2016 OFFICERS
Chairman
O. J. Brouillette
(225) 939-5029 (C)
Vice-Chairman
Don Couvillion
(225) 634-0151 (O)
Treasurer
O. J. Brouillette
(225) 939-5029 (C)
Secretary
Open
Membership Chairman
Tracy Toups
(225) 571-9492
Newsletter Editor
Don, O. J.
IAS Chapter Chair
Charles Darnell
Professional Activities
Jeffry Handal
(225) 578-1966 (O)
Young Professionals Chair
Rit Das
(225) 241-3330 (C)
Student Activities
Branch Counselors
LSU- Dr. Choi
SU – Dr.Henton
Chairman’s Message
At the March meeting there were thirty-six people in attendance, twenty-twowere IEEE members, seven were IAS members, and seven were quest. The presentation was given by Mr. K. A. “Bud” Leavell. The North American Electric Grid is becoming unstable. Studies have been done to show just how much it has become unstable, and to estimate the costs to America’s industrial sector. One of the most profound findings is that these costs are more related to how often these events occur than to their duration.
One finding of these studies is that generating your own power on a location by location basis holds significant promise to reduce these costs. BUT, cogeneration brings another set of problems, most notably the poor dynamic response of natural gas fired power plants to sudden changes in the load. So the vast majority of these installations are limited to supplying the “base load”, and are totally dependent upon the utility grid for stabilizing the power plant and for voltage and frequency reference. In this configuration they are actually worse than no cogeneration at all in that they actually double the frequency of power outage events, and result in frequency and voltage instability during times when the utility is unavailable.
The solution is to employ a true “rotary” UPS configured as a parallel online system with a bi-directional kinetic energy store which will isolate the “micro-grid” from the utility. Batteries are completely impractical for this as they are not capable of taking power at the same rate they supply it and have their lifetime shortened by constantly being cycled. The flywheel on the other hand is capable of acting as both a source and sink for power at the same rate and its lifetime is unaffected by cycling.
This parallel online UPS placed between the “micro-grid” and the utility effectively becomes the source of reactive power for the load, the reference for voltage and frequency and also regulates the voltage at the load. It monitors the load and controls the power output of the natural gas power plant and effectively maintains both frequency and voltage within +/- 1% for a step load in excess of 50% either in or out.
He has provided us a link which will download the white paper he published last year.
Your RSVP for the meeting is important, please RSVP. Weappreciate if,when signing up, you mark if you are an IEEE member including if you are an IAS member or not a member. A lot of you are doing soand we appreciate your help. This makes it easier for my book keeping which I have to report on each year. If you are not a member, that is not a problem. We will not beforcing you to join, and we can show you some benefitsthat will help you in your professional career. Anyway, we appreciate everyone who attends the meetings.
Our Next Meeting Will Be At
Ralph &Kacoo’s
6110 Bluebonnet Blvd. Date Second Thur. Each Month
Just South of I-10, across from the Mall of Louisiana.
UPCOMING AGENDA
- Apr 14, 2016Medium and High Voltage Cable Restraints
- May 12, 2016Arc Fault Mitigation Technologies
Other Sections Meetings and PDH opportunities.
Visit the Louisiana Engineering Society (LES) web page for additional chances for PDH’s at the website listed:
Section Chair
O.J.
MEETING NOTICE
Date:Thursday, April 14, 2016Time: Social………...... …...6:00 P.M.
Place:Ralph &Kacoo’sDinner ($20.00 members/
6110 Bluebonnet Blvd. $30.00 non-members)
Speaker Presentation ...... …6:30 P.M.
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Joint meeting IAS & IEEE Professional Presentation
Medium Voltage and High Voltage Cable Restraint
ABSTRACT of PRESENTATION
This course was originally presented at the 2015 IEEE Petroleum and Chemical Industry Committee Conference (PCIC) in Houston, Texas. The course is aimed at increasing the awareness of thermal cable expansion due to ambient temperature changes, thermal load cycling and short circuit heating. Ensuring cables are properly installed involves more than cable support, tight lugs and overcurrentprotection. The course instructs engineers, designers, installers and inspectors on the principles and practices of proper cable restraint, including evaluation and inspection techniques for in-situ installations. Through lecture, case studies and group discussion, this course:
• Introduces and defines cable cleats and cable clamps
• Provides the calculation techniques for analyzing thermal cable expansion
• Presents graphic photographs of damage caused by thermalcable expansion
• Debunks common cable restraint myths
• Allows interactive audience Q&A
BIOGRAPHICAL DATA of PRESENTER
Mr. Darnell is a registered professional electrical engineer in Louisiana and is certified by the National Association of Fire Investigators as a fire and explosion investigator. His international engineering design and construction experience includes utility, petrochemical, oil & gas, marine and industrial projects. His fire and explosion investigation experience includes electrical incident investigation, equipment failure analysis, fire investigation and expert witness in federal and state courts. Mr. Darnell is a task group member on API-RP14F and RP14FZ the Recommended Practices for the Design and Installation of Electrical Systems for Offshore Production Platforms and IEEE P45.8, the Recommended Practice for Electrical Installations on Shipboard – Cable Systems. He is a member of the IEEE Insulated Conductors Committee that is responsible for standards relating to the construction, testing and installation of cables and cable components. As a member of the ANSI US National Committee of the IEC, he actively participates on SC23A, which is responsible for the international standard IEC61914, Cable Cleats for Electrical Installations. He has authored and presented many technical papers on cable restraint. He is an IEEE Senior Member and sits on the Executive Committee on the IEEE Industry Applications Society – Petroleum and Chemical Industry Committee (PCIC). Mr. Darnell holds several patents and trademarks. In 2010, he founded Talon Products to manufacture cable cleats in the United States.Mr. Darnell and his wife Johanna reside in the rural community of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, where they garden and raise laying hens. In his spare time, Mr. Darnell enjoys scuba diving, wine collecting and cooking.They support Louisiana Special Olympics and Options.
Ramblings and etc.
- Please continue to RSVP to Don Couvillion using the website: Meeting RSVP via Web.
This is now the preferred method but if necessary you can email at or call (225)-362-2846 or use the section web site. Thanks.
The meeting this month is at Ralph &Kacoo’s.
The dinner for student members is half price.
If the LSU Branch Officers has changed, please let us know. If the Southern Branch Officers has changed, please let us know.
VISIT THE BR SECTION WEBSITE
The 2015-2016 Officers of the IEEE LSU Branch
President –Joshua (225)925-1346
Vice President – Tanner (225)614-0043
Secretary –Alfolabe (225)367-5730
Treasurer –Shane Zhao (225)328-3445
Advisor: Dr. Jin-Woo Choi
The 2015-2016 Officers of the IEEE SU Branch
Chair: Alden D. Warner –
Co-Vice-Chair:OsazuwaAwanbor –
Secretary:Arien Wright –
Treasurer:LeTonie Whitaker –
Robotics Chair: Kia Graham -
FundraisingChair:Warren Lyons -
Comm. Chair: Janae Porter –
Counselor: Dr. RaynaudHenton –
RSVP to Don (225) 362-2846 by 3:00 PM. Meeting day or email by Wednesday, April13, 2016 Thanks.