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How Versatile Alternating Present Transmission Methods Can Scale back Transmission Line Site visitors Jams
A Navigation App for Electrical Highways
Identical to busy roads, the U.S. transmission system can expertise congestion, resulting in inefficient journey of electrical energy.
“Imagine some small transmission lines run between two cities and are always congested, like a small road with a never-ending traffic jam,” stated Paul Denholm, a senior analysis fellow on the Nationwide Renewable Vitality Laboratory (NREL).
On this case, lowering the congestion might require extra than simply rising the transmission capability of the present traces. It might contain including further, bigger “highways” of electrical energy between the 2 cities.
However even when a bigger set of transmission traces is added, the electrical energy won’t mechanically take the brand new, less-congested route. In eventualities like this, the inefficiency in transmission will not be brought on by particular person transmission traces however moderately the physics of the transmission community as an entire.
“One of the peculiarities of our current transmission system is we can’t actually control the flow of electricity across the various transmission lines,” Denholm stated. “Because of the physics behind conventional alternating current transmission, which is what the power grid primarily operates on, electricity will not naturally flow to more efficient routes, even if they are readily available. And that’s where FACTS devices come in.”
FACTS units present a strategy to steer electrical energy to less-congested transmission traces, like a navigation app in your cellphone. However in contrast to navigation apps, FACTS know-how is not only a software program—it requires bodily altering {the electrical} traits of a transmission line by utilizing new elements. The brand new electrical traits ensuing from FACTS units make it tougher for energy to unintentionally navigate to small roads with “traffic jams” and simpler for energy to navigate to fast-moving “highways.”
“We can essentially use the laws of physics to our advantage by changing the way electricity flows on the system, steering electricity onto underutilized lines,” Denholm stated. “This can be a very cost-effective way to increase the capacity of our current transmission system.”
Pinpointing The place To Deploy FACTS
FACTS, which is well-proven know-how, could be utilized to each present and new transmission techniques. However one key problem is knowing what areas are most fitted for it.
“There are likely many, many places where FACTS could really help increase the capacity of the system, but that’s not the case everywhere,” Denholm stated.
Extra research are wanted to know what elements of the U.S. energy grid will profit most from putting in FACTS units, which may in the end assist utilities handle their energy grids extra successfully by lowering power losses and bettering system reliability.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_4XB2wXoNQ
The subsequent article of this four-part collection will talk about rising the voltage of high-voltage alternating present traces. Within the meantime, you’ll want to watch NREL’s quick video summarizing 4 methods to extend transmission and subscribe to NREL’s power evaluation emails to obtain updates.
Article from NREL.
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