A Simulation Tool for Accurate and Fast Assessment of Harmonic Propagation in Modern Residential Grids

Abstract

A simulation tool for modeling harmonic propagation in low voltage distribution networks with manifold nonlinear equipment is developed. The tool is based on a hybrid domain approach representing each nonlinear household device with accurate and fast white box model and the supply network - with the harmonic admittance matrix in the frequency domain. Proposed tool features significant reduction of simulation time compared with the brute force time domain (BFTD) simulation, high level of accuracy as opposed to the traditional frequency domain methods, and improved convergence under weak grid conditions in respect to conventional iterative harmonic analysis. Eventually this preconditions the use of the proposed approach in computationally intensive simulations, e.g. in stochastic harmonic modeling with the Monte Carlo method. Additionally two application examples of the developed tool are provided demonstrating its effectiveness compared to the BFTD modeling.