Effect of harmonics on power measurement

Energy (kWh) measurement has become critically important in determining industrial power flow. With the proliferation of nonlinear loads, there are significant amounts of harmonics in the power distribution system. The effects of nonlinear loads on devices such as circuit breakers have been studied in detail. A review of three-phase power (kW) metering is given, and the effects of harmonics on power measurement are analyzed. It is noted that applying digital microprocessor technology to power metering permits the precise measurement of power. With sample data techniques, it is possible to determine true real power or kWh consumed by the power distribution system or resolve poor power factor questions