Understand the fundamentals of electrical power systems with this accessible guide
Few subjects are more fundamental to modern life than electrical power. The systems that generate, transport, and distribute electricity are among the most essential contributors to modern industry, development, and everyday living. As energy demand grows and, with it, the electric power industry, more and more non-electrical professionals must make important policy and administrative decisions regarding the systems that power our world.
Electric Power System Basics for the Nonelectrical Professional provides an education on the basics of this subject, including the various types of energy sources, types of transmission and distribution lines, grid modernization, and much more. From residential to industrial energy, and from metering principles to energy conservation techniques, this book provides a one-stop reference on all relevant areas of knowledge. Now fully updated to reflect the latest advances and the current state of a growing industry, it is a must-own for anyone looking to bring foundational power systems knowledge to bear on policy or industrial issues.
Readers of the third edition will also find:
- Coverage of wildfire mitigation strategies to reduce safety risk
- Detailed discussion of regulatory changes and their effects on system operations
- Updated coverage of system reliability and smart technologies
- Updated discussion of the transitioning digital power grid
Electric Power System Basics for the Nonelectrical Professional is ideal for power industry executives and state regulators.
Table of Contents:
About the Author xv
Preface xvii
Chapter Summaries xix
Acknowledgments xxv
1 System Overview, Terminology, and Basic Concepts 1
Chapter Objectives 1
History of Electric Power 1
System Overview 3
Terminology 4
Voltage 4
Current 5
Hole Flow vs. Electron Flow 5
Power 6
Energy 7
dc Voltage and Current 7
AC Voltage and Current 8
Comparing AC and DC Voltage and Current 8
Frequency 9
Phase Angle 9
AC Voltage Generation 10
Physical Law # 1 10
Single-Phase AC Voltage Generation 11
Three-Phase AC Voltage Generation 11
Three-Phase AC Generator 11
The Stator 11
The Rotor 12
The Exciter 15
AC Connections 16
Delta 17
Wye 17
Wye and Delta Stator Connections 17
Three Types of Electrical Load 18
Resistive Load 19
Inductive Load 19
Capacitive Load 19
2 Generation 21
Chapter Objectives 21
Real-Time Generation 21
Power Plants and Prime Movers 22
Steam Turbine Power Plants 23
Fossil Fuel Power Plants 24
Nuclear Power Plants 25
Nuclear Energy 27
Other Related Topics 31
Hydroelectric Power Plants 32
Pumped Storage Hydropower Plants 33
Combustion Turbine Generation Plants 35
Combined Cycle Power Plants (Combustion and Steam) 37
Renewable Energy 37
Cost of Renewable Energy Generation 39
Wind Turbine Generators 40
Solar Thermal 42
Solar Direct Generation (Photovoltaic) 43
Geothermal Power Plants 47
Biomass 48
Inverter-based Resources 49
3 Transmission Lines 53
Chapter Objectives 53
Transmission Lines 53
Raising Voltage to Reduce Current 54
Raising Voltage to Reduce Losses 55
Bundled Conductors 55
Conductors 55
Conductor Material 56
Copper 56
Aluminum 56
Steel 56
Conductor Types 57
Solid 57
Stranded 57
Aluminum-Conductor Steel-Reinforced (ACSR) 57
Aluminum Conductor Steel Supported (ACSS) 58
Conductor Size 58
American Standard Wire Gauge (AWG) 58
Circular Mils (CMs) 59
Insulation and Outer Covers 59
Voltage Classes 60
Transmission Line Design Parameters 61
Insulation 61
Air Gaps for 60-Hertz Power Frequency Voltage 61
Contamination Levels 61
Expected Switching Surge Overvoltage Conditions 62
Safe Working Space 62
Lightning Performance 62
Audible Noise 62
Underground Transmission 62
dc Transmission Systems 63
4 Substations 65
Chapter Objectives 65
Substation Equipment 65
Transformers 66
Transformer Fundamentals 67
Power Transformers 69
Bushings 70
Instrument Transformers 71
Current Transformers 72
Potential Transformers 73
Autotransformers 74
Regulators 77
Theory of Operation 77
Regulator Controls 81
Base Voltage 82
Bandwidth 82
Time Delay 83
Manual/Auto 83
Compensation 83
Other Regulator Settings 84
Circuit Breakers 84
SF 6 Gas Circuit Breakers 85
Oil Circuit Breakers 85
Vacuum Circuit Breakers 87
Air Circuit Breakers 87
Reclosers 88
Disconnect Switches 90
Substations 91
Line Switches 92
Lightning Arresters 94
Electrical Bus 97
Capacitor Banks 98
Substation Capacitor Banks 98
Distribution Capacitor Bank 98
Reactors 100
Shunt Reactors—Transmission 100
Series Reactors – Distribution 101
Static VAR Compensators 101
Control Building 103
Preventative Maintenance 104
Infrared Technology 104
Dissolved Gas Analysis 105
5 Distribution 107
Chapter Objectives 107
Distribution Systems 107
Distribution Voltages 108
Distribution Feeders 109
WYE vs. Delta Feeders and Connections 110
Derivation of Line-to-Ground vs. Line-to-Neutral Voltages 115
Wye 116
Overhead Primaries 116
Delta Overhead Primaries 117
Transformer Connections 119
Distribution Transformers: Single Phase 120
Transformer Secondary Connections: Residential 121
Single-Phase One-Bushing Transformer 123
Distribution Transformers: Three-Phase 123
Transformer Internal Connections 123
The Three-Phase Wye–Wye Transformer Bank (208/120 Vac) 125
The Three-Phase Wye–Wye Transformer Bank (480/277 Vac) 125
Dry Pack Transformers 126
Three-Phase Delta Transformer Banks (240/120 Vac) 127
Fuses and Cut-Outs 129
Riser or Dip Pole 132
Underground Service 132
Primary Distribution Cable 133
Load Break Elbow 134
Splices 134
Underground Single-Phase Connection 136
Underground Wye–Wye Three-Phase Connections 138
Single-Phase Open-Loop Underground System 138
Secondary Service Wire 139
6 Consumption 141
Chapter Objectives 141
Electrical Energy Consumption 141
Consumption Characteristics 142
Basic AC Circuits 142
Phase Angle Comparisons between Load Types 143
Combining Load Types 143
Power System Efficiency 144
Power Factor 145
Supply and Demand in Real Time 146
Demand Side Management 147
Residential 147
Commercial 148
Industrial 148
Data Centers 148
Metering 149
Residential Metering 150
Demand Metering 151
Time of Use Metering 152
Smart Consumption 153
Reactive Meters 154
Primary Metering 154
Performance-Based Rates 156
Service Entrance Equipment 157
Residential Service Entrance Equipment 158
Service Entrance Panel 159
Light Switch 160
Receptacle 161
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter Receptacles 163
240 Volt Loads 164
Commercial and Industrial Service Entrance Equipment 165
Power Factor Correction 165
Over-Correcting Power Factor 166
Location of Power Factor Correction Capacitors 166
Motor Starting Techniques 167
Emergency Stand-by Generators 168
UPS Systems 168
Power Quality 169
7 System Protection 173
Chapter Objectives 173
Two Types of Protection 173
System Protection Equipment and Concepts 175
Protective Relays 175
Solid State 176
Electromechanical Relays 176
Inverse Current–Time Concept 176
One-Line Diagrams 179
Distribution Protection 180
Overcurrent and Reclosing Relays 181
Typical Distribution Feeder Relay Operation 181
Underfrequency Relays 183
Transmission Protection 183
Zone or Distance Relays 184
Zone 1 Relays 185
Zone 2 Relays 185
Zone 3 Relays 186
Substation Protection 186
Differential Relays 186
Transformer Differential Relays 186
Bus Differential Protection Schemes 187
Over and Undervoltage Relays 187
Generator Protection 187
Winding Short Circuit 187
Unbalanced Fault Current 188
Frequency Excursion 188
Loss of Excitation 188
Field Ground Protection 188
Motoring 188
Steam Safety Valve Tripping 189
Generator Synchronization 189
Synchronizing Procedure 190
Overall Transmission Protection 191
Substation Automation 191
Wildfire Ignition Risk Reduction 194
8 Interconnected Power Systems 195
Chapter Objectives 195
Interconnected Power Systems 195
The North American Power Grids 196
Regulatory Environment 197
Independent System Operators (ISOs) and Regional Transmission Operators (RTOs) 198
Regional Entities 199
The Balancing Authority 199
Interchange Scheduling 200
Area Control Error 201
ACE Equation 202
Time Correction 203
Interconnected System Operations 203
Inertia of the Power Grid 204
Balanced Generation Conditions 205
Unbalanced Generation Conditions 206
System Stability 206
System Instability 208
Conditional Stability 208
Unit Regulation and Frequency Response 209
System Demand and Generator Loading 209
Spinning Reserves 210
Capacity for Sale 211
Reactive Reserves and Voltage Control 211
Generator Dispatch 212
Load Forecasting 212
Reliable Grid Operations 213
Normal Operations 215
Disturbance Situational Awareness 215
Frequency Deviation 215
Cascading Failures 217
Voltage Deviation 218
Emergency Operations 218
Loss of Generation 219
Loss of Transmission Sources 220
9 System Control Centers and Telecommunications 223
Chapter Objectives 223
Electric System Control Centers 223
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) 225
Data Acquisition Functions 226
Control Functions 228
Energy Management Systems 228
State Estimator 229
Contingency Analysis 229
Transmission Stability Analysis 229
Dynamic Security Assessment 230
Emergency Load Shedding 230
Power Flow Analysis 230
Generation Planning, Scheduling, and Control 230
Economic Dispatch 231
Reactive Power Scheduling 231
Dynamic Reserves Analysis 231
Load Profiling and Forecasts 231
Demand Side Management 231
Energy Accounting 232
Operator Training Simulator 232
Wide Area Monitoring Systems (WAMS) 232
Synchrophasors and Power Angles 234
Telecommunications 236
Optical Fiber 237
Microwave Radio 241
Power Line Carrier 242
Radio Communications 243
Copper Communications 244
Satellite Communications 244
Utility Communications Systems 244
10 The Transitioning Digital Power Grid 247
Chapter Objectives 247
Grid Resiliency 247
The Intelligent Grid 248
Transitioning Grid Reliability 249
Battery Energy Storage Systems 251
DER Transformation 251
High Dependency on IBRs 252
Voltage Ride Through 254
Frequency Ride Through 255
The Transitioning Distribution System 257
Comparing Traditional to Modernized Distribution Systems 258
Key Components and Features of ADMS 258
Key Components and Functions of DERMs 259
Resilient Microgrids 260
Electric Vehicles 262
Fast Charging 263
EV Infrastructure and Grid Operations 264
Bi-directorial EV Charging as a DER 264
EV Environmental Impact 265
EV Charging Methods 265
Building the Digital Grid of Tomorrow 265
The Digital Twin and Cybersecurity 266
Grid Flexibility 266
11 Personal Protection (Safety) 269
Chapter Objectives 269
Electrical Safety 269
Personal Protection 270
Human Vulnerability to Electrical Current 270
Principles of “Isolation” Safety 270
Principles of “Equipotential” Safety 272
Ground Potential Rise 273
Touch and Step Potentials 273
Working Transmission Safely 274
Energized Equipment 274
De-Energized Equipment and Ground Jumpers 275
Working Distribution Safety 276
Switching 278
ARC Flash 278
About the Arc 280
Hazard Categories 280
Protective Clothing and Equipment 281
Approach Boundaries 283
Electrical Safety Around the Home 283
Appendix A The Derivation of Root Mean Squared 287
Residential Voltage 287
Appendix B Graphical Power Factor Analysis 289
Recommended Reading 291
Index 293
About the Author :
Steven W. Blume, MSEE, PE, is the Founder of Applied Professional Training, Inc., which became an accredited college under the name of APTC.edu, and stayed in business for over 25 years. He now works as an independent consulting contractor under the business name and website www.BlumeConsulting.com. He is a registered professional engineer with a Master’s degree in electrical engineering specializing in Power Systems and a Bachelor’s degree specializing in Telecommunications. Blume is a NERC certified Reliability Coordinator, and his engineering and operations experience includes generation, transmission, distribution, protection, and electrical safety. He is an active lifetime Senior Member of IEEE and has published two books in power systems through Wiley-IEEE Press.
