Harmonic distortion
Hello friends.
I'd like to build this summer a PFC circuit and currently started reading about factors that reduce power factor.
I'm trying to understand something about harmonic distortion.
The current provided by the power line is a pure sine wave that has only one frequency, the fundamental frequency (50Hz or 60Hz), assuming that there's no voltage distortion in the power line, right?
Only non-linear components cause harmonic distortion to the wave.
What does it mean to cause harmonic distortion?
Does it mean to produce harmonics that have frequency which is an integer multiple of the current's fundamental frequecny?
If these non-linear devices only distort the already existing harmonics, then I dont understand where these harmonic have come from in the first place?
Moreover, I wanted to ask please how do harmonics' existence reduce power factor?
I hope someone could throw light on this matter.
Thank you.
Hello friends.
I'd like to build this summer a PFC circuit and currently started reading about factors that reduce power factor.
I'm trying to understand something about harmonic distortion.
The current provided by the power line is a pure sine wave that has only one frequency, the fundamental frequency (50Hz or 60Hz), assuming that there's no voltage distortion in the power line, right?
Only non-linear components cause harmonic distortion to the wave.
What does it mean to cause harmonic distortion?
Does it mean to produce harmonics that have frequency which is an integer multiple of the current's fundamental frequecny?
If these non-linear devices only distort the already existing harmonics, then I dont understand where these harmonic have come from in the first place?
Moreover, I wanted to ask please how do harmonics' existence reduce power factor?
I hope someone could throw light on this matter.
Thank you.
Last edited: