Product category:
Power supplies and plant cabling
News Release from: EA Technology | Subject: UltraTEV
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 06 April 2007
Early warning of switchgear failure and
danger
EA Technology has added a new product to its market-leading portfolio of instruments for detecting, monitoring and locating partial discharge activity in medium and high voltage power assets
EA Technology has added a new product to its market-leading portfolio of instruments for detecting, monitoring and locating partial discharge (PD) activity in medium and high voltage (MV and HV) power assets The UltraTEV Alarm is a unique and cost effective early warning system, providing continuous monitoring of MV switchgear for signs of deterioration which are likely to lead to failures and danger to personnel
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 8 Oct 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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The system is simple to install and comprises an alarm box hub, linked to a series of alarm nodes, which are placed on switchgear panels.
When an individual alarm node detects critical levels of partial discharge activity, it displays a warning light and also triggers a light on the alarm box, so operators can immediately identify which alarm node detected the discharge.
There is no practical limit to the number of alarm nodes that can be connected to each alarm box.
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EA Technology Product Director Neil Davies said: "The UltraTEV Alarm is especially valuable when deployed on switchgear panels which are essential for maintaining network performance and production.
Alarm levels are pre-set to identify problems before they lead to failure or expose personnel to danger".
The instrument uses two technologies for measuring partial discharge activity - electromagnetic detection of transient earth voltages (TEVs) and ultrasonic detection.
The combination ensures that discharge activity is accurately identified, both internal to or on the surface of the switchgear insulation.
The threshold indicators of the UltraTEV Alarm are based on the EA Technology database of thousands of records of partial discharge surveys, carried out on MV switchgear over 25 years.
This has enabled the company to identify when an asset has reached a critical point of deterioration, requiring active maintenance or replacement.
The UltraTEV Alarm can provide local indication of partial discharge activity and can also interface directly to a SCADA system.
An optional GPRS addition enables users to receive alarm messages via SMS or email.
Mr Davies added: "The UltraTEV Alarm will certainly deliver excellent return on investment as a simple failure warning system - but it will add even more value as a tool for managing assets more cost-effectively, based on an accurate understanding of their condition.
"With no alarm lights showing, operators can be confident that their switchgear assets are continuing to work safely and reliably - even when they have been scheduled for maintenance or replacement.
They can be equally confident that they will be alerted immediately when the condition of an asset reaches a critical point, in terms of reliability and safety, and maintenance or replacement are actually needed.
The result is that the UltraTEV Alarm will enable managers to make more financially intelligent decisions on when to actively maintain or replace their assets, based entirely on their true condition".
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