Overview of the Propagation of Supraharmonics in Power Systems

The deep penetration of power electronics has led to the inevitable increase in the levels of supraharmonics with a series of negative consequences on the grid. Some effects are: malfunction and failure of control circuits and protection devices, impact on the light intensity of LED lamps, insulation failures in cables, overheating and accelerated aging of capacitor banks, transformers, and rotating machines, and loss of communication on the power line with smart meters. This overview is intended to discuss how these supraharmonics interfere with components and how they propagate over the network. Specifically, the effects due to photovoltaic and wind generators, of LED and fluorescent lamps will be analyzed; to then move on to analyze the regulations and methods for reducing supraharmonics.