VAMP 259 - Harmonics and Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)

4.3 Harmonics and Total Harmonic
Distortion (THD)
4 Measurement functions
Technical description
188
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VM259.EN007
4.3. Harmonics and Total Harmonic
Distortion (THD)
The device calculates the THDs as percentage of the base
frequency for currents and voltages.
The device calculates the harmonics from the 2
nd
to the 15
th
of
phase currents and voltages. (The 17
th
harmonic component
will also be shown partly in the value of the 15
th
harmonic
component. This is due to the nature of digital sampling.)
The harmonic distortion is calculated using equation
1
15
2
2
h
h
THD
i
i



, where
h
1
= Fundamental value
h
2...15
= Harmonics
Example
h
1
= 100 A
h
3
= 10 A
h
7
= 3 A
h
11
= 8 A
%2.13
100
8310
222


THD
For reference the RMS value is:
ARMS 9.1008310100
2222

Another way to calculate THD is to use the RMS value as
reference instead of the fundamental frequency value. In the
example above the result would then be 13.0 %.