A real-time system for power quality testing

This paper presents a real-time system that can be used for quick and reliable power quality testing. The system is based on a dual-processor architecture with a digital signal processor (DSP) interfaced to a personal computer (PC). Real-time tasks are delegated to run on the optimized hardware of the DSP board, while system-level requirements are handled by the PC. The real-time processing (RTP) kernel implemented on the DSP supports multi-tasking to handle tasks associated with data collection, data analysis and interprocessor communication. The results of real-time analysis are presented in the PC through a menu-driven, graphical interface. Tests show that the system complies with IEC standards for power quality monitoring. This system offers many significant advantages. Real-time analysis of acquired data significantly reduces storage requirements. Data analysis algorithms can be modified to suit specific testing needs. Test results available in the PC can be exported to other computer analysis tools. The system is portable and holds promise as a powerful, low-cost tool for practicing power quality engineers.