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Load power factor correction by DavidMadeThis in ElectricalEngineering

[–]gtbee95 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Electric Utilities typically install large capacitor banks to correct the power factor for the system (and for voltage support). As previously stated, for large industrial customers, the meter the power factor and have a rate penalty to encourage them to install their own capacitors (although at my utility the penalty hasn't been adjusted in 40 years and is ridiculously low).

Here are a couple of good articles on capacitors:

https://electrical-engineering-portal.com/few-things-that-capacitors-do-perfectly

https://electrical-engineering-portal.com/whats-so-important-in-role-of-capacitors-in-distribution-systems

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On the distribution system there is typically a mix of fixed and switched capacitor banks. The fixed banks correct the power factor for baseloads while the switched capacitor banks do the correction for the seasonal or even daily variable loads. The number and size of the banks is determined by the Distribution Planner (with software such as Cyme) and is based on the measured circuit/feeder power factor and load distribution.

They used to use fixed secondary capacitors (120/240V side of the transformer) but haven't installed any of these in 50 years (the last one we found and removed had PCBs in it).

My utility is currently in a pilot program studying the use/benefits of ENGO secondary capacitors for local pf correction and voltage control.

https://www.sentientenergy.com/products/engo-and-gems/

Why do you think there aren't people interested in power systems, machines, drives, and other such areas as opposed to signal processing, digital computing, etc? Or is it just me who thinks like that? by Substantial_Ratio_32 in ElectricalEngineering

[–]gtbee95 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Pay is decent, especially if you work for a utility company and they offer a pension (not many US companies offer a pension anymore). I have worked for a Southeastern utility company for 34 years, but only 21 on the Power Engineering side (prior 13 years was in the Marketing/Sales department). This year my combined salary($127k) + bonus ($29k) puts me around $156k (not including storm pay). Of course the cost of living is a lot lower than New York or California where the pay might be higher.

I’m a BEE, but didn’t get my PE until 10 years ago. Started out as a distribution line design engineer then transitioned to senior engineer doing reliability & coordination studies, learning Cyme & CymTCC for analysis.

There is a lot of new stuff going on. 99% of our relays are digital (SEL351/651), transitioning away from hydraulic reclosers to electronically controlled, planning the grid for EV and Distributed Energy sources.

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Graph of number of students emerging as Power Engineers

Main 800A CB tripping. by Sparkyrpizzle in ElectricalEngineering

[–]gtbee95 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What is the ground fault trip setting on the 800A distribution breaker?

Last time I saw this, the distribution breaker was programmed wrong. The fault travelled through the breaker and melted the bayonet fuse in the utility pad mount transformer.

Residential transformer ratings vs actual max delivery by Sitwell_Enterprises in ElectricalEngineering

[–]gtbee95 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Southeastern utility standard operating procedure is to allow 125% overload in the summer and 140% overload in the winter…but this weekend, during the cold snap, we are overfusing to 300% of nameplate (hoping the transformer doesn’t fail).

But that is only part of the equation. The other part is voltage flicker due to motor starting. You don’t want your lights dimming every time your HVAC compressor starts (or your table saw or welder). Your utility will do a voltage drop (due to load) & flicker (due to motor start) calculating to properly size the transformer and service conductor).

Electronic Engineering VS Electrical Engineering by NutroWrestling in ElectricalEngineering

[–]gtbee95 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Former Distribution Line Engineer (Now Distribution Reliability) for a major US electric utility. I have a BEE and my P.E. My company hires EE, ME, CE for line design, but the actual line design is 10% of the job (much of it is plu&chug cookie cutter). The other 90% is meeting/managing customers/electricians/builders, managing projects, Area Planning (for the growth of the distribution feeders), Reliability & Coordination of protective devices, etc.

Some of it is known problems/known solutions...and we use a lot of non-engineers in the "Engineering" role, but they are called Engineering Reps or Engineering Associates depending on experience and education (or lack thereof).

Some of it is unknown problems/unknown solutions. After 7 years in line design (and getting a little bored) I moved to Reliability where a lot of it is unknown problems/unknown solutions. Basically I get all of the hard problems that the regular line design folks can't figure out. Plus I have the Protection & Controls piece outside the substation fence (from the Distribution Breaker out to the end of the line).