Residual Current Devices

Chapter 8: Circuits with nonsinusoidal currents

Abstract

Contemporary low-voltage electrical installations are relatively heavily saturated with electronic or power electronics devices. In circuits containing such devices, nonsinusoidal earth fault currents may flow. The earth fault current may be of a unidirectional type of various pulsations or may be in the form of the alternating current composed of harmonics. Real earth fault currents may differ from those normalized by international standards, according to which residual current devices are tested by manufacturers before placing the product on the market. The aim of this chapter is to show the behavior of residual current devices under various nonsinusoidal residual currents, especially ...