INNOVATION May-June 2017

Electrical switchgear system improves safety

against simulation and iterate designs quickly. The SPECTOR plasma injector ( shown ) reached temperatures as high as 5 million degrees Celsius and provided valuable data on the behaviour of the plasma. These insights are now being applied to a new power plant–scale injector that is 10 times SPECTOR’s size, with construction completed at the end of 2016. APEGBC members: Kristin Bell, P.Eng., Mike Donaldson, P.Eng., Don Froese, P.Eng., Curtis Gutjahr, EIT, Troy Tyler, P.Eng., Janice Habibi-Sardari, P.Eng. can determine the exact instant to close the breaker so as to eliminate transformer inrush. By removing transformer inrush, protection relay settings are able to be set much lower and, as a result, arc flash events can be cleared faster. This, in turn, lowers downstream incident energy levels and improves safety. The point on wave energy-reducing (POWER) switchgear also allows larger transformers to be connected to an electrical system or standard transformers connected to weaker systems. APEGBC member, Prime Engineering Ltd.: Eric David Sleigh, P.Eng.

General Fusion is developing the fastest, most practical path to commercial fusion power—a clean, safe, abundant and on-demand form of energy. At its laboratories in Burnaby, BC, the company is developing the sub-systems that will comprise the world’s first commercially viable fusion power plant. Fusion power plants are fueled by superheated hydrogen plasma, which must be held stable in a magnetic field. To research this relatively unexplored area of physics, General Fusion developed a series of laboratory- scale plasma injectors that enabled the company to test prototypes Prime Engineering has developed an innovative medium-voltage electrical switchgear product that eliminates transformer inrush current and allows for lower arc flash incident energy levels. Prime Engineering has partnered with Vizimax Inc. to bring this technology to the medium-voltage field and has developed a product with a footprint no larger than a standard medium- voltage switchgear. The patented technique eliminates transformer inrush by using a combination of an independent pole- operated breaker (Tavrida) and point on wave controller (Vizimax) that

SPECTOR plasma injector developed for fusion power

In 2016, the City of Surrey, BC, endorsed a five-year strategy to replace 28,000 existing high-pressure sodium streetlights with LED lights across the city. The city undertook pilot tests and analysis as part of the process of determining suitable streetlight colour temperatures. A 3000-Kelvin colour temperature (white) was chosen for local residential streets, and a 4000-Kelvin temperature (bluish–white, within the daylight range) for all other streets. City converts street lighting to LED

As part of the infrastructure installations currently underway, the city will pilot other SMART technologies such as WiFi and dimming in specific locations. The strategy aims to improve the safety and comfort of pedestrians, drivers and cyclists on streets, as well as to reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs. APEGBC member: Amer Afridi, P.Eng.

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