EFFECTS ON DISTRIBUTION FEEDERS FROM ELECTRONIC LOADS BASED ON FUTURE PEAK-LOAD GROWTH, PART I: MEASUREMENTS

摘要

The effects of central air conditioners and nonlinear loads (e.g., computers, TV sets, high-efficiency lights, microwave ovens) on pole and substation transformers of residential systems during the next five years will be twofold. First, the increased use of electronic loads increases the fundamental power demand, and derates transformers due to their nonsinusoidal currents with respect to real and apparent powers. Secondly, the improved efficiency of residential central air conditioning systems (employing variable-speed drives) and other electronic loads (using peak rectification) decrease the real power consumption and introduces DC currents in transformers as well as sub-, integer-, and inter-harmonics. This paper presents and analyzes measured nonsinusoidal characteristics of single- and variable-speed residential central air conditioning systems, and other typical residential electronic loads. A companion paper [1] utilizes these characteristics together with historical, population and economic growth data to perform a five-year, peak-load demand forecast for the state of Colorado and the greater Rocky Mountain region.