DERATING TRANSFORMERS – A WAY OUT OF HARMONICS
One way to protect a transformer from harmonics is to limit the amount of load placed on it. This is called “derating” the transformer. The most rigorous derating method is described in ANSI/IEEE standard C57.110-1986. It is somewhat impractical because it requires extensive loss data from the transformer manufacturer plus a complete harmonic spectrum of […]
Harmonic Survey – Guidelines
Harmonics are troublesome but cannot be avoided. However it is as a result of automation, modern electronics, with direct consequences. The objective being to locate, mitigate and optimize productivity. Harmonics are indeed a strange bedfellow that must be managed and first step towards the solution is to know where to find them. GUIDELINES A harmonic […]
Power Factor and Why It Matters
Power Factor is a measurement that compares the real power (watts) being consumed to the apparent power (Volts-Amps) of a load. A purely resistive load would have a power factor of 1.0 What does it do? The power available to perform work is called real power (kW). Inductive loads such as motors, transformers, and high-intensity […]
Surge Protection A to Z – All You Need To Know
Electronic systems have become central to virtually every aspect of our lives from PCs and building management systems in the office to automated petrol pumps and barcode scanners at the supermarket, factory, banking & financial institutions, aviation and much more. Loss of these systems would cripple Industrial, Commercial and Government organizations alike. The importance of […]
Harmonics – An overview
Harmonics are by-products of modern electronics and automation. They are especially prevalent where there are large number of personal computers, adjustable speed drives and other types of equipment that draw currents in a non-linear manner (short pulses). The consequences of harmonic distortion in our commercial and industrial establishments are not necessarily evil, but an issue […]
Lightning Protection (Structural) – Key Design Considerations
Lightning is one of nature’s most powerful and destructive phenomena, yet it is the most under rated weather hazard. With awesome amount of electrical energy (measured upto over 200,000 Amperes), wrecking tremendous havoc to life and infrastructure on its trail across all sectors, despite its brief duration of fractions of a second. The consequences of […]
How To Protect Your Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
The PV systems are gaining popularity in the Renewable Energy sector. Despite the upsurge of the systems and its numerous benefits, they are exposed to the risk of Lightning strikes. PV systems are vulnerable to Electrical Surges or Transient overvoltages, that may enter the system following a direct Lightning strike to a structural LPS or […]
LIGHTNING 101 – 12 Key Facts
1. On average, Lightning strikes the earth 100 times every second, and Nigeria and the West Africa region has one of the highest number of thunderstorm days per annum in the world (180 days/year). An index of Lightning Flash Density. 2. Lightning causes Transient Overvoltages (very fast electrical ‘Surges’) on Power, Data Communication, Signal and […]
How To Effectively Protect Electronic Systems In A Mobile Base-Station From Damage Caused By Lightning And Surges (Transient Overvoltages)
Surges are large, very brief and potentially destructive due to sudden increase in voltage. They are the secondary effects of Lightning strikes from a kilo-metre or more, away. Structural Lightning Protection alone will NOT prevent Surges damage. Effective Protection for the Sensitive Electronic Equipment contained in a cell site can be achieved by fitting Surge […]
Energy Audit (Assessment) – Why It Should Be Tops for 2020
Energy Audit or Assessment is the foundation of Energy Management which is the use of Engineering Principles and Economic methods to optimize energy use in commercial and industrial facilities. It enhances Productivity, Efficiency, Profitability of operations and should be tops for businesses that want to be competitive in 2020. A proper energy audit or assessment […]
