Identification of Individual Contributions to Total Flicker Levels in Electric Power Systems

Abstract

Total flicker levels in an electric power system can be contributed to from multiple sources of flicker. Methodologies for allocating portions of this total flicker level to the responsible loads are studied. The representation of flicker is expanded upon for data generation purposes. Software necessary to both generate and measure the necessary data is developed. A digital IEEE 1453 flickermeter is examined and implemented as a tool to analyze the total flicker level in an electric power system. Techniques for identifying individual contributions to total flicker levels are proposed, tested, and analyzed. The two methodologies explored are examination of the line current and voltage difference. Test scenarios compare sources of no flicker, single sources of flicker, and multiple sources of flicker. Tests range across both lab tests and computer simulations. The results show evidence of possible statistical correlation across a range of testing scenarios and identification methodologies for purely resistive line impedance. Use of more practical RL line impedance appears to discredit the possibility of correlation for certain identification methodologies.