Impact of Personal Computers and Compact Fluorescent Lamps on the Power Quality

Abstract

The use of non-linear loads continues to expand in both industrial and commercial applications resulting in increased harmonic current distortions on the electrical system. This paper presents the simulation modeling of a personal computer (PC) and a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), by using ATPDraw, as non-linear loads, which are continually using for both domestic and industrial applications and which can be considered as a source of harmonics and that results in power quality deterioration. The interest in this paper is focused on estimating the harmonics, that may exist in the current waveform when the PCs and CFLs are connected to the power supply and on estimating the excessive losses in low voltage line, where the results presented show that the use of these kinds of loads increased the level of excessive losses.