The protection, control, and monitoring of the power grid is not possible without accurate measurement devices. As the percentage of renewable energy sources penetrating the existing grid ...infrastructure increases, so do uncertainties surrounding their effects on the everyday operation of the power system. Many of these devices are sources of high-frequency transients. These transients may be useful for identifying certain events or behaviors otherwise not seen in traditional analysis techniques. Therefore, the ability of sensors to accurately capture these phenomena is paramount. In this work, two commercial-grade power system distribution sensors are investigated in terms of their ability to replicate high-frequency phenomena by studying their responses to three events: a current inrush, a microgrid "close-in", and a fault on the terminals of a wind turbine. Kernel density estimation is used to derive the non-parametric probability density functions of these error distributions and their adequateness is quantified utilizing the commonly used root mean square error (RMSE) metric. It is demonstrated that both sensors exhibit characteristics in the high harmonic range that go against the assumption that measurement error is normally distributed.
Electrical utilities have relied upon potential transformers (PTs) and current transformers (CTs) for very accurate metering and to provide reliable signals for protective relays. Less expensive ...alternative sensing technologies offer the possibility of wider deployment, particularly in grids that employ distributed energy resources. In this work, the performance of an advanced medium-voltage sensor is compared with that of a reference PT and a CT and experimentally evaluated for different power grid scenarios on an advanced outdoor power line sensor testbed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The sensor is based on a capacitive divider for voltage monitoring and a Rogowski coil with an integrator for current monitoring. The advanced outdoor power line sensor testbed has a real-time simulator that is used to generate transient scenarios (e.g., electrical faults, capacitor bank operation, and service restoration), while the analog signals are recorded by the same high-resolution power meter. The behaviors of analog signals, harmonic components, total harmonic distortion, and crest factors are assessed for this power line sensor and compared with those of the reference PT/CT because of the absence of testing standards for advanced outdoor power line sensors.
•Interdiffusion coefficients within Mg(Al) and Mg(Zn) solid solutions.•Impurity diffusion of Al and Zn in Mg.•Interdiffusion coefficient in Mg(Zn) was higher than that of Mg(Al).•Zn impurity ...diffusion coefficient was higher than that of Al in Mg.
Interdiffusion and impurity diffusion in Mg binary solid solutions, Mg(Al) and Mg(Zn) were investigated at temperatures ranging from 623 to 723K. Interdiffusion coefficients were determined via the Boltzmann–Matano Method using solid-to-solid diffusion couples assembled with polycrystalline Mg and Mg(Al) or Mg(Zn) solid solutions. In addition, the Hall method was employed to extrapolate the impurity diffusion coefficients of Al and Zn in pure polycrystalline Mg. For all diffusion couples, electron microprobe analysis was utilized for the measurement of concentration profiles. The interdiffusion coefficient in Mg(Zn) was higher than that of Mg(Al) by an order of magnitude. Additionally, the interdiffusion coefficient increased significantly as a function of Al content in Mg(Al) solid solution, but very little with Zn content in Mg(Zn) solid solution. The activation energy and pre-exponential factor for the average effective interdiffusion coefficient in Mg(Al) solid solution were determined to be 186.8 (±0.9)kJ/mol and 7.69×10−1 (±1.80×10−1)m2/s, respectively, while those determined for Mg(Zn) solid solution were 139.5 (±4.0)kJ/mol and 1.48×10−3 (±1.13×10−3)m2/s. In Mg, the Zn impurity diffusion coefficient was an order of magnitude higher than the Al impurity diffusion coefficient. The activation energy and pre-exponential factor for diffusion of Al impurity in Mg were determined to be 139.3 (±14.8)kJ/mol and 6.25×10−5 (±5.37×10−4)m2/s, respectively, while those for diffusion of Zn impurity in Mg were determined to be 118.6 (±6.3)kJ/mol and 2.90×10−5 (±4.41×10−5)m2/s.
Three aspects of microchip electrophoresis devices are discussed. Bonding of the substrate and cover slip is accomplished by hydrolizing the surfaces and then joining and annealing them. Pinched ...sample loading is found to be superior with regard to temporal stability and plug length.
Local temperature inhomogeneities in systems containing micron and submicron objects can result in unexpected consequences. If the mean free path of the host gas constituents is comparable to a ...characteristic length of the system, then a net exchange of momentum occurs between the constituents and the involved surfaces. For a given temperature gradient and a given pressure range, this results in the presence of Knudsen and Knudsen-like forces (KF). The pressure dependence of these forces has been studied using a microelectromechanical system composed of a microcantilever near a substrate surface. Nano-Newton scale KF are observed by the bending of the microcantilever as monitored by the charge variation on the microcantilever-substrate assembly in a capacitive mode.
A high-voltage pulsed power supply (HVPPS) has been designed, prototyped, and tested for driving an eddy current actuated propellant valve for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor ...(ITER) disruption mitigation system. The high-voltage (HV) dc supply output voltage is software programmable, and the energy storage capacitor bank can be readily reconfigured as 200, 400, 600, and 800 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\mu \text{F} </tex-math></inline-formula>, enabling testing and optimization of both the valve drive and valve systems. Multiple system parameters are monitored before, during, and after each firing of the valve. The system parameters are both displayed and stored for further analysis. Control of the setup, firing sequence, and data collection is automated using a LabVIEW-based control program. The programmability and reconfigurability of this system collectively provide a flexible and robust platform for system refinement and optimization. In this article, a summary of the system will be provided including operational sequences, HV switching and associated triggering methods and circuits, and results measured while firing a solid frozen pellet. In addition, planned refinement activities toward meeting all requirements for ITER integration will be discussed.
A micromechanical sensor that uses surface-modified atomic force microscopy cantilevers is described. The surface was modified with phosphoric acid or gelatin to demonstrate sensitivity to water ...vapor.
The Knudsen effect is estimated theoretically and observed experimentally using a U-shaped silicon microcantilever. Though Knudsen forces are extremely small in most cases involving microcantilevers, ...there exist situations where these forces can be significant and may be important in atomic force microscopy and in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The criteria for the presence of Knudsen forces are outlined and an analytical expression in the form of a linear function of the pressure is given for the force in the free molecular regime. The experimental results display peaks in the transitional regime while varying linearly in the molecular regime.
A QCM device employing ionic liquids as the sensing materials for organic vapors has been developed and evaluated. The sensing mechanism is based on the fact that the viscosity of the ionic liquid ...membrane decreases rapidly due to solubilization of analytes in the ionic liquids. This change in viscosity, which varies with the chemical species of the vapors and the types of ionic liquids, results in a frequency shift of the corresponding quartz crystal. The QCM sensor demonstrated a rapid response (average response time of less than 2 s) to organic vapors with an excellent reversibility because of the fast diffusion of analytes in ionic liquids. Furthermore, the ionic liquids, with zero vapor pressure and stable chemical properties, ensure a long-term shelf life for the sensor.