Power Quality For The Digital Age

CREST FACTOR, POWER FACTOR,

AND WAVEFORM DISTORTION
A N E N V I R O N M E N TA L P O T E N T I A L S W H I T E PA P E R

ByProfessor Edward Price

Director of Research and Development
Environmental Potentials

www.ep2000.com • 800.500.7436 Copyright 2005 All Rights Reserved

 By definition, the crest factor of a voltage is equal to the peak value
divided by the effective (rms) value. In the case of a sinusoidal voltage
(which evidently has no distortion) the crest factor is √2 = 1.41. A wave
having a crest factor less than 1.4 tends to be flat-topped. On the other
hand, a crest factor greater than 1.4 indicates a voltage that tends to be
pointy.

By definition, the total harmonic distortion (THD) of current or

voltage is equal to the effective value of all the harmonics divided by the
effective value of the fundamental. In the case of distorted current, the
equation is:
Total harmonic distortion (THD) = IH/IF

In the case of a distorted voltage, the THD is given by: EH/EF

From these expressions, it is seen that sinusoidal voltages and

currents have a THD of zero.

The concept of power factor in the case of sinusoidal voltages and

currents, relates to the real power, reactive power, and apparent power
associated with a load consisting of resistance and reactance bringing
about a direct phase shift between the voltage and current.

Figure 1

This concept is depicted in the above figure. For any load in a sinusoidal
network, the voltage across the load and the current through the load
will vary in a sinusoidal nature. In the general case,

V = Vmsin(ωt + θv)
I = Imsin(ωt + θI)

Environmental Potentials, Inc 1

Then the power is defined by

P = VI =VmImsin(ωt + θv)sin(ωt + θI)

Using the trigonometric identity

Sin A Sin B = [Cos(A – B) – Cos(A + B)]/2

Now the product of I and V will result in a fixed value along with a time
varying value of power so that

P = [(VmIm/2)cos(θv - θI)] – [(VmIm/2)cos(2ωt + θv + θI)]

Fixed value Time varying (function of time)

A plot of V, I, and P on the same set of axes is shown in the figure above.

Note that the second factor in the preceding equation is a cosine

wave with an amplitude of VmIm/2 and with a frequency twice that of
the voltage or current. The average value of this term is zero over one
cycle, producing no net transfer of energy in any one direction.

The first term in the preceding equation, however, has a constant

magnitude (no time dependence) and therefore provides some net
transfer of energy. This term is referred to as the average power, the
reason for which is apparent from the figure above. The average power,
or real power as it is sometimes called, is the power delivered to and
dissipated by the load. It corresponds to the power calculations
performed for dc networks. The angle (θV - θI) is the phase angle between
V and I, since cos(-α) = cos(α).
The magnitude of average power delivered is independent of whether V
leads I or I leads V. Defining θ as equal to the difference between θV and
θI
We have P = (VmIm/2)cosθ Using effective values for V and I this
would be P = Veff Ieff cosθ , in watts of real power delivered to and
dissipated in a resistive load.

For a purely resistive circuit, since V and I are in phase, |θV-θI| = 0° = θ,

and cos 0° = 1, so that
P = (Vm Im)/2 = VeffIeff

Since Ieff = Veff/R, then P = (Veff)2/R = (Ieff)2 R.

2 Crest Factor, Power Factor and Waveform Distortion EP c2005

 However, in a purely inductive circuit, we find that the voltage drop
across the terminals of the inductor (L) is given by V = L(di/dt). It can be
seen that induced voltage becomes a function of frequency, and V will
lead I by 90°. Then
θV - θI = θ = (-90°) = 90°

Therefore, V = (VeffIeff)cos 90° = (VeffIeff) (0) = 0 watts

The average power or power dissipated by the ideal inductor (no

associated resistance) is zero watts.

Now in a purely capacitive circuit, Ic is given by Ic = C(dV/dt). In

this case I leads V by 90°, so θV - θI = θ = (-90°) = 90° Therefore, as before

P = (VeffIeff) cos(90°) = 0 watts.

The average power or power dissipated by the ideal capacitor (no

associated resistance) is zero watts. In the equation P = VeffIeff cosθ, the
factor that has significant control over the delivered power level is the
cosθ. No matter how large the voltage or current, if cosθ = 0, the power is
zero; if cosθ = 1, the power delivered is a maximum.

Since it has such control, the expression ‘cosθ’ is given the name
POWER FACTOR.

When the load is a combination of resistive and reactive elements,

the power factor will vary between 0 and 1. If the current leads the
voltage across the load, the load has a leading power factor. If the
current lags the voltage across the load, the load has a lagging power
factor.

In a circuit containing resistance and reactance, the product of the

voltage and current is given the term ‘APPARENT POWER’ , and is
represented symbolically by S

S=VI voltamperes (VA)

Further, the combination of resistance,

capacitive, and inductive reactance
presents an IMPEDANCE Z = R +/- jX,
where jX is the net reactance, depicted
in the following figure:

Figure 2

Environmental Potentials, Inc 3

The impedance Z is given by Z = R – jXNET where XNET = -jXc’

Z can be written as Z = √(R2 – X’ 2). With Z, then, V = I Z and I = V/Z.

S = I2 Z (VA) and S = (V2/Z) (VA)

Noted earlier, the average power delivered to the load is P = VeffIeff cosθ.
However, S = V I, therefore, P = S cosθ. The power factor of a system is
then given by cosθ = P/S, and is the ratio of the average (real) power to
the apparent power.

It has been noted before that the net flow of power to the pure
(ideal) inductor or capacitor is zero over a full cycle, and no energy is
dissipated. The power absorbed or returned by the inductor or capacitor
at any instant of time is called ‘REACTIVE POWER’, and is symbolized by
‘Q’. Because of the 90° lagging or leading relationship,

Q = V I sinθ (Volt-ampere reactive, VAR)

The three quantities AVERAGE POWER, APPARENT POWER, and

REACTIVE POWER are related in a power triangle, depicted as follows:

Figure 3

Since the reactive power and the average power are always
angled 90° to each other, the three powers are related by the
Pythagorean theorem
S2 = P2 + Q2

Within a system containing distributed resistance and reactance,

when impressed with VI voltamperes, the resistance will always absorb
and dissipate VIcosθ watts. However, the distributed reactance will store
and source VIsinθ vars. So, effectively, a reactive load will really
become a ‘generator’, and the reactive power Q will reflect and
circulate throughout the network loop until it is dissipated in the distributed
resistance, or returned ultimately to the utility power grid.

4 Crest Factor, Power Factor and Waveform Distortion EP c2005

 Referring now back to the equation relating the fixed value of P :
Pf = VeffIeff cos(θV - θI) , and the time-varying value of P:
Ptv = VeffIeff cos(2ωt + θV + θI), we note that the complete expression for P is
frequency sensitive. Voltages and currents in industry are often distorted.
The distortion may be caused by magnetic saturation in the core of a
transformer, by the switching action of thyristors, contactor switching, or
any other non-linear load. A distorted wave is made up of a
fundamental, related harmonics of the fundamental, and random high
frequency noise produced by many coupled resonant waves within the
network.

Therefore, in the above expression for the time dependent power

will result in a rather complicated value for power, depending on
cos(2ωt). So, based on this fact, the meaning of ‘power factor’ must be
enlarged upon when distorted voltages and currents are present. The
terms Displacement Power Factor and Total Power Factor are then used.

Figure 4

To illustrate Displacement Power Factor, note the figure above.

This is a waveshape of a distorted 60 Hz current having an effective value

of 62.5 A. The current contains the following components: fundamental
(60 Hz): 59 A; 5th harmonic: 15.6 A; 7th harmonic: 10.3 A. Higher harmonics
are also present but their amplitudes are small, totaling 8.66 A.

The waveshape depends not only on the frequency and amplitude

of the harmonics but also on their angular position with respect to the
fundamental. For the above current wave, the effective (or rms) value of
all the harmonics is calculated to be:

Environmental Potentials, Inc 5

 IH = √(I2 – IF2)
= √(62.52 – 592) = 20.6 A

The total distortion factor is then calculated to be

THD = IH/IF

= 20.6/59 = 0.349 = 34.9%

The total effective value of the current in the circuit is:

IT = √{(I60)2 + (I5)2 + (I7)2 + (IHI)2}

= √(592 + 15.62 + 10.32 + 8.662) = 62.5 A

IH = √{(IT)2 – (I60)2} = 20.62 A

Apparent power including high frequency components = E (62.5) VA

Reactive power including high frequency components = E (20.62) VARS

For this case, the phase angle will be arcs in (20.6/62.5) = 19.24°

Figure 5

The average or real power will then be

P = E (62.5) cos 19.24° = E (59) watts

The power factor is 94.4 %, just based on high frequency effects alone.

On the other hand, considering a network with the above high

frequency content, there will be a fundamental frequency (60 Hz) power
factor related to and dependent upon the magnitude of vars, derived
from sinusoidal voltage and current applied to linear reactive loads.

6 Crest Factor, Power Factor and Waveform Distortion EP c2005

 For example, let’s say the power factor on that basis happens to be
98%. When we depart from sinusoidal waveforms and go to waveforms
having harmonic and high frequency content, then the vars magnitude
increases, as shown above, and the term displacement power factor is
involved.

It is important to know how a circuit responds to harmonics and high

frequency noise. In linear circuits composed of resistance, inductance,
capacitance, transformers, and rectifiers, the various harmonics and high
frequency noise components act independently of each other. Multiple
resonances will develop within the network and the resultant frequency
spectrum appears as wideband noise. But it can still be evaluated in a
Fourier spectrum analysis, and will show a multitude of spectral lines,
almost converging into a continuous curve.

As an example of an industrial power factor control problem involving

high frequency noise, consider the following:

With the advent of digitally controlled systems, variable speed

drives, and other capacitor input loads, the power line typically looks into
a network containing rectifiers followed by capacitors. The rectifier
essentially functions as a means to charge the capacitor each half cycle
as shown below:

Figure 6
Reverse Current Spike

But when a voltage is applied across a capacitor, a large reverse current

spike returns back through the rectifier, appearing as an addition to the
line or branch current. A change in the branch or line current phasing or
magnitude with respect to the line or branch voltage will have a ripple
effect throughout the overall network.

The current spike travels back along the line and circulates in the loop.
Since the spike constitutes a relatively high bandwidth (i.e., high
frequency noise) wave, it will resonate with the distributed inductance

Environmental Potentials, Inc 7

and capacitance along the line and with any other fixed component
within the network. This brings about high frequency ringing, and thus
substantial electrical noise.

From the source, looking back into the line connecting the
capacitor-rectifier load, the current as a repetitive spike each half cycle
forces the overall phase with respect to the voltage to essentially increase
the magnitude of the vars. This results in an effective ring back of volt
amperes on the line. The source then sees this as a reduction of power
factor.

From the following figure, it can be seen that the percentage of high
frequency content of current compared to that of the fundamental is
relatively high.

Figure 7

By attenuating the sharpness of the current spike the effective

power factor can be improved. It is most important to filter and absorb
these anomalies.

8 Crest Factor, Power Factor and Waveform Distortion EP c2005