As an engineering-based professional services firm, Tangibl understands what our clients value, and why they've have stayed with us over the years. One of the attributes that differentiates Tangibl from the rest of the pack is Original Thinking (SM). Original Thinking (SM) is so important to our clients, in the constrained environments in which they operate, we’ve made it part of our identity. Think of Tangibl and you’ll remember Original Thinking (SM). Examples of how Original Thinking (SM) works for our clients are included here.
Case Study - Discrete versus Linear Transmission
Tangibl has been an advocate of discrete transmission solutions for many years, and to help bring this concept to fruition, formed a joint venture with Trans-Elect to develop discrete transmission in a major regional transmission organization (RTO). Linear projects are best known as the aerial transmission line projects familiar to most people. Discrete projects, on the other hand, use small-footprint additions to the transmission system that solve specific problems. To the casual observer, discrete projects look much like the substations in which linear transmission projects terminate. When deployed in an innovative manner, discrete transmission can bring significant benefits to ratepayers, help deliver renewable generation to retail markets and facilitate the "Smart Grid". To learn more about discrete transmission, please contact Mark Brozina.
Case Study - The Smart Grid and Shorter Service Life
Tangibl’s vision for "Smart Grid" technology is an integration of information technology and information systems with existing and prospective power systems and their components. Donald J. Clayton, Vice President – Management Consulting leads our rapidly growing rates and depreciation practice, and is a nationally recognized expert in depreciation. In a recent presentation to the Edison Electric Institute, Don explained that historical service lives for electric distribution equipment will be significantly impacted by implementation of a “Smart Grid.” This in turn will have major implications for utility ratemaking and customer costs relative to benefits. In Don’s view, new and better tools will be required to measure and understand service lives for the very large groups of equipment that will be deployed in a "Smart Grid". For more information on how utilities can manage change related to "Smart Grid", please contact Donald Clayton.
Case Study - Mitigation of Harmonics through the use of Phase Shifting Transformers
Tangibl successfully cometed the turnkey installation of an electrical power distribution system at a specialty plastics manufacturing facility. As the client’s engineering consultant, we collected data on current and voltage distortion, identified the source of the problem, and made recommendations for the client’s original facility. As a result of our ability to identify and mitigate the problem, the client awarded Tangibl the electrical power and control design and installation for their new, expanded facilities.
The original facility’s major load was four (4) plastic extrusion lines that, when operated simultaneously, produced voltage and current distortion levels in excess of IEEE 519 standards. The local utility had adopted this standard as the upper limit for the facility’s service. After analyzing the data collected onsite, we recommended installation of passive harmonic filters and isolation transformers. The client acted upon our recommendation, which provided a temporary solution to excess harmonic distortion.
Growth in the client’s customer base required that the facility be relocated and expanded to ten (10) extrusion lines. The relocation/expansion design involved re-using some of the original passive harmonic filters and isolation transformers, as well as ten (10) new harmonic-canceling transformers. Alternate distortion mitigation methods were considered, but given the technology available and the facility requirements, we recommended this as the best solution to the problem. Power factor, which had been a problem at the original facility, was also addressed in the new design. The facility’s present voltage distortion does not exceed 1% total harmonic distortion (THD), with the current distortion below 4% THD on most days. Additionally, the facility’s power factor operates within the limits prescribed in local utility’s tariff. To learn more about power quality, please contact Robert Bailey.
