ABSTRACT

Voltage flicker is a problem that has existed in the power industry for many years. To electric utility engineers, voltage flicker is considered in terms of magnitude and rate of change of voltage fluctuations. Many types of end-use equipment can create voltage flicker, and many types of solution methods are available. Fortunately, the problem is not overly complex, and it can often be analyzed using fairly simple methods. Flicker curves are in widespread use, particularly in the United States. For many years, the generic flicker curve has served the utility industry well. Fluctuating motor loads like car shredders, wood chippers, and many others can be fairly well characterized in terms of a duty cycle and a maximum torque. From this information, engineers can predict the magnitude and frequency of voltage changes anywhere in the supplying transmission and distribution system.