Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for control apparatus of a voltage source converter for direct current transmission of electrical power over a transmission line. The control apparatus comprises regulation control for generating a regulation signal for the converter to regulate an electrical parameter of the voltage source converter, such as voltage or power, so as to regulate power transmission over the transmission line. The regulation signal is based on the difference between a measured value of said parameter and a reference value of said parameter, as may be supplied from a reference control block and may be derived from a demand signal indicating the voltage or power demand. The apparatus also includes damping control configured to generate a damping signal for modulating said regulation signal to reduce the effect of resonance within the bandwidth of control of the converter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit breaker (10) for an electricity transport installation, the circuit breaker comprising a tank (12), a vacuum bottle (20) that has a stationary contact (24), a movable contact (26), and sealing means (40), a casing (30) that is arranged inside the tank (12), that electrically connects the movable contact (26) to an electrical conductor (18), and that co-operates with an outside wall of the vacuum bottle (20) to define a volume (42) that is taken to a pressure close to atmospheric pressure, and feeder means for feeding the inside volume (42) of the casing (30), which feeder means pass through the inside volume (14) of the tank (12), the circuit breaker being characterized in that the feeder means for feeding the inside volume (42) of the casing (30) consist in a tubular element (38, 54, 56) made of insulating material.

Abstract: A solar thermal power system includes a solar receiver, and a thermal energy storage arrangement having thermal energy storage fluid to be circulated through the solar receiver to store thermal energy. The system includes a multistage steam turbine operable on variable pressure steam generated by a steam generator arrangement, by utilizing the thermal energy storage fluid. The arrangement includes an economizer section, an evaporator section, and a superheater section communicably configured to utilize the heat of the hot thermal energy storage fluid to generate and supply the variable pressure steam to the turbine. The system includes a recirculation line configured around the economizer section to recirculate the heated water to an inlet of the economizer section, increasing pressure range of the variable pressure steam in the arrangement.

Abstract: A disconnector for high voltage, including columnar supporting elements which are electrically isolating and are adapted to support electromechanical elements of opening and closing a circuit or an electrical line. At least one columnar supporting element, which is tubular, supports an optical current transformer, the optical fiber of which, surrounded by protection elements, extends inside the tubular columnar supporting element.

Abstract: A configuration for joining a ceramic layer has a thermal insulating material to a metallic layer. The configuration includes an interface layer made of metallic material located between the ceramic layer and the metallic layer, which includes a plurality of interlocking elements on one of its sides, facing the ceramic layer, the ceramic layer comprising a plurality of cavities aimed at connecting with the corresponding interlocking elements of the interface layer. The configuration also includes a brazing layer by means of which the interface layer is joint to the metallic layer. The invention also refers to a method for obtaining such a configuration.

Abstract: The invention relates to a removable stabilizer for a spacer casing (24a-24f) of an electrical installation of the GIS type (20), the spacer casing (24a-24f) comprising a first opening (33) as well as a conductor (30b) provided with a bore (34), the removable stabilizer (29) comprising a plug (29a) configured to be introduced via the first opening (33) into the spacer casing (24a-24f), the plug being designed to penetrate into the bore (34) of the conductor (30b) so as to block said conductor (30b) against moving in translation after said spacer casing (24a-24f) has been put to atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A method is provided for evaluating operational and financial performance for dispatchers in power grid control centers associated with utility systems. A comprehensive operating plan is provided that applies after the fact analysis for performance metrics, root-cause impacts and process re-engineering. after the fact analysis of past events and practices is performed. Actual system and resource conditions are captured. the system and resource conditions are supplied to a relational database. A scheduler engine receives the actual system and resource conditions from the relational database and processes it to calculate system performance.

Abstract: A solar receiver configuration (receiver) adapted to include a plurality of receiver heat transfer passes. Each pass includes a plurality of panels. Further, each panel includes a plurality of tubes, tangentially arranged, vertically extending between horizontally placed lower and upper headers. The headers, which are pipe assemblies with closed ends, of adjacent panels are horizontally and vertically offset one to another to form a substantially continuous tube surface. Such continuous tube surface enables solar heating of the fluid flow therefrom in at least a parallel flow arrangement and a serpentine flow arrangement.

Abstract: Methods are provided for assessing potentially compromising situations of a utility company. One or more source displays of a site are accessed. A fly-out or data lensing is used to bring forward a portion of the source displays. The fly-out or data lensing is used to draw attention to a potentially compromising situation and direct the operator's attention without loosing perspective of a whole power system of the utility company.

Abstract: A solar thermal power system includes a solar receiver for heating thermal energy storage fluid to be stored and utilized from a thermal energy storage arrangement having hot and cold storage tanks. The system includes a steam generator arrangement, which utilizes the heat of the thermal energy storage fluid to produce steam to run a turbine. The arrangement includes a bypass line configured to bypass the hot storage tank from the steam generator arrangement, and to supply the hot thermal energy storage fluid from the solar receiver directly to the steam generator arrangement, during day times, when the solar receiver the steam generator arrangement are both in operating mode, thereby recovering stored potential energy available in the down corner hot thermal energy storage fluid from the solar receiver.

Abstract: A method of preventive detection of a fault in at least one device under surveillance of a group comprising at least two devices, the device under surveillance having at least one first parameter correlated with at least one second parameter of at least one second device in the group, said parameters representing state variables of said devices. The method includes the following steps: predicting a value of the first parameter from a measured value of the second parameter; comparing the predicted value of the first parameter and a measured value of the first parameter; and analyzing the result of the comparison effected in the comparison step to detect a potential fault. The invention also relates to a computer program, an installation, and a module for preventive detection of a fault in a device.

Abstract: A solar thermal power system can include a solar receiver steam generator, a thermal energy storage arrangement utilizing a thermal energy storage fluid, and a multistage steam turbine for driving an electrical generator to produce electrical power. The solar thermal power system has a first operating mode in which steam is generated by the solar receiver steam generator and is supplied both to the thermal energy storage arrangement and to a high pressure turbine inlet of the multistage steam turbine. In a second operating mode, steam is generated by recovering stored thermal energy from the thermal energy storage fluid of the thermal energy storage arrangement for injection into the multistage steam turbine at a location or turbine stage downstream of the high pressure turbine inlet.

Abstract: The subject specification comprises enhanced communication infrastructure for a multi-tier hierarchical smart distribution grid (SDG). The SDG comprises a specified number of distribution network node controller (DNNC) components employed to desirably control communications and power distribution between respective tiers of the SDG to facilitate efficient power distribution. When communication between the a DNNC in one tier and another DNNC in another tier, is desired, the DNNC can identify available communication channels and respective communication conditions of the available communication channels, and can dynamically select a subset of available data and preferred communication channel, based at least in part on predefined control criteria, to control data transmission loads in the network and facilitate real time control of the SDG. Data can be communicated via the selected communication channel.

Abstract: A solar boiler 300 includes first and second primary receiver panels 500, 600 spaced apart by a gap 700. Each panel 500, 600 include a plurality of primary boiler tubes 510, 610 for receiving solar flux. The boiler 300 includes at least one secondary receiver arrangement 800 disposed across the gap 700 for receiving solar flux incident thereacross. The arrangement 800 includes at least one secondary boiler tube 810, and at least one support member 820 supported thereto. The arrangement 800 is configured relative to the primary panels 500, 600 such that endmost primary boiler tubes 510a, 610a are supported over the support member 820 in spaced relation ‘S’ to the secondary boiler tube 810 for enabling transverse and lateral thermal expansion of the tubes 510, 610, 810 without bending out. Further, a panel joining attachment 900 is provided for attaching the panels 500, 600 and the arrangement 800.

Abstract: Air core reactor includes a coil connected between first and second terminals. The coil is made of a succession of bundles of conductor (B1, B2, B3, . . . , BN) connected in series along an axis between the first terminal and the second terminal. Each bundle is made of one wire wound around the axis to form a multi-layer winding having a cross-section of N winding layers in a direction perpendicular to the axis, from a winding layer of rank 1 which is the closest to the axis to a winding layer of rank N which is the furthest from the axis. Each perpendicular winding layer includes several winding layers in the direction of the axis. The number of axial winding of the perpendicular winding layer of rank j (j=2, . . . , N) is equal or less than the number of axial winding layers of the perpendicular winding layer of rank j?1.

Abstract: A solar thermal power plant comprises a solar radiation receiver mounted on a tower surrounded by a heliostat field to receive solar radiation reflected by heliostats. A power generation circuit includes a steam turbine for driving an electrical generator to produce electrical power, and water in the power generation circuit is heated directly by solar radiation reflected onto the solar radiation receiver by the heliostat field to generate steam to drive the steam turbine. An energy storage circuit includes a thermal energy storage fluid, such as molten salt, which is capable of being heated directly by solar radiation reflected by the heliostat field. A heat exchanger is also provided for recovering thermal energy from the thermal energy storage fluid. The recovered thermal energy may then be used to generate steam to drive the steam turbine.

Abstract: The molten salt solar tower system 100 is provided for controlling molten salt temperature in a solar receiver 130 for effective operation of the system 100 while without degrading physical properties of molten salt. The system 100 includes two circuits, first 140 and second 150. The first circuit 140 is configured to supply relatively cold molten salt in the solar receiver 130 for heating, and the second circuit 150 is configured to supply a predetermined amount of the relatively cold molten salt in the first circuit 140, as and when the temperature of the relatively hot molten salt circulating through the solar receiver 130 exceeds a predetermined set temperature value thereof.

Abstract: A decision-support tool is provided to evaluate operational and financial performance for dispatchers in power grid control centers associated with utility systems. A scheduler engine is coupled to a comprehensive operating plan that applies after the fact analysis for performance metrics, root-cause impacts and process re-engineering. A relational database is coupled to a data archiver that captures actual system and resource conditions and then supplies the system and resource conditions to the relational database. The scheduler engine receives the actual system and resource conditions from the relational database and processes it to calculate system performance.

Abstract: An arc-control chamber gear for contact electrodes, the gear possessing openings in collars of an electrode centering cap so as to break the confinement of the electrodes and allow them to be ventilated by gas convection between the inside volume heated by the flow of current and the cooler outside volume.

Abstract: An AC/DC electrical converter device having a source mode and a recovery mode, and for connection, on the AC side, to an AC voltage source and, on the DC side, to a DC power distribution network. It includes an AC/DC converter, a switching cell with two switches (K1, K2) that are bidirectional for current, the switches sharing a common point (A) and each having a respective end terminal (B1, B2), a filter stage, and a control unit for the cell; the converter is for connection on the AC side to the voltage source and is connected on the DC side to the cell; in use, the first switch (K1) is connected between the converter and the DC power distribution network via the filter stage, the second switch (K2) forming a combination in parallel with the filter stage and the DC power distribution network. The control means are able to manage a short-circuit current in source mode by operating on the first and second switches.