Friday, 6 August 2021
Tuesday, 22 June 2021
The biodegradable battery
A sandwich of four layers
To build a functioning supercapacitor from these ingredients, four layers are needed, all flowing out of the 3D printer one after the other: a flexible substrate, a conductive layer, the electrode and finally the electrolyte. The whole thing is then folded up like a sandwich, with the electrolyte in the center.
What emerges is an ecological miracle. The mini-capacitor from the lab can store electricity for hours and can already power a small digital clock. It can withstand thousands of charge and discharge cycles and years of storage, even in freezing temperatures, and is resistant to pressure and shock.
Biodegradable power supply
Best of all, though, when you no longer need it, you could toss it in the compost or simply leave it in nature. After two months, the capacitor will have disintegrated, leaving only a few visible carbon particles. The researchers have already tried this, too.
"It sounds quite simple, but it wasn't at all," says Xavier Aeby of Empa's Cellulose & Wood Materials lab. It took an extended series of tests until all the parameters were right, until all the components flowed reliably from the printer and the capacitor worked. Says Aeby: "As researchers, we don't want to just fiddle about, we also want to understand what's happening inside our materials."
Together with his supervisor, Gustav Nyström, Aeby developed and implemented the concept of a biodegradable electricity storage device. Aeby studied microsystems engineering at EPFL and came to Empa for his doctorate. Nyström and his team have been investigating functional gels based on nanocellulose for some time. The material is not only an environmentally friendly, renewable raw material, but its internal chemistry makes it extremely versatile. "The project of a biodegradable electricity storage system has been close to my heart for a long time," Nyström says. "We applied for Empa internal funding with our project, Printed Paper Batteries, and were able to start our activities with this funding. Now we have achieved our first goal."
Application in the Internet of Things
The supercapacitor could soon become a key component for the Internet of Things, Nyström and Aeby expect. "In the future, such capacitors could be briefly charged using an electromagnetic field, for example, then they could provide power for a sensor or a microtransmitter for hours." This could be used, for instance, to check the contents of individual packages during shipping. Powering sensors in environmental monitoring or agriculture is also conceivable -- there's no need to collect these batteries again, as they could be left in nature to degrade.
The number of electronic microdevices will also be increasing due to a much more widespread use of near-patient laboratory diagnostics ("point of care testing"), which is currently booming. Small test devices for use at the bedside or self-testing devices for diabetics are among them. "A disposable cellulose capacitor could also be well suited for these applications," says Gustav Nyström.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA). Original written by Rainer Klose. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
News Article - India’s first drop in annual power demand
Pandemic causes India’s first drop in annual power demand in 15 years
Demand from state distribution utilities dropped 1.1%, marking the first such decline in records going back to 2006, data from the Central Electricity Authority show.
India’s annual electricity demand contracted for the first time in at least 15 years, as one of the world’s strictest lockdowns slashed power consumption during the early months of the year ended March.
Demand from state distribution utilities dropped 1.1%, marking the first such decline in records going back to 2006, data from the Central Electricity Authority show. Peak demand during the year rose to 190.2 gigawatts, about half of the country’s installed capacity, from almost 184 gigawatts in the prior year.
Consumption fell as businesses, offices and factories were shuttered after a nationwide lockdown was imposed in March last year. Still, power demand has rebounded as India became one of the few major economies to post growth in the last quarter of 2020, helped by a boost in government spending and the reopening of the economy. Strong demand is key for India to draw investors to its power industry as it seeks fresh capital for its clean-energy transition.
Source Courtesy: Economic Times
Tuesday, 20 April 2021
Five trends that will dominate Indian power sector in 2021
While power demand is expected to slowly limp back to high-single digits in tandem with GDP growth, several over-arching fundamental trends are expected to drive the sector's transformation in 2021.
New Delhi: 2021 promises to be a year of hope and optimism. Despite the challenges of ill-fated 2020, current backdrop of recovery in global sentiment, bounce back in local demand, ample liquidity and favorable oil prices provides a supportive launchpad for India to lead the journey of economic recovery in 2021. One sector which is expected to play a crucial role in this recovery is the Indian power sector.
In the wake of the challenges of a global pandemic, nationwide lockdown, unprecedented collapse in country’s economic activity and GDP, 2020 has also left behind a lot of learnings. The world as we know it has changed and with it has emerged a new perspective to face challenges by constantly evolving and pre-empting the changing need of the consumers and businesses. While the power demand is expected to slowly limp back to high-single digits in tandem with GDP growth, several over-arching fundamental trends are expected to drive the sector transformation in 2021:
1.Technology: The catalyst
Historically, Indian power sector has been characterized by power-cuts, economic losses, system inefficiencies and archaic last mile networks. While the sector has been undergoing an overhaul over the last few years, the coronavirus pandemic underscored the need of accelerated technological upgradation. Going forward, the focus on implementation of smart technologies like an evolved grid system, smart metering, digital asset management will help transform the seemingly traditional, manpower-heavy sector into a smarter, more efficient power system with each element in the value chain re-imagining their processes and streamlining infrastructure.
2.Green Energy: The way forward
Renewable energy is expected to form 70% of fresh capacity expansion expected over the next 5 years. This would help achieve India’s commitment to increase renewable share in total generation to 40% by fiscal 2030 from current 25% as part of the Paris climate deal. According to International Energy Agency (IEA), India would be the largest contributor to the renewable upswing in 2021, and the country’s annual additions are expected to double in 2021 compared to 2020. Strong government focus which is evident from the fiscal and regulatory incentives, viability gap funding and execution support in terms of land and evacuation infrastructure is expected to support this upswing. Apart from the support for setting up new capacities, the government has lent significant comfort to private investors by ensuring better payment security mechanism and enforcement of signed PPAs to avoid tariff-related disputes. While most of the upcoming PPAs under the central level schemes have at least two layered payment mechanisms (i.e. letter of credit and payment security funds), going forward with the finalization of competitive bidding guidelines by MNRE, even state nodal agencies and discoms will have to keep provisions for dual payment security mechanism. Additionally, the improved availability of low-cost finance will fuel the capacity addition and help sustain the private sector interest. Sizeable investments are also expected in improving the energy storage solutions and dynamic load management which would help in maintaining constant generation, thereby producing a smooth generation curve and reducing a sharp ramp–up or ramp-down for other plants connected to the grid.
3.Transmission: The missing link
Historically, a lion's share of investment in power sector has flown into adding generation capacities. But in order to ensure reliable and uninterrupted flow of electricity, every megawatt of new generation capacity needs to be matched with a certain transformation capacity added to the system. Going forward, significant development in the transmission sector would be triggered by the aggressive renewable expansion plans. Large scale grid connected solar and wind plants are usually located in the far-flung areas, where there is limited existing transmission infrastructure. Renewable power generating companies have urged for adequate grid availability in the past. This will urgently need an expansion of grid connectivity in the next two years to be able to accomplish the renewable energy target. Furthermore, rising private sector participation with favourable risk-return profile of transmission projects will also support growth in transmission sector in India. With the renewed government focus on alleviating congestion, providing reliable power to all and strengthening inter-regional grid availability, transmission capacities are expected to grow at a robust pace in 2021.
4.Private participation : The fuel for future growth
Over the last few months, we have witnessed a liquidity glut across major economies on the back of fiscal support by central banks. This liquidity is chasing returns and higher yields which augments well for India as India has managed to recoil from the shock of coranavirus faster than other country. This, coupled with the under-penetration, favourable demographic and govt's atmanirbhar push puts India firmly on an accelerated growth plan and makes India a compelling investment opportunity for foreign capital hungry for growth. A huge amount of this foreign capital is expected to flow into Indian infrastructure sector. One mode which is expected to facilitate this flow is InvITs and REITs.
5. Policy reforms: Unfinished business
Over the last few years, Indian power sector has undergone a significant transformation that has redefined the industry outlook through path-breaking policy initiatives like UDAY, Power for All, UJALA, among others. While discoms reforms have achieved limited financial success, recent policy reforms like payment security mechanism, power-cut penalization, Electricity Amendment Bill will go a long way in bringing in efficiencies into the sector. India has already kick-started the process of privatization of its power distribution territories in the union territories (UTs), with bids being called for purchase of entire 100% stake in the Chandigarh discom. But going forward, a similar privatization drive for state transmission companies should be undertaken to free-up government capital and allow parity with industry efficiency. The government may also want to re-initiate discussions around “carriage and content separation” which would effectively allow end-consumers to choose who they want to buy electricity from, similar to the way telecom operators work. This would usher in competition, forcing discoms to improve their performance standards, and adopt a more consumer-centric approach rather than remain geographical monopolies.
[This piece was authored by Harsh Shah, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGrid]
Source :ETenergyworld
Monday, 19 April 2021
Invitation to the Knowledge Expo 2021 (3D virtual platform) organized by TecKXpert Group: 17 April - 17th May, 2021
We Cordially Invite you to register and Visit Our 3D
Virtual Stall - Click the below link
Tuesday, 11 August 2020
Round-trip Efficiency of Lithium Ion Battery
Another common term with batteries is round-trip efficiency. When you put energy into a battery and then take it out again, the battery system consumes some of that energy during the process. In a nutshell, round-trip efficiency refers to how much energy you can draw from the battery, compared to how much you put in.
As a quick example, if you put 5 kWh of energy into your battery, and can only draw out 4 kWh of usable energy, your battery has a round-trip efficiency of 80%.
As you may gather, the higher the percentage, the more efficient your system is – and the more usable energy you can access.
Lead acid batteries generally have a round-trip efficiency somewhere in the ballpark of 80%. This means that for every 10 kWh of energy you put into your battery, you can draw 8kWh back out.
Lithium batteries offer an even higher round-trip efficiency, generally around 90% (such as the Tesla Powerwall 2). Lithium batteries are very efficient at storing and discharging energy, consuming very little in the process.
In summary, both battery types are efficient, but lithium has the edge in terms of how much stored energy is returned as usable energy. It’s a significant factor to consider, as even a 5% difference can equal thousands of kilowatt-hours of electricity over the lifetime of your system.
Click below to Read our other article /blog related to Lithium Ion Battery
Friday, 7 August 2020
Thursday, 6 August 2020
MAJOR POWER QUALITY ISSUES DUE TO SOLAR PV DISTRIBUTED GENERATION (DG)
Distributed generation (DG) refers to a variety of technologies that generate electricity near the end users. Some of the DG technologies are solar panels, and combined heat and power (CHP). They may serve a single structure (such as a home or an industry), or a major industrial facility, a large hospital, or a college campus, as part of a microgrid (a smaller grid that is also tied into the larger electricity delivery system). These systems may or may not be connected to the electric grid. When connected to the electric utility’s low voltage distribution lines, DG systems can support the delivery of clean, reliable power to additional customers and help reduce transmission and distribution losses.
Distributed Generation (DG) generally refers to small-scale (typically ranging from 1 kW – 50 MW) electric power generators that produce electricity at a site close to customers or that are tied to an electric distribution system. As of May 2015, India had a cumulative distributed Solar PV capacity of about 400 MW and is expected to witness significant growth owing to increasing economic viability and a facilitating regulatory framework in many states. It is one of the most promising DG source and their penetration level to the grid is also on the rise.
The integration of solar PVDG in power systems can alleviate overloading in transmission or distribution lines, provide peak shaving, and support the general grid requirement. However, improper coordination, location, and installation may affect the quality of power systems. When integrating DG, the inverter forms the heart of a grid-tied solar PV system and is responsible for the quality of power generated/injected into the grid. While it handles the important operating parameters such as voltage and frequency range, it also affects the quality of the solar power being injected into the grid.
Primarily through three major PQ issues:
Harmonics
Flicker
DC Injection
Long duration voltage variations
Harmonic issues due to DG
Harmonics are electric voltages and currents that appear in the grid as a result of non-linear electric loads. In the solar system,
Harmonics are caused in the conversion of DC to AC power by the inverter.
Another factor that influences harmonic distortion in a power system is the number of PVDG units connected to the power system. The interaction between grid components and a group of PVDG units can amplify harmonic distortion.
The increasing use of harmonic-producing equipment on the customer side such as adjustable speed drives also creates issues like greater propagation of harmonics in the system, shortened lifetime of the electronic equipment, and motor and wiring overheating. In addition, harmonics can flow back to the supply line and affect other customers at the PCC.
Flicker issues due to DG
A DG installation may increase the flicker level during start/stop or if it has continuous variations in input power because of a fluctuating energy source. In the case of a solar energy generator, the output fluctuates significantly as the sun intensity changes. Moreover, Squirrel cage induction generators have a high possibility to make flicker level worse because of an inability to actively control terminal voltage.
It is typically caused by the use of large fluctuating loads, i.e. loads that have rapidly fluctuating active and reactive power demand. Flicker effect occurs when one generating source reactive power output increases or decreases faster than the remaining generators can compensate. Flicker does not harm equipment, but in weak grids with a higher possibility of voltage fluctuations, the perceived flicker can be very disturbing to customers.
DC Injection issues due to DG
Grid connected inverters are used to convert the DC power, thus obtained into AC power for further utilization. Thus, inverters connecting a PV system and the public grid are purposefully designed for energy transfers. However, due to approximate short circuit characteristics of AC network, a little DC voltage component can accidentally be produced by grid connected inverters which can create large DC current injections. If output transformers are not used, these inverters must prevent excessive DC current injection, which may cause detrimental effects on the network components, in particular the network transformers which can saturate, resulting in irritant tripping. This may also increase the losses and reduce the lifetime of the transformers, if not tripped. Moreover, the existence of the DC current component can induce metering errors and malfunction of protection relays and can create an adverse effect on the overall functioning of the solar power plant.
Other effects within transformers include excessive losses (i.e. overheating), generation of harmonics, acoustic noise emission, and residual magnetism. In addition, there is evidence for the seriousness of corrosion risks associated with DC currents in the grid.
Long Duration Voltage Variations
Overvoltage and undervoltage are generally not the result of system faults but are caused by load variations on the system and system switching operations. DG technologies, mainly the renewable systems like solar can cause long duration voltage variations. Small-distributed generation (less than 1 MW) is not powerful enough to regulate the voltage and is dominated by the daily voltage changes in the utility system. Small DG is almost universally required to interconnect with a fixed power factor or fixed reactive power control. Large voltage changes in distribution network are possible if there is a significant penetration of dispersed, smaller DG’s generating power at a constant power factor. Suddenly connecting or disconnecting such generation can result in a relatively large voltage change that will persist until recognized by the voltage-regulating system.
Solution:
Emerich Energy have solutions for all types of Power Quality Challenges, The potential PQ Analysis and mitigation of Harmonics and other Variations are the solutions to increase hoisting of solar PV capacity in distribution grid.
Wednesday, 5 August 2020
Depth of Discharge (DOD) and Usable Energy in Lithium Ion Battery
The term depth of discharge (DOD), and this refers to how much of the total capacity can be used before the battery needs to be recharged again.
To help explain this one, it’s time for a quick exercise:
Suppose you have a 10-litre bucket, and you fill the bucket with water. Now, how much water can you take out of the bucket?
10 litres, right? Of course, you are correct.
Now, suppose you have a 10 kWh (kilowatt-hour) battery, and you fill the battery with electricity. How much electricity can you take out of the battery?
10kWh, right? Well, in this case, not quite.
Batteries don’t work in quite the same way buckets do. It’s important to understand that the capacity of a battery is not the same amount of energy you can draw from it. You’ll often hear the term depth of discharge (DOD), and this refers to how much of the total capacity can be used before the battery needs to be recharged again.
Lead acid batteries have a somewhat shallow DOD, which is generally recommended around 20-30%. This means if your battery bank can hold 10 kWh of energy, you can only access 2-3 kWh of usable energy. You can draw more than this, but you risk damaging the batteries and shortening their lifespan. To this end, most systems have control systems to prevent this from happening.
Lithium batteries can be discharged much further – as much as 80% or in some cases even 100%. This means that with a 10 kWh battery, you’ll get at least 8 kWh of usable energy – or maybe even the full 10 kWh. The Tesla Powerwall 2, for example, permits a 100% DOD without any adverse effects on the battery lifespan or warranty. At Off Grid Energy, we recommend around an 80% DOD to extend the battery lifespan as long as possible.
In summary, lithium batteries easily have the advantage when it comes to how much electricity you can draw from them. With some batteries able to discharge all the way down to 0% capacity and recharge back up to 100%, they give you access to more usable energy, more often.
See the below article for the difference between Lithium & Lead Acid Batteries
Tuesday, 4 August 2020
Li-ION vs. lead-acid batteries - which is best for your operation?
One of the most important components of an electric kart is the battery. So, we will help you compare the most common solutions: lead acid or lithium.
Most of the electric karts on the market equip lead acid batteries. However, even though more than 90% of the sector is concentrated on this type of batteries as they are more economical, acquiring lithium batteries will make the investment much more profitable because of its multiple advantages.
Differences between lithium and lead acid batteries
The main differences wherein lithium batteries stand out more than traditional lead acid batteries are as follows:
They provide higher energy density: Lithium ion is a more cutting-edge type of battery, unlike traditional lead acid battery, has a much higher energy density and therefore can store energy while taking up less space with a lower weight. In addition, they are differentiated by their energy efficiency and higher performance, since they are 30% more energy efficient than a tradition battery of lead acid, that is, they represent a lower energy consumption, achieving even better results than those that would be achieved with lead acid batteries.
Thursday, 30 July 2020
IMPACT OF POWER QUALITY PROBLEMS
Power is simply the flow of energy and the current demanded by a load is largely uncontrollable. “Power quality” is a convenient term for many; it is the quality of the voltage, rather than power or electric current.
The performance of electronic devices is directly linked to the power quality level in a facility. The electric power industry comprises electricity generation (AC power), electric power transmission and ultimately electricity distribution to an electricity meter located at the premises of the end user of the electric power. The electricity then moves through the wiring system of the end user until it reaches the load. The complexity of the system to move electric energy from the point of production to the point of consumption combined with variations in weather, generation, demand and other factors provide many opportunities for the quality of supply to be compromised
Without the proper power, an electrical device may malfunction, fail prematurely or not operate at all. There are many ways in which electric power can be of poor quality and many more causes of such poor quality power. Some of the most common power supply problems and their likely effect on sensitive equipment:
1. Voltage surges/spikes
Voltage surges/spikes are the opposite of dips – a rise that may be nearly instantaneous (spike) or takes place over a longer duration (surge). A voltage surge takes place when the voltage is 110% or more above normal. The most common cause is heavy electrical equipment being turned off. Under these conditions, computer systems and other high tech equipment can experience flickering lights, equipment shutoff, errors or memory loss. Possible Solutions are surge suppressors, voltage regulators, uninterrupted power supplies, power conditioners
2. Voltage Dips
Short duration under-voltages are called “Voltage Sags” or “Voltage Dips [IEC]”. Voltage sag [5, 6] is a reduction in the supply voltage magnitude followed by a voltage recovery after a short period of time. The major cause of voltage dips on a supply system is a fault on the system, i.e. sufficiently remote electrically that a voltage interruption does not occur. Other sources are the starting of large loads and, occasionally, the supply of large inductive loads [6]. The impact on consumers may range from the annoying (non-periodic light flicker) to the serious (tripping of sensitive loads and stalling of motors.
3. Under voltages
Excessive network loading, loss of generation, incorrectly set transformer taps and voltage regulator malfunctions, causes under voltage. Loads with a poor power factor or a general lack of reactive power support on a network also contribute. Under voltage can also indirectly lead to overloading problems as equipment takes an increased current to maintain power output (e.g. motor loads)
4. High-Voltage Spikes
High-voltage spikes occur when there is a sudden voltage peak of up to 6,000 volts. These spikes are usually the result of nearby lightning strikes, but there can be other causes as well. The effects on vulnerable electronic systems can include loss of data and burned circuit boards. Possible Solutions are using Surge Suppressors, Voltage Regulators, Uninterrupted Power Supplies, Power Conditioners
5. Frequency Variation
A frequency variation involves a change in frequency from the normally stable utility frequency of 50 or 60 Hz, depending on your geographic location. This may be caused by erratic operation of emergency generators or unstable frequency power sources. For sensitive equipment, the results can be data loss, program failure, equipment lock-up or complete shutdown. Possible Solutions are using Voltage Regulators and Power Conditioners
6. Power Sag
Power sags are a common power quality problem. Despite being a short duration (10ms to 1s) event during which a reduction in the RMS voltage magnitude takes place, a small reduction in the system voltage can cause serious consequences. Sages are usually caused by system faults, and often the result of switching on loads with high demand startup currents. For more details about power sags visit our newsletter archives. Possible Solutions are using Voltage Regulators, Uninterrupted Power Supplies, and Power Conditioners
7. Electrical Line Noise
Electrical line noise is defined as Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) and Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and causes unwanted effects in the circuits of computer systems. Sources of the problems include motors, relays, motor control devices, broadcast transmissions, microwave radiation, and distant electrical storms. RFI, EMI and other frequency problems can cause equipment to lock-up, and data error or loss. Possible Solutions are using Voltage Regulators, Uninterrupted Power Supplies, and Power Conditioners
8. Brownouts
A brownout is a steady lower voltage state. An example of a brownout is what happens during peak electrical demand in the summer, when utilities can’t always meet the requirements and must lower the voltage to limit maximum power. When this happens, systems can experience glitches, data loss and equipment failure. Possible Solutions are using Voltage Regulators, Uninterrupted Power Supplies, and Power Conditioners
9. Blackouts
A power failure or blackout is a zero-voltage condition that lasts for more than two cycles. It may be caused by tripping a circuit breaker, power distribution failure or utility power failure. A blackout can cause data loss or corruption and equipment damage. Possible Solutions is using Generators
10. Very short interruptions
Total interruption of electrical supply for duration from few milliseconds to one or two seconds. Mainly due to the opening and automatic re-closure of protection devices to decommission a faulty section of the network. The main fault causes are insulation failure, lightning and insulator flash-over. Consequences of these interruptions are tripping of protection devices, loss of information and malfunction of data processing equipment
11. Long interruptions
Long interruption of electrical supply for duration greater than 1 to 2 seconds. The main fault causes are Equipment failure in the power system network, storms and objects (trees, cars, etc) striking lines or poles, fire, human error, bad coordination or failure of protection devices. A consequence of these interruptions is stoppage of all equipment
12. Voltage swell
Momentary increase of the voltage, at the power frequency, outside the normal tolerances, with duration of more than one cycle and typically less than a few seconds. The main causes are Start/stop of heavy loads, badly dimensioned power sources, badly regulated transformers (mainly during off-peak hours).Consequences is data loss, flickering of lighting and screens, stoppage or damage of sensitive equipment, if the voltage values are too high
13. Harmonic distortion
Voltage or current waveforms assume non-sinusoidal shape. The waveform corresponds to the sum of different sine-waves with different magnitude and phase, having frequencies that are multiples of power-system frequency. Main Causes are Classic sources: electric machines working above the knee of the magnetization curve (magnetic saturation), arc furnaces, welding machines, rectifiers, and DC brush motors. Modern sources: all non-linear loads, such as power electronics equipment including ASDs, switched mode power supplies, data processing equipment, high efficiency lighting. Consequences are increased probability in occurrence of resonance, neutral overload in 3-phase systems, overheating of all cables and equipment, loss of efficiency in electric machines, electromagnetic interference with communication systems, and errors in measures when using average reading meters, nuisance tripping of thermal protections.
14. Voltage fluctuation
Oscillation of voltage value, amplitude modulated by a signal with frequency of 0 to 30 Hz. Causes are arc furnaces, frequent start/stop of electric motors (for instance elevators), oscillating loads. Consequences are most consequences are common to under voltages. The most perceptible consequence is the flickering of lighting and screens, giving the impression of unsteadiness of visual perception
15. Noise
Superimposing of high frequency signals on the waveform of the power-system frequency. Main Causes are Electromagnetic interference provoked by Hertzian waves such as microwaves, television diffusion, and radiation due to welding machines, arc furnaces, and electronic equipment. Improper grounding may also be a cause. Consequences are disturbances on sensitive electronic equipment, usually not destructive. It may cause data loss and data processing errors
16. Voltage Unbalance
A voltage variation in a three-phase system in which the three voltage magnitudes or the phase angle differences between them are not equal. Causes are large single-phase loads (induction furnaces, traction loads), incorrect distribution of all single-phase loads by the three phases of the system (this may be also due to a fault). Consequences are Unbalanced systems imply the existence of a negative sequence that is harmful to all three phase loads. The most affected loads are three-phase induction machines.
Tuesday, 28 July 2020
Tuesday, 21 July 2020
Basic Energy saving tips for manufacturers
There are some more basic energy saving steps that everyone should investigate first. These can make a sizable dent on your electricity bills and improve the overall energy efficiency of your facility.
1. Lighting
Switching off lights remains one of the easiest ways to save on energy but it’s surprising how often lights are kept on, even when no one is in the lit area. This problem is compounded in when employees go in and out of various buildings and work areas as they go about their duties.
Incorporate automated lighting systems that make adjustments based on the room’s occupancy or daylight availability. You can also install day/night switches to automatically control outdoor lighting. Additionally, install motion detector sensors that only switch lights on when the area is in use.
2. Turn off and run equipment only when required
Ensure you shut off machinery and equipment when not in use. Walking through your plant after-hours and ensuring equipment is powered down when not in use can result in significant savings over time.
Specifically, reduce the operating pressure of your air compressor, check for leakages, and turn it off completely when not in use. Compressed air alone accounts for 10 per cent of industrial power usage across industrial sectors, according Compressed Air System Guide.
3. Clean and maintain equipment
Regular cleaning and planned maintenance of your electrical and mechanical equipment will go a long way towards optimising its performance and lifespan, which can translate to energy efficiency savings.
4. Air conditioning and heating
According to Siemens, heating and cooling uses around 20 to 40 percent of a building’s energy.
Newer heating and cooling systems will be far more efficient than old ones, so it may be worth getting systems more than 10 years old replaced. Both blow heaters and portable radiators use significant amounts of electricity and will chew through the power bills so discourage their use. Lastly ensure your air conditioning and heating are set to the optimum points during the seasons.
‘Setting the temperature to 25 degrees Celsius could cut your office's daily air-conditioning energy consumption by 18 per cent,’
5. Insulation
Insulation acts as a barrier against temperature shifts, making it much easier to keep the workplace warmer in winter and cooler in summer. By installing insulation in the roof, and walls of your workspace, you can reduce the amount of energy needed to maintain room temperature during heat loss and heat gain. This is one of the most practical and cost effective ways to make your facility more energy efficient.
6. Replace existing lights with LED
LED bulbs use about a quarter of the energy to produce the same light as halogens and can last five to ten times longer. This makes them the logical lighting choice for energy savings, particularly when manufacturing workspaces need adequate and plentiful lighting.
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7. Check air conditioning lines
Make sure that pipe lagging on all refrigerant lines are intact as insulation is absolutely crucial, especially if the air conditioner is an outdoor unit. If the air conditioner lines are not insulated, it's just absorbing heat from the environment and cooling the outside air instead of the building and vice versa in winter.
8. Hire an Energy Audit or Power Quality Company (Emerich Energy)
Power Quality Experts like Emerich Team & Energy auditors are specialists who are trained to look through your factory and offices, and come up with professional ideas for helping you cut energy consumption rates. Think Power Quality consultant who helps you figure out legal ways to cut down your tax rates. Energy auditors can also look through your electricity bills to see if your utility company has been ripping you off, and proffer effective solutions to that.
9. Buy Emerich Brand Energy Saving Equipments
When buying new equipment, make sure they are designed to conserve energy. Equipment manufacturers are becoming increasingly aware of the need for people to conserve energy at their offices and factories so they now make energy efficient versions of their products. Look out for these versions anytime you need to replace or purchase new equipment and if you can afford it, you could change all your old equipment to new, energy efficient ones.
10. Use Renewable Energy Sources
Solar energy can give you a free source of energy that you can use without having to pay a dime. Consider installing a solar panel in your office or factory so that you can take advantage of solar energy instead of paying for electricity.
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Saturday, 18 July 2020
Considerations to choose power cable!
Copper or Aluminium?
Thousands of cable types are used throughout the world. They are found in applications ranging from fibre-optic links for data and telecommunication purposes through to EHV underground power transmission at 275 kV or higher.
Certain design principles are common to power cables, whether they are used in the industrial sector or by the electricity supply industry.
For many cable types the conductors may be of copper or aluminium.
The initial decision made by a purchaser will be based on price, weight, cable diameter, availability, the expertise of the jointers available, cable flexibility and the risk of theft.
What to choose?
Once a decision has been made, however, that type of conductor will generally then be retained by that user, without being influenced by the regular changes in relative price which arise from the volatile metals market.
"For most power cables the form of conductor will be solid aluminium, stranded aluminium, solid copper (for small wiring sizes) or stranded copper, although the choice may be limited in certain cable standards"
Solid conductors provide for easier fitting of connectors and setting of the cores at joints and terminations. Cables with stranded conductors are easier to install because of their greater flexibility, and for some industrial applications a highly flexible conductor is necessary.
Where cable route lengths are relatively short, a multi-core cable is generally cheaper and more convenient to install than single-core cable.
Single-core cables are sometimes used in circuits where high load currents require the use of large conductor sizes, between 500 mm2 and 1200 mm2.
In these circumstances, the parallel connection of two or more multi-core cables would be necessary in order to achieve the required rating and this presents installation difficulties, especially at termination boxes.
Single-core cable
Single-core cable might also be preferred where duct sizes are small, where longer cable runs are needed between joint bays or where jointing and termination requirements dictate their use.
"It is sometimes preferable to use 3-core cable in the main part of the route length, and to use single-core cable to enter the restricted space of a termination box"
In this case, a transition from one cable type to the other is achieved using trifurcating joints which are positioned several metres from the termination box.
Armoured cables
Armoured cables are available for applications where the rigours of installation are severe and where a high degree of external protection against impact during service is required.
Steel Wire Armour (SWA) cables are commonly available although Steel Tape Armour (STA) cables are also available. Generally, SWA is preferred because it enables the cable to be drawn into an installation using a pulling stocking which grips the outside of the oversheath and transfers all the pulling tension to the SWA. This cannot normally be done with STA cables because of the risk of dislocating the armour tapes during the pull.
Glanding arrangements for SWA are simpler and they allow full usage of its excellent earth fault capability. In STA, the earth fault capability is much reduced and the retention of this capability at glands is more difficult.
Also please read our article about How Harmonics effect the Power Cable below
Source:EEP
Wednesday, 15 July 2020
Checklist to Identify When Power Quality Analysis Required
The following checklist identifies situations where an engineering study is probably required.
Mandatory Power Quality Analysis is required unders following Conditions:
- capacitors are being added for the first time
- capacitors are currently installed and additional capacitors are being added
- capacitors are currently installed and problems are being encountered.
- If capacitors being added to a system where 20% of the connected load is harmonic sources?
- If there been unexplained operations of fuses or other protective devices
- If the measured RMS capacitor currents 135% (or greater) of rated current
- If there been any failures of capacitors currently installed at the facility
- If there been any instances of swelling or unusual noises on capacitors currently installed at the facility
- If there been unexplained failures or misoperations of sensitive equipment?
- If there been an unusual number of motor and failures or unexplained motor failures?
- Has the utility imposed harmonic limits?
- Is a plant expansion currently being planned that might include additional harmonic sources?
- Is there on-site generation that will provide power to a significant number of harmonic sources?
Good power quality is extremely important in “high-tech” facilities such as manufacturing plants, data centres, hospitals, and, as well as in “low-tech” facilities such as government buildings and commercial enterprises with limited tolerance for electrical disturbances. See the Below Article
Tuesday, 14 July 2020
Basics about kWh Vs kVAh Billing System & Comparison
This Article provides a detailed technical understanding of the kWh vs kVAh regime and charts out the need for reactive power in the electricity distribution system and importance of reduction of reactive power.
Power Factor: Power factor (pf) is defined as the ratio of active power to the apparent power of the system i.e. pf = kWh/kVAh
As shown in Fig, the quantities P, Q and S are represented by a power triangle.
Ideally the power factor is required to be unity. However, the power factor is leading if the load is predominantly capacitive and lagging if the load is predominantly inductive. PF incentives are given on electricity bill if the Power Factor is between 0.95 to 1. On other hand, penalties are levied if the Power Factor is below 0.9. It is therefore required that consumer should maintain higher power factor above 0.95 through proper compensation.
Power factor ratio is also equal to the cosine of the phase angle between true power and apparent power. It should be noted that power factor, like all ratio measurements, is a unitless quantity.
As can be seen from the figure above, “power factor” can also be defined as the cosine of the electrical angle between the voltage and current vectors in an AC electrical circuit. However, power factor is not dependent upon the magnitude of the voltage and current but the phase angle between the voltage and current vectors.
The active power (kWh) is actually consumed by the electrical equipment and converted into work for creating heat, light, motion etc. However the reactive power (kVArh) is just used to provide the electromagnetic field in the inductive equipment, stored up in the windings of the equipment. Therefore while the kWh power is actually put to work, the kVArh power is just required to convert the
electrical power into work.
Two Part Tariff:-
Generally, the two-part tariff is followed by distribution utilities for the billing of electrical energy. The two parts are – fixed charges based on installed capacity and variable charge which is based on energy utilized actually.
Further, the two additional components namely Electrically Duty which is usually some % of billed energy and Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) charges are included in the bill. Thus, the total billed amount is calculated as follows- 16% – Example value
What is kWh billing system:-
At present, in Maharashtra and some states, the consumers are billed on Active Energy Consumption measured in kWh along with other components such as ED and FCA described above.
In kWh billing system, the incentives/ penalties are levied on Power Factor.
What is kVAh Billing System:-
Electric power has two components – active power (kWh) and reactive power (kVArh). The active and reactive power components combine to form the apparent power (kVAh). The apparent power can be calculated as a Pythagoras sum of active power (kWh) and reactive power (kVArh).
In kVAh based billing system, the fixed charges or demand charges are levied on apparent power (kVA) and energy charges are levied on apparent energy (kVAh).
Because of kVAh billing system, Real and Reactive energies need not be charged separately.
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Utilization of energies |
Necessity of kVAh billing:-
Both Active (kWh) and Reactive (kVArh) energies are consumed simultaneously. Reactive Energy (kVArh) occupies the capacity of electricity network and reduces the useful capacity of system for generation and distribution & hence its consumption also needs to be billed. kWh based billing is associated with PF incentive /penalty mechanism. Considering that the kVAh based billing has an inbuilt incentive /penalty mechanism and separate mechanism for the same is no more required; instead of billing two energies separately, billing of kVAh energy is preferred as a commercial inducement.
The consumer is encouraged to draw/inject minimum reactive power.
Implementation of kVAh billing system:-
State Electricity Regulatory Commissions in various States viz. Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab etc. have already introduced kVAh based tariff for various categories.
In the state of Maharashtra, as per MERC Order in Case no. 195 of 2017 dated September 12, 2018, The Commission intends to implement kVAh billing to all HT consumer and LT consumers having load above 20 kW from 1st April 2020.
Advantages of kVAh billing system:-
Advantages to consumer:-
- kVAh billing will ensure that the consumers who will utilize the power efficiently will be paying less energy charges as compared to others who are not using the power efficiently.
- The new billing methodology will be much simpler to understand as number of parameters viz. PF, rkVAh (lead/lag), kWh units) will be reduced.
Advantages to utility:-
- Good system stability, improved power quality, improved voltage profile and reduced capital expenditure.
- Complete recovery of cost of active and reactive powers.
- Zero/ minimal drawl of reactive power by consumers.
- Reduction in power purchase cost
Thus, considering the larger benefit of consumers as well as the utility, it is important that the existing billing regime can be migrated to kVAh based billing.
Comparison between kWh and kVAh billing systems:-
Source - MSEDCL Presentation on KVAH
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