Discharge monitors assure Middle Eastern supplies

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Apr 21, 2006

Al Ain Distribution Company has become the first major utility in the Middle East to adopt EA Technology's techniques for assessing HV switchgear at risk by monitoring partial discharge activity.

Al Ain Distribution Company (AADC), part of Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), has become the first major utility in the Middle East to adopt EA Technology's techniques for assessing HV switchgear at risk by monitoring partial discharge (PD) activity.

Al Ain's adoption of PD monitoring is part of a global trend towards noninvasive maintenance, and is routinely used by major utilities in the Far East and Europe.

The technique enables the risk of failure to be assessed while the switchgear remains in service.

"EA Technology won the contract to condition-assess Al Ain's grid, primary and distribution substations", said EA Technology's Alan Roberts.

''Al Ain staff were trained in the technique, have purchased the equipment and now carry out regular PD surveys as part of their ongoing maintenance regime.

"With our existing clients in the Middle East, who include companies in the oil and gas sector along with major industrial plants, several Middle East utilities are now in the process of adopting the technique".

EA Technology's PD monitoring equipment works by detecting partial discharges in the form of transient earth voltages (TEV) and ultrasonic activity.

This gives an immediate indication of the early stages of insulation breakdown before a full fault develops and disrupts supply.

The information can also be used to help predict when assets will fail, when they will require invasive maintenance and when they will need replacing.

Eng.

Samir Sami Jurdak, Head of Operations and Maintenance at Al Ain Distribution Company, said: "We have invested in partial discharge monitoring because it is an important new technology which will enable us to maintain our assets more reliably and cost-effectively".

"The ability to identify faults and predict failures at an early stage is a key to better management of the network".

"In addition, PD technology enables AADC to reduce planned outages as well as reducing the traditional manpower for time based preventive maintenance".

EA Technology has developed a comprehensive family of PD detectors and monitors, which are widely used from the UK to the Far East.

The following units are deployed by Al Ain.

The UltraTEV is EA Technology's revolutionary handheld partial discharge detector, which gives an immediate indication of whether the condition of an asset means it requires further investigation, or may be dangerous for personnel to approach.

The Partial Discharge Monitor (PDM) monitors the level and frequency of partial discharge activity over time.

The data it collects are then analysed by EA Technology to give an accurate indication of the asset's condition.

The Partial Discharge Locator (PDL) accurately locates the source and intensity of partial discharge activity, so components can be isolated, repaired or replaced.