The Russian energy sector continues to develop despite any challenges which is proved by high-tech developments featured at the International Specialized Exhibition «Energy and Electrical Engineering».

 

Many exhibits are essential to ensure uninterrupted operation of power engineering facilities, which is vitally important for all Russian citizens. These may include an electric power facilities automation system made by Prosoft-System, that makes it possible to monitor what is happening at a site: real parameters, voltage and temperature currents are reflected.

The stand features the results of the company’s activities on improvement of its product, a multifunctional controller ARIS-11ххЖ being one of the system elements. The predecessor thereof is nearly twice as large. Besides, a metal-enclosed server that screens the equipment off magnetic fields at the power engineering facilities was presented as an exhibit.

PLC Technology is also engaged in ensuring operation of the automated systems at the power engineering facilities. At the exhibition, the company has presented the stands with the cable lines monitoring system, a digital sub-station stand, as well as new rack-mounted ironwork commutators with an enhanced data transmission rate.

Matrix company demonstrated a system solution that enables to monitor all metering devices powered by substation, and, along with that, a modified line of smart energy meters. The meter body includes replaceable communications modules enabling adaptable use of communication channels. The Matrix exhibit makes it possible to upgrade the power systems using cutting-edge removable communications modules, including with a combined data transmission technology G3-Hybrid PLC+RF. In this case, the power system will be in full conformity with all parameters of Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No.890.

The data acquisition and transmission device U325K showed by Pik-Progress is also able to aggregate readings from many meters. The device is capable of collecting readings from electric energy, water and gas meters. U325K provides for «the minimum required set of capabilities to work with discrete objects», the representative of Pik-Progress explains.

Another participant of the exhibition, Radar MMS, has arranged as many as several expositions within its stand. Two sections are full of a variety of sensors assembled by Radar MMS in Russia. Some of them monitor the wind speed, others, when affixed to an unmanned aerial vehicle are capable of identifying a metal ore deposit. The exhibits also include an unmanned aircraft BVS VT-45 with a capacity of 10 kg, that enables to carry out monitoring, geological exploration, search and rescue operations.

The developers have also presented a sensor that exceeded capabilities of the legendary import analogue. A newly-developed product is able not only to measure current intensity and direction, but also the wire sagging angle or, for example, to determine whether there is an ice layer on it. And together with the sensor of meteorological parameters they form a comprehensive monitoring system of the medium voltage line. Upon expiry of one year after installation, there will be sufficient data for predictive analytics of the real equipment condition.

A curious exhibit item can be found on the stand of DMT. It has brought a video recorder DMT-EX-MB and other models to the Exhibition «Energy and Electrical Engineering», among which there is also an explosion-proof one. It can record what is happening in the explosion hazardous zones, where there is a gas leakage, for instance. DMT-EX-2 will definitely not spark, which can cause an accident. The company development may function under extreme conditions, fixing legally relevant information owing to high-quality video and sound recording. A built-in battery allows to do so for up to 17 hours on a single charge.

Berkana company is able to surprise a visitor with electrical cabinets KAZ COM made of composite alloy. The material combines the properties of metal and plastics: durability, nonflammability, immunity to temperature drops, corrosion resistance, lightness, electrical transparency. For Russia it is a rather innovative material, though it has already superseded other materials all around the world. The service life is 30 years.

The stand of Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University «LETI» named after V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin) features the working results of the developments made within the program of strategic academic leadership «Priority-2030». In particular, visitors can see a sample of the uninterruptible power supply unit based on the modern SiC-ECB, that is notable for the fact that it is integrated directly into the network and, in case of a breakage, immediately powers up all devices connected to the switchboard. The device functions for a long time with the power output of up to 10 kW, for a short period of time (5–10 minutes) – up to 30 kW. It can be connected to the module of lithium-ion batteries and supply network voltage. The network pick-up time is about 20 microseconds, that is 1 oscillation period.

Besides, at its stand «LETI» presented a selection of minerals and a magnetic and impulse installation. Using the electromagnetic impulse it can act mechanically upon metal, transform it for a plug or reinforced the cutting tool. As with the uninterruptible power supply unit, this installation already has a commercial user, and several items were manufactured. Both devices are expected to be put into full-scale production in the future.

At the neighboring stand, Terra Elektro is demonstrating a battery energy storage system with a capacity of 100 kW. It is designed to accumulate and store energy, giving it to the network or to load with the purpose of maintaining functioning of the power supply system. Application thereof makes it possible to lower the voltage fluctuations of the power network and to reduce the risk of power consumption due to excluding peak loads on the power source. The system can be charged at night in order to use a more beneficial tariff. The energy storage device will be useful both in the systems for power supply of industrial facilities, residential houses and office buildings, and at the self-powered facilities.

This development will help not only to raise network capacity and reliability but also to reduce electricity costs. Thanks to such devices the electrical energy becomes storable and portable thus changing the balance of simultaneous processes of generation and consumption. These systems are assessed as a «rapidly developing class of high-tech devices that open crucially new opportunities for development of electric power engineering».