Modular System For Distributed Power Quality

Monitoring

Petr Bilik
Ludvik Koval
Dept.of Electrical Measurement
Dept.of Electrical Measurement
VSB-Technical University of Ostrava
VSB-Technical University of Ostrava
Ostrava, Czech Republic
Ostrava, Czech Republic
petr.bilik@vsb.cz
ludvik.koval@vsb.cz

Jiri Hula
Division of Virtual Instrumentation
ELCOM, a.s.
Ostrava, Czech Republic
jiri.hula@elcom.cz

Abstract — BK-ELCOM is a modular HW & SW platform for

power quality monitoring and analysis based on virtual
instrumentation technology. The analyzer of BK-ELCOM
product line is based on PC hardware equipped by 16-bit NI
Data Acquisition board running the instrument firmware fully
written in LabVIEW™ 8.2. Implemented algorithms follow the
requirements of the latest Power Quality standards like
IEC61000-4-30, IEC61000-4-15, IEC61000-4-7, EN 50160.
Newly
developed data storage format EDF (Extended Data Format)
brings open platform for storing any type data for power
quality analyzer. EDF brings also new possibilities for the
postprocessing software package.
Keywords-Power Quality;Virtual Instrumentation; EN50160;
IEC 61000-4-30; IEC 61000-4-7; IEC 61000-4-15; EDF
I. INTRODUCTION
The faculty members of the Department of Electrical
Measurements are involved into the research and development
in the area of electrical power quality for more than fourteen
years. During this period the power quality analyzer has been
developed jointly with the company ELCOM, a.s. located in
Ostrava Science&Technology Park.
The basis of the developed solution is the SW application
designed and developed within the graphical development
environment LabVIEWTM.
From the very beginning the application structure has been
designed in such way to provide the opened framework into
which the new SW modules can be easily implemented.
The core of the SW application is the data acquisition
process. The instrument allows to measure up to 4 voltages and
4 currents simultaneously as basic configuration. In addition
SW can be configured to measure multiple 4 voltages and 4
currents systems simultaneously. The sampling frequency and
the width of the time window are chosen in such way to follow
the requirements of elemental standard for power quality area:
IEC 61000-4-30, IEC 61000-4-7. The SW provides so called
„gap free“ measurement through double buffering data
acquisition method.
Under this data acquisition core are running the SW
modules of the virtual instruments implemented inside the
analyzer.
The algorithms in conjunction with the used 16-bit plug-in
data acquisition card allows the changing of the sampling
frequency on the fly and eliminate by this way the
measurement errors caused by the leakage that normally
appears when the frequency of the measured signal is changing
during the measurement period.
II. PC-BASED POWER QUALITY ANALYZER CONCEPT
A. Virtual instrumentation
The instrumentation has often evolved into computer-based
measurement systems today. These systems are built with
measurement hardware consisting of a digitizing element
whose performance is characterized by its resolution and
sample rate. The performance of this hardware, including
bandwidth, accuracy and resolution, has increased dramatically
in the past 10 years such that the performance of the computer-
based digitizers is comparable to traditional instruments.
Furthermore, today personal computers operate 1000 times
faster than their 10-years-old counterparts that translate into
real savings for engineers and scientists.
Figure 1. Increase of PC performance
Today, virtually all common measurements and complex
applications, such as FFTs and signal processing routines, can
be made in less time with low-cost, measurement components.
And, because these components are tightly integrated with
software, it is easy to reconfigure the computer-based system to
stay of end user changing demands. Engineers and scientists
whose needs, applications, and requirements change very
quickly, need flexibility to create their own solutions. It is
possible to adapt a virtual instrument to particular needs
without having to replace the entire device because of the
application software installed on the PC and the wide range of
available plug-in hardware. An additional benefit of computer
based measurement systems is efficiency. The data that are
collected by these systems can be efficiently distributed around
the world via Internet. The new software technology and
standards make developing networked applications elementary.
With the continually improving price of today’s computers end
user have more access to computer based measurement
systems.
B. PC-based power quality analyzer
Currently the analyzer is implemented on several HW
platforms. In general next points are common for any HW
platform:
The computer is equipped with the plug-in DAQ board.
From the very beginning of the development process the high
quality DAQ plug-in boards from National Instruments are
being used. Currently the M-series PCI boards are supported.
M-series boards provide 16 analogue inputs and the minimum
sampling rate is 250 kS/s (PCI 6220). The DAQ process of
instrument’s SW uses basic sampling frequency 9,6 kS/s per
each channel or basic sampling frequency multiplied by 2 or 4.
Modules for signal conditioning of voltage and current
signals provide attenuation / amplification, isolation and anti-
aliasing filtering. Modules for signal conditioning are
programmable via digital lines or RS485; this allows inputs
range selection and anti-aliasing cut-off frequency set-up. The
block diagram of signal conditioning modules connected to
analog to digital converter is shown on Fig. 2. Signal
conditioning modules are prepared as internal for direct build
in instrument case or external for direct mount to DIN rail.
L1Voltage Input NI PCI 6034
Attenuation IsolationLP AMU
A/D convert
16bi
A
f
Current Input
Current LP
Clamps
Scan clock Sampl e
clock
f
Figure 2. Input circuit block diagram
On the PC is running Windows XP or Windows XP
Embedded as operating system. Under operating system is
running application fully written in LabVIEW as a power
quality analyzer firmware.
In case if instrument is equipped with a touch-in display,
the user can operate the instrument without keyboard or mouse,
because complete firmware is ready to use soft-keyboards.
III. BK POWER QUALITY ANALYZER OVERVIEW
The complete SW bundle includes the power quality
analyzer for multiple 4-phases power networks, client-server
based post-processing, complex tool for remote setup, remote
monitoring and remote post-processing of multiple power
quality analyzers and Web based post-processing.
The power quality analyzer itself consist from National
Instruments 16-bits DAQ card, custom signal conditioning
module, portable industrial PC and BK-Measure firmware.
Analyzed data are stored binary on local HDD and can be
written to central database by BK-Replicator. The client-server
based post-processing consists from BK-Dataserver and from
BK-Post. Power quality analyzers in distributed system or lone
instrument can be centrally on-line supervised and monitored
via supervising application BK-remote. Block diagram of SW
components is shown on Fig. 3.
 BK-measure and other local SW modules

NI DAQ BK-measure PQA firmware

Remote Command
Card

T
Adaptive S/R algorithm up to BK-DB
36 kS LOCAL HDD
Replicator
per chanel

BK-Data

BK-Post

Figure 3. SW parts of BK PQ analyzer

All above mentioned applications are developed in
LabVIEW. Data stored in Microsoft SQL Database can be
processed by Web server, which is producing ASP pages.
Microsoft Internet Explorer serves as GUI. Latest IEC and EN
power quality standards (IEC 61000-4-30, 61000-4-7, 61000-4-
15, EN50160) are met for all software parts.
Figure 4. Presentation of FFT analyzer data
The user can see on the FFT analyzer displays the
amplitudes of the selected spectral lines and/or store the data
into the files with selected storage speed. The storage can be set
from the fastest mode 10 periods (200ms) to storage period 10
min dedicated for the evaluation of the temperature effects of
the harmonics.

IV. BK-MEASURE – COLLECTING DATA
BK-Measure is the firmware of Power Quality Analyzer
(PQA) instrument. It can be used as a field instrument or as a
basic part of Power Quality Monitoring network. PQA
firmware contains suite of instruments running in parallel –
FFT analyzer, Vector analyzer, Power Flow monitor,
Flickermeter, EN50160 Voltage monitor, Transient Recorder
for analog and digital signals, Symmetrical components
analyzer of 3-phase system, Signalling voltages telegram
monitor, Alarm monitor, Impedance analyzer and Half-period
RMS monitor. All described instruments are ready for 50Hz
and 60Hz power system. For all instruments user can observe
data on the instrument display and store them into the data
files. All instruments are working with sampling rate 9.6k S/sec
per channel. The exception is Transient Recorder where the
sampling rate can be multiply of 2 or 4 of the basic sampling
frequency. The sampling rate is synchronized with frequency
of measured signals, it changes in time. All mentioned
instruments can run in parallel for up to 4 different 4-phases
power networks. This means up to 16 voltages and 16 current
inputs are analyzed in parallel. Some important instruments are
described in more detail bellow.
B. Transient Recorder
This instrument allows storing the voltage and/or current
signals if the set trigger condition(s) is/are met. Additionally
digital signal states can be stored and conditions based on
digital input can cause trigger.
The user has possibility to set the trigger conditions from
evaluating of 22 quantities by SW window trigger for each
particular power network line and combine them with logical
AND and/or OR. There is also the possibility for setting the pre
and post trigger length within the time window. The transient
buffer depth is 61kS per channel. Transient Recorder sampling
rate is up to 38.4kS/sec per channel depending on number of
channels. Subsequently on the stored time window the
instrument user can perform the of-line analysis, see Fig.5.

A. FFT analyzer
This instrument is the FFT analyzer of harmonics and
interharmonics. The instrument is able to display the signal
either in time domain or in frequency domain, see Fig.4.
On each measured signal (voltage or current of the power
network line) the both amplitude and phase spectrum is being
measured and FFT analyzer also indicates the direction of the
power flow for each particular harmonic. Figure 5. Presentation of Transient recorder data
C. Voltage Quality Monitor
This instrument analyzes the quality of the electrical energy Very comfortable and intuitive BK-Post GUI allows
processing the measured data from any of BK-Measure
according with EN 50160 standard. The user gets the complex
instrument, compare values in time from different modules,
overview of all quality parameters measured according with
different instruments and different multi-systems, see Fig.7.
this standard: frequency, Urms, THDu, Plt (flicker), voltage
BK-Post provides data analysis in time domain, frequency
unbalance, voltage harmonics, see Fig.6. This module includes
domain and statistical analysis. Protocols from the
voltage events catcher to monitor dips or swells details.
measurements can be printed or saved to BMP or HTML. Also
it is possible to export the measured data into ASCII files. Then
it is possible to do any data processing within standard
spreadsheet processors.
The new versatile multi-system post-processing module
allows compare up to 16 quantities in one screen.

VI. BK-REMOTE - REMOTE SUPERVISING TOOL

Stand alone application BK-Remote allows make any
action as directly on BK-Measure. This means remote setup,
remote on-line data screens and remote post-processing
simultaneously on several BK-Measures. As addition BK-
Remote allows remote firmware update and data download.
The number of simultaneously supervised BK-Measure and
number of opened windows is limited by computer power and
installed memory only. This highly parallelized application is
fully written in LabVIEW.
Figure 6. Voltage monitor according EN50160

V. BK-POST - MEASURED DATA ANALYSIS

Directly within the analyzer, thanks to the virtual
instrumentation concept the instrument user can perform all of-
line analysis. The client-server based post-processing consists
from BK-Dataserver and from BK-Post applications, both
applications are written in LabVIEW and can run separately on
different PC’s. Used client-server technology allows to process
data locally or remotely.

Figure 8. Remote view of online data

VII. EDF EXTENDED DATA FORMAT

For effective data storage Extended Data Format was
developed. Key features of EDF format are: it is open and well-
defined format, it can be used to store any
measured/captioned/calculated quantity in any format (simple,
structure, image), as storage media can be used file system or
database, it can be extended of any user data parameters,
settings, configurations etc. EDF is more open and flexible then
PQDIF, it allows storage for not only power quality data.
Figure 7. Data comparison in time domain One measurement is based on 3 primary objects, see Fig.9.:
Header Object(s) (XML), Data Object(s) (binary), Group
Object (XML).
Header object is used for description of all data object’s
elements.
Data object contains stored data according order and data
format defined in header object.
Group object
Data object
Header
object
Figure 9. Primary objects of EDF format
Group object is used for description of parameters which are
common for whole measurement: measurement name,
description, location, operator etc., instrument setup, other
properties, any user specified parameters (for example
hierarchical structure in distributed system, etc.).
Group object is used for linking data object(s) with their
header object(s) and to link more data objects to one
measurement (in case of long measurement with more data
objects). Group object can be used for brief data overview (if
needed).
VIII. BK-WEB
For the data stored in central database was implemented the
Web-based post-processing using MS Internet Explorer.
Figure 10. Web-based Post-Processing
MS Internet Explorer together with easy-to use graphical
elements from National Instruments Measurement Studio
Components as GUI, see Fig.10. This allows easy to use,
comfortable data analyzing anywhere on internet.
IX. CONCLUSION
The main advantage of described solution is its scalability.
PC-based instrument technology together with LabVIEW
graphical development environment dramatically simplifies the
SW maintenance and further development. Application
structure allows to implement subsequently further SW
modules realizing new instruments without impact on current
solution. Still increasing power and performance of the PC
technology allows implement power quality analyzer for 4
power networks as one complex instrument and allows
implement more time demanding advanced signal processing
algorithms.
REFERENCES
[1] P. Bilik, J. Zidek, “Power Quality Standards, Evaluation and
Monitoring,” Set of lectures on American University of Sharjah, United
Arab Emirates, September 2001
[2] P. Bilik, J. Zidek, D. Kaminsky, J. Hula, M. Starzyk, „BK-ELCOM –
Modular System For Power Quality Monitoring on Multiply Power
Networks using Distributed Instruments,“ In conference proceedings
NI-
Week 2006, National Instruments, Austin, Texas, USA August 2006
[3] P. Bilik, J. Zidek, „General problems of harmonics and interharmonics
eveluation for power quality evaluation purposes,“ In conference
proceedings CIRED 2006, Tábor, Czech Republic, November 2006
[4] P. Bilik, J. Zidek, D. Kaminsky, J. Hula, M. Malohlava, „EPQA
ENA100 – Handheld Power Quality Analyzer Powered by LabVIEW,“
In conference proceedings NI-Week 2007, National Instruments,
Austin,
Texas, USA August 2007, in press
[5] EN 50160: Voltage characteristics of Electricity supplied by Public
Distribution Systems
[6] IEC 61000-4-7 Amend.1 to Ed.2: Electromagnetic compatibility
(EMC): Testing and measurement techniques - General guide on
harmonics and interharmonics measurements and instrumentation, for
power supply systems and equipment connected thereto
[7] IEC 61000-4-15 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC): Testing and
measurement techniques – Flickermeter – Functional design
specifications
[8] IEC 61000-4-30 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC): Testing and
measurement techniques – Power quality measurement methods