|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
| ||||
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
| ||
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Issue 36 - September 2001
When communications are required for Distribution Systems Automation and Volt/VAr Management, the CAMP (Capacitor Automation, Metering & Protection) System provides advanced technology. CAMP consists of the M-2501B ACC (Autodaptive® Capacitor Control), the M-2937 Communications Module, and the M-2850 CAMPcom™ Communications Suite. Utilizing Skytel's Data Telemetry Network and Motorola's ReFLEX® 50 technology, CAMP provides local and remote capacitor bank control, data download and special queries. Additionally, CAMP will automatically report site-specific capacitor failure and blown fuse conditions - either in alarm or warning format.
Mark Dixon, Manager of Market & Project Development for Control Products & Systems, has been working with system engineers in utilities and rural electric co-ops to incorporate the expanded communications capabilities of the Autodaptive® Capacitor Control. AmerenUE, located in St. Louis, Missouri, is a prime example, with several Beckwith Electric ACCs on order. The advantages of the communications capabilities interests AmerenUE greatly; they have plans to upgrade most of the 7,000 capacitor banks in their territory. Full control of substation and down-line devices requires reliable communication and the choice of the communication system depends on many variables such as terrain, data transfer requirements and reliability of service. If the monitoring information does not get to the right place at the right time, nothing happens to ensure continuation or resumption of normal operations. Beckwith Electric has addressed these communications requirements in the CAMP system. Taking the success of the M-2501A ACC to the next level, CAMP works with an M-2501B ACC (an upgraded version of the ACC with a reverse-firing infrared diode) to provide two-way communications over the Skytel Data Telemetry Services Network. CAMP utilizes Motorola's ReFlex 50 paging technology to perform bypass and override control of the capacitor bank, and allows data query and data download of stored historical information. The CAMP system also has a feature that detects one- or two-capacitor failure, or blown high-side fuses and will automatically send an unsolicited e-mail or page to the utility notifying them of the failure. The notifying e-mail or page can be used as an input to workforce automation software or processes. The input to the CAMP system for this feature is a neutral ground current unbalance detection circuit, which consists of a torroidal CT mounted on the pole with the neutral of the bank running through it. When all capacitors are working properly, all neutral currents sum to zero. When either one or two capacitors are shorted or open, an imbalance of the summed currents is measured and fed to the M-2937 CAMP Communications Module. The same condition exists if fuses have blown or are pulled. The CAMP system places the page or e-mail directly to the utility - definite advantage over driving around and physically inspecting banks. The CAMP system queries for: status data, switching data, voltage data, neutral current and voltage. It communicates commands for: auto/manual toggle, open bank, close bank, reset and initialize. Settings include those for: password protection, customer upper voltage limit, customer lower voltage limit and averaging/fixed voltage mode. According to Mark Dixon, Skytel's network was chosen as the media of choice for several reasons. "First and foremost, Skytel was the only provider who, at the time of our development, had existing two-way data telemetry. We didn't want to develop the technology with others who were still in the trial and error phase of their own development. There were too many variables to deal with while we are trying to prove our development. Secondly, ReFlex 50 supported the data telemetry and broadcast command configuration necessary for utility use in VAr dispatch schemes. Thirdly, Skytel's network was the most comprehensive in the country today. They are part of WorldCom and have development in 18 countries outside the United States." The Beckwith Electric CAMP System provides security and reliability - what more could you ask for? Interested? For more information, contact Beckwith Electric at (727) 544-2326 or e-mail at marketing@beckwithelectric.com.
by Will Miller, Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve–Retired, and Sales Representative for BER (Beckwith Electric Research)
The scientist made one last scan of the control panel, his eyes intent on the dials and gauges, before throwing a huge knife-switch. Power surged through strange devices, massive magnifying coils crackled with four million volts, sending energy surging up the towering antenna and out into the night air with thunderous, lightning-like discharges.
Tesla was obsessed with the prospect of transporting electrical energy through the air to overcome the technical difficulty of sending A.C. power over long lines (to say nothing of avoiding the cost of the transmission lines themselves). Nicola Tesla was the scientist and the genius who brought us alternating current, the induction motor, remotely controlled vehicles, the wireless (yes—it was Tesla, not Marconi, who invented the wireless), and many other exotic devices. Tesla’s greatest secret, however, was using the earth’s active resonant frequency to transfer energy over great distances. In 1943, Tesla died in New York City at the age of 86, and with him went many of his secrets … but not all. Earth’s resonance is currently studied by researchers at the University of California at Berkeley’s Seismological Laboratory, the U.S. Geological survey, and by the Defense Department’s Alaskan High Altitude Auroral Research Project (HAARP), to name a few. However, Tesla’s “Magnifying Transmitter”, developed in his desert laboratory and capable of transmitting massive amounts of wireless energy through the earth’s resonant cavity, generally remains a mystery. All is not lost, however…. The Present – “Sensing & Using Earth’s Resonant Frequency Energy” BER is currently developing a Tesla Schumann (TS) Receiver to detect and track the Tesla-Schumann frequency, in recognition of the critical role it plays in leading-edge applications of that knowledge. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a network of these receivers could be used by amateur meteorologists and others to plot vortices in the earth’s active resonant field, analogous to vortices in the physical atmosphere? This vortex data might then be used to predict the occurrence of violent tornados. What Emergency Manager or Power Systems Director wouldn’t want to know where a “killer tornado” was most likely to occur? Predicting where and when catastrophic tornados will occur may no longer have to be a guessing game.
The BER TS Receiver and other BER projects depend heavily upon our analysis and interpolation of Tesla’s “great secret”, which Bob Beckwith believes was using the earth’s resonant frequency to transport electrical energy within space-time. How else would one explain the simultaneous appearance of such large amounts of energy, twelve miles from Tesla’s Colorado Springs laboratory experiments in 1899?
The first step in the study of this phenomena is to develop hardware which detects earth’s resonance. Next, a network of detectors would be deployed at research sites throughout the country to develop areas’ resonance baselines. After area baselines are established, earth’s resonant frequency anomalies, which may be associated with the formation of catastrophic weather events, may be studied or even predicted. The next step in this process would be to develop specialized software with a user-friendly computer interface to display the earth’s resonance data in a usable format for predictive analysis by power systems professionals, meteorologists, private weather forecasters, storm chasers, the military, and others. The Future In future editions of Powerlines, I will discuss our research in “Near-Infinite Speed Communications”, “Making Carbon 14 from Nitrogen 14”, and “Using Neutrino Energy”, all “works in progress” at Beckwith Electric Research. As one can imagine, applications for these leading-edge, “out-of-the-box” technologies include the commercial power industry, military applications, medicine, meteorology, communications, and space systems, to name but a few. The future is exciting at Beckwith Electric Research! Readers who are interested in this research and the TS Receiver should contact Mr. Will Miller at: BER@beckwithelectric.com with the following information: name, job title, company, mailing address including zip code, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. Photo Credits: Nicola Tesla, [1]-[3]: Tesla—Master
of Lightning,
With the Internet, more conferences and expos are developing an online presence with features to streamline your conference experience. For the 2001 IEEE/PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition to be held in Atlanta, Georgia, in October, IEEE has developed a Web site to showcase the conference at www.ieeet-d. org. By visiting the site, you can register online to attend T&D and reserve a hotel room. You can register for receptions and tours, research the host city, view the session schedules, and map your path through the exhibit hall with the floor plans. Remember to visit Beckwith Electric at Booth #929 in Hall F. At BeckwithElectric.com, we are utilizing the Internet to enhance our
conference presence with an online booth. You can sneak a peek at our
booth, find more information on our products to be showcased such as the
M-3410 Intertie/Generator Protection System, Autodaptive®
System and CAMP™ System, and find dates,
times, and locations for technical papers and free info sessions to be
presented by Beckwith Electric staff. Visit it today by following the
link on the home page of www.beckwithelectric.com.
September 14 – Deadline for Protection Relay Seminar Approaches Beckwith Electric’s Relay Seminar is October 14-19, 2001 in Largo, Florida. The seminar includes four-and-a-half days of intensive training in generator, power plant transformer and intertie protection. The seminar cost is $675 and includes course materials, lunches, morning and afternoon breaks, two dinners and the Sunday evening welcome reception. For more information, contact Linda Caporaso at (727) 545-7627 or e-mail at lcaporaso@beckwithelectric.com. You may also download a copy of the Relay Seminar brochure from the Beckwith Electric Web site, www.beckwithelectric.com. Space is limited – call now!
Wayne Hartmann has been named Applications Manager, Protection and Protection Systems for Beckwith Electric. Before joining Beckwith, he performed various assignments in applications engineering, project engineering and marketing with Siemens Power T&D, Alstom T&D, INCON, Siemens Energy & Automation, and Combustion Engineering. He is responsible for application and marketing of Beckwith products and systems used in generator, transformer and intertie protection, synchronizing and bus transfer schemes. For more than 15 years in the industry, Wayne’s focus has been on the application of protection and automation systems for power production, transmission, distribution and utilization. This knowledge and experience will prove valuable for product definition, applications and sales support. Wayne was formerly affiliated with Beckwith from 1988 to 1993 as an Application Engineer for Protection, Synchronizing and Motor Bus Transfer Applications. In his new capacity as Applications Manager, he is also responsible for the marketing of these products and systems. Wayne is a graduate of the State University of New York at Farmingdale, where he obtained an Associate in Applied Science Degree in 1980. He is an active member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Power System Relay Committee, where he serves as a Main Committee Member, Rotating Machinery Subcommittee Member, and a contributing member of many Working Groups. He has authored and delivered technical papers for the Georgia Tech Relay, Western Protective Relay, American Power, Western Power Delivery Automation, and other conferences. Wayne has contributed to numerous IEEE Transactions, Tutorials, and Guides, and is a contributing author/editor for McGraw-Hill’s Standard Handbook of Power Plant Engineering, 2nd Edition. In his leisure time, Wayne enjoys playing guitar, composing and recording music, and action/adventure travel. Among his journeys are three treks up Mount St. Helens, once during a blinding snowstorm.
Scott Cooper, Field Service Engineer for Beckwith Electric, is publishing his second article for NETA World — the quarterly, peer-reviewed publication for professionals in the electrical testing and maintenance industry. NETA World has a circulation of over 25,000 and is the official publication for the InterNational Electrical Testing Association. His first article was entitled “Test and Maintenance Tips for Protective Relays” and appeared in the Winter 2000-2001 edition. “Modern Relays and Software Provide Valuable Tools for Analysis,” Scott’s second article, can be found in the Fall 2001 edition. “In a nutshell, NETA is an association formed specifically for the independent electrical acceptance and maintenance testing industry,” said Scott. “Their magazine covers a variety of useful industrial and utility electrical topics including relaying, circuit breakers & switchgear, transformers, power quality, safety, government issues, and field testing. My writing focuses on a very specific audience.” Scott’s responsibilities at Beckwith Electric include providing training, commissioning, and troubleshooting services of protective relays and motor bus transfer systems for customers—responsibilities that have taken him to Argentina, Columbia, Mexico and Brazil recently. He is also instrumental in the testing of new relay products and custom-engineered systems. Prior to his promotion to Field Service Engineer, Scott was an Electronics Technician at Beckwith Electric for two years where he tested protective relays and conducted failure analysis and individual component evaluation. Scott is currently working towards a degree in computer science and information systems. He is a member of IEEE and served in the U.S. Navy for six years in the nuclear reactor controls division. For more information on the InterNational Electrical Testing Association and NETA World, visit the organization’s Web site at www.netaworld.org.
Articles from Issue 36, September 2001 of Beckwith Electric's
Powerlines. |
 |
|
||||
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
The
CAMP system works with the Handspring™ Visor™ handheld as the
HMI (Human/Machine Interface). The Visor accepts a Glenayre @ctiveLink™
Wireless Messaging Module made for Skytel-enabled devices. The Glenayre
module simply plugs into the expansion slot of the Visor. The CAMPcom
for Visor Communications Software runs on the Visor to provide handheld
control of the individual banks. CAMPcom for Windows® allows
configuration of command groups via a tree structure that includes: regions/group,
substation, transformer, feeder and unit. A password is required for entry
to the management portion of the software. Special groups of units with
high priority may also be programmed. Message delivery to Skytel's Network
Operations Center is confirmed and there is a guaranteed message delivery
by the Skytel network. This is a perfect set-up for the Operations Engineer.
The
Past - Nicola Tesla
Looming
above his head atop the isolated laboratory building was a tower and mast
soaring over 200 feet above the building. It was a still, moonless night,
and something earth shaking was about to happen in the high desert. Literally.
Twelve
miles away from Tesla’s research building, lightning jumped up
from the ground and from metal fences and poles—an awesome display frightening
many people too far away to see Tesla’s tower.
Extending
research in the Earth’s resonance begun by Nicola Tesla and others over
100 years ago, Bob Beckwith and Beckwith Electric Research are well along
the path toward understanding the correlation between the Earth’s resonance
and its associated anomalies, and the occurrence of extreme weather. This
understanding could ultimately help predict catastrophic weather events,
as well as harness other beneficial aspects of the Earth’s resonance.
What
Is the source of Earth’s resonant energy? Much like energy in a giant
capacitor, earth’s resonant energy is formed by the continual discharge
of natural lightning within the air (the dielectric) that occurs between
two conducting spheres: the ionosphere and the earth’s surface. Lightning
releases a variety of energies, many of which radiate in all directions
throughout the dielectric, traveling at the speed of light around the
circumference of the earth. At 186,000 miles/second, this continuously
renewed, lightning-produced energy travels around the earth in 7.32 seconds,
hence the nominal Earth’s Resonant Frequency of 7.32 Hz.
There
appears to be a direct relationship between vortices in the Earth’s resonance
and the occurrence of severe weather. Much like the mechanisms that cause
vortices in the earth’s atmosphere leading to tornados, there are
associated mechanisms which cause vortices in the earth’s resonance. The
earth’s resonance vortices and the earth’s atmospheric vortices are related,
especially during the production of catastrophic weather phenomena like
tornados.