A power signal alteration analyzer based on empirical mode decomposition

Distributed power generation systems and heterogeneous and sensitive loads have highlighted the needs to determine the power quality also in home environment in order to preserve the integrity and well functioning of the electronic devices. In this field, after the detection and the classification of the power signal alterations, it is fundamental to characterize these last in order to detect their sources and the probable problems they can cause. With this aim, in the paper a power signal alteration analyzer is proposed. This system is based on the empirical mode decomposition since it is suitable to analyze time variable signals such as the ones affecting the power signal quality. The analyzer is in downstream to an alteration classification system. Once the alteration is classified, the analyzer quantifies its specific parameters. The alterations taken into consideration are: sag, swell and interruption. Numerical and experimental tests confirm the effectiveness of the analyzer also in noisy environment.