The Laboratorio de Alta Tensión LAT-UPM team, located at Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería y Diseño Industrial (ETSIDI) of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, has developed a measuring procedure and instrument that allow evaluation of insulating elements state in the high voltage electrical networks through partial discharges analysis.
The technology that has been developed, BlueBOX, is an important advance in terms of operation of electrical systems the improvement and optimization of the operation of electrical systems. It is notable for the application of advanced measurement techniques and the use of powerful numerical tools in the service of performing effective diagnostics of the state of electrical insulation, when carrying out both on-site and on-line tests. This issue is of special interest for electricity companies from a technical and economic point of view.
It has been proved that that conducting DP (partial discharges) tests is effective in diagnosing high-voltage insulation state when tests are carried out in laboratory and even in situ (with the facilities to be tested out of service and in low electrical noise conditions). However, the possibility of performing effective diagnostics by performing these on-site tests with on-line facilities is currently of particular interest to electricity sector companies. This is because it makes for a significant improvement on the ability to evaluate assets and a reduction in associated costs. The application of advanced measurement and signal processing technologies that could face inherent disadvantages to this type of tests is required in order to be able to carry out on-line tests. It is possible to overcome these disadvantages by obtaining satisfactory results when improving the operation of the electrical systems with Blue BOX technology.
“BlueBOX technology is a great advance for the effective elaboration of reliable diagnoses of the state of the dielectrics, which give rise to an improvement of high voltage electrical installations state”
For the companies of the sector it is of vital importance to know the state of the different assets that compose the installation, applying for it management and accurate and economic maintenance policies.
Before commissioning an electrical installation, it is necessary to detect possible insulation defects that may have been generated in both manufacturing and on site assembly stages.
Throughout their useful life, it is necessary to establish mandatory periodic inspections and effective maintenance plans by specialized and authorized companies in order to guarantee the quality standards in the installations.
It is of special interest that the electricity supply is guaranteed at all times so it is necessary to establish adequate maintenance policies.
“The improvement of the operation of electrical systems is now possible by the evaluation of dielectrics using BlueBOX technology, with the advantage of being able to keep the installations in service”
Electricity sector companies
• Some of the current users of BlueBOX technology are large companies in the electricity sector (Gas Natural Fenosa, Iberdrola, Endesa, Red Eléctrica and Viesgo), other companies related to the sector (General Cable, Cotradis, LCOE, Doel,…) and companies with a large electrical energy consumption that demand continuity in the supply (Aena, Alcoa, Metro de Barcelona,...).
• European Patent applied via EPO EP2579056
• Patent requested in EEUU US13/701,451
• Patent granted in México MX/a/2012/013801
BlueBOX contact
Fernando Garnacho Vecino
e: fernandog@lcoe.etsii.upm.es
w: http://diael.com
UPM contact
Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship Area
Centre of Support for Technological Innovation – UPM
e: innovacion.tecnologica@upm.es