Generators capture wave power

ABB generators are one of the essential components of the Pelamis Wave Energy Converter, designed by Edinburgh based Ocean Power Delivery.

ABB generators are capturing power from the waves in the world's first commercial wave power generation project.

The ABB generators are one of the essential components of the Pelamis Wave Energy Converter , designed by Edinburgh based Ocean Power Delivery (OPD) .
The first commercial wave farm project at Agucadora off the coast of Portugal will be operational during the coming months and will supply power for around 1,500 Portuguese homes.
The OPD Pelamis is a semi-submerged, articulated structure composed of cylindrical sections.
Three of the sections are designed as power modules, with two ABB 125kW generators in each section.
This allows for a high degree of fault tolerance and gives a total power output for the Pelamis of 750 kW.
Power modules are linked by hinged joints.
The wave-induced motion of these joints is resisted by hydraulic rams, which pressurise the hydraulic system.
Hydraulic motors are used in turn to drive the ABB electrical generators to produce electricity.
Power from all the joints is fed down a single umbilical cable to a junction on the sea bed.
Several devices can be connected together and linked to shore through a single seabed cable.
ABB was selected because of its willingness to meet the needs of OPD.
Steffi Anderson, Electrical Systems Engineer with OPD, says: "ABB came on board when our previous generator supplier could not meet our needs.
We needed a generator with a high IP rating, IP 67 and ABB had a new sealing system it had designed for motors on the decks of ships.
ABB provided a prototype generator at a low cost and was very keen to be part of the project." Much of the ABB work was performed at the ABB motor plant in Vaasa, Finland.
ABB was also prepared to adapt its products to suit OPD's space constraints in the modules.
It reduced the frame size of its generator from 315 to 280, cutting the weight from 860 kg to 725 kg.
Says Anderson: "This was a great help because the lower frame size meant the generators were easier to install in the power modules, where space was at a premium." ABB also adapted its power connections, moving from a cable box to a system using flying leads in order to make it easier to connect the generator to the switchgear panel.
Derek Robinson, ABB's Production Manager for cast iron products, says: "Renewable energy is a major focus for ABB and we were glad of the chance to work with OPD to help them develop their wave energy generators.
Our goal now is to help reduce the cost per kilowatt-hour by engineering out costs, improving efficiency and reducing sizes and stress." Anderson added: "ABB were very easy to work with and were very willing to adapt their products to meet our needs.
We envisage building larger versions of the wave energy converter that will use four power modules and so incorporate eight generators.
We expect to have a number of projects underway in the near future, including sites in the Orkneys and in Cornwall, so ABB could be supplying us with as many as 40 generators for this new work.".
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/abb/abb226.html

Pervasive power generator monitoring system launched by C.a.T.S.

Computer assisted Telephony Systems (C.a.T.S.) has launched an ambitious new product called Pogmos (power generator monitoring system), which is a ubiquitous monitoring system that allows for pervasive monitoring of power generators.

The solution relies on wireless communication (GPRS/GSM), is SMPP-enabled, with Web-based management, monitoring and administration.
The solution also features ease of integration, with all components compliant to international industrial standards. The product is focused on the telecommunications market; however, it is suited for most any environment.

When prompted on what initiated the concept of Pogmos, Johan Grobler, MD of CaTS, stated: “Being involved with IBM's Tivoli range of products, we realised the value and necessity of a single and simple view into everything operational; we also discovered that most of our clients do not have a single view into their day-to-day operational performance. Companies invest vast amounts of money in equipment and infrastructure, which is not performing optimally. With Pogmos, operational managers will be able to follow progress as generators are serviced, as refuelling is done, when generators are started and so forth. Imagine the wealth - if business intelligence, which will be gathered with managers having access to data pertaining to where and when power failures are most common, where theft is more prevalent, where maintenance is need, to what extent is the breakdown linked to maintenance, and the list continues. This will move managers and support staff alike from being reactive to being proactive.”

Pogmos allows for the true pervasive monitoring of generators, which is geographically dispersed. Elements that are monitored include:

* Generator start-up and stop
* Cabinet activity (if doors are opened etc)
* Engine temperature
* Coolant
* Crank battery voltage
* Engine fuel flow
* Tank fuel flow
* Tank fuel levels etc

The monitor correlates inputs to generate alerts to the support team when abnormalities occur. The system generates graphs to visualise trends.

Grobler continued: “We endeavoured to design this product in order for it to be highly scalable and configurable. As was stated in numerous publications, in the mobile environment, escalating operation cost and logistical requirements have been almost impossible to overcome. One of the largest sub-Saharan mobile operators has over 5 000 base stations in a single country, with most complemented with two back-up generators.

“Many to most of the base stations are out of reach of the national power grid, hence the requirement for two generators per base station site. However, even if a base station falls within the power grid, a backup generator is essential. The running cost of urban base stations has been estimated at about USD2 500 per month, with remote sites up to USD210 000 per month.”

Grobler continued: “Added to these costs are the woes of theft in terms of copper, general equipment and especially fuel. Lack of delivery when it comes to contractors eats into operation costs, with no clear benefit. We are confident that an implementation of Pogmos will yield significant savings on capital and operational expenditure.”

With Pogmos, an operator can pinpoint any activity related to the generator, assure services were successful according to set measurements and reporting can be done on demand for optimisation. Pogmos also includes a model to perform an audit in terms of fuel added to the tank, and the actual fuel consumption of the generator, assuring that fuel theft is kept to a minimum.

Grobler concluded: “With a base state costing an operator roughly USD125 000 to put in place, we are also keen as an innovative company to look at ways of assisting operators to protect their investment by real-time monitoring, allowing for rapid and accurate response to system failures resulting from theft, lack of maintenance or general breakdown.”
http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/telecoms/2009/0909020739.asp?A=INT&S=Internet&T=News&O=ST

Import of generators plunges

KARACHI: Dealers have curtailed imports of power machines following the government’s ambitious campaign that power loadshedding would be over by December this year and approval of many rental power plants.

Generators import plunged to $84.7 million in July 2009 as compared to $207 million in June 2009. However, imports in July 2008 were $110 million.

Pakistan Machinery Merchant Group (PMMG) President Khurram Saigal said dealers had maintained thin pace of import of generators during August also.

He said that dealers had been reluctant in placing new orders as they smelled some positive changes like end of power failures by December followed by approval of 14 rental power plants for generating 1,500 MW.

Khurram was of the view that there was a slight decline in power outages in the last few months. He added that many people had suspended plans to buy generators amid persistent reports of betterment in power supply situation and change in weather.

He said dealers usually place lesser orders during July to August as demand starts falling from September owing to weather change. But last year they made massive imports in anticipation of higher demand in view of massive power breakdowns, he added.

Generators’ import had crossed $1.75 billion in 2008-09 from $1.25 billion in 2007-08 mainly owing to massive devaluation of the rupee against the dollar.

‘The current fiscal year has kicked off with slow import of generators which is quite different from the last fiscal year,’ he said.

He said that generators’ prices on world markets had slightly fallen this year, but the devaluation of the rupee had eaten up its impact on domestic prices.

He further said that rising food prices had also squeezed the buying power of consumers resulting in shrinking demand for generators.

Faisal Jehangir, member of the PMMG, said that government’s propaganda of overcoming power loadshedding by December and change of weather had resulted in slow imports.

He said this year the buying season had started late from March/April as compared to February last year which continued till October 2008. ‘Irrespective of the intensity of loadshedding as compared to last year sales of generators have remained depressed especially in Sindh,’ he added.

However, sales remained normal in interior Punjab where power failures were higher than Sindh. Punjab consumes about 60 per cent of total imports of generators because of hot weather.

He did not agree that prices of generators had come down on world markets but said that prices at the domestic markets were sustaining instead of showing any increase.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/business/09-import-of-generators-plunges--szh-03