a means of comparing the nonsinusoidal calibration systems at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and the Swedish National Testing and Research Institute (SP). Comparisons of the test results obtained at the two laboratories were valuable in evaluating the performance of the two nonsinusoidal calibration systems especially when used to measure the amplitude and phase of harmonic voltages and currents in the presence of large fundamental components.

Watt and voltampere transfer standard

A new instrument which will be used as a transfer device between the national watt and VA standards of the National Research Council of Canada and the standards maintained by Canadian electrical utilities and electricity meter manufacturers is described. The relative error of this instrument is less than 50 ppm for power or energy and 100 PPM for voltampere measurements. The stability of the instrument during a field test cycle of about two weeks was on the order of 20 ppm. A dedicated pulse-frequency counter and a stable phantom power source were supplied to utilities to achieve high-accuracy on-site measurements. >