DETUNED FILTER

Calculation to choose capacitor units suitable for detuned filter in 3 steps

Example

System voltage is 400 volts and reactive power of capacitor unit is 50kVAR 400V for each step.

Step 1 : induced voltage calculation

We assign Un, U1 and p to be system voltage, the voltage across the capacitor after detuned reactor
installation and ratio between impedance of reactor and impedance of capacitor respectively. When the
current is passing through reactor,

U1 = Us / (1 ‐ %p)

Where

(Us) is electric system voltage

(p) is % of reactor impedance ‘per unit’

(U1) is voltage across the capacitor

And reactive power of Capacitor will be:

Q1 = Nc / (1 ‐ %p)

Where
(Nc) is reactive power of capacitor of system at system voltage

(Q1) is reactive power of capacitor at new voltage across the capacitor

If you bring 6% reactor connected to capacitor in series and require reactive power of each step equal to
50 kVAR at 400V, you can calculate U1 and Q1 as follows:

• Voltage across the capacitor (U1) = Un / (1 – p)

U1 = 400 / (1 – 0.06) = 426 V ; when p = 6% or 0.06

• Reactive power of capacitor (Q1) = Nc / (1 ‐ %p)

Q1 = 50 / (1 – 0.06) = 53 Kvar

Step 2 : Harmonic current flowing to capacitor calculation

The voltage across the capacitor (U2) is occurred from harmonic current flowing to capacitor in the
following IEC standard. We will find impedance of capacitor (Xc) after reactor installation and
impedance of reactor (XL) at each frequency of each harmonic order. Referring to electrical theory, Xc =
1 / 2ᴨfC and XL = 2ᴨfL which C is capacitance of capacitor in Farad and L is inductance of reactor in
Henry. Thus, total impedance of detuned filter of each step is | XL – Xc |.

Let’s start to calculate impedance of capacitor (Xc) and reactor (XL) for harmonic current calculation.
Xc = U12 / Q2

Xc = 4262 / (53*1000) = 3.42 Ohms

use detuned reactor 6%, XL = 3.42 * 0.06 = 0.205 Ohms

After we know value of Xc and XL, we have to calculate impedance of capacitor (Xc) and reactor (XL)
on each frequency of each harmonic order. You can find another way to calculate Xc and XL on each
frequency if you know that frequency of harmonic order 5th is 250 Hz or 5 x 50Hz. It means frequency of
harmonic order 5th is more than fundamental frequency 50Hz about 5 times. If we have a look in
formula:

Xc = 1 / 2ᴨfC and XL = 2ᴨfL which f is frequency of each harmonic order, we will find that if frequency
is higher than 5 times, Xc will reduce 5 times and XL will increase 5 times. As the above mentioned
reason, we can calculate impedance of capacitor (Xc) and reactor (XL) on each frequency of each
harmonic order as below:

Harmonic order 1st f = 50 Hz fundamental frequency 50Hz Xc1 = 3.420 ; XL1 = 0.205

Harmonic order 3rd f = 150 Hz increase 3 times compared with 50Hz Xc3 = 1.140 ; XL3 = 0.615

Harmonic order 5th f = 250 Hz increase 5 times compared with 50Hz Xc5 = 0.684 ; XL5 = 1.025

Harmonic order 7th f = 350 Hz increase 7 times compared with 50Hz Xc7 = 0.488 ; XL7 = 1.435

As our harmonic limit level indicated in above, U1 = 6%, U3=0.5%, U5=5% and U7=5% We will keep
this values to find out harmonic current on each order in later.

Harmonic current at order h

Ih = Uh / (1.732 * | XLh – Xch | )

where

Uh is harmonic voltage

Ih is harmonic current

XLh is harmonic reactor impedance

Harmonic order 1st : U1=6% (6% of fundamental) , I1 = 1.06 * Ic = 1.06 * 72.1 = 76.5 A

Harmonic order 3rd : U3=0.5% , I3 = 0.005 * 400 / (1.732 * | 1.14 – 0.615 | ) = 2.2 A

Harmonic order 5th : U5=5% , I5 = 0.05 * 400 / (1.732 * | 0.684 – 1.025 | ) = 33.76 A

Harmonic order 7th : U7=5% , I7 = 0.05 * 400 / (1.732 * | 0.488 – 1.435 | ) = 12.18 A

Irms of total harmonic (Is) = I12 + I32 + I52 + I72 = 76.52 + 2.22 + 33.762 + 12.1832 = 84.53 A

Thus, maximum current flowing to capacitor unit is 84.53 A. and 6% reactor, which is installed with
capacitor, shall be designed to withstand maximum current about 1.05 x Irms = 1.05 * 84.53 A = 88.75 A

Step 3 : Maximum voltage across capacitor calculation

Now we know that impedance of 6% detuned reactor is 0.205 ohms and inductance value is 0.653 mH
(XL = 2ᴨfL). Moreover, it will withstand the current about 88.75 A at least. For capacitor unit, it will
withstand max. current about 84.53 A.In the next step, we will choose voltage level suitable for 6%
detuned filter. At first, we will concern the voltage across the capacitor unit because impedance of
capacitor 50kVAR 400V is 3.2 ohms but after reactor installation, the voltage across capacitor and
reactive power become 426V and 53kVAR respectively. Therefore, impedance of capacitor will be 3.42
ohms.

Xc = V2 / Q = 4262 / (53*1000) = 3.42 Ohm

Since we know value of harmonic current of each order in step 2, we will take those values to find out
harmonic voltage across capacitor of each order. Harmonic voltage across capacitor of each order is equal
to harmonic current of each order multiplied by impedance of capacitor of each order.

Thus, the harmonic voltage order h, Uh = 1.732 * Ih * Xc / h

(Xc reduce h times when frequency increase h times compared with fundamental frequency 50Hz)

Harmonic order 1st : U1=6% I1 = 76.5 A U1 = 1.732 * 76.5 * 3.42 = 453.2 V

Harmonic order 3rd : U3=0.5% I3 = 2.2 A U3 = 1.732 * 2.2 * 3.42 / 3 = 4.35 V

Harmonic order 5th : U5=5% I5 = 33.76 A U5 = 1.732 * 33.76 * 3.42 / 5 = 40.0 V

Harmonic order 7th : U7=5% I7 = 12.18 A U7 = 1.732 * 12.18 * 3.42 / 7 = 10.3 V

The maximum voltage across capacitor is equal to 453.2 + 4.35 + 40 + 10.3 = 508 V

(system voltage plus induced voltage by reactor and harmonic voltage occurred from harmonic current
flowing to capacitor)
We should choose voltage of capacitor more than 508 volts. In market, there are power capacitor for
voltage level 525V. If we choose this voltage level of capacitor, we have to bring this voltage level to find
out reactive power. As electrical formula

Q2 = Q1 x (V22 / V12) = 53 x ( 5252 / 4262) = 80.5 Kvar

Summary

As the mentioned above, if you use capacitor unit 50kVAR for each step at 400V, you will use 6% reactor
that impedance of reactor 0.205 ohms or 0.653 mH and withstand max. current about 88.75 A.

For capacitor unit for detuned filter, its voltage level shall be more than 508 volts and its reactive power is
near 80.5kVAR. (Please be aware of reactive power value of capacitor unit. Because the reactive power is
much more or less than the calculated one, it causes reactor will be re‐calculated and changed. Do not
forget, impedance of reactor is 6% of impedance of capacitor unit