Harmonic effects on synchronous generators voltage regulation

With the increasing concern of the effects of harmonic distortion and the lack of documentation of harmonic problems associated with synchronous machines, it is imperative that work to understand the effects of harmonics on synchronous machines be accelerated. This paper evaluates the voltage regulation of a synchronous generator with sinusoidal and distorted voltage waveform conditions. A motor-generator set is employed as an integral part of the power system simulator to supply power to various loads during the performance of the test. Harmonic distortion is introduced by connecting nonlinear loads to produce distorted voltage and current waveforms. To record the electrical and mechanical quantities, a data acquisition system is used. All data acquired is saved for future use in analysis and reporting. The test results show that the voltage regulation of a synchronous generator under various load conditions is related to the different level of harmonic distortion produced by the load. This research provides useful data to develop harmonic standards with better understanding of the impact of harmonics on equipment operation.