3-phase flips
There are some insidious wiring errors that happen with 3-phase power quality instruments which can make it look the instrument has failed. Here’s a table that will help you recognize one of the nastiest ones. [read full article]
Fourier for Power Signals
We are huge fans of the Goertzel DTFT for frequency domain analysis of power signals. This is a short paper by my colleague Dr. Kartikeya Tripathi from April 2010 written in the context of an instrument based on the ADE7878 IC from Analog Devices. He goes through the background and explains the issues in the first 3 sections and then presents the Goertzel IIR filter approach in Section 4. [read full article]
Fulcriron paper on Overvoltages and Insulation
This compact paper written by D. Fulchiron of Merlin Gerin in 1995 remains one of the best treatments of overvoltages and insulation requirements for utilities in the DJA library. Merlin Gerin is a major manufacturer of circuit breakers and other distribution equipment and was acquired by Schneider Electric in 1992. It is unfortunate that there does not appear to be a proper reference to this paper anywhere for citation but it’s just so helpful we include the entire text here. [read full article]
PRIME technical overview
This is a brief technical overview of the PRIME OFDM PLC system that is finding increasing application for AMI systems in Europe. [read full article]
Schneider MV Design Guide
This publication from Schneider Electric and is just so useful, compact and well-done that we include the entire text here. This is a valuable reference for all relevant aspects of the medium voltage environment that forms the distribution segment of the electricity grid. [read full article]
Sorensen Lecture on Symmetrical Components
This is the slide deck from a lecture on Symmetrical Components by Dean Sorensen of National Grid. Dean’s lecture was presented under the auspices of the IEEE Power Engineering Society in the Boston area in the Fall of 2013. Working knowledge of this approach which derives from a paper by Charles Fortescue back in 1918 is essential in this business. Unfortunately the ideas don’t come easily and take considerable getting-used-to. Dean’s presentation is the best short treatment of the topic we’ve seen. [read full article]