NOVEL METHOD FOR MODELLING AND CALCULATING THE

HARMONIC EFFECT AND PSOPHOMETRIC DISTURBANCE OF HIGH

POWER ELECTRIC TRACTION
PÉTER KISS, HUNGARY, DR. ANDRÁS DÁN, HUNGARY
Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Electric Power Engineering
e-mail: kiss2.peter@phd.vet.bme.hu, dan.andras@vet.bme.hu
Abstract. The paper presents the combination of frequency and time dependent model to simulate the
effects of the power electric traction on the supply network. This novel method, called double domain
simulation is improving the accuracy of the frequency domain simulation. To calculate the sophisticated
model of the electric locomotive as a non-linear load a time dependent model must be used. The traction
supply system together with the equivalent supply network impedance could be calculated in frequency
domain. An iteration algorithm is developed converting the variables in every iteration step between the time
and frequency domain.

Introduction current generator which represents the loco in the

Strict requirements were established on the voltage
quality of the electric supply network in the last decade.
One of these requirements is in connection with the
harmonic distortion of the voltage. [2] The voltage
distortion is caused by the non-linear loads connected to
the network on different voltage levels. This distortion
could cause faults both in the high power energy system
and the parallel telephone lines.
After the spreading of locomotives supported by
DC engines and rectifier units the disturbance
originating from railway traction systems has increased.
Harmonic filters are used to limit the harmonic currents
flowing into the upstream network and to decrease the
resonance effect causing current amplification along the
25kV supply line. Reducing the harmonic currents
decreases the psophometric current and voltages.
In this paper a novel calculation method is
discussed for the Hungarian 25 kV AC traction supply
network. In the following sections the modelling
possibilities of the harmonic effect in this kind of
railway networks are presented, the detailed introduction
of the traction system elements and the biggest scale
used locomotives are reported. Finally some calculation
results (harmonic currents, and voltages, calculated
psophometric values) have been published.
Modelling possibilities
To ensure what kind of harmonic filter should be
used it is possible to investigate more kinds of models.
Simplified model. The easiest way is the simplified
model, where the whole model is in the frequency
domain. In this case it is necessary to determine the
locomotive current spectrum in advance by site
measurements or other calculations (e. g. it is possible to
use a statistical computation based on site measurements
[7]).
The determined spectrum – the consumption on the
fundamental frequency, and the injection on the
harmonic frequencies – should be put to a harmonic
frequency domain.
Transient model. It is possible to compose a
sophisticated model working in the time domain. The
parameters of the locomotive can be calculated without
any difficulties in time domain, but the elements of the
network are known in the frequency domain as a result
of site measurements.
The biggest problem is with the upstream network,
because it can be calculated just with it’s driving point
impedance. This impedance curve is frequency
dependent and the conversion could result a very
difficult transfer function with at least 5-6 poles and
zeros.
Double domain simulation. Our goal is the
combination of the two domains, to make the so called
double domain simulation. The time domain calculations
have been reduced to the locomotive, and the railway
network is calculated in the frequency domain. The
procedure is detailed in reference [3] and [4].
Modelling the electric traction’s supply
The electric railway system is consisting of four
main components (Fig. 1.a): [1]
• the locomotives
• the contact line system
• the feeding transformer
• the high voltage supply network
The locomotives are running under the contact line
system, dividing it into two parts. At the contact point
the locos could be represented by a base frequency
consumer and harmonic generator.
The contact line system should be considered as a
multiconductor system with earth return that is
composed of the contact wire(s), suspension wire(s), and
the return rails. It can be reduced to a two-wire-system
that leads the current. The feeding transformer could also
be considered as a quadripole which consists of the
magnetizing and the leakage reactance. The driving point
impedance used for the system identification.
 Fig. 1. Simplified circuit for calculation of
harmonic effect
a) general traction-current feeding arrangement
b) circuit representation of contact line system
The parameters of the contact line system and
transformer and the driving point impedance could be
determined by laboratory and site measurements.
The traction supply system model can be made with
these elements as it is shown in Fig. 1.b. This model is
calculated in the frequency domain, because all the
necessary parameters are given in the frequency domain.
The computer simulation model of traction system is
given on Fig. 2. [3]
For studying low frequency disturbance, the
harmonic orders must be examined till the 50th
harmonic. [2]
Fig. 2. The traction supply system model
The locomotive model’s block diagram and
computer model could be seen on Fig. 3. To calculate the
sophisticated model of the electric locomotive as a non-
linear load a time dependent model must be used. It
determines the current spectrum of the engine in function
of the distorted supply voltage. Because the voltage
distortion is caused by the loco itself, an iteration
algorithm was developed to convert the variables
between the time and frequency domain vice and verse.
[4]
Harmonic effect
The current harmonic components could cause the
following problems:
• resonance effect with overvoltage and
overcurrent consequences,
• additional losses,
• psophomentic disturbance of the
telecommunication systems,
• disturbance in the remote control systems,
Fig. 3. Simplified locomotive model
a) block diagram, b) circuit representation
• malfunction of protection devices,
• misoperation of semiconductor-controllers.
The harmonic disturbance basically could be
characterized by the individual (1) and total (2) harmonic
distortion factors:
Xk
Dk = (1)
X1
X k2
k
THD X = (2)
X1
where
f
k= : the harmonic order,
50 Hz
X k : kth harmonic component of I or V
X 1 : fundamental frequency component of I or
V.
Psophometric interference
The high power lines could influence the
neighbouring telecommunication networks by the
following ways:
• Capacitive coupling: The voltage of the
conductor induces charging current
• Inductive coupling: The line current
induces longitudinal emf.
The most dominant part of inducing effects are
caused by the zero sequence components of the current
and the voltage. The power balance of the three-phase is
near symmetrical during normal operation, thus the
coupling is measurable only if the distance between the
two systems is comparable with the phase distance of
one system. However electric traction is a single-phase
system and in consequence it is a natural zero sequence
system. That is why it is important to calculate this
interaction. [1]
By telecommunication lines the rate of the
disturbance could be characterized by the so called
psophometric voltage. It could be calculated by this
formula:
2 reciprocal value of selected frequency components or the
pf
Vp = ⋅V f (3)
f p800
where
V f : Voltage component by f frequency,
p f : psophometric weight by f frequency,
p800 = 1000 .
The psophometric weight has been determined after
human tests; it could be seen on Fig. 4. It could be
concluded that the main part of the noise disturbance is
caused by the 800 Hz and surrounding harmonics. The
psophometric weighting could be applied for the current
components, too, the formula is the same like in Eq. (3),
however, this value is characteristic to the zero sequence
current of power line regarding its possible disturbing
effect. This is the so called disturbing current. [1]
The active harmonic filtering is an electronic
method to convert the basically non-sinusoidal current of
the consumer into sinusoidal regarding the resultant
supply side network current. The active filters are
controlled current generators controlled by
microprocessors or microcontrollers, injecting the
whole distortion to the network. [3] [6]
Calculation results
Some characteristic simulation regarding the
harmonic distortion of the railway systems in function of
the locomotive position and locomotive type are
discussed in the former papers [3] and [4]. Some special
calculations are presented here by different filtering
strategies using the traction system model (Fig. 2) with
total length of 30 km, and the locomotive model (Fig.
3.b) of this paper, where the locomotive is located 10 km
far from the substation.
Without filtering. Some resonant effect can be
studied along the supply line. This is a parallel resonance
which is caused mainly by the inductance of the
transformer and the distributed capacitance of the

Fig. 5. Substation V and I without filtering

Fig. 4. The psophometric weight

Harmonic filtering
Harmonic filters are used to limit the harmonic
currents flowing into the upstream network and to
decrease the resonance effect causing current
amplification along the 25kV supply line. The filter
could be located on the loco itself or on the substation.
Because of the different type of locos running
simultaneously on the same traction section the most
effective place for the harmonic filter location is the
25kV side of the substation. Basically there are two Fig. 6. With 17th and 19th harmonic filter
kinds of filters: passive and active filters.
The passive harmonic filter is a set of series
resonance circuits tuned to the frequencies to be filtered.
The passive harmonic filter has low impedance on its
tuned frequency that is why it shunts the network for the
harmonic current of the tuned harmonic order. Harmonic
filtering is often linked with the problem of fundamental
frequency reactive power balance. The passive filter
could be used to compensate reactive power, because is
shows capacitive reactance on the fundamental
frequency.
Fig. 7. With full filtering
contact line system. Using the model it is possible to solution, regarding the composition of reactive power
calculate the voltage and current spectrum along the compensation and harmonic filtering. [3]
supply line. As an example on Fig. 5, the voltage and
Information about the authors
current at the substation are seen. The resonance effect is
Dr. András Dán is with the Department of Electric
the highest at the 17th and 19th harmonics.
Power Engineering at the Budapest University of
Filtering 17th and 19th harmonics. After installing an
Technology and Economics since 1970 where he
active filter in the substation the following results can be
currently holds the rank of professor habil. and acts as a
calculated. (Fig. 6.) This filter is basically a simple
consultant for local industry. His expertise is in power
current generator injecting the calculated 17th and 19th
electronics, power quality and reactive power
harmonic current as anti-phase value at the substation.
compensation especially associated with power system
It could be concluded that the current and voltage
harmonics.
component on the filtered harmonic orders are reduced
Péter Kiss is the Ph.D. student of the Department of
dramatically.
Electric Power Engineering at the Budapest University
Using the active filter on each harmonic order the
of Technology and Economics since 2005. His thesis is
network side current will be sinusoidal .The HV system
dealing with the harmonic effect and mitigation technics
is no more disturbed (Fig. 7.), but the disturbing current
associated with the railway systems.
in the contact line decreases only to the half
In case of passive filtering method the network References
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decreasing the equivalent disturbing current along the harmonics generated by thyristor controlled AC traction
contact line to one -third. systems. In Proc. II. International Conference on
Harmonics in Power Systems, pp.404-413., Winnipeg, 6-
Psophometric values
7. October, 1986.
Using the harmonic components of the currents and
[2.] A. Dán, T. Tersztyánszky, Gy. Varjú, Electric
voltages the psophometric and THD values can be
Power Quality (Villamosenergia min ség). Budapest:
calculated along the supply line. The Table 1 shows the
Invest-Marketing Ltd, 2006.
value of the psophometric voltages by the substation and
[3.] A. Dán, P. Kiss: Effect on Power Quality of the
psophometric currents by the substation on the contact
High Power Electric Traction (Double Domain
line and the upstream network side unfiltered one.
Computer Simulation vs. Site Measurements). In Proc.
Besides this the THD values are given in the table.
International Conference on Renewable Energies and
Table 1: Psofometric and THD values
Power Quality, Palma de Mallorca, 5-7. April 2006.
V substation I HV>sub I sub>loco
Vp THDV Ip THDI Ip THDI
[4.] A. Dán, P. Kiss: Advanced Calculation Method
unfiltere 503V 2.11 2.98 35.5 2.98 35.5 for Modeling of Harmonic Effect of AC High Power
d % A % A % Electric Traction. In Proc. 12th International Conference
17th, 19th 212V 1.37 1.54 33.9 1.59 34.1 on Harmonics and Quality of Power, Cascais, 1-5.
% A % A % October 2006.
all harm. 18.6 0% 0.02 0% 1.72 34.2 [5.] M.M.M. L. Arini: Time domain load modelling
V A A % technique and harmonic analysis. In Proc. 8th.
International Conference on Harmonics and Quality of
Conclusion
Power pp.930-939., Athens, 14-16. October, 1998.
It can be concluded that using active harmonic
[6.] P. Brogan, R. Yacamini: Measurements and
filtering the network side harmonic distortion is reduced
simulation of an active filter based on voltage feedback.
very effectively, but the psophometric effect caused by
In Proc. 8th. International Conference on Harmonics and
the current along the traction system does not change so
Quality of Power pp.930-939., Athens, 14-16. October,
much. In critical cases a broadband passive filter might
1998.
be necessary to decrease the harmonic impedance
[7.] F. Foiadelli, P. Pinato, D. Zaninelli: Statistical
resonance causing the increase of equivalent disturbing
Model for Harmonic Propagation Studies in Electric
current.
Traction Supply Systems in Proc. 11th International
This kind of calculation is a suitable method to
Conference on Harmonics and Quality of Power, Lake
perform an analysis on both the harmonic distortion and
Placid, September 12-15, 2004.
psophometric effect. The double domain simulation
method will help to select the most advantageous