Monday

The LTC-DGA working group sponsored by IEEE has made very significant progress in developing a guide for the interpretation and evaluation of LTC-DGA results. Protocols have been developed that allow one to distinguish between healthy LTCs and those that have a high probability of failure. These statistically based procedures will be presented. Case histories will demonstrate the reliability of the proposed diagnostics.

One the most important aspects of a safe electrical power system is the proper performance of ground fault protective equipment. Mandated by the National Electrical Code, Article 230.95(C) states that when first installed testing procedures must be performed on service entrance equipment that is required to be protected by ground fault sensing devices. Understanding the NEC requirements and how the equipment should be properly tested in the field will be explained and demonstrated in this presentation. This critical piece of power system performance is a must for inspectors and owners to understand.

According to Article 130.3(C) of the 2009 Edition of NFPA 70E, arc-flash warning labels must now include either the available incident energy or required level of PPE. The 2007 NESC also requires that an arc-flash assessment be performed. Conducting an arc-flash calculation study can be an overwhelming project. Defining the correct system model, obtaining data, and determining which system configuration to use can add to the complexity.

This session provides an overview of how to perform an arcflash calculation study and determine the arcing current, protective device clearing time, incident energy, and flash protection boundary based on IEEE 1584 methods. People will see what data is required, what assumptions can be made and how to correctly model the system.

A practical method to verify the performance of IEC 61850 compatible relays is suggested. The method is suitable for both field and laboratory tests and evaluates the transfer time including the best-case application processing of GOOSE messages.

Measurements reported in this paper show that transfer time and related signal processing performance can be dependent on both the combination of devices and network load. As performance varies considerably between IEC 61850 devices commercially available, it is important to test devices with regard to the requirements of the planned application.

Green power and micro-grids: what does that mean? There are many types of earth-friendly power sources, from wind, solar (photo voltaic), fuel cell, thermal, bio-mass, and many varieties of each. The application of micro-grid technology to green power sources involves the application of a smaller scale source (typically 1 kW to 50 kW) that offers the most effective solution for the end user.

As a direct connection to the utility grid or as a stand-alone island, there are advantages and disadvantages to both. Understanding the system and how to properly test, commission, and validate performance is critical if the system is to function properly and efficiently. This presentation will explore the integration of the electrical equipment to the grid, how to identify specific power sources that offer the most cost effective application to the grid, and what steps are necessary to properly test and commission the equipment.

Free user's group meeting open to all users of PowerDB software. Register for this event by contacting Anne Moulton at 979-690-7925 ext 702 or anne(at)powerdb(dot)com.

A clear and realistic set of objectives goes a long way in driving continuous improvements in electrical safety.  Resources can be allocated and priorities can be defined once objectives are set.  The Risk Control Hierarchy (RCH) in the ANSI-Z10 standard provides electrical safety professionals with an excellent roadmap for setting the right safety objectives that result in the reduction of electrical risks.  For example, when a Department of Energy electrical safety program is analyzed under the light of the RCH, many potential electrical safety improvements begin to jump off the page.  The RCH not only helps improve a plant electrical safety program, but it also inspires manufacturers to improve their electrical equipment designs.  Lastly, the RCH provides a means to measure the effectiveness of an electrical safety initiative much the same way a project manager uses financial measurements (Return on Investment or Payback Analysis) to evaluate a project.

Every year transformers are tested and maintained with the primary focus on the core and coils and tank load tap-changers in an effort to prevent premature failures. A myriad of electrical tests are performed but often the external components of a transformer are often overlooked. This paper focuses on those external items such as pumps, fans, and the drive systems for load tap-changers.

In recent years many large wind power generation facilities have been constructed and commissioned. With capacities often times exceeding 100 MW, today’s modern large scale wind generation facilities have unique requirements. This presentation will discuss the utility interface substation, distribution voltage power collector system, pad-mounted medium-voltage transformers, and down-tower/up-tower power generation systems.

This paper will describe the integration of value engineering (VE) suitable for the enhancement of existing and the design of new electrical maintenance programs. Providing quality and value is a challenging, organized effort in the development of an electrical maintenance program tailored to individual facilities. Simply stated, quality management is doing the job right and value management is doing the right job. Value engineering has been around for 50 years, but its methodology and model are generally misunderstood, misapplied, or simply forgotten. Facilities maintenance programs are often “cookie-cutter design,” not well supported by the reliability outcome and cost benefits specific to the customer. As an enabler towards VE modeling, the utilization of function analysis system techniques (FAST) is an effective tool which will be demonstrated in this paper with practical examples. The integration of VE while adhering to national standards and industry practices such as NETA and NFPA 70B will be addressed. The implementation of VE methodology will find many benefits for electrical service companies as well as in-house maintenance departments.