A comparative analysis of reactive power/energy measuring algorithms in non-sinusoidal conditions by using the fundamental reactive power as a reference

Abstract

The measurement of reactive power and energy in harmonically distorted conditions is accompanied with multiple challenges. In the first place, there is the ambiguous definition of these quantities, when the systems’ signals lack sinusoidal waveforms. The international standard IEEE 1459 addresses this by emphasizing the need to measure fundamental frequency power components only, even in harmonically polluted environments. Another complication arises because of different measuring algorithms implemented in the modern meters. Although these algorithms provide consistent results for ideal sinusoidal waveforms, the instruments’ recordings may diverge significantly when distortion is present. In this work, the readings of different, commercially available, reactive power/energy instruments in harmonically distorted conditions will be experimentally verified. In the primary experiment, the meters’ outputs are going to be analyzed against the fundamental reactive power as a reference quantity, in accordance with IEEE 1459. Later on, a mutual inter-comparison between different algorithm-based instruments will be conducted, as a contribution to the perspective of an unbroken traceability chain establishment in the domain of reactive power and energy in non-sinusoidal conditions. In order to ensure a high metrological accuracy, reference standards of the highest accuracy class available, traceable to BIPM intrinsic standards, are implemented.