TUSKER TERMINAL – A PRACTICAL SOLUTION FOR ELECTRO-FEVER, an OVER-HEATING Issue in Electrical Systems
INTRODUCTION
This paper contains information about ELCTRO-FEVER occurring in electrical connections of existing Electrical Equipment; here we specifically refer to POWER & DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMER, ISOLATOR, CTs, AB Switches etc
As any other fever, ELECTRO-FEVER is nothing but overheating associated with all connections which gradually increase with increase in electrical resistances and contributes in degradation of equipment, cables & whole electrical system efficiency
ELECTRO-FEVER Overheating or Hotspots
Undesirable Temperature rise @Connections are due to high contact resistance of conventional bolted and crimped connections and dissimilar Contact Surfaces. Limitations associated with these connectors include frequent overheating of connectors that leads to failures and interruptions resulting in power loss and revenue losses.
Water and Dust Ingress, Pollution, Increasing Ambient temperatures including heat fluctuations, Corrosion will further deteriorate contacts to increase contact resistance drastically.
ROOT CAUSES
Electrical Contact Resistance is important parameter to assess connector quality and reliability. Three main factors which affect contact resistance values are Conduction, Oxidation factor and Pressure/Force applied while connection.
Following factors are essentially contributing towards high Contact Resistances and added to undesirable Temperature Rise
A. Raw Materials
B. Connector Designs
C. Manufacturing Methods
Sand or Gravity Die Casting: Partial Porosity, ? Al Alloy & Process Limitations
Extrusions:No Porosity and High Conductive ? Aluminum Alloys
Conventional Machining: Not suitable for ? mass production and quality products
CNC Machining: Reliability and Repeatability of consistent Manufacturing Process
The best combination is to design connectors based on Extrusions and CNC machining
RECOMMENDATIONS
To reduce overheating, High Ampacity ? Connectors with TR (< 20OC) above ambient (instead of <= 45OC) and other stringent changes in specifications are to be done.
Connectors are our Weakest Link in ? any electrical systems and can be big opportunity to REDUCE Losses and to INCREASE system reliability. Loss at each connection has potential to save, if energy efficient connectors are deployed and commissioned in mass.
Along with “Energy Efficient Equipment’s& ? Cables” we need INNOVATIVE “Energy Efficient Connectors” which are clearly more efficient (than defined) & suitable for O&M need till last miles.
Standardization of Cables and Connectors ? are key
CUSTOMIZATION WORK & CASE STUDY RESULTS FOR NEW CONNECTORS
We have come up with INNOVATIVE designs ? which are PATENT applied and these products will act as Power Loss Reducer thus named as TUSKER Terminals which are O&M Friendly & will build Energy Efficient & Reliable system for long term.
Temperature Rise (above ambient) results ? are less than 20OC and showing no major changes in resistance values.
These new connectors are available ? for Threaded Studs, Plain Dia. Studs, FlatBusbars& IPS Al Tubes.
CONCLUSION
On real-time testing, we have observed there is great potential of Power savings (minimization of Heat Losses) based on I2R calculation. Contact Resistances have been improved from three digits to single digits and thus reducing TR during life cycle of Equipment’s and Cables.
OVER-HEATING depends upon Connector selection based on applications, O&M Practices and associated Contact Resistance Values hence to overcome ELECTRO-FEVER, we need ENERGY Efficient Connection Systems “TUSKER Terminals”
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