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TRAINING COURSES EVENTS
TRAINING COURSE ON POWER CONDITIONING FOR SAFE AND RELIABLE OPERATION OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
NATIONAL RADIATION COMMISSION
TRAINING COURSE ON POWER CONDITIONING FOR SAFE AND RELIABLE OPERATION OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
16th-20th OCTOBER 2000, ARUSHA
COURSE OVERVIEW
1.0. INTRODUCTION
Electrical Disturbances, static and environmental condition have been associated with electronic equipment failure and malfunction. Studies suggest that the electrical environment in which most electronic systems equipment operate is a far “dirtier” place than we realize. Moreover, the most noticeable types of problems, blackout and lightning strikes, account less than under- voltage conditions and electromagnetic interference disruptions that are nearly impossible to detect with a naked eye. Disturbances of high magnitude content can result in catastrophic failure or impairment of circuit components. Smaller disturbances may corrupt the logic signals and cause intermittent errors in data or control. All sorts of electronic equipment are at risk; computers, industrial controllers, medical diagnosis and treatment systems, banks, communication systems etc.
There has been a quantum leap in the last few years in digital technology. Microprocessors are everywhere. Soon they will control virtually everything. All electrical and electronic products are being made “smart”. They are no longer limited to computers, which everyone expects to be magic gadgets, but are also found in washing machines, microwave ovens, office copier, radios, and VCR’s to just name a few. Soon every home and business will have a dozen, if not several dozen microprocessors operating within its confines. And most of this equipment will be plugged into power line. The power line is not only the life blood of these valued products but it is also the demon which will destroy them without adequate safeguards.
Due to ever increasing dependency upon electronic systems, power conditioning and protection is a justifiable effort to achieve un-interruptible error-free performance. Surveys have revealed that about 35% of electronic and electrical equipment are defective or malfunctioning due to power related disturbances. Power supply interruption and disturbances can be costly. The resulting loss of data and delays in processing can have several adverse impact upon society and the economy. Faulty power supply could cause huge economic losses by the destruction of costly sensitive equipment, resulting in loss of production along with unproductive utilization of the staff.
Power conditioning can improve the electrical environment if applied properly. There is no single solution to all these problems that can be caused by electrical disturbances. However, there are several approaches that are often effective particularly when used in combination.
This is why the National Radiation Commission through its Instrumentation Maintenance Section has organised this course on power conditioning in order to provide participants with training, awareness and practical experience in providing protection to electronic systems against harmful effects of mains disturbances. The training was also a forum of exchange of ideas and experiences on power line disturbances. It is estimated that roughly 40% reduction in equipment breakdowns and 25% cut in maintenance expenditure could be achieved by supplying cleaned-up or filtered a.c. power to electronic equipment.
2.0 THE COURSE OBJECTIVES AND IMPACT
The course presentation identified and described the electrical environment recommended for safe and reliable operation of electronic systems. It described the fundamentals that underlie the power supply, grounding and life-safety requirements and means for resolving typical electrical power supply and grounding problems frequently encountered in installation and operation of large and medium scale electronic systems. In addition to power supply quality and proper electrical grounding, electronic systems including computers are susceptible to malfunction created by power source aberration, environmentally induced disturbances and electrical noise. The course presentation intended to provide to operators/users and maintenance personnel with perspective and basis for selecting an optimal (cost/benefit) course of action from among the range of possible alternative power conditioning facilities. The course will encourage electronic/electrical engineers or technicians to design power conditioning devices that will take care of mains disturbances e.g. voltage sensitive switches, surge arrestors, voltage stabilizers, etc.
3.0. COURSE CONTENTS
The training covered the following topics
Electrical power disturbances and transients, their definition, source, nature, characteristics and properties. Theory of suppression devices, varistors, gas arrestors, transorbers, line filters, isolation transformer, over voltage protection and CVT. Basic theory of power disturbances protection techniques, commercial power line protection instruments, their theory, specifications and characteristics. Testing of some commercial mains surge arrestors and protection devices will be done.
Deployment of transient over voltage protection techniques and basic considerations in
specifying protection and effective installation techniques. There will be a demonstrations on three zone surge protection installation. Mains disturbances recorder theory and analysis, recording and evaluating various disturbances. Earthing and bonding system theory, designing and practical measurements. Assemble of surge protectors and testing of self-made protector voltage sensitive protection device.
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NIM SECTION
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PARTICIPANTS DURING PRACTICAL SESSION
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CLASS SESSION
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