Power Quality Measurement and Active Harmonic Power in 25 kV 50 Hz AC Railway Systems

Yljon Seferi, Steven M. Blair, Christian Mester and Brian G. Stewart
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Yljon Seferi: Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UK
Steven M. Blair: Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UK
Christian Mester: Federal Institute of Metrology METAS, Lindenweg 50, 3003 Bern-Wabern, Switzerland
Brian G. Stewart: Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XQ, UK

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-17

Abstract: Railway electrical networks rated at 25 kV 50 Hz are characterised by significant levels of voltage and current harmonics. These frequency components are also time varying in nature due to the movement of trains and changing operational modes. Processing techniques used to evaluate harmonic results, although standardised, are not explicitly designed for railway applications, and the smoothing effect that the standard aggregation algorithms have on the measured results is significant. This paper analyses the application accuracy of standardised power quality (PQ) measurement algorithms, when used to measure and evaluate harmonics in railway electrical networks. A shorter aggregation time interval is proposed for railway power quality measurement instruments, which offers more accurate estimated results and improved tracking of time varying phenomena. Harmonic active power present in railway electrical networks is also evaluated in order to quantify the impact it has on the energy accumulated by electrical energy meters installed on-board trains. Analysis performed on 12 train journeys shows significant levels of non-fundamental active power developed for short periods of time. As an energy meter will inadvertently absorb the financial cost of non-fundamental energy produced by other trains or other external power flows, results are provided to support recommendations for future standards to measure only fundamental frequency energy within train energy measurement meters.

Keywords: railway electrical networks; traction converter; power quality analysis; active power; harmonic power; electric energy meters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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