Measure high THD (total harmonic distortion) in a Danish distribution grid.
I3 field installation in switch gear on a three phase screened cable. The I3 Power Sensor measures all three phase currents.
Using the I3+ Power Sensor as a portable device, a Danish DSO was able to get an overview of the grid health status easily and quickly.
The I3+ Power Sensor was mounted with LTE modem for remote access, and wifi for local access which meant the measurements could be access easily for both short and long time measuring periods.
I3 field installation in on a three phase screened cable. The I3 Power Sensor measures all three phase currents.
Furthermore the sensor is purely mounted on screened and insulated locations enabling installation without the need to switch off power during installation.
The measurement technique for measuring currents are ideal for broad band frequency measurements. It was therefore revealed that the DSO had significant amount of THD existing in the currents, with up to 50 % THD (see image from the sensor web interface below).
A high level of THD causes increased wear and tear on transformers, while also increasing heat losses in the grid.
I3 sensor web interface, showing a snapshot of a three phase current with high harmonic distortion. In the top part of the image it is shown that the THD is larger than 50 %.
Making the impossible three phase current measurement possible
I3 field installation on a three phase screened cable. The I3 Power Sensor measures all three phase currents.
Power distribution networks have been growing over a period of more than 100 years using many variants of cable types and switch gear configurations, creating a demand for a measurement device with a universal fit to the varied physical options for both new and retrofit installations. To ensure such a fit can be met, a large Central European electric utility has been selected as exclusive development partner for the I3 sensor products.
The I3 Power Sensor platform has proven its worth in more than 10 different installations for more than 3 years. Over this period, the software capabilities of the the product has been steadily advancing to include a wide set of interface options for voltage measurements, as well as earth fault indication, and many variants of data logging.
Please contact us for more information about the I3 Power Sensor or see the I3 Power Sensor product page.