Bird Repellent

Nixalite has improved the Bird Buffer, a programmable, electronic aerosol generator that repels flying birds — indoors and outdoors — by producing a nearly invisible repellent haze. The improved Bird Buffer is quiet, safe and efficient, using very little repellent to cover open areas up to 5 acres (2 hectares). Included timers allow for unattended operation at times of peak bird activity. The Bird Buffer generator converts liquid Fog Force, a harmless grape-flavoring food, into tiny nanoparticles that, when blown into the air at 90 mph (145 kmph), create an invisible haze that stays suspended in the air for about 6 hours. When used indoors, the Bird Buffer haze does not damage paint, and it has just a faint scent.

Nixalite | www.nixalite.com/BirdBuffer.aspx

Test and Measurement Equipment

Extech Instruments recently launched Canadian distribution of its test and measurement equipment, including the new EX800 series of clamp-on meters. The EX800 series enables users to measure ac and dc current accurately and troubleshoot dangerous or hard-to-reach hot spots without the need for a separate infrared thermometer. The top-level EX830 1000-A ac-dc clamp also includes advanced multimeter capabilities, true rms accuracy, fast peak hold for capturing inrush currents or transients, and a Type K thermocouple thermometer — all in a rugged, double-molded housing.

Extech Instruments | www.extech.com

Fiber-Optic Sensing

SensorTran has a cooperative agreement with Micron Optics to offer a hybrid fiber-optic sensing solution. The system offers distributed temperature-sensing capabilities and fiber-bragg grating point sensing capabilities, which measure pressure, strain and vibration. The fully integrated sensing solution features a single software interface for configuring both sensors and managing data collection, data synchronization and communications.

SensorTran | www.sensortran.com

Ethernet Switch

The TC3340 2+2 Redundant Gigabit Ethernet Switch from TC Communications offers a range of advanced networking features including industrial hardened, redundancy, rate limiting, full management and security. The switch provides two 10/100/1000M-Base-T and two SFP 1000SX/LX ports. It supports distances up to 100 km (62 miles) and is available with a one-fiber bidirectional option to maximize fiber-optic cable usage.

TC Communications | www.tccomm.com

FAULT LOCATION

To give users an opportunity to see innovative cable fault location (CFL) techniques at work in a live field environment, Megger is touring with five fully equipped CFL trailers throughout the eastern, western, central and south-western regions of the United States. The Megger trailers used in the tours feature the very latest in CFL technology.

The PFL20M1500 surge tester is capable of delivering energy surges of 1500 J at 16 kV, allowing the user to test a wide range of cables, including long cables and those with high intrinsic capacity. It can operate from 120-Vac or 240-Vac supplies and from 12-Vdc supplies. It also features rugged IP54 weatherproof construction. The MTDR cable fault analyzer is built into the lid of the PFL20M1500 and supports all standard prelocation techniques, including time-domain reflectometry, arc reflection, differential arc reflection and current impulse. The MTDR has a large bright screen that is easy to read, even in direct sunlight.

The MPP1000 pinpointer fitted to the trailers is an ideal choice for locating faults in shielded primary direct-buried cables. It combines the latest technologies in a compact weather-resistant test set that provides users with fast, accurate fault detection. The trailers also feature a portable 70-kVdc test set, which is not only useful for checking the quality of power cables, but also of motors, switchgear, insulators, transformers and capacitors. By using the voltage gradient technique, the trailer's L1070 portable fault locator with ground return probe facilitates the detection of ground faults on unshielded electrical services and also of sheath faults on telephone services. The final major test set fitted to the trailers is an electromagnetic impulse detector designed to localize faults on buried cables. It is typically used on network systems to isolate faults between access chambers.

Megger | www.megger.com

PUE-DCiE Advisor

EDSA Corp. has released the Paladin Live PUE-DCiE Advisor in support of the new electrical power-efficiency standards developed by The Green Grid global IT association. EDSA's Paladin Live power systems diagnostics platform has been enhanced to automatically present users with The Green Grid's power-usage effectiveness (PUE) and data-center infrastructure efficiency (DCiE) ratings in real time. One of the goals of The Green Grid's PUE and DCiE standards is to devise a commonly applicable formula for data centers that is easy to understand — like MPG is for cars — to enable operators to quickly estimate the energy efficiency of their data centers, compare the results against other data centers and determine if any energy-efficiency improvements can be made.

By presenting its findings in the PUE and DCiE formats, Paladin Live helps data-center operators to make informed, real-time decisions about the energy efficiency of their facilities, and develop actionable strategies for ensuring that their operations are as failsafe and energy efficient as possible. Used in conjunction with the new Paladin BlackBoard option, Paladin Live users gain the ability to take a baseline model of their operations and — in real time — make changes or propose “what if” scenarios, allowing them to project the future impact of those changes on the calculation of PUE or DCiE.

EDSA Corp. | www.edsa.com

Laser Measurements

The Fluke 416D and 411D Laser Distance Meters are designed to precisely and quickly measure distances up to 200 ft (60 m) using advanced laser technology. Faster and less cumbersome than traditional tapes or wheels, these pocket-sized, professional-grade tools help workers save time and labor. Instead of walking back and forth across a space with tape or wheel, the user can simply place the meter at the starting point, point the laser at the target, press one button and instantly read the distance, all without the help of a second person to hold the other end of the tape measure.

Laser technology makes the Fluke 416D and 411D Laser Distance Meters far more accurate and dependable than devices using ultrasonic technology. The Fluke 411D measures up to 100 ft (30 m) with accuracy of ±3 mm; the Fluke 416D measures up to 200 ft with accuracy of ±1.5 mm. Both meters have a bright laser for easy targeting and large liquid crystal displays. Buttons are positioned for one-hand operation. The simple user interface allows users to easily add or subtract measurements and quickly calculate area and volume. An automatic shut-off feature improves battery life, providing up to 3000 readings (411D) or 5000 readings (416D) from a pair of AAA batteries.

Fluke Corp. | www.fluke.com/distance

Cable Cleat

Ellis Patents has developed a range of extruded aluminum saddle cleats designed specifically to restrain high-voltage cables up to 400 kV with a diameter range of 100 mm to 160 mm. The Centaur line of heavy-duty extruded aluminum saddle cleats was designed specifically to fill a gap in the market that presents serious safety risks.

Ellis Patents has rectified this issue by putting the Centaur cleat through the most rigorous of testing procedures. Using cable manufactured by ABB, Ellis Patents shipped its Centaur saddle cleats to the Netherlands, where the product was tested to 163 kA peak and 63 kA root-mean-square for 1 second in both 3-phase and phase-to-phase fault scenarios.

Ellis Patents | www.ellispatents.co.uk

Voltage Regulator

The CL-6B voltage-regulator control from Cooper Power Systems is designed for ease of use. TIME-ON-TAP and event and alarm records provide the data needed to increase power quality and efficient operation. The duty-cycle monitor, with its algorithm based on design knowledge of individual ratings, eliminates guesswork maintenance. Preventive maintenance tapping can prevent contact coking that can cause premature tap-changer failure. Programmable I/O is a powerful tool to program regulator response to extreme events. When used with the Quik-Drive tap changer, the CL-6B control addresses extreme load-affected voltage swings, a cause of premature failures of system components.

Cooper Power Systems
www.cooperpower.com

Transformer Monitoring

BPL Global's Serveron subsidiary now offers the Serveron Transformer Bushing Monitors product line, which enables electric utilities to improve grid reliability while optimizing the management and economics of their asset base. Serveron Transformer Bushing Monitors offer on-line, real-time transformer bushing monitoring to enable utilities to avoid failures, extend the life of critical power transformers, reduce maintenance costs and improve reliability.

Transformer bushing testing is typically performed just one or two times a year and requires a planned outage to take measurements. Using the Serveron Transformer Bushing Monitors, utility operators can check the bushings on a continuous basis, without an outage, and identify operational issues immediately.

Serveron | www.bpglobal.net

Network Router

RuggedCom has added new features to its RuggedRouter network router that address specific needs of mission-critical applications, such as those found in substation automation and the Smart Grid. The new features include a cellular modem interface, serial protocol support, traffic control with IEEE802.1p and improved cyber security, such as new access levels, enhanced radius support and integration with Industrial Defender's Defense-In-Depth Cyber Security solution. The RuggedRouter is designed to protect and secure SCADA system networks connected directly to the Internet or within a company's wide area network or local area network.

RuggedCom Inc.
www.ruggedcom.com

High-Voltage Fiber-Optic Current Sensor

ABB's magneto optical current transducer (MOCT-P) optical instrument transformers for relaying applications are suitable for high-voltage networks. The rated voltages range from 72 kV up to 800 kV. Current sensing is based on the magneto optical Faraday effect. The freestanding sensor column communicates with the rack-mounted electronic module, located in the control house, by means of 200/230 multimode fiber optics. By this, the electronic module and relays are isolated from voltage surges.

MOCT-P's primary benefits are the extremely fast multiple-analog, 200-mV low-voltage outputs capable of interfacing with several commercially available microprocessor relays, and the environmentally friendly oil and SF₆-free design. Its low weight enables high flexibility in mounting arrangements and eases on-site handling.

An additional key feature is the highly accurate reproduction of fault events due to lack of any magnetic distortion effects common in conventional current transformers with iron cores. The 10-kHz bandwidth adds opportunities in the area of power-quality products. The MOCT-P optical instrument transformer was tested according to the latest ANSI standards or electronic current transformers. The MOCT-P can be used in many applications such as in transmission line, bus, transformer, breaker or distribution schemes.

ABB | www.abb.com

Regulatory Benchmarks Database

The C Three Group has created a Web-enabled database that provides details of more than 275 individual electric and gas utilities' latest rate cases. C Three has done the tedious work of gathering and compiling information through extensive and thorough primary and secondary research. Experienced analysts collect this quantitative and qualitative data directly from individual utilities, U.S. Security and Exchange Commission filings and state regulatory commissions.

The U.S. Electric and Gas Regulatory Benchmarks database, which is continuously updated, allows users to create highly customized reports tailored specifically to their needs. Users can sort, filter and group by more than a dozen variables.

The database enables users to answer such questions as: Are allowed return on equity amounts going up or down? How are major construction program costs being allowed to be recovered? Do the trends differ by region? How prevalent is decoupling? What are the renewable mandates and how are regulators treating compliance with these? What kinds of recoveries are being allowed for AMI and Smart Grid programs? What are the trends in fuel-cost recovery and purchased natural gas? What are the trends in test years?

An annual subscription to U.S. Electric and Gas Regulatory Benchmarks allows for up to five users from an organization to have password-protected access and customer-confidential report creation capability to continuously updated information.

C Three Group | www.cthree.net

Hazard Assessment Software

HD Electric Co.'s ArcPro Arc Hazard Assessment Software is designed to aid in the selection of protective clothing by defining the arc hazard for workers who may be accidently exposed to electrical arcs. This will help utilities to meet the National Electrical Safety Code that requires all power distribution utilities to perform arc-flash assessments by Jan. 1, 2009.

ArcPro provides the user with calculations including heat exposure, total heat flux and heat energy on a surface at various distances from an electric arc. The user can then specify clothing that will withstand the level of predicted arc hazards.

HD Electric Co. | www.HDElectricCompany.com