THE COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT OF AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

A personal message from CESEEPS…

THE COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT OF AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

Before embarking into the specifics of the seminars composing the CESEEPS TRAINING PROGRAM, allow me to articulate the subject on ‘Career & Competency Development of an Electrical Engineer’. Please appreciate that this message is coming from the author’s heart & mind, thus I trust that you will never forget this message as you all trod along with your own respective professional lives - today and in the future.

Learning & developing oneself is all but a never-ending & continuing process. It is therefore a sin to feel that your cups are full because if you are ‘full’, anything added & poured unto you will just be wasted as overflow. Not allowing new inputs into your system will render you cemented to what you believe as facts when more often than not, are myths - in the long run finding yourselves tailing behind the realities that surround you as a professional.


The Re-Engineering & Competency Development Program on “ELECTRICAL DESIGN PRACTICES IN INDUSTRIAL POWER SYSTEMS” that we made available to everybody is a product of this learning process, the discoveries along with the acceptance to internal embarrassments but later the daring re-emergence as a much better electrical engineer in the service to the ideals of the profession and mankind. We are now in a global environment; we therefore should ask ourselves, “are we globally competitive? Are we world class? Are our practices according to standards, nationally & internationally? Are we growing professionally?”


FACE-TO-FACE WITH REALITY

In corporate environments where this author did belong for many years, there is always that so-called “Career Development”. What does it mean to us? In simpler terms, it could mean, where will I be in five years time, or to make it more personal, what do I want to be in five years time … in 10 years time?

To make the subject more interesting, here’s a true-to-life story…

Thirty five years ago, there was a young hometown boy, who had just passed the board exams. Fresh from the oath-taking ceremony, he returned to his hometown - proud, full of idealism, armed with a thought that being a ‘full-pledged engineer’ something big was in the offing! After all, he was the high school valedictorian in his time and everybody in his hometown knew it! His hometown in Northern Mindanao once boasted of a large wood-based industrial complex which since his childhood mystified him. His coming back home had a ready employment waiting for him in that plant – an employment paved by his father and his father’s friends. And he would be paid P 1.73 per hour or P 13 per day or P 360 per month. With overtime & Sunday works included, it could mean a P 500 per month. Fine, not bad!

The position? … to his girlfriends, the position was “Assistant Engineer” but in reality the position was, “Trainee Engineer”. Inside, there was some form of a protest because he was already a ‘full-pledged’ engineer, then why a trainee?

However, the first day of work was a humiliating experience, in fact a disappointment for the rest of a four year period. Humbled; not because of the pay or position - but because of reality! At the end of the day, the young engineer realized that the company should have not paid him at all!

Why? Because he realized he was not at all productive. There’s nothing in the plant that he understood or had something in confidence with. He used to be only an “audience” or “kuyog-baboy” to every large undertaking. And if he participated in a project, he ended up chiseling off concrete and helped lay out heavy conduits, making pull boxes, climbing electric poles and most of the time helping out an electrician in maintenance activities - this amidst the fact that he was a full-pledged electrical engineer. When asked what he was doing, the answers were: “I am cleaning a contactor”. “I am splicing a wire”. The sad thing was that he was often tested and embarrassed by electricians. College education was not enough and the realities in the industrial world were so overwhelming to the guts of an engineer fresh from school or board examinations.

Nevertheless, what he did was to bring along a “cuaderno” making notes on significant learnings of the day and transfer them into a personal logbook.


THE CHALLENGE

Then there emerged a challenge. He must compete with his tormentors! He must be over & above and better than them. He then focused on the electrician’s expertise that is, “controls troubleshooting” - the day-to-day action in the industrial plant scenario. In an environment of production, production & production as priority, management in this environment wants people good in controls. Troubleshooters usually save the day’s production commitments. By the fourth year, the young engineer earned some respect from his men and colleagues. He became conversant of the plant equipment and its control systems. He was labeled as being an “acceptable” engineer. Meanwhile, the “cuaderno” had slowly become thicker and thicker. He survived 5 long years, until there was an opportunity in a more glamorous company based in Cebu where he eventually transferred employment.

While in this new employment, this time as a maintenance supervisor, the process of learning was repeated. The engineer must know the control systems of process equipment of his new environment. That’s the only way to earn respect and authority. He must become a TARZAN – like the one who is always waken-up during the wee hours of the night because the trouble in the plant had already lasted for hours. In the past, achieving TARZAN status will give the engineer the authority to command his wards. As one San Miguel Vice President said, “Wala kang karapatang mag-utos kung hindi mo alam ang inu-utos mo!”


THE AWAKENING

Because of good performance, he was then given multi-million projects as “project engineer” where he helped in the designing & construction of the fastest Bottling Plant in the world (at that time) as well as the expansion of a brewery. With flying colors, he was later given larger projects and more responsibilities that when asked this time what he was doing, his answers were in different tunes as: “I am building a Brewery. I am building a Substation; I am building a high-tech, state-of-the-art manufacturing plant”.

But then there was an awakening. If you are good in operation & maintenance, it doesn’t mean that you are good in system design and construction. In electrical engineering, there is that delineation of so-called power and controls. Aside from Control Engineering, one engineer has to obtain competence in Power Engineering. Then, this young engineer started to train his focus on the power side of electrical engineering. “How am I going to design and build a brewery system?” Then he realized that he never grew up in his engineering. Because being masterful in specific equipment controls is making you a “Technician”, not an engineer.

Looking back to the efforts expended in the past years, the truth was that he strived to learn the electricians’ knowledge and had to be better. A Technician, in the lingo of most industrial plants, is a guy who possesses better skills than the electricians. The only difference was that the engineer is an engineer obtained through a BSEE course and a board exam, while a technician is not. So he realized then, that what he worked hard for 8 years in practice is actually, exerting to become a technician. How many electrical engineers in the country have been in this situation?

Designing and later building a plant from scratch is a creation and real engineering for that matter. In fact, taking a Professional Engineers License needs the competencies in power engineering design. The examiners need to see presentations & computations how the ratings of equipment and system components are derived because “if you are a PEE, you are licensed to practice the full scope of the profession”. Control Engineering is of course OK but it is in the power side that kills people, burn buildings and cause nationwide black-outs. The board is looking at it, as priority.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not against of the engineer becoming a “technician” for it is in fact part of the electrical engineer’s learning process.


THE COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

To continue with the story, this engineer lived on with this second employment for 22 years, traveled to Germany & Singapore for latest technology training then applied his competencies in the corporation’s plants in the Philippines and outside the country. Along the way, he hurdled the PEE exams as second placer. He eventually became the Electrical & Instrumentation Manager, holding office no longer in the provincial plants but in the posh corporate headquarters in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

In the professional scene, he was awarded as the IIEE’s “Most Outstanding Electrical Practitioner in the Field of Industry” in 1996. He retired from the company in early 2000 to become the plant manager of a multi-national automotive wire harness manufacturing company in Mactan Export Processing Zone, where he achieved world record breakthroughs in manufacturing. At present, he is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of an electrical engineering consultancy outfit. In 2002, he was awarded as IIEE’s Most Outstanding Electrical Practitioner in the Field of Consultancy. In 2003, he was conferred as the Most Outstanding Regional Governor of IIEE. Also in 2003, Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT) conferred him as the “Most Outstanding Alumnus in the Field of Engineering Consultancy”.

The point of the story is that learning is itself a process we seem to ignore. Tracking down the process of learning will yield the following:

1) First Phase is: The “Innate Aptitude”: From the formative years up to high school.

2) Second is: “The Enrichment”: That is our BSEE and years of college education to include the review and the board exams.

3) Third is: “The Technical Training”: The training to become an Electrician and later to become a Technician. Because we have to earn that authority to “command”.

4) Fourth is: “The Awakening”: The awakening of a vision and direction what you really wanted to be. This is the breakthrough in competency development process.

5) Fifth is: “The Re-Engineering”: The retraining process to become truly an engineer. That’s why we are here in this training program.

6) Sixth is: “The Responsible Correct Practice”: After the training program you will have lots of it.

7) Seventh is: “Making Things Happen”.


THE REALITIES IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STANDARDS


The story however did not end there. Looking back again, caught in a limbo some 35 years ago, that young electrical engineer dreamt of a book that would someday guide and mentor him in the various facets of designing the electrical system of an industrial plant or a commercial complex. That dream book proved to be elusive only until the recent times when the book serial entitled, “DESIGN PRACTICES IN INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS”, becomes available. Interestingly, that young engineer (who is now 56 years old) wrote it… no longer for himself but for others who may find these books valuable. Feeling confident after years of experience, he was set to transform the “cuaderno” into not one, but five books.

But then again came another rude awakening… When the books were in the making, this engineer noticed that there were errors, misconceptions, wrong notions and misapplications in his previous works that he never thought of before. As reference books were researched, there were things missing and wanting in our practice, and that is, the standards! To be honest, how many of us here have read the Electrical Code? Yet, we are fond of writing in the blueprints, “all installations shall be in accordance to the latest edition of the Philippine Electrical Code”. Are the designs & plans we produced compliant to the Philippine Electrical Code? On top of this, how many of us had looked into IEEE/ANSI or IEC? How many of us had seriously thought why buildings burned?

“Faulty Electrical Wiring”… there goes always the culprit. Is there really faulty electrical wiring? But are we aware that most electrical installations in the country are in fact violations of the Code?

Faulty means “out of order”, “defective”, “flawed”. But a faulty structure doesn’t mean that it won’t work, at least momentarily. A defect in the structure doesn’t mean that it is not habitable. But when tremors or earthquakes come, they unmask the real integrity of the structure. In electrical engineering practice, energizing a system successfully doesn’t mean that they are not faulty! But are the electrical systems we designed & constructed do have the integrity? In CESEEPS, we believe that faulty electrical wirings are practices both in design and construction methods that violate the code or standard. That is one of the missions of CESEEPS and one big reason why we are here in this re-engineering program.

Our profession is dying. Year after year, electrical engineering enrolment dwindles. A number of engineering colleges are considering closing shop the electrical engineering department. There’s no more glamour. There is no more motivation.

Why? Because other professions are usurping & eating us up. Other technical fields for instance are looking at electrical engineering as a very simple discipline. Imagine, it takes only an architectural draftsman (not even an architect) to design the electrical system of a commercial complex..? But you will find out later on, that electrical engineering, after all, is not as easy as what we think.


THE CAREER PATH

The story of that young engineer is an example of a career path. It may not be so impressive because he is still working hard until these days, yet the story is full of the facets of career development. One electrical engineer that I know of became the president of a family-owned company when his father-in-law died. Years before that, he married the daughter of the owner - that is a road map. Another Cebuano electrical engineer that I know of is now Vice President of one of the biggest conglomerate companies in the country, when he directed his destiny in the field of manufacturing management. Another electrical engineer is driving a posh Mercedez Benz on top of his flashy BMW when he chose to be an electrical businessman – and he was just my student before. A lot of them electrical engineers are in the comfort of Prado’s, CRV’s & Pajero’s. It is just a matter of hard work of the ‘man you see in the mirror’.


There is something that I would like to point out here and that is the man you see in the mirror. The lesson of the story of that “man in the mirror” in relevance to our subject today can be summarized in the following:

1) “VISION”: PROJECT your destiny while STILL young. Identify the state where you are happy, which kind of work that suit your taste and who you will be in the near and distant future. Know your destination. “A person without a vision is like a ship without a rudder”. It just depends which direction the wind blows.

2) “MISSION”: CHART YOUR DESTINY WITH A ROAD MAP. Identify which road you are going to take in going there. Identify what are to be accomplished. What should be done to prepare yourself.

3) “STRATEGY”: STRATEGIZE TO ACTUALISE YOUR MISSION. Hone your skills and competencies while there is still time. According to Stephen Covey, “Sharpen your tools. Train yourself”. The story of the disappointment that led to the “cuaderno” was after all not wasted. It was part of reality, a part of the never-ending learning. Each learning is a preparation to a higher level of responsibility.

4) “ALIGNMENT”: Drive yourself into correct direction desired. According to Jack Welsh, CEO of the great General Electric, “control your destiny or somebody else will”. Align yourself with the company’s mission & vision. You will then feel comfortable in your work.

5) “BE A SHINING JEWEL”: Broaden your capabilities so that you will be on top of the heap among jewels. You should have the TECHNOLOGY, keeping abreast of TRENDS & other competencies that others don’t have. Make yourself exceptional.

6) “DO IT”: Make it happen. Create opportunities. Don’t wait for something to happen. Make yourself a participant to the events. Don’t be a fence sitter. The story of the “cuaderno” did not end up hanging. It had already produced five books.

7) “KAIZEN”: Continuous Improvement. Don’t sit on your laurels because if you rest, you rust. It means relentless adrenaline & energy. Remember, your best may not be good enough. There should always be an extra mile.

8) “TEAM PLAY”: Don’t think of yourself. That’s Interpersonal Relationship in American management. Interdependence in Japanese style of management. Make something to lift others. Make a clone of yourself. Make others as good as you are so that others could replace you. Remember, you can’t be promoted to higher position if nobody can replace you. Remember, Management is the art of making others do it for you

9) “THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS SUCCESS”: Never think that you are successful. Success is relative, intoxicating and momentary. You might be the president of a company but your family might be in shambles. Thus there should be a balance of career success and family success. Remember, man’s life is an open book until he dies.

10) “AIM SMALL BREAKTHROUGHS”: A winner never quits, a quitter never wins. You should learn to accept small breakthroughs as winnings because success is not all material. What’s important is that you are happy in what you are in. “Mababaw lang ang kaligayahan” – that’s better than a Big Success but laden with corruption.

11) “GOD’s GRACES”: Seek ye first the kingdom of God and everything shall be added on to you. Your greatest inspiration, mentor and ally is GOD. No matter how colossal your efforts are, they are nothing if there is no grace from heaven. Remember, for every great phenomenal fortune, there is always a crime in the closet.


THE VALUE OF CESEEPS TRAINING PROGRAM


The knowledge we have been sharing in CESEEPS seminars along with the books that come from each course can not be retained overnight. To hone your newfound competencies (after having graduated from the five modules), it requires practice calculations from time to time and from one condition to another. In Single-Line-To-Ground Fault calculations for instance, there are several possible conditions that are purposely left out for you to practice on. The NGR’s and the grounding transformers are ‘given’ data in CESEEPS’ books, but what if the condition requires you to design the NGR or the grounding transformer? What if there are two substations in parallel with the power plant bus? These are left out as a challenge for you do your own computations. When done, rest assured you will have the feeling of self-fulfillment just as we did!


You must have noticed that designs that are anchored in all relevant facets of electrical engineering for which Book 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 had accorded, will surely build up confidence that the resulting power systems that you may be conceptualizing on paper are safe, reliable and stable. On top of this, the electrical engineer becomes proud of his work as a real engineer, not just a pushover engineer.

CESEEPS’ Training Program on “DESIGN PRACTICES IN INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS” had been designed to uplift the Filipino electrical engineer, a hundredfold. We in CESEEPS are working hard to make these seemingly difficult subjects easy to understand in real-world practice. It is worth mentioning that we also underwent into similar limbo before. For years I myself groped for mentors and I luckily found one. In your case, you don’t have to scan the clouds, you have us in you. That’s the greatest legacy we can offer.

In closing, CESEEPS will sincerely be happy to see you successful in work. We shall as well be excited to witness CESEEPS graduates becoming Professional Electrical Engineers. If CESEEPS has given you good results in your professional lives, we shall be happy to hear them – just e-mail us.

In the end, for any career path or career development, it is still the man in the mirror that counts. If you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel there’s nothing to blame, except that man in the mirror! What one needs therefore is COMPETENCE. That’s the essence of global competitiveness.


Good luck, then. But note that luck is not the key. The key is your own road map in achieving to your success and how you do it. As what the respectable Engr. Arsenio A. Abellana, PEE, MSEE, former president of IIEE Mactan Chapter and IIEE's former Region 7 Governor always say: “The best thing in life is to do good, even if others don’t”.


Very truly yours,




DOMINICO ‘DOODS’ A. AMORA, PEE 1821

Managing Director – CESEEPS International

CESEEPS 2009 TRAINING PROGRAM

CESEEPS INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION, INC.
www.ceseeps.blogspot.com

ATTENTION ALL ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS!

WE ARE INVITING ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS & PRACTITIONERS TO AN HONEST-TO-GOODNESS TRAINING PROGRAM IN A LIFETIME. - A PROGRAM THAT WILL CATAPULT THE ENGINEER TO THE DESIRED LEVEL OF COMPETENCE, EXPERTISE & PRODUCTIVITY.

“DESIGN PRACTICES IN INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS”
[Program for Y 2009]

Module 01: Low Voltage Systems & Applications in Industries (February 11 - 13 & July 8 - 10, 2009)

· Understanding & Application of PEC, NEC, IEEE/ANSI & IEC; Myths in the Practice; LV Systems Designing: Philippines Vs. US & European Systems; Design of Branch Circuits, Motor Circuits, Feeders & Sub-Feeders; LV/LV Transformer Circuits; Panelboards & Distribution Centers; System & Equipment Grounding in Low Voltage Systems; Fault Duties in 480/240 V Systems; Application of LV Breaker KAIC Ratings; Molded Case & Power Ckt Breakers; Setting & Coordination of LV Power Circuit Breakers, Powering I. T. Environments; System Designing for Modern Office Buildings; Single Line Diagrams; System Designing for a Manufacturing Plant.

Module 02: Medium Voltage Systems & Applications in Industries (March 11-13, & August 12 - 14, 2009)

· Applicable International Standards on MV Systems; Single Line Diagrams; Application of Load Metrics: Demand, Load & Simultaneity Factors in Power Systems Design; MV Power Cables & Terminations; Sizing & Design of Primary Substations & Power Centers; Oil-Filled & Cast Resin Power Transformers; Configuration of Distribution Systems; Myths & Applications of DD, DY, YY & YD Power Centers; Design, Sizing & Configuration of Power Plants; Power Plant Operation; Fault Duties at 4.16, 6.9, 13.8, 34.5 or 69 KV Systems; Application of Power Fuses & Circuit Breakers; Application of MV Breaker KAIC Ratings; System Grounding in MV Systems, The Philippine Grid & Distribution Codes.

Module 03: Electrical Fault Calculations & Applications In Industries (April 13–15, & September 9 - 11, 2009)

· Available Fault Duties of Philippine Systems; Impedances of Distribution Lines; Impedances in Industrial Power System; Application of Per Unit System; Three-Phase Fault Calculations; Breaker KAIC Sizing; Theory & Applications of Symmetrical Components; Symmetrical Component Networks; Through-Fault Currents; Withstand Ratings of Power Transformers; Single-Line-to-Ground Fault Calculations; SLG Faults in DY, YY, YD or DD Connected Substations; Fault Currents from Motor Contributions; Circuit Breaker Applications; Limiting Fault Currents; Design of Neutral Grounding Resistors & Reactors; Grounding Transformers; Requirements for Protective Relays/Devices; Case Histories, Fault Calculations in Power Plant Systems; Application of Power Fuses.

Module 04: Industrial Power Substation Design & Protection System (May 13–15, & October 7– 9, 2009)

· Construction of Detailed & Complete Single Line Diagrams for Substation Systems, Application of System Factors & Relations; Peculiarities & Behaviour of System Loads; Substation System Dimensioning; Application of Distribution System Configurations; System Voltage Consideration; Design & Specifications of Substation Components; The Primary Voltage Equipment; The Power Transformer; The Secondary Voltage Equipment; Fuses & Circuit Breakers in Substation Application; Application of Protective Devices; Surge Arresters; Application of Fault Calculations in Substations, Setting & Arming Up Protective Relays, Protection Coordination/Discrimination, Hands-On Testing & Simulating Protective Relays; DC & AC Schematics.

Module 05: Industrial Maintenance & Energy Management Systems (June 9 – 11 & November 11 – 13, 2009)

· Modern Maintenance Practices; System Reliability Measurements; Modern Testing Equipments; Maintenance Effectiveness Measurements; Maintenance Testings of Substations, Transformers, Power Cables, Circuit Breakers, Protective Relays & Switchgears; Designing & Setting Up Maintenance Systems for Industrial Plants; Computer-Aided Maintenance Management Systems; Latest Test Equipments & Application; Understanding Utility Bills; Identifying & Reducing Power Losses; Facts & Myths in Power Factor Correction; Power Measurements, Monitoring & Controlling Systems; Power Signature Curves & Application; Energy Management Scenarios in Industries.


For Particulars, please call: Babie/Jonna (Tel. #’s: (032) 345-4531 or (032) 343-6936; Fax #: (032) 343-6936

or: E-mail: doodspower@yahoo.com; or visit: www.ceseeps.blogspot.com

THE PARABLE OF THE FROG

From Mike Holt’s Newsletter
(A posting on ‘Encouragement’ dated December 30, 2008)

Note:

Mike Holt Newsletter and his other works in the web had always given us insights and updates on recent trends in the electrical practice. But a rare non-technical posting on Encouragement dated December 30, 2008 caught my attention. To the Newsletter, our sincere thanks.

Noteworthy of sharing, here it is:

PARABLE OF THE FROG

A group of frogs were hopping contentedly through the woods, going about their froggy business, when two of them fell into a deep pit. All of the other frogs gathered around the pit to see what could be done to help their companions. When they saw how deep the pit was, they agreed that it was hopeless and told the two frogs in the pit that they should prepare themselves for their fate, because they were as good as dead.

Unwilling to accept this terrible fate, the two frogs began to jump with all of their might. Some of the frogs shouted into the pit that it was hopeless, and that the two frogs wouldn't be in that situation if they had been more careful, more obedient to the froggy rules, and more responsible.

The other frogs continued sorrowfully shouting that they should save their energy and give up, since they were already as good as dead. The two frogs continued jumping with all their might, and after several hours of this, were quite weary. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to the calls of his fellow frogs. Exhausted, he quietly resolved himself to his fate, laid down at the bottom of the pit, and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could, although his body was wracked with pain and he was quite exhausted.


Once again, his companions began yelling for him to accept his fate, stop the pain and just die. The weary frog jumped harder and harder and, wonder of wonders, finally leaped so high that he sprang from the pit.

Amazed, the other frogs celebrated his freedom and then gathering around him asked, "Why did you continue jumping when we told you it was impossible?"

The astonished frog explained to them that he was deaf, and as he saw their gestures and shouting, he thought they were cheering him on. What he had perceived as encouragement inspired him to try harder and to succeed against all odds.

This simple story contains a powerful lesson. The book of Proverbs says, "There is death and life in the power of the tongue." Your encouraging words can lift someone up and help them make it through the day. Your destructive words can cause deep wounds; they may be the weapons that destroy someone's desire to continue trying -- or even their life. Your destructive, careless word can diminish someone in the eyes of others, destroy their influence and have a lasting impact on the way others respond to them.

Be careful what you say. Speak life to (and about) those who cross your path. There is enormous power in words. If you have words of kindness, praise or encouragement -- speak them now to, and about, others. Listen to your heart and respond.

Someone, somewhere, is waiting for your kind and encouraging words...

THE DREAM FIGHT FOR THE AGES - PART II

THE DREAM FIGHT FOR THE AGES
(Pacman Schooled the Golden Boy)

by Doods A. Amora, PEE

The reality of the dream came in sweet…

But in the lurking shadows, a nightmare lingers not only for now, but for long in the stretch of unkind history...


SWEET DREAMS, HAUNTING NIGHTMARES

“In a Fight Between A Good Big Man and A Good Little Man, the Good Big Man Always Beat the Good Little Man.” That’s the state of things before the morning of December 7 in the Philippines. But then a david named Pacman lopsidedly but unexpectedly vanquished the legendary goliath in a masterful display of domination.

"Our dream came true," Roach said. "It was no surprise. I knew in round one we had him. He had no legs, he was hesitant, and he was shot. My guy was just too fresh for him."

With his left eye swollen shut and face bruised, the Big Man called out similar to Roberto Duran’s infamous “no mas”!

Eight rounds of punishment were enough. There’s no sense prolonging the pain.

The mismatch is over. The nightmare had to be stopped...


THE PREPARATION

Before the fight, Freddie Roach was tagged as 'irresponsible' when he led the Pacman’s camp in making this mismatch to happen. But Roach maintained that Oscar can’t pull the trigger anymore. Except for the die-hard Pacman fans, Freddie was not being believed. The odds showed it. Even in the Philippines, a lot of the money in the last minute came out for Dela Hoya.

To be honest, I was scared of this fight. When Oscar fought Pretty Boy Floyd, my scorecard was for Dela Hoya. I watched them again lately and I still believe Dela Hoya won that fight. What awed me were the stiff machine-gun jabs that kept Pretty Boy at bay, the strong big left hooks that Pretty Boy highly respected and the 45 degree angled uppercuts that had paralyzed a lot of champions. They, as I imagined, must be too much weaponry against the smaller Pacquiao. And Oscar is not the lethargic type. He is himself a relentless pumping machine.

Who is not scared of the Golden Boy?

De La Hoya had a monstrous training camp at the Big Bear Mountains in California. In preparing for this fight, a lot of new arts & sciences in body conditioning like acupuncture, plyometrics, exotic diet, etc; all these had been incorporated into a novel regimen supervised by two of boxing world’s greatest maestros: Angelo Dundee and Nacho Beristain. With two top southpaws in Victor Ortiz and Edwin Valero as sparring partners, what else can a boxing pundit ask for?

A week before the fight, De La Hoya was said to have slid phenomenally down to 145 and later at 141 pounds. On the opposite side, Pacquiao was reportedly hovering at some 153 lbs - meaning that Pacquiao in a likely twist of events could be the heavier guy comes fight time. Unbelievable...?

Odd indeed because Pacman fans were looking forward to a drained Oscar as a result of dieting, if not, of starvation en route to achieving 147 lbs. Fearsome looking on the contrary, the weigh-in pictures showed a well-trimmed, well sculptured and a physically excellent Oscar Dela Hoya.

Meanwhile, Pacman’s mentor Freddie Roach elected to make the most of the same old traditional Wild Card sweat-shop style of training. Although Plyometrics was also explored but later it was abandoned - it reportedly did not fit to Pacman’s metabolism. With less fanfare this time, the Pacman worked, worked & worked diligently to the limits.

Entering the ring at 148.5 pounds from the 142 pounds at official weigh-in, Pacquiao surprisingly, was the heavier fighter when the first bell rang. De La Hoya, who weighed 145 just 24 hours earlier, came into the ring Sunday at 147. Defying traditional logic, something was smelling fishy..? Nah, charge it to the wonders of modern science...


OSCAR CAN’T PULL THE TRIGGER ANYMORE?

Although Oscar showed some brilliance in the first round, Manny Pacquiao set the texture of the fight – influencing the action, out-speeding and out-hitting Oscar De La Hoya. In the third round, we already knew Pacquaio had Oscar beaten; the reddening of Oscar’s face was manifestation of a prelude to a massacre.

The feared big Left Hooks although executed once in a while, just hit air all night. Likewise, the rangy & rapid jabs could not smack the mark and the right straights could not be set up. All the while, the missiles called Caliber 45 didn’t show its effectiveness even with the proddings of Nacho Beristain. At this time it appeared that all the pre-fight hypes about the size & reach advantage and the conditioning marvels of De La Hoya eventually meant nothing.

What happened? Probably, the Golden Boy can't pull the trigger anymore.

In fairness to ODLH, to me Oscar can still pull the trigger but not if Manny Pacquaio is his opponent.

Constantly waving and moving his head from side to side, up & down, and side-stepping to Oscar’s left, Pacman kept eluding De La Hoya's attempts to headhunt. Frustrated and confused, Oscar increased his intensity, only to bump into thorns of counter left hands and right crosses of Pacquiao. As a result, Oscar couldn't set-up his timing as the explosions of his arsenal of guns jammed. Then, with speed and accuracy, Manny would come back from nowhere, step forward, and at the same time tag straight lefts direct up to Oscar's facade.

Midway in the fight, Manny increased his zigzagging from side to side, darting in and out; while unleashing castigating combinations. While there were occasional flurries of left hooks and right starights by Dela Hoya but Manny then would bob down and spin around, further moving to Oscar’s left – in the process bringing him safely out of range. Oscar couldn't strike back, because Manny like a ninja wasn't already there. Stealthy? Yes, Manny continued his stealthy form all night, keeping Oscar's radar perplexed.

Oscar in the later rounds increasingly became helpless. It became clear that the hurricane that once terrorized the lighter weight divisions had turned out to be a tornado in the welterweight. And as the twisters came from all angles, Oscar concentrated to block Manny’s punches, disabling himself to deliver shots of his own. Manny in turn, fired missiles of lead straight left hands, then right hooks, then a barrage of looping lefts, then right uppercuts, and lefts to the body and so on and so forth - as a new cycle of attacks would begin again and again.

THE SCHOOLING OF THE GOLDEN BOY

As everyone now knows, Pacquiao extraordinarily & systematically dismantled the legend out of Oscar De La Hoya. “The body punches killed Oscar”, quipped Roach. "I knew it because he started to slow down in the third and fourth after he felt Manny's power."

And while boxing experts predicted a ‘schooling’ by Oscar on the Pacman, what happened was the opposite.

The signatures of power and relentless combinations performed in blinding speed did it again – in the process making the Golden Boy as if inept and mediocre.

With Pacquiao’s lessons seemingly able to find its targets at will, the fight became so lopsided that one could see the imminent end of the career of boxing's richest & brightest star.

“Manny is like the Energizer bunny,” said Richard Schaefer, chief executive officer of De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. “You can’t stop him. You can’t pull the batteries out. That’s why they call him the Pacman, because he never stops,” he added.

De La Hoya landed only 83 out of 402 thrown punches which can be translated into 10.375 blows per round, or 3.458 punches per minute. It's not that Oscar became lazy in this fight. He just couldn't unleash and hit a moving target in a ninja-like Pacman.

Pacquiao on the other hand, delivered a quality throughput of 224 of 585 punches. This translates into 28 landing blows per round, or 9.33 per minute. In other words, for every punch that hits Pacquaio, Manny did some three power shots to answer the Golden Boy.

It was painful to watch, it was again, a mismatch, a massacre so to speak!

The end of the eighth round became the end of the episode. Oscar’s decision to call it quits was probably easy. The decision to call good-bye to a career may be a lot tougher.


THE CONCLUDING PART

Pacquiao was way ahead on the scorecards of judges Stanley Christodoulou (79-72), Adalaide Byrd (80-71) and Dave Moretti (80-71) at the end of eighth round. In my book, it was a sweep, 80-72, for the Pacman.

When the massacre was stopped at the end of the eighth, Oscar immediately walked his way across the ring to congratulate Manny on his victory. Manny thanked him and said, "You're still my idol, whatever happens." Oscar answered, "No, you're now my idol!" It was one of the few counters that ODLH had successfully delivered that night.

Pacquiao’s domination over the Golden Boy had again confirmed that he is the best P4P fighter in the world. But the equally real winner in my opinion was Freddie Roach. With Roach, the hurricane in Pacman steadily improved in each and every fight - making him one, if not the fiercest destroyer in the fistic world. Pacquaio in his part must be credited for his gifts of speed and power. By speed, we mean not only hand-speed but tremendous leg-speed, included. Those powerful limbs enabled him to get in and out, and go side to side in circles in unbelievable quickness of a leopard. That's Pacman's secret unveiled!

In the end, Oscar Dela Hoya is synonymous to big time fights. But "the unknowns that took its toll are his age, his inactivity, fighting a southpaw, the degree of hunger and motivation. Those intangibles will only be known once he gets into the ring”, as one top boxing expert once said in an article.

Whatever happens, the great Oscar Dela Hoya is still an idol in the fistic world. That's a fact!

Doods Amora, PEE
December 8, 2008

THE DREAM FIGHT FOR THE AGES - PART I

THE DREAM FIGHT FOR THE AGES

Doods A. Amora, PEE
(December 1, 2008)


The World’s Most Exciting Boxer Vs. The Biggest Name in the Boxing World...!

December 7, 2008 will see another holiday in the Philippines. Unnerving, bloody and frightening - the ending of an episode I saw in my vision.


THE DREAM MISMATCH

In a few days from today, the actuality of the ‘dream match’ will soon unveil. Whether this reverie can live up to the golden platter of expectations as the media hype suggests, it could be the other way around. It could turn out to be fits of nightmare of a mismatch that will linger into the inner fancies of pundits in the so-called sweet science.

Oscar and Manny are living legends – they are top recipes to a dream date. But from the very beginning, the Pacquiao–Dela Hoya match has been seen as a bizarre concept, a morbid joke in fact.

Mismatch? Probably yes, maybe not... But then, that’s what makes the bout very interesting.


Albeit they are giga-champions, they don’t suppose to belong in the same circuit. Pacman is too small while Dela Hoya is obviously huge. Note that when Pacquiao had his 1995 light-flyweight debut as nobody in the boxing world, De La Hoya had already been preparing for his third defense of a lightweight title. In other words, while the Pacman was about to start tasting the impact of real fists camouflaged in leather, Dela Hoya had already been world champion in two weight divisions. They were then 30 pounds apart; they were 30 pounds apart a few weeks ago when the match-up was announced!

Yet at a catch weight of 147 lbs, (the limit in the welterweight), the dream is about to become real. Manny has to climb up while Oscar to slide down from their respective weights. But Oscar has always been much bigger than Manny, and "it's tricky to estimate or underestimate the end-effects on their respective physique even if both have to weigh no more than 147 pounds at the weigh-in time", as one sports columnist said.

Will the pint-sized Pacquiao shock the intimidating frame and height of De La Hoya? On the other hand, can De La Hoya bulldoze & flatten his tiny opponent easily? The possibility that Pacquiao could be badly hurt has become a streaming denigration as the match was being pursued. Obvious as it is; the reach and height advantage, superior technical skills and overall ring savvy, made the odds favour immensely for a Dela Hoya victory!


IMMORTALITY


Immortalized in 44 fights (39-5 with 30 by KO’s), De La Hoya has defeated seventeen world champions (and former champions) and has won ten world titles in six different weight classes. From Junior Lightweight (130 lbs) to Middleweight (160 lbs) range, Oscar had fought the best, the most fearsome and the biggest names in boxing in these weight divisions.

Pacquiao, (47-3-2, 35 KO’s) on the other hand, is a rampaging hurricane terrorizing the light-flyweight to lightweight divisions. Currently acknowledged as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, the Filipino fireball has likewise achieved his own immortality over lighter and smaller boxers. The southpaw piston has a number of truly astounding victories on his record, but then his last fight at 135 pounds was just where Oscar started.

Sk
epticism and intrigue have it that the match could be a making of a grand script - in a theatrical circus that is counter-productive to the sport. Highly marketable even in these financially beleaguered times, skeptics say the mismatch could only be for the money – and lots of it... mind boggling as it is.

Generating the richest payday & pay-per-view revenues, Oscar, the Golden Boy, has been dubbed as the most popular boxer in recent history. De La Hoya, the only fighter capable today of drawing at least half-a-million pay-per-view buys regardless of who the opponent is. But Pacquiao is the most exciting fighter in the world - he too has his own PPV following. A De La Hoya victory means more profitable work schedules at least for one year more. A Pacquiao victory means the end of Oscar’s mega-buck heydays and eventually his retirement as a prize-fighter.


But Filipinos love to play underdog. Trusted by his countrymen to crush Oscar, the guy Pacquaio outmatched in size, weight, height and reach; it would be pleasant to see how the diminutive countryman beat one of the best in the heavier divisions. Note that ODLH happens to be the biggest name in the sport. Beating Oscar will put the Pacman on top of the world!

Pacquaio had already surpassed Elorde’s achievements when he successfully grabbed the WBC Lightweight World Championship past David Diaz via a stunning knock-out. Now, it would be more than superstardom. It would be for the higher grandeur in the chronicles to come by future generations.

In the meantime, Pacquiao must have been honored to have with him Dela Hoya in the ring. In Pacquiao, the challenge to overcome a bigger challenge must have been the other motivation. On the other hand, Oscar, wanting an explosive performance prior to his eventual exit, chose the best of today’s fighters in a smaller & beatable Manny Pacquiao. To Oscar, Pacquiao fits the qualification perfectly.


CAN OUR PACMAN DO IT..?

First is the weight issue. The media-reported weights of both Pacquiao and De La Hoya as monitored during their respective training periods have been significantly erratic. De La Hoya in one publicity stunt was said to have slid phenomenally down to 145 after a week of training and later at 141 pounds. On the opposite side, Pacquiao was reportedly hanging at some 153 lbs - meaning that there is a possibility that Pacquiao in a likely twist of events could be the heavier guy comes fight time.


It can be recalled that at the time the official news broke out on the match-up, the Pacman camp was looking forward to a drained Oscar as result of dieting, if not, of starvation en-route to achieve 147 lbs. Apparently not is the case gentlemen, if media reports have to be believed. On the other hand, Pacman’s moving up to the limits of the welterweight would result to lesser power and speed, as the Golden Boy’s camp and every boxing pundit anticipated.

As many observers quip, 'whether or not the reported weights of the protagonists are factual, it would be interesting to see if Pacquiao has maintained his power and speed at the new weight. On the flipside, the traditional thinking about De La Hoya being drained and weakened, all indicate to be false'. Latest newspaper accounts saw Dela Hoya fit, well sculptured and looked excellent. Even Pacman’s physical conditioning coach Alex Ariza was reportedly awed upon seeing Oscar anew!

In the end, the weight concerns must then be an equalized paramater. With the weight issue cancelling each other out, the bout could be more competitive than one could have originally imagined.

Second is the height & reach issue. Yes, Oscar has tremendous advantages in these departments and Pacman cannot do anything to increase his height and reach. This makes the match-up more attractive because to make up for this predicament, Pacman has to exploit on his blinding speed. Speed & power had been the signature of the Pacman and Freddie Roach must have done his homework to offset Oscar’s advantage. But how Pacman’s speed and power overcome Oscar’s head-start advantage is one that the fans have to watch out.

And lots of body conditioning will play roles in this game. Oscar's size, height and reach advantage would be fearsome in the first half of the fight. Should Pacman survive these rounds, the factor of conditioning comes in. I would not be surprised if Pacquiao dominates the later rounds as Oscar losing steam can no longer pull the trigger.

Oscar pulling the trigger? To me, yes! It will be the scene in the first six rounds... That why this bout is scary. The Golden Boy has the capability to pulverize Pacman during the early cantos of the fight. If Pacman’s cleverness and footwork work, then he has the chance to survive and win the fight.

Third is technique & intelligence. It is being said that De La Hoya’s most lethal weapon is the crossbreed left hook/uppercut. Sport buffs used to call it as “Caliber 45” owing to the angle and timing at which the missile is delivered direct to the opponent’s chin. The effectiveness of this weapon had knocked down the best of current & former world champions in the course of Oscar’s career. But it is believed that Pacquiao’s southpaw stance could neutralize much of its effect. Again, we would like to imagine that Freddie Roach must have developed antidotes for this lethal weapon. And Pacquiao must be intelligent enough to implement it inside the ring.


And there’s that rangy & rapid ‘one, two, three jabs’ that will go stinging all night. With Oscar’s height and reach advantage, Pacman must be in full diet of this dish most of the evening. It is expected that Oscar must be utilizing this weapon first & foremost to neutralize the patented aggression of Pacquaio. By the later rounds Oscar’s camp must have been anticipating an opponent’s face reduced to bloody pulp. But then, Pacman & Freddie must have rehearsed counter-measures.

Fourth is execution. Training is training. What counts is the actual performance. Simulations and Mechanical Training could shape actual performance to textbook precision but actual performance also depends on how the opponent executes his own game. It can be recalled that the Manila Ice didn’t come out in Pacquiao-Morales I. The Marco Bolo neither showed up in Pacquiao-Barrera II. But I would like to believe that the same Marco Bolo technique had battered David Diaz to submission.

In a highly competitive duel, effective adjustments and presence of mind win battles. Both camps had done their home works and are prepared. Both camps know the weaknesses and strengths of each other and how to exploit them. Both camps have game plans.

What if the game plan doesn’t work? When Juan Manuel Marquez was knocked down three times in Round 1 in their first encounter with Pacquiao, it was effective adjustment and presence of mind in the execution of the adjustments that nearly cost Pacman the bout, lest it was a draw as everybody knows. This is where the fighter alone inside the ring must deliver to himself the ring savvy that ordinary mortals don’t have.

Fifth & last, is the maestro. In this case, Freddie Roach vs. the tandem of Nacho Beristain & Angelo Dundee. All of them are the best in the trade. If the bout goes very competitive lasting to the last round, the better coach will win the game. Again, the fight becomes more exciting to imagine. Freddie Roach however has some advantage because he knows Oscar well. But the geniuses of Nacho and Dundee cannot be underestimated. Let’s see how they do it.


CONCLUDING PART

With full media hype, the perceived big mismatch now appears to be a pretty good stuff. With more science in body conditioning, stocks of trainers’ wisdom and lengthy training regimens, both fighters had narrowed down the loopholes.

After all, the joke is not a laughing matter anymore but truly it becomes the biggest fight of the year.

My only prediction is that the fight will be bloody and frightening. Both masked in crimson fluid to the end, I saw see-sawing knockdowns in both fighters, but not knock outs. Then, a close decision in the end – would it be PACMAN or GOLDEN BOY...?

The thought of it makes my senses frozen.


DOODS/

December 1, 2008

POWER SYSTEM RELIABILITY IN INDUSTRIES - PART III

RELIABILITY OF INDUSTRIAL PLANT POWER SYSTEM – PART III
by Doods A. Amora, PEE

VOLTAGE DIPS & SAGS

VOLTAGE DIPS & SAGS IN INDUSTRIAL PLANTS


Voltage Dips & Sags and their impact on plant operation constitute the most frequent and most noticeable reliability problem in the distribution systems of industrial plants. Spoiling Reliability, voltage dips can result in trip-outs of plant equipment - shutting down manufacturing lines leading to production loss and expensive re-start procedures.

These system disturbances can be grouped into three general types:

Voltage Sag is a partial reduction in the magnitude of voltage that often persists for extended periods and is usually related to system loading conditions.

Voltage Dip is a significant reduction in voltage for a relatively short duration, often caused by power system faults, or as frequently in events of large motor starts-up.

Voltage Interruption is a complete loss of input voltage, lasting from seconds to a much longer time.

Inside the industrial plant, voltage dips may be caused by faults somewhere in the other parts of the distribution system and more frequently by large motor starts-up in already loaded transformers. Common in heavy industrial plants, voltage sags are caused by heavily loaded transformers with poor voltage regulation and relatively lengthy distribution lines.


Utility system Voltage Dips are often caused by bad weather conditions (thunderstorm, etc), or utility equipment failures, or faults in some other areas of the utility system; and can last anywhere from a few cycles to seconds or more. Voltage Sags in utility systems on the other hand, are related to voltage drops along transmission lines and more prevalently by system loading conditions, as well.

Voltage Interruption is the complete loss of voltage and usually require a source of energy to replace the utility supply.

There are several mechanisms by which voltage sag or dip can interfere with industrial manufacturing processes, as follows:


Control Error – Loss of control power results in the inability to control the process.

Contactor Dropout – Many industrial controls employ magnetically-latched contactors as motor control devices. A voltage dip or sag can cause a momentary collapse of the magnetic field which holds the contacts closed. When the contacts open, the motor stops.

Voltage Flicker – In the practical sense, flicker is the repetitive variation in intensity of lighting, and is more of a human irritation factor (threshold of perception, or threshold of human objection) than a direct cause of process disruption. However, it can also be used in a more literal sense to describe a set of problems in which lighting is extinguished due to voltage dips.

Machine Dynamics – Since voltage magnitude is essential to transmitting power, voltage dips and sags limit the ability of a power system to distribute power from sources to loads. This limitation in power transfer can lead to generators not being able to maintain stability.

Stall & Re-Acceleration – Motors will stall if the supply voltage is depressed for a prolonged period. Furthermore, motors must reaccelerate when normal voltage is restored. Reacceleration involves higher than normal motor currents which may result in further voltage sag problems.


MITIGATING VOLTAGE SAGS

As system modifications can be implemented to minimize the magnitude and duration of voltage dips & sags; these modifications too, don’t come in cheap. However, if the vulnerability of the system is understood, the system engineer may well identify the only selected critical areas that require modification. Or if several problems can be solved with “one stone hitting several birds”, then these capital outlays would come up in reasonable proportions.


So then, voltage dips & sags generally imply solutions that provide some means of supporting voltage. One good voltage support scheme is the ‘On-Load-Tap-Changer’ (OLTC) usually in large substation power transformers. Other schemes could be the Automatic Voltage Regulators (AVR’s) which are separate apparatuses from the transformer but somehow perform similar function as the OLTC’s. While the OLTC’s are accomplished in the primary winding side of the transformer, the AVR’s are preferred voltage correction at the secondary output side. Smaller voltage support apparatuses could be the Voltage Stabilizers which are for control systems. Again, these don’t come in cheap.

Because of the diversity in sub-distribution system peaks, OLTC’s are very effective in primary substations which are usually upstream of several layers of smaller downstream substations. But at the intermediate voltages of 3.6 kV, 4.16 kV or 6.9 kV where large motors are populating, the performances of OLTC’s and AVR’s may be found wanting because of their inherent time delay responses. Note that the time delay is designed purposively in these equipments. OLTC’s and AVR’s don’t just react instantaneously, as the logic of these apparatuses would first make sure that the voltage variation is real and not just fleeting spikes. This is to prevent hunting or wild operation. They too, have contacts immersed in oil. The contacts wear rapidly and the oil need frequent replacements. And operation must be interrupted more frequently.


VULNERABILITY TO VOLTAGE DIPS

There are many things that could happen during voltage dips. Generally, for a running motor for instance; as the supply voltage to the motor decreases considerably during voltage dips, the motor speed decreases. Depending on the depth and duration of the voltage dip, motor speed may recover to its normal value as the voltage amplitude recovers. If the voltage dip magnitude and/or duration exceed certain limits, the motor may stall and would be taken out of the system by the means provided for in its controls. Maximum voltage dip magnitude and/or duration, which the motor operation can survive, depend on the motor parameters and the torque-speed characteristic of the driven load.

On the other hand, when a large motor is started-up in an already sagged voltage of an already loaded transformer source, the ensuing resultant voltage dip during motor starting may cause the motor to stall and could not complete the starting process. As discussed above, this scenario would also affect the running motors, as they too may stall - aggravating the problem in a domino effect. In this scenario, currents fly high and something somewhere has to trip to relieve the system from further disturbance.


SYSTEM BEHAVIOR DURING LARGE MOTOR START-UP


Transformer reactions to large motor-starting are manifested in voltage dips. In general terms, transformers in an electrical system are usually larger than the maximum demands they serve, in some instances even larger than the connected loads. In the industrial plant scenario, the obvious reason at first glance for this apparent oversizing is the anticipation for future load growth. Fine…

But more often than not, sizing the transformer with extra kVA capacity unwittingly addresses voltage dip problems, not for load growth for which it is intended originally. That’s why for newly constructed plants where load growth is not yet there, the problem of starting significantly large motors may not surface out. Why? Because the extra kVA capacity intended for load growth is taking care of it.

Now, when the plant is already 25 years old and a series of expansions & load growths had been in place, the transformers may now be loaded near their full load ratings. Fine…the transformer can still handle it. However, effects of voltage regulation (which is normal to transformers) this time would surface out. The voltage difference between loaded and unloaded output of a transformer is voltage regulation. Voltage Regulation in transformers is normal – meaning, as the load increases there is a decrease in voltage output due to the corresponding voltage drop within the primary and secondary windings.

Now if a 3.6 kV transformer (transformer terminal voltage of 3.6 kV by North American Norms) has a voltage regulation of 8% (which is usual); the voltage at the secondary terminals in a fully loaded transformer would then be 3.3 kV. If the same transformer is 80% loaded, the voltage at the secondary terminals of the transformer may have been in the vicinity of 3.37 kV. What happens then when a 2,300 kW or a 6,400 kW motor is started up? There would surely be voltage dip! By how much..? And how much voltage dip can cause problems?


BEHAVIOR OF LARGE MOTOR START-UP

Partly similar to short circuit condition, motors have a high initial inrush current when energized at a low power factor (0.30 lagging for 100 hp & about 0.16 for 1,000 hp motor) from standstill. This sudden increase in the current flowing to the load causes a momentary increase in the voltage dip at the supply transformer terminals, the drop along the distribution system, and a corresponding reduction in the voltage at the utilization equipment.

The magnitude of transient current involved in motor starting is however lower than the short circuit condition. But in effect, switching “on” to energize a large motor can be likened to a “soft short circuit”. Like short circuits, the effect of starting large motors results to huge voltage dips but lower in magnitude than the full short circuit scenario.

The voltage drop at the transformer secondary terminals is proportional to motor starting kVA over the short-circuit capacity of the transformer. When motor starting kVA is drawn from a system, the voltage drop in percent of the initial voltage is approximately equal to the Motor Starting kVA divided by the Sum of this kVA and the Short Circuit kVA (Motor Application & Maintenance Handbook by Robert W. Smeaton, 1969 Edition).


SUBSTATION TRANSFORMERS Vs. LOADS

Because of the effects of Transformer Voltage Regulation and Voltage Dips in starting large motors, North American motors after mid 1960’s are rated at 230, 460, 2,300, 4,000, 6,600 or 13,200 volts for use with distribution systems that are rated at 240, 480, 2400, 4,160, 6,900 or 13,800 volts respectively. Again, note the difference in motor nameplate voltages viz-a-viz the transformer terminal voltages. The apparent higher distribution nominal voltages than motor voltages are deliberately established by transformer and motor manufacturers to deal with the inherent voltage drops in the system such as: internal voltage drop of the transformer as dictated by its voltage regulation capability, voltage drop along the distribution cables and the impedance of the system. This could mean that a transformer could be 4,160v at no-load condition may only be 4,000v or less at the motor terminals when the system is already heavily loaded. While in this condition, when a large motor is started-up somewhere in the system, the more critical will the voltage be as felt by other loads in the system.

The “nominal system voltage” is the terminal voltage of the transformer. Per General Electric (Prolec) Publication, “secondary voltage ratings are approximately 4.2 percent above the standard motor voltages, allowing for voltage drop in the line between the substation and the motor terminals without operating the motor at subnormal voltage. Motors and control operate satisfactorily on voltages 10 percent above or below rating.”

In some IEEE proceedings, a question has been raised why the utilization equipment voltage ratings and system nominal voltage cannot be made the same. Manufacturers’ response is that the performance guarantee for utilization equipment is based on the nameplate rating and not on the system nominal voltage.

SIDEBAR: THE LOWEST ACROSS-THE-LINE STARTING VOLTAGE THAT MOTOR MANUFACTURERS GUARANTEE IS 90% OF THE MOTOR NAMEPLATE VOLTAGE,- NOT ON THE NOMINAL VOLTAGE .RATING.

That’s why most motors are designed to be capable of operating at plus or minus 10% of nameplate voltage. Therefore, the voltage drop on inrush should not be allowed to drop more than 10% of the rated voltage. This means 208v for 230v or 414v for 460 volt motors. Likewise, 2.07 kV for 2.3 kV motors, or 3.6 kV for 4.0 kV motors. It means that a 4.0 kV motor can still operate satisfactorily at 3,600v but any disturbance in the system that brings the system voltage lower, the affected motors may trip off as provided for by its protection – or if not, the motor burns.

Hence, the wisdom of employing “reduced voltage stating methods” are common to large motors in order to reduce the voltage dips during starts-up. Foremost of these mitigating starting methods are: reduced voltage auto-transformer type, soft starters, and variable frequency controllers for squirrel cage induction motors and resistor starting (liquid or hard resistor) types for wound rotor induction motors.


ECONOMIC EVALUATION

While the stability of the incoming supply voltage is fundamentally a technical problem, at the end of the day, it is business sense that makes decisions in implementing a fix. Some solutions to voltage dip and sag problems require the use of exotic technology. Today, terms like: “voltage dip-proofing” or “voltage dip & sag immunization” are already a reality, but then again, they don’t come in cheap – and may be prohibitive!

A major influencing factor concerning the financial loss is whether or not the factory production is continuous. As practiced by many industries, continuous production means that there is market to all products that a company can produce. In continuous production, the production lost during downtime cannot be recovered by working extra time, so loss of production translates directly into loss of profit – that is, the loss is equal to the value of the product not produced as a result of the downtime.

In a non-continuous process, lost production can be recovered by overtime working, although there may well be additional labor & utilities consumption costs.

Whether or not a solution is seen as cost-effective thus depends on the economic criterion that is used to evaluate the solution. The actual economic justification in preventing production interruptions due to voltage disturbances must therefore consider the following elements:


1) How vulnerable is the process to various types of voltage disturbances?

2) What is the net cost of production outages due to these disturbances?

3) How effective is a particular solution in avoiding these outages?

4) How does the cost of the solution compare to the savings which can be realized?


As to the cost associated with voltage interruptions the following elements should be recognized and quantified:

Cost of Lost Production – In the simplest case, this is the incremental margin on products that cannot be sold because they are not manufactured.

Cost of Damaged Product – If the interruption damages a partially completed product, the cost of repairing that product must be recognized. In some cases, the product cannot be repaired, so the value of the raw materials (including the consumed energy and other manufacturing costs up to the point where the disruption occurred) must be accounted for together with the cost of the incremental value added to the product.

In other environments, a major source of concern is lost computer data.

Cost of Maintenance – This is the cost of reacting to a voltage disruption. This includes everything involved in restoring production, including trouble-shooting and correcting the problem, cleanup and repair, disposing of damaged product, and environmental costs.

In some industries (e.g., plastics, glass manufacturing, cement manufacturing, electronics, etc), an interruption may result in the need to invest many days and a significant amount of money in cleaning up the process system before it can be returned to service.

Hidden Costs – This factor may be the most difficult to quantify but it can easily be the most significant. If the impact of the voltage dip or sag is control error, it is possible that the impact on product may not be apparent until the product is in the hands of the consumer. As business nightmare, product recall and the subsequent public relations costs can be significant or may even cause bankruptcies.

It is usually best to identify the problems that are responsible for Plant Reliability, and apply solutions that most efficiently address those gaps.

If the manufacturing plant does not design its system with reliabilty and quality in mind, SOMEONE ELSE WILL.

DAA
Sept, 2008