The Effects of Harmonics on Capacitors include additional heating – and in severe cases overloading, increased dielectric or voltage stress, and unwanted losses. Also, the combination of harmonics and capacitors in a system could lead to a more severe power quality condition called harmonic resonance, which has the potential for extensive damage.
Capacitors are typically installed in the electrical power system – from commercial and industrial to distribution and transmission systems – as power factor correction devices. However, even though it is a basic component of a harmonic filter (aside from the reactor), it is not free from the damaging effects of harmonics.
Also, the combination of harmonics and capacitors in a system could lead to a more severe power quality condition called harmonic resonance, which has the potential for extensive damage. Consequently, these negative effects will shorten capacitor life.
In the presence of harmonics, the total power factor is defined as total power factor = TPF = cos0 = Ptotal Stotal (5-6) where Ptotal and Stota1 are defined in Eq. 5-4. Since capacitors only provide reactive power at the funda- mental frequency, they cannot correct the power factor in the presence of harmonics.
The harmonic filter with capacitor bank is widely called a high voltage power capacitor bank. So, this equipment mainly includes 3-phase all film power & capacitors with surge protection. These equipment are enclosed or open, low or high power, fixed power, incorporated or for utilize with separate motors.
Capacitor Bank Behaves as a Harmonic Source. There are many capacitor banks installed in indus- trial and overhead distribution systems. Each capaci- tor bank is a source of harmonic currents of order h, which is determined by the system short-circuit impedance (at the capacitor location) and the capac- itor size.