Harmonic Sources in Distribution Network

Recognition by using Fractal Analysis

B.Sreenivas Reddy
Sree.bodimalla@gmail.com.

Abstract -One of the most important power quality problems is harmonic pollution in power system. In
recent years there has been an increase in voltage and current distortion in the distribution network due to the
extensive use of power electronic and computer controlled devices. In this paper, using fractal analysis the
source of harmonic pollution has been identified in a radial power system distribution network. The fractal
technique provides both time and spectral information of the nonlinear load harmonic patterns. The network is
simulated using Matlab software. Simulation results have been presented which show that the proposed
method can successfully identify the location of the harmonic source in case of a single harmonic source and
location of dominant source of harmonic pollution in case of multiple harmonic sources in the system.
Keywords Distributed network, Fractal analysis; Harmonic Source; power quality, Radial network.

1.INTRODUCTION
The presence of voltage and current components at frequencies other than the fundamental one is harmful to the
equipment connected in the power system network. Harmonics can be produced by the loads only, by the source only
or both by the source and load. The location of nonlinear load when a single nonlinear load is present and also
location of the dominant source of harmonic pollution when more than one nonlinear loads are present can be
detected by observing the fractal dimensions of the line currents of each node.
Detection of the source of harmonic pollution is the first step towards improving the power quality of the network.
This can be achieved by distributed synchronous measurement method and single point measurement method.
Distributed measurement system [1] gives correct information about the harmonic state of the whole power system.
But they are difficult to implement as they require expensive and complex measurement sensors at each point of
common coupling. On the other hand single point measurement method is easy to implement and cost effective but
sometimes gives erroneous information about the presence of harmonics in the system. Single point strategy for the
detection of the dominant harmonic source in power systems can be based on the comparison of different non active
components of apparent power [2-4]. Simulations and experimental results show that this strategy can give useful
indications for the detection of dominant harmonic source, upstream or downstream the metering section [5]. Self
synchronizing and virtual instruments have been developed for the detection of harmonic distortion and unbalance in
three phase power systems [6], [7]. The total harmonic power method [8], [9] is another method for the identification
and measurement of harmonic pollution in radial and non radial systems. The signs of total and individual harmonic
powers can provide detailed information about the harmonic pollution [10].
A fractal based method for the characterization of the harmonic waveforms produced from single phase nonlinear
loads is presented in [11]. The harmonic current waveforms obtained from different types of nonlinear loads were
analyzed by fractal analysis and the fractal numbers characterized a particular type of load. The application of fractals
in the field of fault analysis commenced in early 1990s. For the pattern recognition and detection of high impedance
faults, concepts of fractal analysis have been used [12]. The concept of fractal geometry can be applied to analyze the
fault currents in transformers and fractal analysis can successfully classify the impulse faults in transformers [13, 14].
The fractal analysis of the fault distribution reveals the importance of fractal dimension as a texture measure which
can characterize the distribution [15]. Based on mathematical morphology and grille fractal, a novel approach on
power quality disturbance detection and location has been presented by Gengyin Li et al. [16].
Nath et. al [17] presented a new method for the identification of harmonic sources in power system network using
discrete wavelet transform. Here DWT has been applied to decompose the voltage and current data into multiple
frequency bands. The node with highest details pollution indicates the presence of dominant harmonic source

connected to that node. But the computational complexity of DWT is high. Method proposed in [18] requires
determination of Thevenin or Norton equivalent of the source and load at each harmonic frequency and thus is
difficult to implement. The critical impedance method proposed in [19], compares the magnitudes of harmonic
voltage sources to determine the major source of harmonics and essentially is a method based on the determination of
Thevenin equiv
alents.

II. POWER SYSTEM NETWORK

A radial distribution network model with five linear loads, as shown in Fig. 1 has been
designed by EMTP software to detect the harmonic source in the network. This network is
used to perform experimentation for the identification of harmonic source. The fundamental
frequency internal impedance of voltage source Zs is considered to be 1 + j 6.28
and each line impedance viz. Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 is 1 + j 12.56 . The fundamental
frequency impedance of each load is 100 + j 62.8 when all the loads are linear and high
frequency current source is connected with each load to make it a nonlinear load. Sampling
frequency is taken as 5 kHz i.e. 100 sampling points per cycle is considered. The total time
duration considered is 1s. The nonlinearity of the load has been varied by varying the
frequency and the current of the high frequency source. EMTP simulation package has been
used to capture the instantaneous currents at different nodes in the system. The current

Fig. 1. Linear and nonlinear loads in a radial network

signals are analyzed using fractal analysis in MATLAB.

III.FRACTAL THEORY
Fractal is a rough fragmented geometric shape that can be subdivided in parts, each of
which is a reduced size or copy of the whole. Fractals are crinkly objects that defy
conventional measures, such as length and area, and are most often characterized by their
fractional dimension. In this paper fractal technique is proposed to detect the location of
harmonic source in a distribution system. Most common fractals are self similar fractals and
self affined fractals. Self similar fractal is the reduced part of the whole fractal and same
scaling factor for all subparts. Self affined fractal has parts that are formed with different
scaling parameters.
Computation of Fractal Dimension [14]:
Let us consider x(1), x(2), x(3), x(N) as the time sequence to be analyzed. Construct k
k

new time series xm as

xmk

x(m), x(m k), x(m 2k),....,

N m

xm

k,

for m
1,2,..., k

where m indicates
the
initial time
value, k indicates the
discrete time interval between points (delay), and a means

integer part of a . For each of the curves or time series

x mk
constructed, the average length

Lm (k) is computed as

N m

x(m ik ) x(m (i 1)k)

(N 1)

Lm (k)

i 1

N m

where the
total length
of data
is N , sequence
and

N 1 / N m/ kk
is
a
normalization factor.
An
average length is computed for all time series having the same delay (or scale) k , as the
mean of the k lengths Lm (k) for m 1,..., k . This procedure is repeated for each

k ranging from 1
to kmax , yielding a sum of average lengths

L(k) for each k ,

L(k) k
Lm (k)

m1

The total average

length for scale k , L(k)
is proportional
to k

, where D is the fractal dimension using Higuchi's method.

Box dimension algorithm is taken as an appropriate approximation of fractal dimension. It

works by covering fractal (its image) with boxes (squares) and then evaluating how many
boxes are needed to cover fractal completely. Repeating this measurement with different
sizes of boxes will result into logarithmical function of box size (x-axis) and number of boxes
needed to cover fractal (y-axis). The slope of this function is referred as box dimension.
IV.

FEATURE EXTRACTION BY FRACTAL

ANALYSIS
The studies on harmonic source detection in this paper includes location of harmonic source
in case a single disturbing source is present or location of the dominant source or both the
sources in case the disturbing loads are located at different nodes in the system. The first step
in performing the feature extraction process is the modeling of harmonic sources containing
different odd harmonics. Harmonic events are periodic voltage/ current variations and do not
involve variations in the fundamental frequency (50Hz) voltage/ current. The events may
occur with a long duration (greater than 1 minute).
Let
be the probability that there are
points within
a box
of side
,
is
normalized as
, where
is the number of possible points
within the box. Let
be the number of image points. The
number of boxes of side with m points

node C. Here the fundamental load current is 1.26 A at C

node. To make the load nonlinear at first a 3rd harmonic

current source with 0.378 A (i.e. 30% of fundamental load

current) at 150 Hz frequency is connected at node C. Table II

shows that the FD of line current at node C i.e. current through

Hence,
the line impedance Z2 is higher than all nodes.

Now 5th harmonic current source is considered with 250 Hz

The box dimension can thus be obtained by calculating p(m,

frequency. The amplitude of this harmonic current is taken as

L) and N(L). To estimate p(m, L) the box of size L should be
10% of the fundamental load current, i.e. 0.126A. Hence, FD
centred around an image point. Initialize p(m,L) to zero for
at node C is much higher than other nodes. The value of FD
L=1,Lmax and m=1,L2for each pixel in the image and
increases from node A, becomes maximum at node C and
each box of size L. Count the number of image points which
again decreases at nodes D and Y.
fall in the box. Increment p(m, L) by 1. The box dimension can
Finally two harmonic sources are connected with load at node
thus be obtained by calculating p(m, L) and N(L).

C to make the load nonlinear. The 3rd harmonic current is

The second step in performing the feature extraction process is

taken as 0.378 A which is the 30% of fundamental load

to calculate the fractal dimension of the current signals at each

current at node C and 5th harmonic current is taken as 0.126 A,
node and determine the location of the harmonic sources from
which is 10% of fundamental load current at node C. Table II
the magnitude of the fractal dimension.
shows that the value of FD at C is higher than other nodes.

The value of FD at node C is 4.8633.

V
.PROPOSED METHOD

A new method based on fractal dimension measurement has been proposed in this paper for the detection of harmonic source.
When a single harmonic source is present in a radial distribution network the fractal dimension (FD) of the current signal at that
particular node is maximum. When more than one harmonic source is present the fractal dimension of the current signal at the
node where dominant harmonic source is connected is maximum. Hence in case of multiple harmonic sources the dominant
harmonic source is identified. The proposed method has been verified through different case studies.
CASE-1: Supply sinusoidal with linear loads
TABLE II. FRACTAL DIMENSIONS OF LINE CURRENTS WITH
HARMONIC SOURCE AT NODE C
Node
3rd harmonic
5th harmonic
Both 3rd harmonic

source at node C
source at node
source and 5th

C
harmonic source

at node C

A
4.3947
4.3667
4.2234

B
4.5015
4.3727
4.3200

5.0534
4.3884
4.8633

D
4.6212
4.3753
4.3231

Y
4.6212
4.3753
4.3231

The supply voltage is assumed as 230 volt (max) with 50 Hz frequency and the loads are all linear. The fractal dimensions of the
line currents are given in Table I. The current at any particular node is considered to be the current through the line ahead of it.
Thus current at node B means current in the line impedance Z1. The value of fractal dimension is same for all nodes, i.e., 0.9922.
TABLE I. FRACTAL DIMENSIONS OF LINE CURRENTS WITH
SUPPLY SINUSOIDAL AND LINEAR LOADS
Node
FD
A
0.9922
B
0.9922
C
0.9922
D
0.9922
Y
0.9922

CASE-2: Supply sinusoidal with nonlinear load at node C, all other loads linear
Here the supply is assumed to be pure sinusoidal with 230 volt and 50 Hz frequency. The nonlinear load at C is a high frequency
current source. Table II shows the fractal dimension (FD) of each line current when nonlinear load is connected at

CASE-3: Supply sinusoidal with nonlinear load at node D, all other loads linear
Now, the high frequency source is connected with the load at the node D to make the load nonlinear. When 3rd harmonic source is
connected here, the current of this high frequency source is 0.27 A which is 30% of the fundamental load current (i.e. 0.9 A) at
node D and actual frequency is taken as 150 Hz. Table III shows that FD is 5.2086 at node D which is higher than other nodes.
TABLE III. FRACTAL DIMENSIONS OF LINE CURRENTS WITH
HARMONIC SOURCE AT NODE D
Node
3rd
5th

Both 3rd harmonic

Harmonic
Harmonic
source and 5th
source at
source at
harmonic source at

node D
node D
node D

A
4.3740
1.6762
4.1417

B
4.3860
4.3662
4.1955

C
4.4965
4.3725
4.3234

D
5.2086
4.4005
4.8352

Y
4.7583
4.3790
4.3639

Similarly when 5th harmonic source is connected to make the load nonlinear at D, the high frequency source current is taken as
0.09 A which is 10% of the fundamental load current at D node. The value of FD at node D is 4.4005 as shown in Table III. FD
increases gradually from node A, becomes maximum at node D and again decreases at node Y. Finally at node D, two harmonic
current sources are connected to make the load nonlinear. The two high frequency sources contain 3rd harmonic and 5th harmonic
current. The amplitudes of 3rd harmonic and 5th harmonic current considered are 0.27 A and 0.09 A with 150 Hz and 250 Hz
frequency respectively. Table III shows that the value of FD at D is 4.8352 which is higher than other nodes.
CASE-4: Sinusoidal supply with two nonlinear loads
In this section the method is illustrated to identify the source of harmonic pollution when more than one nonlinear load is present
at different nodes. We consider sinusoidal supply and two nonlinear loads at node B and node D.
Two high frequency current sources are connected at nodes B and D. The amplitude and the frequency of the source at B is 0.492
A and frequency is 150 Hz whereas that present at D is 0.09 A and frequency is taken as 250 Hz when nonlinear load at B is

acting as the dominant source of harmonic pollution. Table IV shows that FD at B is 4.8693 which is much higher than other
nodes. FD is maximum at B indicating harmonic source at B, then decreases at C and again increases at D, which indicates that
another harmonic source is present at D. Hence in this case both the harmonic sources are detected.
TABLE IV. FRACTAL DIMENSIONS OF LINE CURRENTS WITH HARMONIC SOURCES AT NODE B AND NODE D

Node
3rd harmonic source
3rd harmonic source

at B dominating
at D dominating

A
4.3238
4.1749

B
4.8693
4.2687

C
4.2801
4.3202

D
4.3091
4.8376

Y
4.2921
4.3521

Now the harmonic source connected at node D is made dominating. To make the harmonic source at node D dominating, a 0.27 A
current source at 150 Hz frequency is connected at node D. Another current source with 0.164 A at 250 Hz frequency is connected
at node B. As FD is higher at D than B, hence FD value at point D is indicating that the nonlinear load at D is acting as the
dominant source of harmonic pollution. Here only one harmonic source i.e. the dominant harmonic source is detected.
CASE-5: Supply nonsinusoidal with linear loads
The supply voltage is assumed to be nonlinear with the frequency composition as shown below:
v = 230 sin 2ft + 30 sin 2*3ft + 10 sin 2*5ft
The loads are treated as linear. Fractal dimension (FD) of line currents of all nodes are given in table V.

TABLE V. FRACTAL DIMENSIONS OF LINE CURRENTS WITH SUPPLY NONSINUSOIDAL AND LINEAR LOADS
Node
FD
A
4.8701
B
4.8701
C
4.8701
D

4.8701
Y
4.8701

CASE-6: Nonsinusoidal supply and nonlinear load

Here supply is assumed to be nonsinusoidal. High frequency source is connected with the load at node C to make the load
nonlinear. 1.25A current is taken as the amplitude of the high frequency source to make the load nonlinear. The actual frequency
of harmonic source is assumed as 350Hz. When the harmonic source is connected with the load at C node then fractal dimension
of the line current at C node is higher than the other nodes. That means line current at C node is dominating which exceeds the
harmonic effect in the supply. The fractal dimension of the line currents of all nodes are given in table VI. Next the supply is made
dominating by reducing the harmonic content of the current source connected at C. In this case FD at node A is maximum and
then decreases gradually.
TABLE VI. . FRACTAL DIMENSIONS OF LINE CURRENTS WITH NONSINUSOIDAL SUPPLY AND NONLINEAR LOAD

Node
Nonlinear load
Nonsinusoidal supply
dominating
dominating

A
5.1965
5.7789

B
5.8770
5.7703

C
6.0052
5.7502

D
5.8685
5.6895

Y
5.8685
5.4773

VI.CONCLUSIONS
Power quality related issues are of great concern nowadays. Correct detection of undesired disturbances is essential for
electrical utilities. This paper shows the potential of fractal analysis in determining the location of harmonic source in a power
system network. The location of the harmonic source when single nonlinear load is present and also location of dominant source
of harmonic pollution when more than one nonlinear load is present can be detected by observing the fractal dimension of the
current signals at each node. Several simulation results are presented to show the capability of fractal analysis in harmonic source
detection.
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