Arbitrary waveform generator for harmonic distortion tests on compact fluorescent lamps

This paper presents an experimental method to perform tests on compact fluorescent lamps operated with distorted voltage waveform conditions. The voltages used for the tests are obtained from an arbitrary waveform generator. It consists of a computer, a multifunction card and the software package. The characteristics of the voltage are entered from the computer that loads the required waveform into the card. The output of the card is driven to a voltage amplifier to supply the lamps. Samples of the voltage across the load and of the circulating current are recorded and transferred to the computer for harmonic analysis. The user supervises the tests through several virtual instruments that have been developed especially for this application. The system facilitates the performance evaluation of various appliances for distorted supply voltages. The cost of the system is very low compared with a conventional system consisting of an arbitrary waveform generator, a digital oscilloscope, a spectrum analyzer or /and a computer for harmonic analysis and a true rms multifunction meter. The experimental results show that the distribution of the harmonics of some lamp types does not alter linearly under distorted supply voltages.  2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.