Energy Grid Doctor: How Condition Monitoring is Like Taking Care of a Patient

Imagine how healthy we’d be if we walked around with probes all day delivering data to a doctor whose job was to track and analyze our conditions. Kind of like a FitBit on steroids, right? We’d know if we’re getting enough exercise, eating the right foods, what organs or major systems might be in jeopardy. Active monitoring is best way to stay ahead of problems. The key is making it cost-effective.

Of course, that day is not quite here yet for humans. But it is for your energy operation. Not only is it possible to monitor every critical aspect of your equipment, fleet or substation, new software tools simplify the diagnostic, prognostic and prescriptive aspects of your maintenance initiatives. And the savings in terms of equipment investments and downtime can be massive.

Four different patients; four very important questions.

Hydro-Generators: Do you have the all data needed – including partial discharge, end-winding vibration, wedge tightness, air gap, core lamination, and rotor core variations — to fully understand the current condition and plan maintenance outages prior to failures?

Motor Generators: Can you count on the condition monitoring of key indicators of your rotor and stator windings?

Transformers: Do you have real-time data at your fingertips to be sure your transformer is doing its job efficiently and safely? That includes temperature, pressure, moisture, liquid levels, dissolved gas and partial discharge. Any one of these can quickly become an emergency.

Power Grids: How quickly will you know – because every second counts – if there’s a sudden change in generation, load or stability?

Condition monitoring is all about know what affects the health of system, and knowing how best to measure it. For help keeping your most important patient thriving, take time for a regular consultation with Qualitrol.