Power On: Russelectric’s Solution for Emergency Outage Backup

In critical infrastructures like hospitals, data centers, and process industries, power is fundamental for essential operations. These infrastructures rely heavily on continuous power to safeguard lives, property, and crucial data. To ensure seamless operations and safeguard against any potential disruption, robust backup power systems are essential for uninterrupted productivity.

Russelectric has introduced an emergency power system designed for critical facilities like wastewater treatment plants. This article will examine the challenges facing uninterrupted power supply in critical facilities and explore how Russelectrics' power system hopes to provide a solution.

 

Russelectric’s emergency power system. Image used courtesy of Siemens

 

The Power Void

In facilities like telecommunication companies and manufacturing setups, where reliable power serves as the lifeline, power loss or fluctuations, including outages and surges, pose risks of detrimental harm to indispensable equipment, potentially leading to irreparable damage. 

In industrial power systems, switchgear serves as a critical component in power distribution systems. The switchgear facilitates the controlled electrical power switching between various sources and loads. Switchgear consists of a circuit breaker and relay that energizes whenever a fault or power outage occurs, disconnecting the faulty path and switching to the secondary power source (generator). This way, the critical loads stay protected, and the power supply remains uninterrupted. Advanced switchgear systems often incorporate redundant programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to ensure reliability and flexibility in managing the power transfer process.

Paralleling switchgear (PSG), on the other hand, is a specialized type of switchgear used to synchronize and parallel multiple power sources, such as generators, to provide a reliable and continuous power supply. PSG integrates protection, metering, control, and switching components to manage power distribution for emergency systems. 

 

Parallel switchgear. Image used courtesy of Russelectric

 

During a power outage, the PSG receives signals from the utility grid, prompting standby generators to start. Synchronizers adjust generator parameters to match the grid parameters. Once synchronized, the PSG connects generators to the electrical bus via circuit breakers. Protective relays monitor for abnormalities and trip breakers if faults occur. The PSG can prioritize critical loads and shed non-essential ones for optimized power distribution. 

Due to its comprehensive functionality and reliability, PSG is extensively used in emergency power outage events in critical infrastructures.

 

Russelectric's Backup Power Solution

To ensure uninterrupted power supply in critical faculties, Russelectric introduced a new emergency power system with advanced features. The system integrates redundant PLC controls and manual backup capability to deliver continuous power during utility outages.

Utilizing paralleling switchgear systems, the design incorporates dual, redundant, hot-synchronized PLCs for precise system control. In the event of automatic control malfunction, manual start and synchronization of generator sets are enabled, providing an additional layer of reliability. Moreover, the system integrates load demand sensing, which optimizes generator operation by adjusting the number of engine generators based on load requirements, ensuring efficient power delivery. The system is designed to prioritize critical loads, transferring them to connected engine generator sets promptly, while lower priority loads are transferred as additional generator capacity is connected. This staged approach minimizes disruption and ensures essential functions remain powered.

Additionally, the system comes equipped with supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) capability and a 23-inch LCD HMI touchscreen display, providing operators with comprehensive system monitoring and control functionality. 

 

Redunandant PLC Controls

Russelectric's commitment to safety and simplicity, coupled with SCADA capabilities and load demand sensing, promises to redefine emergency power management. By having redundant PLC controls, the emergency power system can maintain its functionality and reliability even under adverse conditions, providing an added layer of resilience.