Successful Application of AI Techniques: A Hybrid Approach

Dr. Tony McGrail and Tom RhodesIndustry Topics, Summer 2021 Industry Topics

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems provide promise in analyzing and evaluating power system data. There is currently a large push  to use AI and machine learning (ML) to help reduce time performing maintenance on transformers and predict where and when the next transformer will fail.1,2,3 Major companies in various industries are promoting and telling the wonders of AI and ML: managing …

Electrical Wear in High-Voltage Circuit Breakers Using SF6 Alternative Gases

Nicola Garaboldi and Javier MantillaIndustry Topics, Summer 2021 Industry Topics

Every current interruption involves an arc burning between the contacts of a circuit breaker (CB). The produced arc energy and associated pressure increase is used in gas circuit breakers to cool the arc region leading to current interruption. The same arc energy causes wear that can be separated into two main phenomena: • Nozzle ablation, which affects pressure build up, …

Grounding System Testing: Simplified Fall-of-Potential and Step-and-Touch Voltage Testing

Logan MerrillIndustry Topics, Summer 2021 Industry Topics

Verifying the functionality and integrity of a grounding system is critical to maintaining a safe workspace. Unfortunately, the tests used to achieve this goal, as well as the standards used to assess them, have required a specialized skillset, often leaving these tests done improperly or not at all. Now, with the industry progressing toward guided testing, new solutions make it …