Real-time Optimal Harmonics Estimation: An Internet of Things Approach

In this work, the application of an optimal dynamic estimation algorithm for the harmonic content in a waveform of a current signal in an electrical system is presented. The harmonics estimation is a task that requires a great computational effort, however, in this work, the real-time implementation of a harmonic estimation algorithm in a low-cost device (NI myRIO®) has been demonstrated. Additionally, the transmission of the obtained data through a Wi-Fi network to a cloud server is presented, making the information obtained by the estimator available in a cloud service accessible from any mobile device. Experimental results in the identification of the harmonic content produced by the operation of a nonlinear load in an electrical network, demonstrate the effectiveness of the optimal dynamic harmonic estimator, its implementation in real-time and data transmission.