Comparison of power quality aspects of switched reluctance and permanent magnet brushless DC motor

Solid state controlled drive systems are viewed as nonlinear loads by AC mains as they generate harmonic currents and create a reactive power burden on the grid. This paper presents a comparison of power quality aspects of switched reluctance and permanent magnet brushless DC motor drives. The key issues covered under power quality comparison are reactive kVA drawn, harmonic spectrum, total harmonic distortion and power factor of the two drives. Experimental results are presented for the motor operating at different loading conditions. A comparison of the results is carried out to assess the level of pollution caused to the utility by each drive system.