Non-linear load
BSRIA Power quality guide (AG 2/2000) was written by C C Pearson and V Uthayanan and published by BSRIA in July 2000. It states:
A load is said to be non-linear when the current it draws does not have the same waveform as the supply voltage (i.e. the current waveform is not a sinusoidal). Such current has harmonic components and its harmonic spectrum depends on the type of load. One of the most common types of non-linear load is the switch mode power supply. The current waveforms in Figure 33 and Figure 34 show the difference between the capacitor smoothing and inductor smoothing of the power supply circuit. In both cases the current waveform has high harmonic components.
See also: Linear load.
--BSRIA
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