Modern Electrical Power Systems

Section One: Introduction

• Overview of a typical system covering generation, transmission, and distribution
• Determination of flow of real (P) and reactive power (Q)
• Determination and control of fault level
• Control of reactive power & voltage
• Control of active power & system frequency
• The requirements for reactive compensation – voltage profiles
• Quality of supply

Section Two: Current Operational Problems

• Coping with rising demand for power – transmission, and distribution
• The costs associated with increasing fault level
• Catering for increasing load on the existing system – ratings of plant
• Monitoring of plant condition – e.g. temperature
• A review of analytical methods & demonstration of software for optimizing system operation
• Increasing problems of heavily loaded systems – stability, voltage dips
• Introduction to System Operation
• Active Power and Frequency Control – automated
• Voltage Control and Reactive Power Requirements – automated
• Generation, including combined cycle and small embedded generators
• Transmission voltage levels – line and cable design, power loading and de-rating for temperature effects

Section Three: Emerging Technologies

• Energy and the Environment – solar power, geothermal power, etc. CO2 and its impact on the world
• ‘Green’ generation? Is it possible on a large scale or are there stability problems?
• Demand Side Management – remote load control – minimizing demand – optimizing transmission – coping with dips and swells
• Optical Current Transducers for Protection – optical current sensors eliminate CT saturation
• High Voltage Applications – Surge protection, current limiters network switching, etc
• Nonlinear loads – harmonics at PCC – filtering – G5/4 requirements

Section Four: Advances in control and monitoring

• Power Electronics Applied to Power Systems
• Flexibility in AC Systems – static VAr Compensation – series controlled capacitors
• Changing maintenance schedules, remote surveillance of plant and the introduction of unmanned substations
• Data logging
• Making the system work harder
• HC-DC Links for stability improvement
• Power Dynamics Management – the low-frequency oscillation
• Advanced protection and Control Techniques
• Is – Fault Current Limiter – how to apply
• GIS diagnostics – partial discharge techniques
• Optical cable temperature monitoring
• SCADA and artificial intelligence systems for fault diagnostics

Section Five: System protection

• Digital and Micro Processor Protection
• Electrical Insulation – Air and SF6 – the problems
• Condition Monitoring of Plant
• Appendix – Characteristics of a Power Network – Review for the Future