Impact of Aggregate Linear Load Modeling on Harmonic Analysis: A Comparison of Common Practice and Analytical Models

This paper reviews the common practice and analytical models for the representation of aggregate linear load in harmonic propagation and distortion studies. Simulation results in the paper demonstrate the high sensitivity of harmonic propagation and distortion to the model type used to represent the load. Comparison of the several load models in the literature shows a significant difference on the system impedance around the dominant resonance. The paper recommends a comprehensive modeling approach that accounts for all major components of the modern load including electronic load and background distortion.