Here is a great innovation for Power Transmission companies. A Thermal gun now can change the scenario at extra high voltage (EHV) substations across India and bid adieu to sudden power outages or catastrophic damages there. As an ideal replacement for the high cost thermal scanning equipment presently in use, the first of its kind thermal gun is installed at 132KV Karjat Sub-station in Maharashtra’s Nashik zone, is low cost, super effective innovation offered for problems at extra high voltage (EHV) sub stations in Power Transmission systems. Interestingly, it has been innovated and developed by Adarsh Choudhary, an engineer with the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MSETCL).
(India Input Team)
The extra high voltage or EHV substations are the ones that handle power supply exceeding 33 thousand volt. These substations are critical components of the power grid that handle very high voltages, and any malfunction or failure in these components can result in power outages or even catastrophic damage. The thermal scanning is meant for early detection of any potential problems, such as overheating in electrical components, which can indicate a fault or impending failure. By detecting these issues early, maintenance or repair can be performed before a major failure occurs, thus helping to prevent power outages and other issues.
WHY THE THERMAL GUN?
Thermal gun in action.
The thermal scanning of EHV substations is an important tool for ensuring the reliability and safety of the power grid, as well as for improving energy efficiency and reducing costs.
Despite of all benefits, the only drawback is the High price of the thermal scanning equipment, at nearly rupees five lac per equipment unit, thus limiting the availability of such thermal cameras to each location. At EHV O&M Division Bhabhaleshwar in Nashik zone for instance, only two Thermal cameras are available for 25 sub-stations 18 Cogen (a combination heating plant and a power generator) and 8 TSS (traction sub-stations). Thus, the frequency of thermal scanning of sub-station is very low, once in a month or even bi-monthly.
ADDRESSING THE PAIN POINT
The substation in 132KV Karjat is a non-critical sub-station and Thermal Scanning frequency is very low, that is once in two months. After thermal scanning, the hot spot location and the temperature are recorded and attended to, by taking outage on the staggering day. As the frequency of Thermal Scanning is only once in two months, the next thermal scanning is scheduled to be carried out after two months, there is no other mechanism to ensure whether the hot spot has been eliminated or not.
Adarsh Choudhary is seen receiving award for the innovation.
Shri Adarsh Choudhary, an engineer with MSETCL was recently awarded by the electricity transmission company for ‘outstanding contribution in innovation’. He says, “To address the availability issue of the equipment, it was an urgent task to make thermal scanning affordable and a huge challenge, so that it can be made available to every location for the quick scanning of the hot spot. Thus we came across this hand held low cost thermal gun. These thermal guns have wide operating range, from zero to 350 degree Centigrade. The major problem with the thermal gun was that, its effective distance to get the correct temperature from object under test (in our case Hot spot on CT Palm) was very close to the hot spot, say just 3 to 5cm. Also, the user needed to press trigger button on thermal gun to actually record the high temperature. This idea was ruled out as we cannot go that close to the hot spot equipment, which is electrically live, just to press the button and record temperature of hot spot. To utilize the thermal gun technology, this disadvantage was huge and urgently needed to be removed by applying some innovative approach.”
USE OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY
“This seems an impossible challenge, how could you solve it?” we put the obvious question.
Adarsh Choudhary, engineer, MSETCL
A beaming Adarsh Choudhary narrated how the challenge was met by sheer application of mind and some reforms.
“Daunting challenges can be solved sometimes, using some simple and ‘available next to you’ technology,” he replied and added, “We have to be curious, constantly seeking the solution patiently. We could solve this problem by making the thermal gun trigger button, go wireless. Yes, and it was achieved by using the receiver circuit of a toy car to read temperature of object from a comfortable distance by just using a hand held remote. Now, we can operate the thermal gun from a safe distance, that is maximum 10 meter. For recording the temperature of the hotspot in question, the thermal gun is mounted on an FRP rod and positioned very close to the hotspot. Then, the sample button has to be triggered by using a remote control device. After the confirmation beep is heard, the thermal gun is brought down to see the recorded temperature on the LCD screen of the gun.”
HIGHLY COST EFFECTIVE
Then we discussed the uniqueness of the achievement, the price factor. He said, “The total cost of project came to around rupees three thousand only, including the modification we had to carry to the original thermal gun device. This device may not be called a complete replacement of the thermal camera but it provides very reliable and affordable alternative to monitoring of known hotspots in the system. Now, we don’t need to wait for the next Thermal Vision cycle to determine the status of hotspot. It can be made available in quantity to other sub stations easily. We have tested the device up to 132KV Level and it has performed well.”
THERMAL GUN 2.0
But that’s not the end of the story. The innovation reached to where it could offer a complete packaged product. Choudhary shared with India Input, the story related to the thermal gun 2.0.
Thermal gun 2.0
“Encouraged by its success, we also worked out the next version 2.0 of this device. This one provides a continuous monitoring of object temperature on mobile application through the Wi Fi. A working model is developed inhouse which include developing hardware, Firmware (software) and mobile app development. The cost of this advanced thermal gun is Rupees 5000/- but it comes with many advance features like mobile monitoring, an alarm sound on detection of the hotspot.”
He further adds, “There are several benefits of the low cost thermal gun to the transmission company. The low cost of the device makes it feasible to purchase and utilize the thermal gun 2.0 at each location. It has a very Low or negligible maintenance cost as compared to the thermal cameras. It’s very useful in tracking the status of the identified hotspot, thus reducing the system losses and helping to maintain the transmission system in a healthy condition. The thermal Gun 2.0 uses a mobile app to show the current temperature by creating its own Wi Fi and thus makes it Easy to operate and maintain. The thermal Gun 2.0 is designed and developed inhouse from scratch and more features can be added and can be developed further to make it more effective.”
GAME CHANGER FOR THE EHV SUB -STATIONS
The future of this unique innovation at the MSETCL appears promising. Says Choudhary, “See, the thermal Gun 2.0 is developed inhouse and we have the circuit diagram, the software code and the mobile app ready with us. If funds provided to manufacture the devices in bulk quantities, then the cost of device can be further reduced. At present, the cost of a single unit of the Thermal Gun 2.0 comes to around Rupees 5000/- only.”
And, that’s just one percent of the price of the thermal scanning equipment.
If approval for such a device after extensive testing is granted, it can be provided to as many sub-stations based on any financial model worked out by the MSETCL which can also supply it to the transmission companies in the other states. With the visionary leadership of Shri Devendra Fadnavis as the state’s present Deputy CM at the helm with the responsibility of the energy and finance portfolios, it definitely looks possible.
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