For today’s increasingly complex electrical grid, maintaining clean, stable power is critical to keep modern industrial systems running. As renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles and power electronics become more widespread, a new challenge has emerged – supraharmonics.
These high-frequency harmonics in electrical systems are reshaping the conversation around electrical harmonics and power quality.
What are supraharmonics?
Supraharmonics are voltage and current distortions that occur in the frequency range between 2 and 150 kHz – higher than traditional electrical harmonics but lower than the range typically covered by electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) filters.
Supraharmonics arise from nonlinear loads and switching power supplies, which are often found in applications like:
- Electric vehicle chargers
- Photovoltaic inverters
- Active front-end (AFE) variable speed drives
Needless to say, this type of noise is problematic. Supraharmonics can disrupt sensitive electronic devices, introduce false readings in sensors and damage equipment designed for standard harmonic frequencies.
Why supraharmonics are an issue
Left unaddressed, supraharmonics can lead to costly disruptions across industrial sites. They can stress transformers and overhead components, trigger false alarms and shorten the lifespan of connected assets.
Because supraharmonics occupy a relatively new, largely undetected space on the frequency spectrum, they’re often invisible to traditional current and voltage meters.
As these high-frequency distortions become more prevalent, this can lead to:
- Reduced power quality and energy efficiency
- Data inaccuracies in measurement systems
- Unexpected downtime in critical applications
Learn more about avoiding these consequences with our power quality monitoring and metering page.
How to detect supraharmonics
Before supraharmonics can be tackled, they must be detected. Traditional power quality analysers and meters, which typically measure up to the 50th harmonic (2.5 kHz), often miss disturbances above this range. Recent standards, such as Engineering Recommendation G5/5, have extended compatibility levels up to the 100th order (5 kHz).
This is where CP Automation’s expertise and technology come in. We offer a range of sophisticated power analysers capable of measuring up to the 100th harmonic and detecting supraharmonics. This includes Janitza’s fixed meters, Powerside’s PQube®3 and more.
These devices can:
- Continuously monitor power quality in real time
- Detect harmonic distortion across all relevant frequency bands
- Analyse waveform data for predictive maintenance and performance optimisation
As well as supplying these solutions, our power quality specialists can interpret this data to pinpoint the exact cause of disturbances, helping you restore clean sinusoidal waveforms and prevent long-term asset degradation. Combining advanced measurement methods with hands-on technical insight means we can help you maintain stable, reliable electrical power.
Expert support you can rely on
Supraharmonics are a relatively new and often misunderstood challenge in electrical engineering. That’s why many operators choose CP Automation — a partner with decades of experience in power quality, harmonics and drive systems.
Our power quality support is built around our mission to M.A.R.S., which stands for:
- Measure – capturing real-time waveform data across your site using advanced fixed and portable meters
- Analyse – interpreting power quality trends to identify harmonic distortion, voltage disturbances and supraharmonic activity
- Report – providing clear, data-backed reports that summarise findings and highlight potential risks
- Solve – recommending and supplying practical mitigation solutions, from harmonic filters to surge suppression and fixed Janitza meters
As part of this service, our engineers will visit your site to capture, review and analyse power quality data. We then deliver a detailed report, outlining findings and an actionable plan to restore clean, stable power.
From there, we can suggest and supply an appropriate filtering solution, whether this is a fixed power analyser, a multimeter or something else.
Whatever power quality challenge you face, we can offer effective measurement and mitigation solutions to keep your site up and running.
Visit our power quality page to find out how we can support your site and application.
