Power Quality Services
Power Quality can affect the overall company performance, which is a fact easily overlooked by the management. The quick and effective response in analyzing and mitigating power quality problems enables higher process reliability, longer equipment life, reduces energy losses and better productivity.
It also makes it easy to comply with internationally followed standards and CEA/ Local Utility regulations to be followed by the power consumer.
Rise of Non-Linear loads and other variable loads in modern electrical networks present unique power quality challenges. Harmonic Distortions, voltage variations, poor power factor and load unbalance are among the key elements that not only test the reliability of modern power system but also induce greater system losses.
Power quality analysis has many customer benefits such as:
- Energy Saving.
- Higher productivity.
- Reliable plant operation at reduced maintenance cost.
- Longer lifetime of electrical and process equipment.
Additional capacity in exiting electrical network. - Compliance with power quality standards and utility
regulation. - Quick return on investment.
Power Quality Studies
- Site surveys, on-site power quality data logging, harmonic analysis and recommendations.
- Detailed study of reactive power, power factor and existing harmonic pattern in the electrical system.
- Design & recommend optimal solutions based on measured project data.
- Simulation of electrical network, system using ETAP software and carrying out harmonic penetration studies.
- Solutions to improve power factor and mitigate harmonics as per IEEE 519 standards
- Implementing the recommended solutions and verifying the results by doing re-analysis to ensure optimized system performance with fastest payback.
- Turnkey PQ project; design, installation, programming, testing and commissioning of harmonic mitigation equipment such as Passive, Active and Hybrid Harmonic solutions based on detailed study of the network.
Infrared thermography services is the analysis of thermal information by using non-contact thermal imaging devices. Infrared Thermography is used to detect hotspots, heat loss, leaks, insulation defects etc. so that maintenance personnel can take appropriate action to correct the problem, thereby avoiding losses resulting from plant shutdowns, increasing the life and efficiency of machines, and ensuring the safety of employees.
Saumita Controls provide Thermography services to carry out the survey of electrical installations (MCC & PCC panel, switchgears, motor junction box terminal, switchyards etc.) and mechanical equipment (compressor, pipe leakage, refractories etc.)
Thermography is a non-destructive test method that may be used to detect poor connections, unbalanced loads, deteriorated insulation or other potential problems in energized electrical components. These problems may lead to excess power use, increased maintenance costs or catastrophic equipment failure resulting in unscheduled service interruptions, equipment damage or other problems. It shows a visual picture and so temperatures over a large area, can be compared.
Thermographic Survey
Benefits of Thermography Services
- Significantly reduces unscheduled power outages.
- Detect problems quickly, without interrupting service.
- Minimize preventive maintenance and trouble shooting time.
- Comply with insurance company requirements.
- Check for defective equipment while still under manufacturer warranty.
ARC Flash Studies
The arc flash can be caused by several ways including,
- Accidental contact with energized parts.
- In adequate short circuit rating.
- Tracking across insulation surfaces.
- Tolls dropped on Energized parts.
- Wiring errors.
- Contamination such as dust on insulating surfaces.
- Corrosion of equipment parts and contacts.
- Improper work procedures.
Working within NFPA and IEEE guidelines, our experienced power systems engineers will perform accurate systematic Arc Flash Hazard Analysis as follows:
- Short Circuit Calculations: We will either use your data or gather the data to make calculations for you to identify bolted and arcing fault levels at key points in a power distribution system.
- Protective Device Coordination: We can perform an electrical systems coordination study or use the customer’s study, to determine the duration of the arcing faults.
- Arc Flash Hazard Calculations: The incident energy level, the flash hazard boundary and the PPE required are then calculated for each location.
- Documentation: The information above is compiled for you into a comprehensive report, which contains information necessary to comply with regulatory requirements.
- Unsafe Work Locations: The report will identify work locations having incident energy level in excess of available PPE ratings.
- Arc Flash Hazard Mitigation: Recommendations will be made to minimize Arc Flash Hazards by changes in system protection or operational procedures.
- Arc Flash Hazard Labels: In addition to the report, our customers will receive a field label containing the flash hazard boundary distance, incident energy level and PPE category and shock category and shock hazard for each location.
Harmonic Simulation Studies
Harmonic simulation studies are conducted at design phase of the electrical distribution system where many Non-Linear loads such as VFDs, lighting, UPS and other SMPS loads are to be considered with Inductive loads (Transformers, Motors etc.) and Power factor Correction Equipment. The Simulations are done to characterize adjustable-speed drives (ASDs) and other nonlinear loads to determine the frequency response characteristics of the network and harmonic resonance conditions to determine the filter specifications and effectiveness
- Obtain the electrical system one-line diagram and highlight the available nonlinear loads, capacitor banks and medium voltage cables of long length within the industrial system.
- Focus the place of common coupling (PCC) which is the point that joins the industrial network with the facility or with the adjacent plant.
- Highlight the in-plant system buses that are expected to be affected from harmonic distortions.
- Gather the harmonics-related data of all nonlinear loads within the plant.
- From the utility company, get the important data of voltage and current harmonics at the predetermined PCC including the highest and lowest short circuit fault levels and the permitted limits on current and voltage harmonics because the permitted harmonic limits differ from country to country.
- Model the electrical network with the help of electrical transient analyzer program (ETAP).
- Perform the harmonic analysis for the electrical network at the various possible operating scenarios.
- Verify whole and discrete levels of current and voltage distortion levels at the concerned system buses and at the PCC.
Load Flow Studies
Load-flow studies are important for planning future expansion of power systems as well as in determining the best operation of existing systems. Performing a load flow study on an existing system provides insight and recommendations as to the system operation and optimization of control settings to obtain maximum capacity while minimizing the operating costs.
Load studies are undertaken for various reasons, some of which are the following:-
- The Active and Reactive Power Flows.
- The bus voltages and system voltage profile.
- The effect of change in configuration and incorporating new circuits on system loading.
- The effect of temporary loss of transmission capacity (and/or) generation on system loading and accompanied effects.
- Economic system operation.
- System loss minimization.
- Transformer tap setting for economic operation.
- Possible improvements to an existing system by change of conductor sizes and system voltages.
Short Circuit studies
Short Circuit Calculations is an important part of power system Design/Analysis. It basically estimates the short circuit current flow through all components of faulted network. Fault Current magnitude is generally very high (compared to load current) and hence is highly hazardous. Primary Switch gear/ Control gear should be designed to break the calculated fault current with out damage. Hence it is extremely important to perform fault calculation for complete system and to design, control devices accordingly to ensure safety of equipment operating personnel by proper fault clearance.
The objective of conducting short circuit study are as follows :-
- Helps avoid unplanned outages and downtime.
- Is critical for avoiding interruptions of essential services.
- Reduces the risk of equipment damage and fires.
- Increases safety and protects people from injuries.
- Determines the level and type of protective devices that needed.
- Provides the information needed for NEC and NFPA required labels.
- Keeps your compliance NEC requirements.
Relay Co-ordination And Discrimination Study
Protective relays are to be designed to isolate the faulted portion of the system at the earliest, to prevent equipment damage and with minimum system interruption to ensure continuity of service to healthy portion of the network. The relay must also be able to discriminate between faulted conditions, normal operating conditions and abnormal operating conditions and function for the specific protection for which they are designed.
Relay coordination study and analysis is performed to make sure that safety operation of the system is functioning correctly and to avoid the nuisance tripping, as protection is a major concern in any industry and they rely on protective devices for the same.
Many times, the reason for nuisance tripping is due to modification of protective devices and their settings at the time of upkeep without performing suitable study and analysis.
The aim of a coordination study is to determine the characteristics, ratings, and settings of over current protective devices which will ensure that minimum unfaulty load is interrupted when protective devices isolate a fault or overload anywhere in the system. A coordination study should be conducted.
Power System Analysis
The power System Analysis Services include :
Harmonic Simulation Studies | Load Flow Studies | Short Circuit Studies | Relay & Coordination Calculation