Discussion on Power System Harmonic Analysis in the Frequency Domain

Harmonics in a power system caused by highly non-linear devices degrade its performance. Controlling and reducing such harmonics have been a major concern of power engineers for many years. The power system harmonic analysis is the process of calculating the magnitudes and phases of the fundamental and higher order harmonics of system signals. The frequency domain solution method is one of the major mathematical approaches for such analysis. It is a powerful tool to study frequency dependence, system equivalents, frequency response, and power system harmonics. The paper discusses the frequency domain solution method in the power system harmonic analysis. It pinpoints harmonic sources and their effects on power system operation. It also reveals the advantages and disadvantages of the method and points out its suitable application in harmonic computations