Skip to main content

Smart Grid


The concept of Electrical grid was given by Nicole Tesla about 120 years ago. Since then the generation, transmission and distribution of Electrical energy has undergone vast changes. Giant size generators and EHV lines are very common now. The per capita consumption has increased manifold (and is still increasing) and consumers demand reliability and quality in Electric supply.


The power industry is faced with challenges and opportunity of transforming the Electrical grid into smart grid to manage demand growth, conserve Energy, reduced losses, optimize efficiency, improve power quality and reliability.
Smart grid also known as intelligent grid refers to combination of hardware, software and communication tools to meet the above objectives.

The main features of a smart grid are:
1. It is self healing from power distuebances.
2. It ensures power quality and reliability.
3. It accommdates centralized giant size generators as well as distributed generation.
4. It uses conventional energy sources (coal, hydro, nuclear) as well as renewable energy resources (wind, solar, biomass, tidal, fuel cells, etc.)
5. It enables active participation by consumers.
6. It has energy storage options (MW range batteries).
7. It is flexible.
8. It is economical.
9. It reduces peak demand by managing consumer demand.
10. It supports new enterpreneurial energy markets.
11. It optimises grid asset utilisation and efficiency.
12. It ensures minimal damage to environment and takes care of climate changes issues.
13. It insures energy security.

A smart grid uses CT, PT, phasor measurement unit, many different transducers, power line carrier, wireless radio, advanced metering facilities, home area network, fibre optic network, Wide Area Monitoring, and control, microgrid management tools, optimal power flow and reactive power control techniques, automatic generation control, advanced protection systems, HVDC, facts controllers, distributed generation, distributed energy storage system, reclosers, automatic switches, breakers, on load tap changers, smart integration module.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Core type and Shell type Transformers

Constructionally, the transformers are of two general types, distinguished from each other merely by the manner in which the primary and secondary coils are placed around the laminated core. The two types are:- Core type   Shell type Another recent development is spiral core or wound core type, the trade name being spirakore transformer. Core type transformer:- In the core type transformer, the windings surround a considerable part of the core. In the simplified diagram of the core type transformer, the primary and secondary winding are shown located on the opposite limbs of the core, but in actual construction they are interleaved to reduce leakage flux. As in the figure, half the primary and half the secondary winding have been placed side by side or concentrically on each limb, not primary on one limb and the secondary on the other. The coil used are form-wound and are of the cylindrical type. In small size core type transformers, a simple rectangular core

Skin Effect in Conductors

When a conductor is carrying dc current , it is uniformly distributed over the cross section of the conductor . However an alternting current flowing through the conductor does not distribute uniformly, rather it has the tendency to concetrate near the surface of the conductor. This is known as Skin effect.   Thus, skin effect is the tendency of an alternting current to concentrate near the surface of the conductor.     Due to skin effect the effective area of cross section of the conductor through which current flows is reduced consequently, the resistance of the conductor is slightly increased when carrying an alternating current. Cause of skin effect The cause of skin effect can be easily explained. A solid conductor may be thought to be consisting of a large number of strands, each carrying a small part of current. The inductance of each strand will vary according to its position. Thus, the strands near the centre are surrounded by a greater magnetic flux and hence

Proximity effect in conductors

In a conductor carrying alternating current, if currents are flowing through one or more other nearby conductors, such as within a closely wound coil of wire, the distribution of current within the first conductor will be constrained to smaller regions. The resulting current crowding is termed as the proximity effect. This crowding gives an increase in the effective resistance of the circuit, which increases with frequency. A changing magnetic field will influence the distribution of an electric current flowing within an electrical conductor, by electromagnetic induction. When an alternating current (AC) flows through an isolated conductor, it creates an associated alternating magnetic field around it. The alternating magnetic field induces eddy currents in adjacent conductors, altering the overall distribution of current flowing through them. The result is that the current is concentrated in the areas of the conductor furthest away from nearby conductors carrying curre