High voltage porn! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 11:25:58 am
content: 1.1 gigawatt 50-60Hz converter for Brazil/Argentina grid link :

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 11:40:48 am
content: Big.

author: Things
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 11:44:50 am
content: Understatement? That's insane!Realized part way through the video when the guy was leaning on insulators that the station must have been inactive however

author: mrflibble
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 12:16:27 pm
content: Damn, that's big indeed! I especially loved the filter stuff.

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 12:18:29 pm
content: When he refers to a unit as being rated to 250 megger bar is he referring to blast pressure or what as this is not a term I have heard relating to electrics before and for air pressure that is insane it would be solid. Blast pressure I have only heard measured in tens or hundreds of atmospheres before, for instance the HASER'S at the local air base are rated to 11 atmosphere blast which means they should survive a near miss with a nuclear warhead or so I have been told by people who work there, I would not want to try that!.

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 12:20:59 pm
content: mega - VA

author: nessatse
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 12:23:08 pm
content: Its VAR, as inVolt-AmpReactive. Refers to the rating of inductive and capacitive components, as opposed to Watt for resistive elements.

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 12:25:33 pm
content: More power!!!Alexander.

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 12:33:18 pm
content: They call it efficient, but how efficient is it really, including the 500KM of line loss? If you account for say 10 years of loss, plus the cost of the plant I wonder how the numbers play against an actual power house...

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 12:48:00 pm
content: I hope the plant is well above the maximum flood level of that river. 70kV and water are not good friends.

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 03:52:45 pm
content: I was sure the translator was saying BAR must need to get my ears tested. KVAR I have heard of.

author: jcook1979
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 04:20:51 pm
content: Wow! I want one. Not sure what I'd use it for, but I want one nonetheless.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 05:09:53 pm
content: Quote from: G7PSK on March 31, 2013, 03:52:45 pmI was puzzled too, but I think it was just bad sound quality or bad pronunciation. Megabar would make no sense in that context, it had to be mega-VAR.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 05:18:21 pm
content: If that technology becomes cheap enough, it would be interesting to use it for doing V/Hz control on entire cities. Normally, it would just connect straight through for lowest losses, but during peak time, it would connect itself into the circuit and gradually bring down the frequency and voltage to as low as 84% if needed (so 120V/60Hz nominal would go down to 100V/50Hz). Motors and transformers won't overheat because the V/Hz ratio remains constant and 100V is well within the input voltage range for electronics.

author: Rufus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 06:03:50 pm
content: Do you think they prototyped it on veroboard?I am surprised the 500km link isn't dc.The ABB HVDC stuff herehttp://www.abb.com/industries/us/9AAF400197.aspximplies it is worth converting to dc and back when you have more than 50km of cable or 600km of overhead line. Since they convert to do the frequency change anyway why wasn't the link in the middle?

author: smashedProton
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 06:29:49 pm
content: Thats an interesting point above. Does HV stuff scale down perfectly to low voltage? Ignoring clearances and isolation stuff. Interesting

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 06:40:40 pm
content: AC transmission probably was cheaper from the standpoint of being able to use existing power line spares, towers and switching systems. No specialised training for maintenance, and no need for low use specialised stored spare parts. As well they probably have some consumers along it as well, and this meant they could use existing transformers, switchgear and yards to supply them. It probably is also doing backup for a 132kV link in places. 500km is not terribly long from a powerline perspective, especially if you have segments to feed different consumers.

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 31, 2013, 11:16:06 pm
content: I think photonic induction would wet himself if he could play there!Thanks for the link mike, love seeing and trying to understand hv transmission line tech

author: staxquad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 07:05:02 am
content: those countries who use 50HZ sometimes also drive on the wrong side of the road60HZ and driving on the right side of the roadadded bonus for those who use 60HZ, less annoying fluorescent flickerthose rectifiers in that plant were massive, a bit along the same lines as that Federal rectifier in EEVblog #44350HZ equipment is annoying when you use 60hz. I've got a photolab timer that works on 240v 50hz, corrected the 240v to 120v no problem with a step up transformer, but the timer was off from the frequency difference.

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 07:54:13 am
content: Quote from: staxquad on April 01, 2013, 07:05:02 amHey!I resemble that remark!Further, if you don't like the way I drive, stay off the footpath/sidewalk!

author: mzzj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 08:57:13 am
content: Quote from: staxquad on April 01, 2013, 07:05:02 amSo in the Northern Japan they drive another side of the road compared to Southern Japan?

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 09:16:28 am
content: Quote from: mzzj on April 01, 2013, 08:57:13 amUp until 1972 I think this was true in Okinawa which was occupied by the US and drove on the right whilst the rest of Japan drove on the left like all sensible countries

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 11:13:28 am
content: Must be interesting to measure the electric field generated by a 1GW of power in the area surrounding the power lines...

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 11:21:40 am
content: I've heard horror stories about blokes carrying flouro tubes and they light up around those places.

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 12:01:37 pm
content: 50Hz, yes , but with the lower radiated frequency, we have a more harmonious sleep at night.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2013, 03:10:19 pm
content: Mike, thanks for sending this. In mid 90's I visited Brazil's other HVDC link (about 1300km of 1,2MV DC link) and could see and breathe close to the switching thyristor valves: thousands of thyristors in parallel water cooled and enclosed in a tall building with controlled airflow. Seeing the new thyristor valves in containers is surely a cheaper alternative.It is also interesting to see the filtering is very similar (up to the 13th harmonic), despite them being 25+ years apart in technology. Just need to find my older pictures of that trip...A more descriptive URL about this link ishereIncredible stuff.

author: Frantone
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2013, 09:59:57 pm
content: And occasionally when high voltage stations go wrong they are even more spectacular......http://www.contourcorsets.com/daily/XfrmBlast1.mpg

author: williefleete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2013, 07:03:10 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on March 31, 2013, 11:25:58 amDamn, 110 megawatts short of time traveling

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2013, 07:44:35 am
content: Quote from: williefleete on April 03, 2013, 07:03:10 amYou mess with 1.1g watts, you'll see Jesus.

author: Alana
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2013, 08:29:23 am
content: Hmm and not Thor?

author: mrflibble
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2013, 10:34:43 am
content: Just because one dude's pantheon is out of fashion and the other one might take a while longer to get there doesn't mean anything! So when messing with high voltagesobviouslyThor is much higher on the list of probabilities than Jesus.Besides, Norse mythology at least has a good appreciation for beer. Yay!

author: brainwash
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2013, 01:22:16 pm
content: Why was that converter almost midway between the end-plants? I was thinking that you had access to better trained personnel near the plants. Maybe because it was cheaper to transport everything up the river and set it up in the vicinity? Spreading the points of failure in case of natural disaster?Also, I found it hard to concentrate on the words with that 80s porn music (or guitar lessons backing?) in the background.That said, impressive stuff, I would have loved to see more details and maybe some tear-ups/tear-downs.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2013, 03:35:51 pm
content: As I said earlier, it probably allows them to use the existing infrastructure spares wise up to the border, thus making spares carrying easier for both sides. A common pylon, insulator, switchgear and training for each country, and only needing a few specially trained maintenance staff.