Capacity Enhancement, Energy-Loss Reduction and Voltage Control for Remote Three-Phase Distribution Feeders Supplying Electrical Power to Single-Wire Earth-Return Systems. Long distribution feeders supplying electrical energy to Single-Wire Earth-Return (SWER) systems are unique sub-systems of the electric power network in Australia. The SWER systems are inherently unbalanced and use conductors with high resistance values resulting in high energy losses. The capital costs of these systems are hi ....Capacity Enhancement, Energy-Loss Reduction and Voltage Control for Remote Three-Phase Distribution Feeders Supplying Electrical Power to Single-Wire Earth-Return Systems. Long distribution feeders supplying electrical energy to Single-Wire Earth-Return (SWER) systems are unique sub-systems of the electric power network in Australia. The SWER systems are inherently unbalanced and use conductors with high resistance values resulting in high energy losses. The capital costs of these systems are high due to the low area density of loads and the systems are challenged by increasing loads. New methods will be developed for load balancing, controlling losses and improving the power quality. Comparisons will be made between the new technologies and the reconstruction or augmentation of the feeders. It is expected that substantial economic and greenhouse emission benefits will result.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0883074
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,000.00
Summary
Distributed Generation Evaluation Facility and Power Control. The development and demonstration of Distributed Energy Resource solutions will assist the deployment of greenhouse gas reduction strategies and of reliability improvements with particular benefits for rural and remote electricity supply. Small generation units can be the best solution for some reliability and voltage support issues in rural/remote networks. The research will show how these can be operated and the benefits achievable ....Distributed Generation Evaluation Facility and Power Control. The development and demonstration of Distributed Energy Resource solutions will assist the deployment of greenhouse gas reduction strategies and of reliability improvements with particular benefits for rural and remote electricity supply. Small generation units can be the best solution for some reliability and voltage support issues in rural/remote networks. The research will show how these can be operated and the benefits achievable for sources including renewables in a manner that is accessible to communities and with a rigorous set of test scenarios that will satisfy concerns from utilities. The flexible system nature is the significant development previously unavailable to researchers/developers.Read moreRead less
Novel Partial Discharge Detection Technique based on an Overhead Transmission Line Sensing Architecture. Overhead power transmission systems are a common instigator of fires through the production of sparks from faulty insulators. Australia is experiencing extended hot and dry conditions that amplify the risk of these events becoming large scale bushfires, causing millions of dollars of damage and destroying immeasurable amounts of native flora and fauna. The overhead transmission line sensing ....Novel Partial Discharge Detection Technique based on an Overhead Transmission Line Sensing Architecture. Overhead power transmission systems are a common instigator of fires through the production of sparks from faulty insulators. Australia is experiencing extended hot and dry conditions that amplify the risk of these events becoming large scale bushfires, causing millions of dollars of damage and destroying immeasurable amounts of native flora and fauna. The overhead transmission line sensing system proposed in this research will provide power companies with a cost effective insulator condition monitoring tool to continually survey Australia's aging electrical infrastructure. This ensures a reliable electricity supply to consumers, while also protecting the ecosystems of Australia's bushland. Read moreRead less
Developing a Smart Monitoring System for Leakage Currents from Insulators on Wooden Poles. Numerous wooden poles are used for electricity power transmission in urban and rural areas of Australia. Insulators suspended on poles are subject to contamination and moisture that cause partial discharge currents to flow through the wooden poles, resulting in pole fires leading to loss of power to customers and possible bush fires. This project aims at studying the characteristics of leakage currents fr ....Developing a Smart Monitoring System for Leakage Currents from Insulators on Wooden Poles. Numerous wooden poles are used for electricity power transmission in urban and rural areas of Australia. Insulators suspended on poles are subject to contamination and moisture that cause partial discharge currents to flow through the wooden poles, resulting in pole fires leading to loss of power to customers and possible bush fires. This project aims at studying the characteristics of leakage currents from insulators on wooden poles in Australian conditions and developing a smart monitoring system to detect and prevent pole fires caused by leakage currents. The outcomes will reduce the risk of pole fires, hence improving public safety, reliability of power supply and sustainability of the Australian power industry.Read moreRead less
Optimal Control of Modular Multilevel Power Electronic Converter Systems for Electrical Distribution Networks. This project will improve the national capability to use multilevel power electronic converter systems to help operate and maintain more efficient electrical distribution networks. The outcomes of the project will also contribute to the implementation into electrical distribution systems of renewable and distributed energy generation systems, and hence will help to reduce greenhouse ga ....Optimal Control of Modular Multilevel Power Electronic Converter Systems for Electrical Distribution Networks. This project will improve the national capability to use multilevel power electronic converter systems to help operate and maintain more efficient electrical distribution networks. The outcomes of the project will also contribute to the implementation into electrical distribution systems of renewable and distributed energy generation systems, and hence will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, it is anticipated that the control strategies to be investigated could lead to subsequent commercial developments with local industries. Finally, the project will foster and develop international links in power electronics between Monash University, and leading-edge international research groups in the area around the world.Read moreRead less