A Bottom-up Model for Simulating Residential Harmonic Injections

The use of modern loads in residential distribution networks has given rise to increasing concern and to the need for techniques that improve the understanding of their collective impact. To address this issue, this paper presents a simulation tool that models the stochastic profiles of harmonic currents injected by residential loads in modern smart grids. The simulator considers a bottom-up approach by taking into account the stochastic consumption patterns of each household device, and their harmonic injection spectra, modeled with Gaussian mixtures. In the presented tool, weekly harmonic injection profiles can be generated for a single dwelling or several dwellings. The model was validated by means of weekly current injection measurements performed in seventeen dwellings. The presented harmonic injection model named Reshapes (Residential Harmonic Probabilistic Emission Simulator) has been made freely available for researchers so that they can use it for their own purposes.