Concerns on Electromagnetic Compatibility and

Power Quality Issues at a Three-Phase Transformer

Petre-Marian Nicolae, Marian-ùtefan Nicolae, Ileana-Diana Nicolae
Computer Science and Information Technology Department
Ionu‫ ܊‬Daniel Smărăndescu University of Craiova, UCV
Electrical Eng., Energetics and Aeronautics Department Craiova, Romania
University of Craiova, UCV nicolae_ileana@software.ucv.ro
Craiova, Romania
pnicolae@elth.ucv.ro, snicolae@elth.ucv.ro,
smarandescu.ionut@yahoo.com

Abstract— The paper deals with the behavior of a medium / low [5]. The standards in the power quality area are usually based
voltage transformer (MV/LV), for a non-sinusoidal consumer on the Fourier series decomposition [6], [7]. The analysis in
placed in the transformer’s secondary winding. The analysis is these situations assumes for the presence of steady non-
performed using the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT). The sinusoidal regimes, without variations of the analyzed
monitoring is realized with two data acquisition systems, briefly electromagnetic quantities or of the operating frequency.
described in the paper. Problems associated to the conducted and
radiated emissions are addressed and analyzed. Experimental The decompositions provided by the Discrete Wavelet
determinations of emissions allowed for the improvement of the Transform (DWT) make possible the power quality (PQ)
quality of performed measurements. Considerations on the analysis. Representations of EM quantities’ time evolutions
determination of some quantities and quality parameters are considering frequency sub-ranges are also provided. Unlike the
presented. Electrical quantities are recorded from the MV/LV Fourier decompositions (e.g. Fast Fourier Transform - FFT,
transformer’s primary and secondary windings. The DWT Discrete Fourier Transform - DFT), DWT provides both time
analysis proves that strong non-sinusoidal regimes occur, and frequency information whilst not assuming that the semi-
specifically for the currents in the transformer’s windings. The periods from each analyzed period are symmetrical. The
higher order harmonics, not considered in the actual quality versatility of DWT is still limited as compared to FFT relative
standards, can reach high values. These harmonic currents may to individual evaluations of harmonics characteristics, because
cause new power quality and respectively Electromagnetic
it provides information only for frequency sub-ranges.
Compatibility problems (including related Electromagnetic
Interference problems), not addressed by existing standards (and II. DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM USED FOR RECORDING
also unpleasant effects over other equipment from their vicinity).
For a monitoring of the MV/LV transformer (Fig.1), 2
Keywords—Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT); power quality; independent data acquisition systems (DAS) were designed and
electromagnetic compatibility; conducted and radiated disturbances; realized. Considering the symbols from Fig.1, the 1-st DAS has
electromagnetic interference. the current sensors placed in the secondary winding of the
I. INTRODUCTION current transformer from position 3 and the voltage sensors
placed in the secondary winding of the voltage transformer from
The occurrence of strong non-sinusoidal regimes in position 4. The 2-nd DAS has the current sensors placed in the
electrical networks, owed to nonlinear consumers, affects both secondary winding of the current transformer from position 2
the components producing such regimes and the equipment and the voltage sensors placed in the secondary winding of the
placed in its vicinity. This is the reason why the electric voltage transformer from position 5.Original software packages
quantities should be measured precisely, without any external based on FFT and on DWT were used.
influences that may disturb the measurement equipment’s
functioning. On the other hand, the equipment used in the
measuring process should not influence those processes, both
in terms of conducted and radiated emissions [1], [2].
The functioning of some integrated measurement systems,
mutually synchronized, should allow the appearance of
conducted or radiated electromagnetic (EM) interference
quantities, with possible influences on the veracity of
measurements and on further processing of digital records [3].
The actual standards from the power quality and the
electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) areas do not specify
special conditions for the measurement equipment used for this
sort of practical situations. The reporting is usually done on
existing standards, e.g. IEC 61000-4-30, IEC 6100-4-19 [4], Fig. 1. Schematic of the excitation MV/LV transformer.
This work was supported by a grant of the Romanian National Authority
for Scientific Research and Innovation, CNCS/CCCDI –UEFISCDI, project
number PN-III-P2-2.1-BG-2016-0240, within PNCDI III.

978-1-5386-2231-5/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE 377


Fig. 2. The complex data acquisition system consisting in two systems
interconnected for data recording.
The high sampling rate allows for a harmonic
decomposition up to the 192nd order.
The complex data acquisition and monitoring system
(DAMS) – Fig. 2, designed for the approached case studies is
realized with dedicated numerical acquisition modules PC-
06/104. A modular and flexible structure was realized for data
acquisition, monitoring and analysis, using 2 independent PC-
06/104 modules, interconnected through a software
synchronization program, in order to record simultaneously
electrical quantities. The DAMS includes 2 PC-06/104 DAS-s,
with 4 a.c. voltage inputs in the 0y150V range and 4 current
inputs in the -20 y +20 mA range, supplied from a 12 V d.c.
voltage source. Connecting the complex DAMS allowed for
online simultaneous monitoring of the primary and secondary
windings of the MV/LV transformer supplying the excitation.
III. ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS
CONCERNING DATA AQUISTITION SYSTEMS
The recordings were realized with two independent DAS-s
used to acquire data on electrical quantities from the MV/LV
transformer’s windings. The systems were tested in terms of
the conducted and radiated emissions. The scope was to
observe potential interference between the DAS-s and
respectively between them and the environment.
A. Experimental Determination Concerning the Conducted
Disturbances
The data acquisition system (DAS) must obey the limits
imposed to the disturbances transmitted through conduction
according to CISPR 11 (class A) [8]. The atmospheric
conditions during tests are gathered by Table I. An EM
disturbances receiver of type ESCI 3 and an artificial three-
phase network of type NNB9-30 were used.
The receiver’s test parameters for all the evaluations
presented below were: (a) Test range: 0.15 ÷ 30 MHz; (b)
Band width: 9 kHz;(c) Frequency step: 4.5 kHz; (d) Detectors:
Average and Quasi-Peak; (e) Test time/frequency step: 20 ms
(for pre-scanning) and 2 s (for final scanning).
TABLE I. ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF
CONDUCTED DISTURBANCES
Value for the accomplished
Parameter Imposed value
measurements
Temperature (5 … 40)0 C (25+/- 1) 0C
Atmospheric
- 1007 mbar
pressure
Humidity - 44%
378
The mean and quasi-peak values of the disturbances
transmitted through conduction into the network by the
equipment from the DAS (Equipment Under Test – EUT) along
each supplying line (phase or neutral) must not exceed the
limits imposed by IEC 60255-26. One used the reference
standard CISPR 11. EUT was supplied with 220 V a.c. through
an artificial three-phase network of type NNB9-30.
Fig. 3 depicts the ensemble used to measure the
disturbances transmitted through conduction.
According to the used reference Standard (CISPR 11), the
disturbances transmitted through conduction must obey the
limits from Table II. The disturbances introduced by equipment
along the supplying line, respectively along the supplying
neutral wire are depicted by Figs. 4 and 5. In these figures:
- the red and purple lines refer to the disturbance limits for
Average and Quasi-peak values from the CISPR 11 Standard;
- the blue plot presents the variations of the conducted
disturbances for Average values, and the continuous values
refer to the Quasi-peak values;
- one may notice in the plots in dark blue (for the Average
values) and in green (for the peaks corresponding to the Quasi-
peak values) that the CISPR 11 limits are not exceeded;
- on the other hand, high values for the conducted disturbances,
close to the 30 MHz limit for the frequencies (both for the
Average and Quasi-peak values) are revealed.
B. Experimental Determination Concerning the Radiated
Disturbances
The experimental determinations were realized both for the
horizontal and vertical polarizations of the radiated
disturbances generated by the EUT. The tests were carried out
in different situations: for long cables supplying a DAS from
it’s own supply (the cables were also used to supply the
equipment at the measuring plant) – longer than 1 meter; for
shorter cables, up to 0.8 meters.
TABLE II. LIMITS ALLOWED FOR CONDUCTED DISTURBANCES AT CISPR 11
Frequency Disturbances levels for the Class A, group 1
range
[MHz] Quasi-peak value [dB] Mean value [dB]
0.015-0.5 79 73
0.5-30 66 60
Fig. 3. Determination of disturbances transmitted through conduction for the
data acquisition equipment

Fig. 4. Disturbances introduced along the supplying line.
Fig. 5. Disturbances introduced along the supplying line neutral wire.
To pass this test, the peak values of the disturbances
radiated by EUT for each of the antenna’s polarization
(horizontal and vertical) must not exceed the limit imposed by
CISPR 11 – Table III.
To measure the radiated disturbances one used an EM
disturbances receiver of type ESCI 3 and a hybrid antenna
network (wide band logarithm periodical), type HL 1000.
The receiver’s test parameters were: (a) Test range: 30
MHz÷1 GHz (according to CISPR 11); (b) Band width: 120
kHz; (c) Frequency step: 50 kHz; (d) Test time/ frequency step:
100 ms (for peak value); 2 s (for quasi-peak value).
Some results are presented in Fig. 6 for the measurements
corresponding to vertical polarization, where the limits
imposed by CISPR 11 were exceeded in the first part of the
analyzed range, around the frequency of 30 MHz. For the
horizontal polarization, the values of the radiated emission
were lower, falling within the limits from Table III.
TABLE III. LIMITS ALLOWED FOR RADIATED DISTURBANCES AT CISPR 11
Frequency range [MHz] Quasi-peak value [dB(PV / m)]
30...230 50
230...1000 57
379
Fig. 6. Disturbances radiated in vertical polarization (peak and quasi-peak
values) for supplying cables longer than 1 m.
Fig. 6 depicts the test results for the worst case, when the
cables supplying the DAS exceeded 1 meter. In this case the
disturbances radiated by the equipment in vertical polarization
exceed the limits allowed by EN 60255-26 for 3 frequencies
with approximate values of 35 MHz, 41 MHz and 46 MHz.
After applying corrective measures for shielding the box
with the DAS components, the tests proved that the radiated
emissions fall within the limits from CISPR 11 [1].
The DAS-s operate near the power group’s force lines and
data-transmission lines. Therefore EMC problems (shielding of
the DAS-s, short cables for data recordings, a.o.) were also
considered [9]. Data recordings considered quantities from the
secondary windings of the voltage and current measurement
transformers. Therefore the DAS-s were placed nearby them
(Fig. 2), with cables shorter than 1 m. In order to reduce the
influence of the radiated emissions over DAS-s, they were
placed in a case shielded against the electromagnetic radiations.
IV. WAVEFORMS RECORDING
The three-phase voltages and currents from the MV/LV
transformer’s primary and secondary windings were
simultaneously recorded with the DAS-s from Fig. 2.
Several sets of data were acquired [4]. Data acquired from
the primary winding are depicted in Fig. 7, whilst those
acquired from the secondary winding are depicted in Fig. 8.
Fig. 7. Three-phase voltages (top) and three-phase currents (down) from the
primary winding of the transformer MV/LV.
 C. Active power
The total active power is the sum of the approximation and
details active powers components:

P Papp  Pdet (3)

D. Apparent power
The approximate apparent power, S app , is defined as [12]:

S app Vapp I app V jO I jO (4)

The definitions for the current/voltage distortion

Fig. 8. Three-phase voltages (top) and three-phase currents (down) at the powers DI , DV are:
secondary winding of the transformer MV/LV.

The numerical data processing of recorded data was carried § · § ·

¨ ¸ ¨ ¸
out with FFT and DWT. The results yielded by DWT revealed DI Vapp I det V jO ¨
¨
¦I 2
j ¸¸ ; DV Vdet I app ¨¨ ¦V 2
j ¸¸ I jO
(5)
strong non-sinusoidal regimes. The actual PQ standards are not © j t jO ¹ © j t jO ¹
concerned neither with harmonic orders exceeding a certain
limit (too low for actual industrial applications), nor with The details apparent power can be calculated with:
possible EM interferences (EMI) [6], [10], [11]. 
§ ·§ ·
¨ ¸¨ ¸
V. SINGLE PHASE POWER COMPONENTS DEFINITIONS IN  Sdet Vdet I det ¨
¨ jt j
¦
V j2 ¸¨
¸¨ j t j
¦ I 2j ¸ (6)
¸
DWT WORKFRAME © O ¹© O ¹
Power components definitions were reformulated and new
standards were issued in the DWT workframe [12]. The details distortion power, Ddet , is calculated with :

A. Calculation of RMS 2 2
 Ddet S det  Pdet (7) 
The following expressions for currents’ and voltages’ RMS
values were proposed [13]:
With the above, the total apparent power S can be
1 T 2 1 T 2 calculated with [12]:
V
T ³0
v (t )dt V 
2
jO ¦V
j t jO
j
2
; I T ³0
i (t )dt I 2
jO  ¦I
j t jO
2
j

S2 (VI ) 2 2
S app  DI2  Dv2  S det
2
(8)
(1)
The “non-approximation” apparent power, S N , is defined as:
where V j 0 , I j 0 denotes the RMS values for the band with the
lowest frequency j0.
 S N2 DI2  Dv2  S det
2
(9)
They are also called „approximate” voltage /current
( Vapp / I app ) or the “node zero” voltage/current. {Vj}, {Ij} VI. THREE-PHASE POWER COMPONENTS DEFINITIONS IN
represent the sets of RMS values for higher frequency bands DWT WORKFRAME
and are also called detail voltage/current ( V det/ I det ). Their
sum gives the so-called “non-zero node” RMS values. A. Calculation of RMS
The “approximation” effective RMS values for three-phase
B. Total harmonic distortion voltages and currents were formulated in [12] as:
The voltage/current total harmonic distortions calculated
with DWT can be defined as [12]:
V , I eapp V , I 2
RSapp 
 V , I 2 STapp  V , I 2 TRapp / 3 (10)

Vdet
¦V
j t jO
2
j
I det
¦I
j t jO
2
j As expected, the “details” effective RMS values are:
 THDv  THDI (2)
Vapp V jO I app I jO
 V , I det V , I 2
RS det 
 V , I 2 ST det  V , I 2 TR det / 3 (11)

Then the effective RMS values of voltage and current are:

380
 phase PQ indices calculated by using DWT. They correspond
 Ve V 2 eapp  V 2 e det , I e I 2 eapp  I 2 e det  (12)
to the 1-st period of the waveforms from Figs. 7 and 8. Table
VI gathers computed 3-phase PQ indices for both analyzed
B. Equivalent Total Harmonic Distortion windings.
The definitions for the equivalent voltage (current)
harmonic distortions are [12]:
TABLE IV. SINGLE PHASE POWER QUALITY INDICES - PRIMARY WINDING

THDeV Ve det / Veapp , THDeI I e det / I eapp (13) Phase number

PQ index
1 2 3
RMS value of voltage [V] 13,491 13,535 13,540
C. Active power Node zero voltage [V] 13,489 13,532 13,537
The approximation positive sequence active power P+app Node non-zero voltage [V] 226 317 248
can be defined as: Peak value of voltage [V] 18,960 19,810 19,295
Peak factor of voltage 1.48 1.46 1.53
THD of voltage [%] 1.67 2.34 1.83
§1· T
 P  app 3¨ ¸
©T ¹ ³
0
v  ˜ i  dt (14) RMS value of current [A]
Node zero current [A]
34.9
33.77
36.37
35.22
35.69
34.55
Node non-zero current [A] 8.82 9.05 8.94
Peak value of current [A] 51.56 53.19 54.61
The total active power of the three-phase systems is then [12]:
Peak factor of current 1.4 1.46 1.42
THD of current [%] 25.29 24.88 25.06
 P P  app  ¦P
i 1,3
det phase i (15) Papp [kW]
Pdet [W]
168.31
-131.77
181.05
-1,112.18
172.79
992.27
P [kW] 168.19 179.94 173.79
Sapp [kVA] 455.489 476.638 467.679
D. Apparent power
Sdet [kVA] 1.99 2.868 2.217
The approximation effective apparent power Seapp and the SN [kVA] 119.299 122.975 121.39
approximation unbalanced power SUapp are [12]: S [kVA] 470.854 492.247 483.176

S  app 3V  app I  app , Seapp 3Veapp I eapp , SUapp 

s 2 eapp  S  app 
2
(16) TABLE V. SINGLE PHASE POWER QUALITY INDICES - SECONDARY WINDING
Phase number
PQ index
The definitions used for the current/voltage distortion 1 2 3
powers and the “details” apparent power are: RMS value of voltage [V] 335.35 333.71 332.21
Node zero voltage [V] 334.41 332.79 331.18
Node non-zero voltage [V] 25.03 24.69 26.08
DeI 3Veapp I e det , DeV 3Ve det I eapp , S e det 3Ve det I e det .(17) Peak factor of voltage 1.49 1.51 1.51
THD of voltage [%] 7.46 7.4 7.85
RMS value of current [A] 1,308.17 1,313.95 1,331.42
The “non-approximation” effective apparent power SeN is Node zero current [A] 1,266.74 1,272.04 1,287.42
defined as [12]: Node non-zero current [A] 326.38 329.24 339.45
Peak factor of current 1.29 1.34 1.32
THD of current [%] 24.95 25.06 25.49
 S eN D 2 eI  D 2 eV  S 2 e det (18) Papp [kW] 152.69 156.25 159.25
Pdet [W] -3.418 -2.96 -4.326
P [kW] 149.22 153.29 154.927
The effective apparent power Se and the non-active power Sapp [kVA] 423.62 423.326 426.368
N are defined as: Sdet [kVA] 8.17 8.13 8.854
SN [kVA] 113.954 114.274 117.66
S [kVA] 438.675 438.479 442.305
 Se S 2 eapp  S 2 eN , N S 2 e  P 2 (19)
TABLE VI. THREE-PHASE POWER QUALITY INDICES
E. Power Factors
The “approximation” positive sequence power factor PQ index Primary winding Secondary winding
P+app [kW] 521.234 459.31
PF+app and the total power factor PF can be defined as [12]: -251.69 - 10706
Pdet [W]
P [kW] 520.98 448.596
 PF  app P  app / S  app , PF P / Se  (20) Seapp [kVA] 1,399.98 1,273.38
SUapp [kVA] 56.80 48.21
Sedet [kVA] 7.14 25.16
VII. ANALYSIS OF RECORDED WAVEFORMS WITH DWT Se [kVA] 1,446.449 1,319.542
DeI [kVA] 362.554 331.206
When performing the DWT analysis, one considered per- DeU [kVA] 27.581 96.723
period analysis of 4 consecutive periods, in order to reveal SeN [kVA] 363.67 345.957
transients and non-symmetries [13]. A 10 levels tree, relying PF+app 0.373 0.361
on a wavelet mother of type Daubechy, filter of length 8, was PF 0.361 0.340
implemented. Tables IV and V gather the values of single

381

Fig. 9. Voltages details, 4-th…6-th levels (primary winding).
The most significant percent relative differences (absolute
values around 10%) between counterpart PQ indices (FFT vs
DWT), were recorded when evaluating the voltages’ harmonic
distortions. Many of them can be explained by deviations from
the periodicity between half-periods. For example in Fig. 9 this
phenomenon is noticed at U2 and U1, being marked by red
ellipses around abnormally high local maximum values. The
FFT analysis does not detect these deviations and does not
account for them in a distinct way, so they are not classified as
disturbances. In situations like this, the PQ indices provided by
DWT are more accurate.
VIII. CONCLUSION
For a proper analysis of EM quantities from the primary
and secondary windings of a MV/LV transformer, the voltages
and currents should be recorded with DAS-s that do not
produce conducted and radiated emissions, actually not
considered by the standards. This aspect becomes more
important if 2 or more DAS-s are used simultaneously to
acquire data [9].
In order to meet the design requirements, the DAS-s were
firstly tested for radiated emissions. Corrective measures were
taken to limit them such as to be lower then limits imposed by
standards. In order to protect the DAS against conducted
emissions, measures like shielding and placing in shielded
cases were also taken.
The DWT analysis of the recorded signals revealed
significant distorting regimes in both primary and secondary
windings, mainly at currents. Non-symmetries between half-
periods within the analyzed periods were revealed by DWT in
some frequency sub-ranges, explaining most of the differences
relative to some PQ indices computed with FFT.
The voltages from the transformer’s primary winding are
not significantly distorted, because the transformer is
connected with its primary winding to a large power group. On
the other hand, in the secondary winding, significant distortions
of the three-phase voltages could be noticed. Most probably
they are caused by a power converter (used for load
adjustments), supplied by the transformer’s secondary winding.
The current harmonics generated in the transformer’s
secondary winding are transmitted in the primary winding (as
382
revealed by Pdet from Tables IV and V), being able to affect
other equipment which are also supplied by the transformer’s
primary winding.
Both DWT and FFT analysis revealed non-negligible
contents of harmonic orders higher than those considered as
upper limit by present standards. This made us conclude that
two problems must be considered: the extension of the
frequency range used for analysis of PQ problems (correlated to
the adoption of standards) and respectively the joint
approaching of PQ and EMC problems, including the standards
to be considered [13].
The current harmonic components of higher orders can
cause EMC and EMI problems. Current harmonic components
within the range 2…150 kHz may generate problems related
to the control of equipment based on power electronics or
erroneous commands in the power group’s automation
systems [13], [14].
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