Manual

Chapter 4 Power S O F T W A R E
E N 5 0 1 6 0 E V A L U A T I O N A N D
R E C O R D I N G
86 PowerSmart+ Advanced Power Quality Meter
EN50160 Evaluation and Recording
EN50160 Background
EN50160 BackgroundEN50160 Background
EN50160 Background
The EN50160 European standard “Voltage characteristics of electricity supplied by public
distribution systems” issued by CENELEC defines the main physical characteristics of
electric energy supplied by low and medium voltage public distribution systems under
normal operating conditions.
The voltage characteristics are evaluated using a statistical approach. The standard and its
referenced publications specify for each voltage characteristic:
Method of evaluation
Integrating interval for a single measurement
Observation period
Statistical indication of the probability of not exceeding a specified limit
Standard compliance limits or indicative values within which any customer can expect the
voltage characteristics to remain
Compliance Limits
For some voltage characteristics, the standard provides definite limits that can be complied
with for most of the time considering the possibility of relatively rare excursions beyond
these limits. Limits are set with a view to compliance for a percentage of the observation
time, e.g. 95% of the observations in any period of one week.
The following table gives the characteristics for which definite limits have been specified by
the standard.
Indicatives Values
For the remaining characteristics of the voltage, by their unpredictable nature, the standard
gives only indicative values, which are intended to provide users with information on the
order of magnitude which can be expected.
The following table gives the characteristics for which indicative values have been specified
by the standard.
Voltage
Characteristic
Indicative
values
Observation
period
Voltage dips Less than 1 s, 60% depth Year
Short interruptions 70% less than 1 s Year
Long interruptions 10 to 50% less than 3 min Year
Temporary overvoltages Less than 1.5 kV RMS Year
Transient overvoltages Less than 6 kV peak Year
Voltage characteristic Compliance with stated
limits, % of time
Observation
period
Power frequency
±1% for 95% of a week
±1% for 99.5% of a year
+4/-6% for 100% of time
Week, year
Voltage variations (supply
voltage magnitude)
±10% Un for 95% of time
Week
Rapid voltage changes
≤4-5% Un (up to 10% Un)
Day
Flicker (fluctuations of
voltage magnitude)
Plt ≤ 1 for 95% of time
Week
Voltage unbalance
≤2-3% for 95% of time
Week
Harmonic voltage
THD ≤ 8 for 95% of time
Week
Interharmonic voltage To be defined Week
Mains signaling voltage Within “Meister-curve” for
99% of time
Day