Electrical Systems Maintenance: Power Quality and Harmonics Mitigation

Maintenance and Engineering October 25, 2025
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Introduction

Modern industrial facilities rely on complex electrical infrastructure, where issues like power quality and harmonics can severely impact equipment life and operational efficiency. This course provides maintenance professionals with the knowledge to inspect, troubleshoot, and maintain low and medium voltage electrical distribution systems. A significant focus is placed on understanding and mitigating power quality disturbances, particularly voltage sags, transients, and harmonic distortion caused by non-linear loads. Participants will learn to use specialized test equipment to ensure a robust and reliable electrical supply, protecting critical production assets from premature failure.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Perform effective preventive maintenance on switchgear, transformers, and motor control centers.
  • Utilize test equipment (e.g., DMM, megohmmeters, power quality analyzers) for diagnostics.
  • Identify, measure, and troubleshoot common power quality disturbances.
  • Understand the causes and detrimental effects of harmonic distortion in electrical systems.
  • Determine the appropriate methods and equipment for harmonics mitigation (filters, K-rated transformers).
  • Apply NFPA 70E requirements and electrical safety procedures (e.g., Arc Flash calculations).
  • Perform visual and thermal inspections of electrical components to predict failure.
  • Implement maintenance strategies for uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and battery systems.

Target Audience

  • Electrical Maintenance Technicians and Supervisors
  • Electrical Engineers and Planners
  • Reliability Engineers focused on electrical assets
  • Plant Operations and Facility Managers
  • Condition Monitoring Specialists (Thermographers)
  • Safety Professionals overseeing electrical work

Methodology

  • Practical lab session using power quality analyzers to measure THD
  • Case studies on troubleshooting common electrical failures (e.g., transformer overheating)
  • Group activity on developing PM procedures for switchgear
  • Discussions on the selection criteria for harmonics mitigation filters
  • Individual exercises on interpreting megohmmeter and thermal image reports

Personal Impact

  • Become a specialized expert in electrical reliability and power quality.
  • Master the use of advanced electrical diagnostic and test equipment.
  • Improve personal safety knowledge in high-risk electrical environments (NFPA 70E).
  • Gain the ability to design solutions for complex power quality issues.
  • Enhance troubleshooting speed for electrical system faults.

Organizational Impact

  • Reduce costly equipment damage caused by power quality disturbances.
  • Minimize unexpected downtime from electrical component failure.
  • Ensure regulatory compliance with electrical safety standards (Arc Flash).
  • Lower energy costs by mitigating harmonic losses.
  • Extend the service life of motors, transformers, and electronic equipment.
  • Improve the overall reliability and stability of the electrical infrastructure.

Course Outline

Unit 1: Electrical Distribution System Maintenance

Inspection and Maintenance of Key Assets
  • PM procedures for medium and low voltage switchgear and circuit breakers.
  • Maintenance of power and distribution transformers (oil sampling, testing).
  • Inspection and testing of motor control centers (MCCs) and distribution panels.
  • Grounding and bonding system integrity checks.
Diagnostic Testing and Tools
  • Using megohmmeters (insulation resistance testing) for fault prediction.
  • Advanced use of digital multimeters (DMMs) and clamp meters.
  • Interpreting infrared thermal images of electrical equipment.

Unit 2: Power Quality Disturbances

Types of Power Quality Issues
  • Defining and identifying voltage sags, swells, transients, and interruptions.
  • Root causes of power quality problems in industrial settings.
  • Impact of disturbances on sensitive electronic and automated equipment.
Measurement and Analysis
  • Proper setup and use of a power quality analyzer.
  • Interpreting power quality data and generating reports (e.g., CBEMA curve analysis).
  • Locating the source of the disturbance (internal vs. external).

Unit 3: Harmonics Mitigation

Understanding Harmonic Distortion
  • Defining harmonics, Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), and non-linear loads.
  • Sources of harmonics (VFDs, UPS, arc furnaces, LED lighting).
  • Detrimental effects of harmonics (overheating, component failure, neutral loading).
Mitigation Strategies
  • Application of passive filters (tuned, broadband) for specific harmonics.
  • The use of active filters and dynamic voltage restorers.
  • Specifying K-rated transformers for harmonic-rich environments.

Unit 4: Motor Maintenance and Variable Frequency Drives

Electric Motor Reliability
  • Preventive maintenance for AC induction and DC motors.
  • Motor current signature analysis (MCSA) for fault detection.
  • Winding insulation testing and surge testing basics.
VFD Maintenance
  • PM procedures for Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) and inverters.
  • Common VFD fault codes and troubleshooting techniques.
  • Installation best practices to prevent VFD-related issues (e.g., cable shielding).

Unit 5: Electrical Safety and Compliance

Arc Flash and LOTO
  • Review of Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures for electrical isolation.
  • Introduction to Arc Flash safety and NFPA 70E requirements.
  • Interpreting arc flash labels and selecting appropriate PPE.
Emergency Power Systems
  • Maintenance and testing of UPS systems and associated batteries.
  • Generator maintenance and load testing procedures.
  • Regulatory and statutory compliance for electrical systems.

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