Protection of electrical panels and infrastructures

The electrical panel is the heart of the electrical system in a facility, receiving the main supply and distributing it to sub-panels and end consumers.

Any failure in the main panel can result in immediate damage, cumulative damage to the infrastructure and connected electrical consumers, as well as risks of electrocution and fire.

Common Faults:

Loose contacts, faulty switching equipment, overloads, water infiltration into panels, phase imbalance, poor-quality power supply from the source, leaks, double resetting, missing phases, missing neutral, grounding disconnect, and more.

All of these faults are considered highly dangerous, but often, facility operators are unaware of their existence until a critical failure or significant damage occurs, posing a life-threatening risk.

To detect these electrical faults, unique electrical measurements must be performed at multiple points simultaneously, and the results should be processed using professional algorithms that identify the precise fault.

ESP has developed the GES-HP system, which performs these unique measurements 24/7 during regular operations, without disrupting the production line. The measurement results are sent to a cloud server or a local server, where analysis is carried out and algorithms are applied to detect anomalies indicating electrical failures. The system then identifies the type of fault, its location within the infrastructure, and its severity level, immediately sending the customer a detailed notification, including a recommendation for addressing the fault.

Since the system detects faults in their earliest stages, the customer can address the issue in a targeted manner at a convenient time, preventing failures or catastrophic events that pose life-threatening risks.

 

Case Study 1:

Poor Power Quality from the Electric Company Grid In a shopping center containing sensitive and high-value equipment, the GES system detected abnormal voltage fluctuations originating from the electric company grid and immediately issued an alert.

The voltage issue, indicating poor power quality, could not have been identified by the property owner but posed a significant risk to electrical equipment, such as single-phase and three-phase motors

After detecting recurring voltage drops, the system immediately notified the customer, leading to the involvement of technicians from the local electric company.

Further investigation revealed that the issue was caused by a fault in a 22/0.4KV transformer in the electric company grid. The fault was addressed, and normal power supply was restored.

Without the early detection and warning provided by the GES system, the fault could have worsened, potentially causing severe damage to both the shopping center's equipment and other consumers connected to the grid. 

Protection of electrical panels​

Case Study 2: Loose contact on the main board - the silent disease
Loose Contact in the Main Distribution Panel of an Industrial Facility

In the main distribution panel of an industrial facility, a fault was identified characterized by increased resistance at one of the contacts in the main terminal clamps. This increased resistance indicates a loose contact, which could lead to a failure at any point within the electrical panel. 

As the current flowing through the loose contact increases or as the resistance increases, following the formula P = I² × R, it causes a rise in power, which in turn leads to excessive heating of the contact

. 
Thanks to the real-time alert provided by the GES system, which included a detailed description of the fault, its location, and severity, an electrician was dispatched to locate the point of failure. 

A thermographic inspection revealed the issue at the main terminal, which was then replaced, resolving the problem.

Had the fault not been detected in its early stages, the situation could have escalated to an electrical fire, posing a serious life-threatening risk.