5.

LOADS AND POWER QUALITY

There are two main types of loads within the New Zealand power distribution network,
linear and non-linear loads, and each type has a different effect on the Power Quality
within the Network.

5.1. LINEAR LOADS

For linear loads in sinusoidal AC circuits, the ratio of voltage to current is a constant:
K = VRMS/IRMS
Where K is a constant known as Resistance or Reactance.

5.1.1. RESISTIVE LINEAR LOADS

Typical examples of linear loads in homes are resistive heating elements, both for space
and water heating, and incandescent lamps. The voltage and current waveform in a
circuit with linear resistive loads are in phase with one another as shown in Figure 6.
Resistive linear loads affect the amplitude of the network voltage.

Figure 6. Resistive Load

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5.1.2. REACTIVE LINEAR LOADS

Reactive linear loads are loads which contain Inductive and Capacitive components. If
the load is Capacitive, the current waveform will shift to the left of the voltage
waveform, so the current leads the voltage as shown in Figure 7. If the load is
Inductive, the current waveform will shift to the right of the voltage waveform, so the
current lags the voltage as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 7. Capacitive Load

Therefore, for both the capacitive and inductive loads, the voltage and current
waveforms are out of phase, but note that there is no waveform distortion; so reactive
linear loads affect the phase relationship between the supply voltage and current.

5.2. NON-LINEAR LOADS

For non-linear loads, in sinusoidal AC circuits, the current waveform is not sinusoidal.
This is usually because these loads contain electronic devices that do not conduct
current over the full cycle of the applied voltage. Most modern power supplies, in
almost all of the many electronic devices found in New Zealands homes, are non-linear
loads.

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Non-linear loads cause a number of disturbances such as; voltage waveform distortion,
over heating in distribution transformers and other distribution equipment, higher than
rated currents in circuits, and heating in neutral conductors to list just a few.

Figure 8. Inductive Load

In a typical electronic power unit, a capacitor charges for a short period forward of the
peak of the voltage waveform via diodes, for the rest of the supply half cycle, the diodes
are reverse biased and no current flows from the supply. The current waveform thus
consists of short pulses forward of the voltage peaks, as can be seen in Figure 9.

As the resistance of the residential power distribution network itself is finite and not
zero, drawing this non-sinusoidal current causes a corresponding change in the voltage
of the residential power distribution network. Moreover, as this current is not sinusoidal,
this changes the shape of the voltage waveform as shown in Figure 10.

Non-linear loads affect the amplitude of the network voltage, change the phase
relationship between the supply voltage and current, and cause distortion to the
normally sinusoidal wave shape of the supply.

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