Power Distribution

The distribution utilities need to ensure that the grid interconnection requirements are satisfied by their connected users. Renewables penetration, particularly Wind Power have a distinct impact on reactive power requirements which vary as per wind speeds. While these can be compensated broadly at an individual wind turbine level, there can be substantial difference in the reactive power needs at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) due to the combined effects of all wind turbines, transformers, transmission lines etc. Railway traction substations source variable reactive power from the grid connection during train transits. Metal industries draw highly fluctuating currents at poor power factor and standard compensation cannot avoid problems such as voltage flickers which can be a major consumer irritant.

Aartech is associated as a value added system integrator with M/s S&C USA for their PureWave DSTATCOM , a proven power quality product with a large and successful installation base worldwide.

S&C’s PureWave DSTATCOM Distributed Static Compensator is a fast-compensating reactive power source that is applied on the transmission or distribution system to reduce voltage variations such as sags, surges, and flicker, along with instability caused by rapidly varying reactive power demand. PureWave DSTATCOM can also help provide quick recovery for the transmission system after contingency events such as loss of part of the system or individual equipment.

Electrical infrastructure is experiencing unprecedented growth in several developing regions of the world. The management of this infrastructure layout however demands key capabilities in design, engineering, procurement, manufacturing, system integration, installation, erection, testing, commissioning and facility management.

For building modern power distribution infrastructure, Aartech offers a range of Unitized Substations as per customer specific requirements to take care of key logistical challenges. Aartech utilizes its experience, networking and knowledge in the electrical infrastructure space, and works with its customers to understand their requirements, suggest value added features and facilities and provide turnkey end-to-end solutions for unitized power management in coordination with in-house resources as well as strategic business partners around the world.

A complete range of powerful yet economic, state-of-the-art microprocessor based protection solutions for a variety of standard feeder, transformer and motor protection as well as special customer defined schemes that require integration of features such as standard protection with special requirements such as islanding, bus transfer, load shedding, synchronization, SCADA interface and automation, developed through international collaboration are offered by Aartech’s Relay SSD.

Aartech’s Control & Relay Panels (CRP) SSD is organized to offer specialized custom built, integrated software engineered solutions involving aspects of protection, metering, communications and control for distributed automation, SCADA and remote telemetry based control and automation solutions.

For the volume requirements of the utility distribution sector, we offer an economic range of distribution products with configurable requirements for their preferred choice, such as 11kV/33kV, Single / Double Circuit, Feeder / Transformer, Electromechanical / Solid State / Numerical Protection, Communicable / Non-Communicable Features, Front / Rear Access etc. with a timely, efficient and competitive professional approach.

In the real world, the demand-supply gap for energy cannot be wished away. Regulatory considerations, democratic measures or simply practical limitations may force us to consider load limiting measures to serve a larger consumer base in a fair but practical manner.  Further, the Self Healing concept getting popular under Smart Grids is expected to correct abnormalities at source in an automated manner. Appropriate demand side management measures and a pay-and-use culture in the larger consumer base can address a large portion of the problems that plague the distribution sector in many parts of the world, provided they are properly engineered, implemented and managed.

Provision of basic electricity today is seen increasingly as a social obligation. However, once a connection is provided, it is difficult to ensure that the load derived is for low load services such as basic lighting / ventilation, or larger load services such as heating, cooking etc. and directly affect the non-technical losses of every distribution utility.

While there has been a lot of emphasis on metering, the Power Distribution agencies will agree that the ROI on metering continues to be elusive for low load, low income group consumers due to the intensive resource allocations for meter procurement, installation, reading, billing and collection. Added concerns of meter tamper and pilferage directly affect the bottom line justifications for such investments.

Further, if one thinks independently, there are several use cases in utilities and industries across the board, where a control fuse can be permanently replaced with a load limiting device that self resets after normalcy is restored.

A standard fuse is obviously not an option. An MCB provides for reuse but manual operations are inevitable, with associated demands on manual intervention and possibilities of tamper, connivance and bypass. What is needed is a device that operates on significant overload and resets automatically within a reasonable time when the overload is disconnected thus providing a deterrence. The customer is guided to observe assigned load limits and progress systematically into a regular metered tariff connection.

Aartech offers industry rugged LoadChecker solutions to address these issues with low rating (< 100W) load limiters at a very affordable cost which are field proven with 1000’s in service.