Home // ENERGY 2015, The Fifth International Conference on Smart Grids, Green Communications and IT Energy-aware Technologies // View article

Potential Impacts of 9-150 kHz Harmonic Emissions on Smart Grid Communications in the United States

Authors:
Maria Arechavaleta
Mark Halpin
Adam Birchfield
Wendy Pittman
Eric Griffin
Michael Mitchell

Keywords: smart grid, power line communication, high-frequency harmonics, electromagnetic compatibility

Abstract:
A key enabling component of the Smart Grid is communications. Of particular interest is power line communications between distributed smart meters and some central relay point. In the very vast majority of cases, smart meters will be located in the low voltage environment and therefore must be designed to operate properly in the presence of disturbance levels bounded by established compatibility levels. Numerous smart meter products are designed to communicate in the 2-150 kHz frequency band range. Communication failures, thought to be due to higher-frequency harmonics, have been reported in the literature and demonstrated in tests conducted in Europe. All of this information is being considered by the International Electrotechnical Commission Technical Committee 77, Sub-Committee 77A, Working Group 8, which is presently tasked with developing compatibility levels for disturbances in this band. However, only limited (if any) work has been done in North America. It is unknown if compatibility levels developed based on the European low-voltage environment are applicable in North America where the environment is much different in several key aspects. Emission evaluation results from product testing in the 120 V three-wire low-voltage environment commonly found in North America are presented in this paper. Results of initial tests conducted to evaluate 9-150 kHz disturbance propagation through North American low-voltage systems are also presented.

Pages: 59 to 64

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2015

Publication date: May 24, 2015

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-412X

ISBN: 978-1-61208-406-0

Location: Rome, Italy

Dates: from May 24, 2015 to May 29, 2015