Battery systems are at the heart of the DC control and protection systems in your generation facilities and many of your substations. As the key power source for equipment control and protection, this system must be extremely reliable, driving the need for preventive maintenance. But, after all the preventive maintenance is done, do you really know how well your battery will perform under actual operating conditions? Morrow Point has found that their preventive maintenance measures may have actually been creating problems!

  download Mr. McDermott’s EPRI paper (508 KB)

  download Mr. McDermottâs EPRI presentation (512 KB)

In June 2001, the National Grid conducted a controlled back-energization test of a large 1000MVA power transformer belonging to Scottish Power that was known to have partial discharge problems. Partial discharge activity had been indicated by raised levels of acetylene and hydrogen in the oil. The experiment was arranged to test a wide variety of partial discharge detection technologies from several different companies and universities worldwide. With sponsorship and support by EPRI, Serveron’s on-line dissolved gas monitoring was included in the repertoire of equipment used to observe the characteristics of the transformer. Increases in the dissolved gases due to discharges inside the transformer were detected by the dissolved gas monitoring systems within a matter of a few hours after the discharges occurred. Additionally, the on-line gas monitoring allowed for better understanding of the nature of the discharges.

  download Mr. Waters’ EPRI paper (355 KB)

  download Mr. Waters’ EPRI presentation, with notes (1.26 MB)

Serveron's products and services continually monitor the operating condition and changes in performance of critical transmission and distribution equipment. Our comprehensive, proprietary technology and high-speed communications immediately send information on developing problems to the appropriate utility personnel. This information helps avoid dangerous and costly failures while optimizing maintenance schedules.

Serveron provides complete online monitoring products and services for electric power substation reliability. Serveron’s technologies address asset characteristics that have traditionally been difficult or impossible to measure.

• Full-service, turnkey asset monitoring helps utilities achieve their financial goals and ensure the highest level of substation system performance under safe operating conditions. Serveron also provides information that helps the utility determine equipment condition and useful life expectancy. Serveron’s condition monitoring provides the necessary information for cost-effective Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM).
  
  
• TrueGas™ transformer gas analyzers monitor the levels of volatile dissolved gases in the insulating oil of large transformers and other oil-filled equipment. Using on-site gas chromatography (GC) to detect trace levels of transformer fault gases, we assist utilities in achieving the highest levels of safe operation. For the first time, utilities can receive timely information on conditions that could lead to catastrophic failure.
  
  
• Battery and Cell Management (BCM) monitors dramatically reduce the maintenance activity required to ensure that critical battery systems are fully operational while improving battery charging and performance. Parameters monitored include: electrolyte level, resistive current-path, cell overcharge, specific gravity variance, voltage, current path integrity, charge uniformity factor, high temperature, current DC, current AC ripple, and state of charge.