Cable Effects on Noise Propagation in Distribution Networks with Renewable Sources

The development of power electronics for the integration of renewable energy sources in power distribution networks leads to increasing issues in terms of coexistence with communication systems, e.g., those based on powerline communications. This is due to the high-frequency noise currents, conducted emissions (CE), which, generated by power electronics devices, can propagate along the network through power cables. With the objective to provide guidelines to assure coexistence with communications systems, in this work a LV/MV distribution network is modelled and simulated in the frequency domain to predict the noise in different branches and to identify the factors that mostly affect CE propagation. The analysis mainly focuses on the effects due to power cables, and puts in evidence the need for their accurate modelling through transmission line theory in order to account for different cable features, such as per-unit-length parameters, cable length, and terminal conditions, which influence CE propagation.