Power System Harmonic Estimation Using Neural

Networks
Bogusaw witek
University of Science and Technology AGH UST
Cracow, Poland
boswiate@agh.edu.pl

Marek Rog

Zbigniew Hanzelka

ENION SA Power Distribution Company

University of Science and Technology AGH UST
Cracow, Poland
marek@agh.edu.pl

University of Science and Technology AGH UST

Cracow, Poland
hanzel@agh.edu.pl

Abstract The increasing application of power electronic

facilities in the industrial environment has led to serious concerns
about source line pollution and the resulting impacts on system
equipment and power distribution systems. Consequently, active
power filters (APFs) have been used as an effective way to
compensate harmonic components in nonlinear loads. Obviously,
fast and precise harmonic detection is one of the key factors to
design APFs. Various digital signal analysis techniques are being
used for the measurement and estimation of power system
harmonics. Presently, neural network has received special
attention from the researchers because of its simplicity, learning
and generalization ability. This paper presents a neural networkbased algorithm that can identify both in magnitude and phase of
harmonics. Experimental results have testified its performance
with a variety of generated harmonies and interharmonics.
Comparison with the conventional DFT method is also presented
to demonstrate its very fast response and high accuracy.
Keywords-component: power quality; harmonics; neural networks

I.

INTRODUCTION

The difficulty in measuring power system harmonics comes

from the fact that harmonic generating loads are dynamic by
nature. Fast methods for measuring and estimating harmonic
signals are thus required. Various digital signal analysis
techniques are being used for the measurement and estimation
of power system harmonics. These include FFT, Last Square,
Least Absolute Value, Kalman filter, valve transformation etc.
Presently, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) have received
special attention from the researchers because of its simplicity,

learning and generalization ability, and it has been applied in

the field of engineering, such as in harmonic detection [5,8].
This paper presents a neural network-based algorithm that can
identify both in magnitude and phase of harmonics.
Experimental results have testified its performance with a
variety of generated harmonies and interharmonics.
Comparison with the conventional DFT method is also
presented to demonstrate its very fast response and high
accuracy.
Two modules for power system harmonic estimation have
been developed in Matlab/Simulink environment. Algorithms
for measuring modules were subjected to comprehensive tests
verifying their correctness using test signals generated in the
modeling environment according to IEC 61000-4-7 [3].
Comparison of ANN with the conventional Fast Fourier
Transform (FFT) method is also presented to demonstrate its
very fast response and high accuracy.
II.

MODUL 1: HARMONIC DETECTION ACCORDING TO

STANDARD IEC 61000-4-7

This harmonics analysis module, was developed according

to the requirements of standards [3] and [4], its block diagram
is shown in Figure 1. Spectral analysis employs FFT technique.
Testing and assessment of grouping and smoothing were
carried out, as proposed in standard [3]. The details of the
model construction, performed tests and detailed analyses are
presented in [13-15].

increases with a step equal to the sampling interval Tp (tk = tk +

Tp ) until next identical change. The training process consists in
modification of weight factors.

Figure 1. The analyzer block diagram

Taking into account the requirements regarding

synchronous sampling and considering a number of
construction options, the following parameters were selected:
sampling frequency fa = 10 kHz, number of samples in the
measuring window N = 2000, measuring window width Tm =
0,2 s. It has been found that the use of smoothing window, e.g.
the Hanning window recommended in standard [3], reduces the
spectrum blur but does not eliminate it, hence the synchronous
sampling was needed. From several synchronization options,
the PLL synchronization was chosen. The block diagram of the
applied phase-locked loop is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. The phase-locked loop (PLL) block diagram

III.

cos(tk )

The ANN block which performs

decomposition of the load current into harmonics
using neural networks technology [5,8,9] is presented
in Figure 3. Harmonics assessment in this method is
based on a single measurement in each step of
iteration. The load current, given periodicity of the
waveform, could be transformed into Fourier series (1):

(I

Ph

sin( ht ) + I Qh cos(ht )

sin(htk )

(3)

we get:
W ( k + 1) = W (k ) +

e( k ) x( k )
xT ( k ) x ( k )

(4)

where the scalar product xTx normalizes the neuron input

vector, and h is the network learning rate. While executing one
step of the algorithm over the sampling interval the weight
factors, and thus harmonics amplitudes, are determined in a
time shorter than one cycle of the voltage waveform.
IP1

iLoad, est (tk ) =

IQ1

(I

tk ) + IQh cos(htk ))

Ph sin(h

hN

IPh
IQh

cos(htk )

Training algorithm
e(k )x(k )
W(k + 1) = W(k ) + T
x (k )x(k )

where N is a set of the harmonics taken into account. In terms

of vector notation the expression (1) could be represented as:
(2)

where: W T = [ I P1 , I Q1 K I Ph , I Qh K] ;

x(t ) = [sin(t , cos(t )Ksin(ht , cos(ht )K]T .

This notation is equivalent to the expression, which
describes response of a single linear neuron to sine and cosine
function values applied to its input in subsequent discrete time
instants corresponding with the current sampling time iLoad(t)
(Fig. 3). Weight factors of this neuron correspond to the
amplitudes of the measured current harmonics.
The purpose of the estimation is determining the current
first harmonic, in phase with the source voltage. In order to
ensure synchronisation of the estimated current component
with the source voltage, time is assumed tk = 0 at the instant of
changing the voltage value from positive value to negative, and

iLoad (tk )

Figure 3. Diagram of adaptive linear neuron

(1)

hN

iLoad (t ) = W T x (t )

Q = iLoad (tk )
I Ph sin(ht ) + I Qh cos(ht ) ) = e 2
h N

sin(tk )

MODUL 2: HARMONIC DETECTION USING

NEURAL NETWORKS

i Load (t ) =

W so as the ANN response be as close as possible to the

measured value of iLoad(t) by employing the Widrof-Hoffs
algorithm, which consists in minimization by means of the
steepest descent method of the function (2) being a squared
difference between the measured load current and the current
estimated by the neuron:

IV.

TESTS

A number of tests, adopted according to standard IEC

61000-4-7 (Annex C, section C.3) [3], were performed in order
to verify the correctness of measurements performed by means
of both modules, i.e. both measurement algorithms. Differences
in the methods of measurements carried out according to these
algorithms the measurement within time window (Module
1) and on-line measurement (Module 2), are evident.
A. Test No. 1
The test (Example 1 in section C.3 of standard [3]) consist
in testing the measuring module response to a step change in
the 5th harmonic (Fig. 4). The step in the current rms value
from 3.536 A to 0.707 A occurs after 21.25 periods of the 5th
harmonic. It corresponds to the change in amplitude from 5.536
A to 0.99985 A.
Module 1
For the signal as shown in Figure 4a, the values of the 5th
harmonic and values of the 5th order group and subgroup were
determined in a measuring window.

6
4
2

Xr

0
-2
-4
-6

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1

0.12

0.14

0.16

0.18

0.2

0.14

0.16

0.18

0.2

Start of learning
6

(a)

Transient state

4
2

Xs
n

0
-2
-4
-6

Figure 5.

0.02

0.04

0.08

0.1
T im e [s]

0.12

Signals vs. time: the actual and estimated by means of a neural

network (test No. 1)

6
A(
1..
H
m
ax
)

0.06

A5

5
4

20 ms

3
2

A5

1
0

(b)

-1

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1
Czas [s]

0.12

0.14

0.16

0.18

0.2

Figure 6. The graph of changes in the amplitude vs. time for the first 50
harmonics; A5 the 5th harmonic amplitude (test No. 1)
3

2.5

The measured signal spectrum is shown in Figure 4b. The

calculated (expected) values of parameters and those obtained
during the test are summarized in Table 1. The expected values
are calculated as given in standard [3].

2
A(1..Hmax)

Figure 4. (a) Step change in the 5th harmonic rms value; (b) The spectrum of
a measurement window [3] (test No. 1)

1.5

0.5

Parameter
Irms,h5 [A]
Gsg,5
Gg,5

SUMMARY OF RESULTS FROM TEST NO. 1

Expected value
1.909
2.276
2.332

Obtained Value
1.896
2.273
2.33

Error [%]
0.68
0.13
0.08

It should be emphasized that these values were determined

with a very small relative error of 0.68% for a given harmonic
component: 0.13% for a subgroup and 0.08 % for a group. A
close representation confirms the correct design of the part
computing spectral components and their groups and
subgroups, as well as a good PLL performance.
Module 2
Figure 5 shows the 5th harmonic signal, both the actual and
estimated by means of a neural network, Figure 6 shows the
changes in harmonics amplitudes during the test for harmonic
orders 1 to 50. Satisfactory results were obtained after 20 ms at
both: the start of estimation and the step in the 5th harmonic.
The reconstructed amplitudes of the 1st and 5th harmonics are
5.51 and 1.01, respectively.
B. Test No. 2
This test analyses the behavior of the harmonics measuring
module under conditions of cyclically fluctuating third
harmonic value (Example 3 in section C.3 of standard [3]).

500

1000

1500
f [Hz]

2000

1000

1500
f [Hz]

2000

2500

3000

5
4.5
4
3.5
A(1..Hmax)

TABLE I.

3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0

500

2500

3000

Figure 7. Example histograms at time instants t=0.01, t=0.02 [s] (test No. 1)

A current waveform, being a sum of 50 Hz component with

amplitude of 100 A and the third harmonic, was applied to the
module input. In each measurement window (200 ms) the third
harmonic rms value was 1A during 50% of the window width
(Fig. 8a).
Module 1
For the signal as shown in Figure 8a, the values of the 3rd
harmonic and values of the 3rd order group and subgroup were
determined summarized in Table 2.

A(
1 ..
H
ma
x)

A1

15 0
10 0

20 m s

50
10 *A 3
0

(a)

0 .05

0 .1

0.15

0.2

0 .25

0 .3

0 .05

0 .1

0.15
C zas [s ]

0.2

0 .25

0 .3

3
2
Bl
ad

1
0
-1
-2
-3

Figure 9. The graph of changes in the amplitude vs. time for the first 50
harmonics and the signal reconstruction error; A1, A3 the 1st and 3rd
harmonic amplitude (test No. 2)
150

(b)

A(1..Hmax)

100

50

Fihure 8. (a) Cyclic variation of the 3rd harmonic value; (b) the spectrum of
a measurement window [3] (test No. 2)
TABLE II.

SUMMARY OF RESULTS FROM TEST NO. 2

Exp.value
0.5
0.673
0.692

Irms,h3 [A]
Gsg,3
Gg,3

Average
0.5
0.6729
0.6926

Max.
0.5
0.6729
0.6926

Min.
0.5
0.6729
0.6926

error [%]
0
0.015
0.08

The expected values are calculated as given in standard [3].

The spectrum of a measuring window is shown in Figure 8b.
Module 2
Identical signal was analysed by means of a neural network.
Figure 9 shows the graph of changes in harmonics amplitudes
during the test for the first 50 harmonics and the signal
reconstruction error. Similarly as in test no 1, the duration of
transient state of the 3rd harmonic step detection is 20 ms, and
it is the network training time. Figure 10 shows the steady state
spectrum at the end of the analysed waveform. The network
has correctly recognised the signal components. Reconstructed
rms values of the 1st and 3rd harmonics are 99.99 and 0.99,
respectively.
C. Test No. 3
This test (Example 1 in section C.4 of standard [3]) consists
in determining interharmonic group of the order 3 for the
voltage signal containing the following components:

150 Hz harmonic of rms value 11.5 V

250 Hz harmonic of rms value 11.5 V
178 Hz interharmonic of rms value 23 V
50 Hz fundamental component of rms value100 V.

500

1000

1500
f [Hz]

2000

2500

3000

Figure 10. Spectrum at the end of the analysed waveform (test No. 2)

The voltage waveform, containing no fundamental

component, is shown in Figure 11a, and the recorded spectrum
in Figure 11b.
Module 1
The developed model, and specifically the synchronous
sampling system, requires the presence of the fundamental
component (particularly in the presence of interharmonic
content). The arithmetic mean of interharmonic group of the
order 3, obtained from 17 measuring windows is 22.53 and is
larger by 0.08 than the value of 22.51 given in standard [3].
The minimum recorded value was 22.5 and maximum was
22.57. Thus the maximum error is 0.27%.
Module 2
Figure 12 illustrates the result of analysis, using a neural
network, of a signal containing an interharmonic. The transient
state the network training starting from random initial
conditions, lasts for ca. 0.08 s. Determination of the
instantaneous values of amplitudes is not possible because of
fluctuations, which are the effect of interharmonic presence.
The harmonic estimation algorithm runs in real time, and after
each sampling period it minimizes the difference between the
measured and estimated signal.

160
140
120
100
)
x
a
m
H.
.
1(
A

(a)

80

(a)

60
40
20
0
-20

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2
Czas [s]

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

150

100
)
x
a
m
H.
.
1(
A

(b)

(b)
50

Figure 11. (a) Signals analyzed; (b) the recorded spectrum

(test No. 3)

As the interharmonic frequency do not appear in the

estimated signal, the algorithm actualises the amplitudes on a
real time basis, what is the cause of fluctuations. Computing
average values of amplitudes in steady time (0.1-0.4 [s]) yields
the signal spectrum shown in Figure 12b, which corresponds to
the reference spectrum with interharmonic being excluded. The
3rd and 5th harmonics rms values are 11.47V and 11.55V,
respectively, with the error smaller than 0.43%. Where the
signal is reconstructed using the averaged amplitudes then
subtracting it from the actual signal we obtain the estimation
error which contains information on the interharmonic. Both
the actual and estimated signal, and the estimation error are
shown in Figure 13.
The error is found to be of sinusoidal nature. The error
frequency was determined it was 177.96 Hz. This frequency
is in conformity with the interharmonic frequency. The
interharmonic amplitude was determined by minimizing the
index:
Q=

50
1

( Ah * sin(t ) + Bh * cos(t )) + Ax sin( 2f int er t ) + B x cos(2f int er t )

z (k )
2 k
h =0

where: z(k) actual value, Ah, Bh averaged components of

estimated harmonics, Ax, Bx the interharmonic components.
Obtained rms value is 22.88 V what corresponds to the actual
value of interharmonic.

500

1000

1500
f [Hz]

2000

2500

3000

Figure 12. (a) The graph of changes in the amplitude vs. time for the first 50
harmonics; (b) the spectrum after averaging instantaneous amplitude values
(test No. 3)
200
100
n
s
X
,
r
X

0
-100
-200

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1

0.12

0.14

0.16

0.18

0.2

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1

0.12

0.14

0.16

0.18

0.2

50

n
s
X
r
X
=
r
e

-50

Figure 13. The actual signal and signal estimated by means of a neural
network, and the error vs. time (test No. 3)

D. Test No. 4
This test consists in determining the interharmonic group of
the order 5 for a voltage signal containing the following
components:

250 Hz harmonic of rms value 13.2 V

300 Hz harmonic of rms value 10.0 V
287 Hz interharmonic of rms value 9.8 V
50 Hz fundamental component of rms value100 V.

160
140
120
100

(a)

)
x
a
m
H.
.
1(
A

80

(a)

60
40
20
0
-20

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2
Czas [s]

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

150

(b)

100
)
x
a
m
H
..
1(
A

(b)
50

Figure 14. (a) Signals analysed; (b) The spectrum of a measurement

window (test No. 4)

The voltage waveform, containing no fundamental

component, is shown in Figure 14a. This test differs from the
Test no 3 only in the values of harmonics and interharmonic.
The spectrum obtained in this test is shown in Figure 14b,
Table 3 summarizes the expected values and the obtained
values: minimum, maximum and average, and the maximum
error with respect to the estimated value. The average values
are averaged from 17 values obtained in the test. The expected
values are calculated as given in standard [3]. Error with
respect to the expected value is small.

Gig,5

SUMMARY OF RESULTS FROM TEST NO. 4

Exp.value
9.534

Average
9.5242

Max.
9.5628

Min.
9.5053

error [%]
0.3

Module 2
Results of the analysis, identical with that in test 3, are
shown in Figure 15. Frequency of changes in the estimation
error is 287.71 Hz and is in conformity with the interharmonic
frequency. Average values of amplitudes in steady state (0.10.4 [s]) are A1=99.75 V, A5=13.24 V and A6=9.94 V, what
gives the maximum estimation error 0.6%.
E. Test No. 5
This test consist in testing the module response to the
voltage signal containing the following components:

500

1000

1500
f [Hz]

2000

2500

3000

Figure 15. (a) Voltage signals vs. time: the actual and the estimated by
means of a neural network; (b) amplitudes of harmonics (test No. 4)

Module 1

TABLE III.

250 Hz harmonic of rms value 10 V with a 5 Hz

sinusoidal modulation of 20% depth,
287 Hz interharmonic of rms value 9.8 V,
50 Hz fundamental component of rms value 100 V.

The voltage waveform, containing

component, is shown in Figure 16a.

no

fundamental

Module 1
The voltage interharmonic group of the order 5 is
determined. Table 4 summarizes the expected values and the
obtained values: minimum, maximum and average, and the
maximum error. The average values are averaged from 17
values obtained in the test. The expected values are calculated
as given in standard [3]. The error with respect to the expected
value does not exceed the allowed limit [3]. Figure 16b shows
the signal determined spectrum.
TABLE IV.
Cig,5
Cisg,5
Gsg,5

SUMMARY OF RESULTS FROM TEST NO. 5

Exp.value
9.36
9.34
10.23

Average
9.54
9.33
10.0623

Max.
9.5917
9.3687
10.464

Min.
9.5075
9.3078
9.7626

error [%]
2.47
0.34
4.59

15

160

10

140
120

100
0

A(1..Hmax)

(a)

-5

80

(a)

60
40

-10

20
-15

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0
-20

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2
Czas [s]

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

150

100

(b)

(b)
50

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Figure 16. (a) The 5th harmonic waveform (test No. 5); (b) the recorded
spectrum (test No. 5)
Figure 18. (a) The graph of changes in the amplitude vs. time of the first 50
harmonics; (b) the spectrum after averaging instantaneous amplitude values
(test No. 5)

200

Xr, Xsn

100
0
-1 0 0
-2 0 0
0 .2

0 .2 2

0 .2 4

0 .2 6

0 .2 8

0 .3

0 .3 2

0 .3 4

0 .3 6

0 .3 8

0 .4

0 .2 2

0 .2 4

0 .2 6

0 .2 8

0 .3

0 .3 2

0 .3 4

0 .3 6

0 .3 8

0 .4

er=Xr-Xsn

40
20
0
-2 0
-4 0
0 .2

Figure 17. The actual signal, estimated signal and the estimation error (test
No. 5)

Module 2
Results of the analysis carrier out by means of the neural
network, as in Test no 3, are shown in Figures 17 and 18.
Frequency of changes in the estimation error is 288.52 Hz and
is in conformity with the interharmonic frequency. Average
values of amplitudes in steady state (0.2-0.4 s) are A1=99.75V
and A5=9.059V. In this case the fifths harmonic reconstruction
error of 9.5% was obtained.
V.

CONCLUSIONS

ANN model (Module 2) was tested off-line under

different conditions according to the requirement describing in
[3] and was compared with the first module. The two
measuring methods are based on different principles.

The first measurement is performed, according to standard

[3], in defined measurement windows, whereas the measuring
with the use of neural networks is performed on-line in real
time. These differences determine the areas of application: the
first method is suited mainly to assessment of an existent state,
the second one may also by successfully applied to real-time
control of active systems for harmonic distortion mitigation.
The results of the tests indicate that ANN model has very high
estimation accuracy. It has a recursive nature that makes
possible to use it for real-time measurements. They also gave
good results in a noisy environment. The system was used for
an on-line harmonic estimation study and was able to estimate
the harmonic component of voltage and current at various
levels.
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[2]

[3]

[4]

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This work was performed under the finance support of the Polish State
Committee for Scientific Research, grant No. 3 T10A 005 29