Harmonic-adjusted power factor meter

• US 5,212,441 A
• Filed: 02/25/1992
• Issued: 05/18/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Basic Measuring Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Basic Measuring Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: McEachern, Alexander, Grady, W. Mack
• Primary Examiner(s): Karlsen, Ernest F.
• Application Number:
  US07/841,392
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 324/142, 324/141, 324/103 R, 324/116, 364/483
• US Class Current: 324/142
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/006 Measuring power factor

Abstract

An electric power measuring system wherein power factor measurements are adjusted to reflect the adverse economic effects of harmonic currents and voltages. Well-known techniques are used to acquire frequency spectra that represent the voltages and currents present at the measuring point. These spectra are weighted in such a way that non-fundamental currents are increased and non-fundamental voltages are decreased. The weighted spectra are used to calculate a harmonic-adjusted volt-ampere measurement, which is then accumulated to form a harmonic-adjusted volt-ampere-hour measurement. The weighting functions for voltage and current are selected to approximate the economic impact on the AC power generating, transmission, and distribution system of non-fundamental currents and voltages. The resulting harmonic-adjusted volt-ampere-hour measurement is used to calculate a harmonic-adjusted power factor measurement.

Claims

1. An instrument for measuring electric power consumed by a consumer, comprising:

a. first means for measuring watt consumption;

b. second means for measuring volt-ampere consumption coupled to the means for measuring watt consumption;

c. third means for calculating a frequency-domain power factor parameter comprising a function of a ratio of watt-hours to volt-ampere-hours coupled to receive a data signal from the first means and the second means; and

d. fourth means for adjusting the power factor parameter in a predetermined manner related to the non-fundamental currents and non-fundamental voltages.

2. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein the first means and the second means include means for sensing time-domain current and the time-domain voltage.

3. The instrument according to claim 2 wherein the third means includes means for transforming the time-domain current into frequency-domain current and means for transforming time-domain voltage into frequency-domain voltage.

4. The instrument according to claim 3 wherein the fourth means includes means for storing a current-frequency adjustment table and a voltage-frequency adjustment table coupled to the means for adjusting.

5. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth means comprise a digital signal processor.