Effect of Bulk Capacitor on Harmonics of Energy-Efficient Devices

This paper develops analytical expressions to describe the behavior of harmonic components in rectifier circuits. It examines how harmonic content in the supply voltage influences the harmonic currents drawn by energy-efficient loads. By analyzing these interactions, the study provides insights into circuits integrating single-phase AC/DC converters, such as LED lamps. The findings emphasize the interdependence between harmonic phase angles and their impact on load current harmonics, which is essential for understanding supply voltage distortions and their effects on electrical loads. The assumptions established in this study support the development of more accurate models for characterizing load harmonic currents, enhancing the predictive capabilities of harmonic estimation methods. Furthermore, the proposed computational approach determines key rectifier performance parameters, including peak voltage across the bulk capacitor and the peak time relationship with harmonic components of the voltage waveform. These insights provide a deeper understanding of rectifier circuit behavior under distorted supply conditions, demonstrating the quantifiable impact of harmonic phase angles on rectifier capacitor dynamics offering practical implications for harmonic analysis, and performance optimization. The analytical framework developed here enables a more precise characterization of peak voltage timing and magnitude, which is critical for evaluating rectifier operation under various harmonic conditions.