Impact of MHD-E3 on power system equipment and loads.

Mattei, Andrew K., 1970-

Impact of MHD-E3 on power system equipment and loads.

dc.contributor.advisor	Grady, William Mack.
dc.creator	Mattei, Andrew K., 1970-
dc.date.accessioned	2021-07-14T14:02:21Z
dc.date.available	2021-07-14T14:02:21Z
dc.date.created	2021-05
dc.date.issued	2021-03-25
dc.date.submitted	May 2021
dc.date.updated	2021-07-14T14:02:22Z
dc.description.abstract	The detonation of a nuclear weapon in the Earth’s upper atmosphere will cause a variety of electromagnetic disturbances at the Earth’s surface. One of these disturbances – the magnetohydrodynamic late-time or MHD-E3 pulse – is characterized by a strong yet minute-long electric field that is capable of inducing quasi-direct currents in long conductors such as electric transmission lines. These quasi-direct currents, on the order of 1000 amps within the power grid, will cause transformer saturation that leads to abnormal power absorption and high levels of harmonics in the power system. Research herein explores the impact of these direct currents on transformers, the impact of elevated levels of harmonics on power system protective relays, and the impact of harmonic-rich voltages on information technology equipment. A benchtop transformer DC injection testing apparatus was designed and constructed, and these laboratory transformer test results are analyzed and compared with the results of DC injection tests performed on power system transformers at Idaho National Laboratories. Electromechanical, solid state, and microprocessor-based protective relays were subjected to harmonic currents and this performance is documented, analyzed, and recommendations for mitigating protection system mis-operations are provided. The response of a modern microprocessor-based transformer differential relay to harmonic current simulations, including a relay with a second harmonic waveshape recognition algorithm, is presented and analyzed. Finally, a testing system was constructed and the evaluation process, analysis, and results for the response of information technology equipment to harmonic voltage waveforms measured during the Defense Threat Reduction Agency DC-injection transformer testing at Idaho National Laboratories in 2012 are included.
dc.format.mimetype	application/pdf
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/2104/11369
dc.language.iso	en
dc.rights.accessrights	Worldwide access
dc.subject	MHD-E3. Geomagnetically induced currents (GIC). Transformers. Harmonic voltages.
dc.title	Impact of MHD-E3 on power system equipment and loads.
dc.type	Thesis
dc.type.material	text
thesis.degree.department	Baylor University. Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering.
thesis.degree.grantor	Baylor University
thesis.degree.level	Doctoral
thesis.degree.name	Ph.D.