Self-Paced Technical Seminars: Maintenance

MAINTENANCE.png

SPTS_WhatDoesPartDischarge-587x759-Green.jpg

Understanding Partial Discharge Workshop

Tom Sandri, Shermco Industries, Inc.

Partial discharge testing plays a critical role in determining the health of your electrical assets and ensuring maximum up time. Partial discharge testing provides asset managers with the critical information to target maintenance resources to the areas that require the most attention. As with any diagnostic technology, however, an understanding of the technology and a logical approach to implementation is necessary to render an effective program. How effective is online testing versus offline testing? Are the techniques and strategies the same for all electrical equipment?

Combining lecture along with hands-on demonstrations we will break down the available techniques for both online and offline testing. We will compare the effectiveness of each technique based on the equipment being tested, and finally we outline a program for effective predictive maintenance.

Register


SPTS_WhatDoesPartDischarge-587x759-Green.jpg

What Does a Partial Discharge Tell Me and How Do I Perform the Test?

Tom Sandri, Shermco Industries, Inc.

Partial discharges (PD) are essentially 'electrical sparks' that occur in the bulk of medium and high voltage insulation materials. In polymeric-based cable systems (EPR or XLPE cables) partial discharges primarily occur along dielectric interfaces and/or impurities in cable accessories, such as cable joints or splices and cable terminations. In rotation machines, the partial discharges may be the result of operating stresses, workmanship or process issues. In this training session, we will review online partial discharge measurement practices and measuring sensors along with exploring the procedure for conducting offline PD testing and analysis in accordance with both IEEE and IEC recommended practices.

Register



SPTS_Maint-TestBatterySyst-587x759-Blue.jpg

Maintenance and Testing of Battery Systems

Tom Sandri, Shermco Industries

This presentation will introduce stationary batteries and the maintenance and testing they require. Learning to identify various types of batteries, their construction, and intended applications -- ranging from large UPS at data centers to protection and control at substations -- is a goal of this paper and will include definitions of safety and hazards related to batteries and testing. Various failure modes related to batteries will be examined, as well as how to identify each failure. Tests and inspection procedures will be explained along with the interpretation of test results.

After the catastrophic blackout of August 14, 2003, increasing sensitivity to the interconnectivity and reliability of the Bulk Electric System (BES) has become a major focus of the Federal Electric Reliability Commission (FERC). As a result, FERC established the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO), of which the National Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) was given responsibility to generate standards that would ensure complete reliability of the BES. One of those standards, PRC-005-2, now requires utilities to mandate certain minimum maintenance requirements for batteries that interface with equipment connected to the BES within a prescribed maximum time interval. This presentation will further provide a brief history while examining the requirements laid out in the new NERC-PRC-005-2 standard.

Register


SPTS_ElectricTest-MediumVolt-587x759-Green.jpg

Electrical Testing Medium-Voltage Stator Windings

Tom Sandri, Shermco Industries and Vicki Warren, Iris Power - A Qualitrol Company

Generators and motors are reliable and typically require minimal maintenance; however, as the machine ages problems can develop in the stator and/or rotor winding insulation systems. Machines that are overloaded or subjected to polluted environments, or were possibly constructed poorly, will age at an accelerated rate. Tried and true tests such as insulation resistance have been used for years, but can be ineffective in uncovering many common problems. Over the past decade, a number of new tests and monitoring techniques have become available providing the ability to detect and/or warn us of aging problems that can lead to machine failure. This paper will review stator insulation failure mechanisms, symptoms and detections tests available in the industry today. Advantages and disadvantages of online monitoring techniques and offline tests will also be discussed.

Register


SPTS_Accept-Maint-Test-587x759-Blue.jpg

Acceptance and Maintenance Testing for Medium-Voltage Electrical Power Cables: Exploring Technology Developments Over the Past 20 Years

Tom Sandri, Shermco Industries

Over the years there have been several methods and/or philosophies regarding the acceptance and maintenance testing of medium voltage underground electrical power cable in the field. Time honored methods such as direct current (DC) High Potential, Insulation Resistance (IR), and Dielectric Absorption (DA) testing have been employed for many years by utilities and industrial facilities for both field acceptance testing and periodic maintenance evaluation of medium voltage insulated power cables.

Insulation Resistance provides a simple test for identifying gross defects in the cable and accessories, but offers little to no diagnostic value. A test like dielectric absorption is useful because it can be performed on even the longest of cables, and yields a self-contained evaluation based on relative readings rather than absolute values.

In the early 1990s the benefits of using DC high potential testing for maintenance purposes of extruded dielectric cables has been questioned and written out of most industry guides. Since the days of high potential DC, other testing methods have been developed that may provide a better indication of the integrity of cables, splices, and terminations. These methods include Very Low Frequency (VLF) high potential testing, Tan Delta, and both Online and Offline Partial Discharge testing.

Register

SPTS_Cond_Maint-PracticalApproach-587x759-Blue.jpg

Condition of Maintenance: A Practical Approach to Compliance within the Industry

Jim White, Shermco Industries

This seminar provides instruction on how to comply and apply sound maintenance practices and procedures so you are in compliance with industry requirements. Electrical safety standards, as well as electrical maintenance standards, discuss the need for owners and workers of electrical equipment to have an understanding of the condition of maintenance. This tutorial addresses what that can mean to the owner of the equipment or the worker in the field? It provides an understanding of the term, as well as practical information on implementation and compliance of industry-recognized maintenance practices, and how this can provide for a safer work place and a more reliable electrical power system.

Register


SPTS_ElectPowerMeasureMethod-587x759-Blue.jpg

How Do They Do It? Electrical Power Measurement Methods, Practices, and Standards

Ross Ignall, Dranetz Technologies

This seminar covers what is monitored, how to monitor, differences between power quality and energy monitoring, standards, and some basics on how to identify the source of power quality problems.

Register


SPTS_PartialDischActivity-587x759-Blue.jpg

Partial Discharge Activity on Medium-Voltage Switchgear and Cables

Don Genutis and Neil Davies, No-Outage Electrical Testing, Inc.

There is an ongoing requirement to improve operational reliability of large power distribution systems and frequently, the pressure to extend operations between scheduled maintenance periods for mediumvoltage (MV) switchgear. As insulation breakdown and flashover represents a high percentage of metalclad switchgear faults, early detection of insulation degradation is critical. In service assessment by the application of diagnostic techniques can provide confidence in the continuing safety and reliability of switchgear.

Use of detection, location, and monitoring of partial discharge activity provides very valuable information to effectively identify equipment at risk of failure. Equipment failures result not only in the loss of supply and consequent disruption to production but also represent a danger to operational staff in the area.

The process of non-intrusively surveying switchgear for partial discharge activity using electromagnetic and ultrasonic principles detects both continuous and intermittent discharge activity from both 'visible' surface sites and 'invisible' sources internal to insulation components.

Hand-held nonintrusive equipment enables regular use by staff entering substations and continuous monitoring systems utilizing state of the art signal processing and analysis enable permanent monitoring of critical MV switchboards.

The presentation discusses the techniques and equipment together with examples of findings from switchgear installations throughout the US.

Register


SPTS_PrimeronMCCMaint-587x759-Green.jpg

A Primer on MCC Maintenance and Testing

Malcom Frederick, Coastal Switchgear and Controls

This seminar will guide attendees through the various types of MCCs and starters, both low-and medium-voltage, illustrate what testing and maintenance activities should be performed to assure safe and reliable operation using the ANSI/NETA standards for maintenance testing, and cover field and shop experiences.

The heart of every commercial and industrial facility is the electric motor. As the workhorse of the industry, the electric motor converts electricity into physical work. The safe and reliable operation of electric motors falls back to the components and systems that start and stop them every day - the motor control center (MCC).

This seminar will:

  • Guide attendees through the various types of MCCs and starters, both low-and medium-voltage
  • Illustrate what testing and maintenance activities should be performed to assure safe and reliable operation using the ANSI/NETA standards for maintenance testing
  • Cover field and shop experiences with visual and mechanical inspection, electrical tests, and electrical test values for:
  • Low-voltage motor starters
  • Low-voltage motor control centers
  • Medium-voltage motor starters
  • Medium-voltage motor control centers


Register


SPTS_ElectricTestBasics-Part2-587x759-Blue.jpg

Electrical Testing Basics: What You Need to Know to Succeed-Part 2

Jim White, Shermco Industries

Electrical power system analysis starts with a core set of instruments and analysis techniques. Understanding the fundamentals is absolutely necessary in order to assess the health of your equipment. This seminar is the second of a two-part series.

Some of the most common electrical test equipment and theory will be covered, including the use of a megohmmeter, insulation power factor, dc winding resistance and microhmmeter. These tests will be related back to the ANSI/NETA MTS-2007 standard.

Beginning with basic principles for each test, the seminar will cover specific tests for transformers, circuit breakers (air, vacuum, oil, and gas), switchgear, and switches.

Register


SPTS_ElectricTestBasics-Part1-587x759-Green.jpg

Electrical Testing Basics: What You Need to Know to Succeed-Part 1

Jim White, Shermco Industries, Inc.

Electrical power system analysis starts with a core set of instruments and analysis techniques. Understanding the fundamentals is absolutely necessary in order to assess the health of your equipment. This seminar is offered in two parts.

Some of the most common electrical test equipment and theory will be covered, including the use of a megohmmeter, insulation power factor test set, dc winding resistance test set, and microhmmeter. These tests will be related back to the ANSI/ NETA MTS-2007 standard.

Beginning with basic principles for each test, the seminar will cover specific tests for transformers, circuit breakers (air, vacuum, oil, and gas), switchgear, and switches.

Register


SPTS_CriticalMaint-CircuitBreak-587x759-Green.jpg

Critical Maintenance for Circuit Breakers

Jim White, Shermco Industries, Inc.

This seminar shares real-life experiences with customers' circuit breakers, covering the most common issues, how those problems are corrected, and how to prevent them from occurring.

A show-and-tell section is set up to illustrate the results of these common mistakes made by equipment owners. Also included is an overview of testing for both low-voltage and medium-voltage air and vacuum circuit breakers.

Register


SPTS_ElectricTestBasics-Part2-587x759-Blue.jpg

How Do They Do it? Electrical Power Measurement Methods, Practices and Standards

Ross Ignall, Dranetz

This seminar covers what is monitored, how to monitor, differences between power quality and energy monitoring, standards, and some basics on how to identify the source of power quality problems.

Register