video interviews

Power Quality monitoring has become a standard task in electrical network management. Amir Broshi explains how he noticed through "real life" case studies of Power Quality troubleshooting that solving the Power Quality problem with measurements simply taken to comply with standards is sometimes not possible. He shows that by providing engineers with data beyond the standards, an unprecedented number of Power Quality events can not only be captured, but are definitively solved.

Power Quality cost analysis is always subject to different vision within the same site or company. Amir Broshi explains why such a difference in point of views exists and how they are linked to one's partial vision of a global problem. In conclusion, he offers a tool: a simple checklist to give a complete overview of poor power quality costs impacts for electricity professionals as well as the decision makers, financial and site managers.

While modern industrial facilities are enjoying huge benefits from the evolution of power electronic devices in terms of productivity, quality, or cost-reduction, their high sensitivity and little ride-through capability to common power quality disturbances result in significant economic losses.

There is still a gap when attempting to apply some of these power quality solutions in high power industrial processes for several reasons (investment, space, long-term energy losses cost, high temperatures or dirtiness, regenerative loads), since most of them were developed for IT industries.

When immunising against disturbances, purchasing cost, return on investment versus saving, maintenance cost, efficiency, size, reliability or availability are the key decision criteria to industrial decision makers.

In order to clearly identify responsibilities for voltage quality disturbances on the point of connection (POC), voltage and current requirements have to be available at the POC. So, the relationship between inrush currents, flicker severity levels and grid impedances in the low voltage grid should be explained.

Furthermore, maximum harmonic currents at the POC in low voltage grids are determined by using these grid impedances.

J Cobben explains how he and his team developed a very simple ABCDEF classification to help everybody by having a common tool with which to assess power quality requirements.

Bart Franken & Erwin Hoeskma from Kema explain what regulators need to consider in establishing an effective voltage quality regulatory framework for distribution networks. In particular, they consider the regulation of five voltage quality dimensions: short interruptions, voltage dips, flicker, supply voltage variation, and harmonic distortions. Their work assesses the most appropriate regulatory control method and presents practical experiences through a number of case studies.

In this interview, Keiichi Hirose from NTT Facilities, presents the first trial to take place in Japan in the area of power quality concepts and solutions. This field demonstration of a multiple power quality supply system is leaded by NTT Facilities. It has developed and installed a multiple power quality supply system that has the capability to feed four classes of alternative current (AC) and one of direct current (DC) power while meeting various customer requirements. The system also has three types of distributed generator (DG): gas engine sets, fuel cells, and photovoltaic panels. NTT Facilities started the project in Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 and plans to continue it for four years. A review of the project's first three years was done at the EPQU '07 conference.

Zbigniew Hanzelka from AGH University in Krakow presents his research group, the EPQU periodicals (Journal & Magazine) and the Power Quality book as well as future trends in effective utilisation of electrical power.

European utilities have a great impact on liberalisation, globalisation, regulations and environmental issues. Technology and innovation have become the key drivers to offer added value to the final clients and a strategic advantage over competitors. Eduardo Mascarell explains how Endesa is going to enhance a traditional maintenance model based on corrective and preventive tasks, into predictive models where the keyword is "reliability".The aim is to consider the critical tasks and its periodicity to achieve the best performance of the equipment.

Electricity as a commodity should satisfy strict quality requirements. In the last two decades, the customer's urge for good quality of power supply has increased due to the use of more sensitive electronic devices which on the other hand might influence the electricity network too. At present, no definite responsibility with respect to power quality (PQ) aspects at the point of connection (POC) is defined in the European standard EN50160 or other standard. So in this video interview, Sharmistha Bhattacharyya explains why voltage quality regulation is needed in today's electricity infrastructure.

You also read the paper presented at EPQU Conference.

Angelo Baggini, from the University of Bergamo presents two case studies about power quality :

• An industrial one (PFC units sizing in steel factory harmonics environment)
• A tertiary building one (Characterisation of CSS supplied emergency lighting equipment).

The conclusions of both of these case studies may have significant impact for those sectors of activity.
He also explains what use he makes of the Leonardo ENERGY website and expands upon the contribution of his organisation to LPQI and Leonardo ENERGY.

Jonathan Manson presents the results of a survey conducted by the European Copper Institute (ECI) into the consequences for EU industry of poor power quality. These add up to >€150bn annually, are mainly experienced by industry and caused by power interruptions (dips, surges, transients and short interruptions). A call for action is made using the significant and disturbing conclusions drawn from the analysis of the survey.

Leonardo ENERGY launches its video channel where you can watch interviews with sustainable energy experts around the world. In this interview, Bill Howe shares the vision of EPRI on PQ research for the next 10-20 years, and also presents a renewed and vigorous vision for the role that PQ can and should play in enhancing the economic performance of modern electric power suppliers, manufacturers, and other key industry partners.

 

 

If you want to know more after viewing the video, download this paper, which was produced at the EPQU Conference.