24. Electric Power Stations and Transmission Networks

Diagnosis of the operational condition of facilities in power stations and transmission networks is of significant importance to ensure their reliable operation. Early detection of incipient faults or overload avoids failure of important parts of the power supply system. Diagnostics also allows planning maintenance activities to exploit full performance of the equipment and therefore enables economical operation of the quite expensive facilities. A variety of measuring and surveillance methods as well as very different sensor types installed are used to get information about the behaviour of important facility components. This chapter gives an overview on the most important facilities to be monitored, and an introduction to diagnostic tasks and strategies applied to these facilities. The most commonly used measurement and diagnostic methods are described such as optical methods (free-space optical detection, usage of electro-optic and magneto-optic effects as well as of optical fibre-guided methods), acoustic methods and mechanical methods. These diagnostic and monitoring methods are explained based on selected examples with regard to components of high-voltage (HV) transformers, cable systems, switchgears and circuit breakers, overhead transmission lines and finally generators and motors. New developments and trends in high power facilities and grids, and the corresponding diagnostic tasks are described at the end of this chapter.