IDGC of Centre presented projects for electricity grid and high-voltage electrical equipment development at the XII International Scientific-Technical Conference

An exhibition “Prospects for the development of electric power industry and high voltage electrical equipment. Energy efficiency and energy conservation” was held in Moscow, organized by the International Association for the high-voltage equipment TRAVEK. The conference was attended by over 150 representatives from 85 companies, including those from foreign countries: Belarus, Germany, Poland, the USA, Turkey, the Ukraine, Switzerland and South Korea.

IDGC of Centre presented two projects at the conference. One of them was the implementation of the concept of creating 0.4-10 kV energy-efficient distribution grids with the use of pole-mounted transformer substations.

The prerequisite for the development of this concept was a change in the structure of energy consumption in the regions. The existing 0.4-10 kV distribution grid has disadvantages of its design: a stepdown in the number of phases and wire section along the length of the 0.4 kV overhead line, uninsulated wire, big length of 0.4 kV grids, construction of temporary package transformer substations, big power losses in the 0.4 kV grids. When developing the new concept these imperfections and factors were taken into account such as the increased power available to customers, preferential conditions in matters of technological connection, toughening the state requirements in terms of reliability and quality of power supply, shifting load concentration points from the manufacturing sector to the household.

“Creating a reliable with minimal maintenance 0.4-10 kV electric grid with high transmission capacity, regulatory technological losses of electricity, capability of remote reading of electricity meters and energy consumption management” — the purpose of the project was designated this way by Deputy General Director for Technical Issues — Chief Engineer Sergey Shumakher. He explained that the basic principle of the concept — the maximum simplification of the circuitry for increasing the reliability of the grid elements through the use of a new generation of highly reliable materials and equipment. IDGC of Centre has proposed to change the topology of 0.4-10 kV distribution grids. For example, for the reconstruction of an overhead line and installation of a pole-mounted transformer substation (the author of the patent of the pole-mounted transformer substation is Deputy General Director for Technical Issues — Chief Engineer Sergey Shumakher) the existing reinforced-concrete poles should be used. At new construction the use of all-metal multi-faceted poles is also allowed.

Depending on local conditions and climatic features as intermediate posts wooden poles impregnated with antiseptics can be used.

The second project of IDGC of Centre — “A proposal for modernization of diagnostics of power transformers to control their transmission capacity in real time”. According to Deputy Chief Engineer — Chief of Technical Development Department of IDGC of Centre Dmitry Rybnikov, “when performing a set of measures it is possible to optimize the loading of newly constructed and existing transformer capacity by 30 — 50%”. The task of optimal loading of power grid assets the Company’s specialists offer to solve with a number of ways, including through the use of innovative technical solutions to control the load of transformers in real time and the implementation of “smart automation”.

It has been proposed to manufacturers of transformers and transformer diagnostic systems to create a software package for the implementation of control systems of the transmission capacity of power transformers in real time and control its change. In implementing this feature in the diagnostics system the latter is becoming a real assistant to operators in the repair and emergency operation modes.