Power Quality, a Problem Close to Us
——lusive Special Interview Power Quality Expert
2009年9月24日 ~ 25日,在上海国际会议中心,“欧盟-亚洲电能质量国标宣贯及高峰论坛”期间,建筑电气杂志社分别对4位国内外电能质量专家,从不同的角度,进行了独家专访。受访的专家分别为:中国电力企业联合会、全国电压电流等级和频率标准化技术委员会陆宠惠博士;美国电力标准实验室 Alex McEachern教授;美国电力科学研究院 Bill Howe教授;意大利贝加莫大学Angelo Baggini教授。我们希望通过专家的见解,使广大读者更多地了解电能质量问题,认识它,重视它,解决它。电能质量问题关系到太多的方面,大到气候环境,小到一只灯泡,存在于电能产生、传输、使用的全过程,和我们每一个人密切相关,电能质量是离我们很近的问题。
专访陆宠惠博士
1 建筑电气:陆主任您好!首先感谢您就电能质量问题接受建筑电气杂志社的专访,您是全国电能质量问题的专家,您认为我国电能质量普遍存在的问题是什么?制约我国改善电能质量的瓶颈是什么?应该如何提高企业改善电能质量的积极性?有没有行之有效的措施?
陆:首先要讲,问题来源于电能质量本身。电跟其他商品相比,有它的特殊性,大家都知道,电网和用电设备是连在一起的,它不像其他商品,卖出来,买回去,都有一种客观的标准。对电来说,不但用户可能制造污染,电网自己也会制造污染。所以我认为谁污染谁治理,应该是解决电能质量这个难题的比较好的办法。我跟很多企业交流过,最终核心问题就是谁来埋单的问题。什么时候企业治理电能质量问题有积极性?一般地讲只有在它自己过不去的时候,才有治理的积极性,就是在当出不了自己家门的时候,才扫自家门前雪。应该呼吁政府制定一些相关的导则、法规,推行谁污染谁治理的解决方法。
电能质量作为一个专业领域,被大家重视的时间比较短,相关的研究工作不充分,这也给电能质量治理带来一些盲目性,带来一些随大流的特点,大家都在观望,各有各的高招。其他学科领域就不是这么一个情况,多数研究成果已经成为公共财富了。我认为我们这块儿的研究还相对薄弱,治理的标准化任重道远。
我们面临的主要研究领域大概有这么几块儿:一是电气设备本身的抗干扰能力。标准中规定一个限值,我们应该通过大量试验统计分析,到底有百分之多少的设备行,有多少不行,而且设备是长时间不行呢,还是短时间不行,是天气热了不行,还是天气冷了不行,一条生产线上哪个环节行哪个环节不行,应该进行在各种条件下电气设备的抗干扰能力研究。这个需要国家、企业,以及研究机构共同出资、出人、出力,来完成这个研究。目前必要的基础性研究还是很缺乏。世界上的万物,它不可能是一根直线,总是有高有低的,通过拟合,通过分析,算出平均值,算出分散性,最后得出设备抗扰的特性。这样就有了标准规定限值的依据之一(规定限值的另外一个依据是干扰特性)。现在这块儿没有,这是一个难题。
建筑电气:是否可以理解为应该由国家一个比较权威的组织来整合?
陆:对,这是一项基础性的研究工作。投入不容易在本单位有直接的经济回报;工作涉及电力﹑设备制造﹑用户三方面的各行各业;这是要做很多试验,做广泛调研的,工作量大;工作必须有协调﹑协作机制。所以应该由国家一个比较权威的组织出面谋划此项工作。
第二个难题,现在电能质量问题叫得比较多一点的,就是所谓的新兴产业,我们把它归类为敏感负荷,这个问题的研究相对来说很不深入。比如说,继电保护跳闸是根据什么来定的,是根据这个设备的指标,受不了了,所以跳闸了。就像我扛个沙袋跑100 m,我只能跑80 m,实在跑不动了,我把沙袋一扔,我失败了。跳闸定的这个值,是否是合适的,这很重要。敏感的负荷到底敏感在什么地方,是电的性能不行啊,还是热的性能不行啊,还是机械的性能不行,你得把这个弄清楚。电力公司专门有人算继电保护的定值。我不能说,电力系统的继电保护已经做到了最佳,这种计算它作为一个专业,可能你算他算,结果基本都是一样的,不会差很多。但是现在工业控制中的继电保护,我认为它的定值是有很大裕度的。很多关于电能质量的报道,某某半导体流水线,由于电压暂降,保护跳闸,损失500万元。为什么跳,是哪一个环节不行了跳?保护的定值能否放宽?保护跳了是表面现象或者说是外特性,内部是否有调整的余地。我们研究人员应该深入进去,真正弄清楚这条流水线是在哪一个点不行了。
再举个例子,某机场航站楼,有新老设备并存的情况。自动扶梯电压跌落到一定值,它就停了,这时如果有人在上面是很危险的。新的扶梯设计的电压跌落值是正常值的80 % 时停机,旧的扶梯设计的电压跌落值是正常值的30 % 停机,老扶梯运行得很好,从来没有发生过突然刹车,而新扶梯已经发生过几次突然刹车,就是保护动作了。这儿就有一个问题,你的新扶梯是不是真的受不了。如果真受不了,你可不可以改成老扶梯的型号,老扶梯不是运行得挺好;还有,新扶梯就一定要设计成80 % 吗?我认为只要深入研究问题,你对这个问题就一定会有一个准确的结论。所以,敏感负荷问题,也还是研究不够深入的问题。
目前业内比较关注大负荷的问题,包括大型电机的启动,炼钢炉、高铁(编者:指高速铁路)。高铁实际是一个移动的大负荷,一个20 000 kW的用电负荷在移动。这方面研究相对来说投入较多,有实测,有估算,有仿真,电力研究的深度可以说很成熟了,但电能质量问题还没做到这一步。影响的因素不少,这其中各个行业、各部门间的封锁是较严重的问题。电力系统有必要对电的参数进行测量,但始终没有进到过铁道部的牵引站里去实际测一测,所以电力部门计算的时候只得把牵引站的模型简化了再简化。我认为这也是制约技术研究的非常具体,非常严重的因素。
当然,有些企业还是配合的,已经不那么封闭了。比如变压器制造厂,允许用户派人监造,用户可以看到变压器生产的全过程。
行业间的关系融合到这种地步,我觉得就很好。在电能质量领域中这种行业之间的障碍,不能叫人为的障碍,应该说是传统的习惯带来的问题。有一种说法“科学无国界”,难道技术还有行业界限吗?
所以,我认为行业分隔、技术研究缺乏、治理费用的来源这三块儿,是目前电能质量治理比较大的难题。
我个人还要强调一个问题,就是农民用电的电能质量问题,有些问题不是不能解决,应该及早给予关注,比如在电网规划方面,把农民的现在用电跟未来用电,纳入到我们完整的规划体系中去。将来农民的用电如果发展了,我们怎么样来保证用电,别等到出了问题了再来想。农民用电负荷的预测、农民用电的特点,这也算一个课题。我今天早上讲,我们国家电还远远不够,很重要的一个原因就是农民用电还没上去。我研究过日本的用电量以及用电比例,日本东京地区战后居民用电刚开始是占百分之十几,到现在,居民用电已经占到55 %,这表示人们生活水平大幅度提高。这里可能有统计口径上的差别,但是最起码这条曲线反映了居民用电跟社会发展的一种走向。
所以,对于农民用电问题,我几次在会议上呼吁,我认为这是一个很重要的问题。应该提前规划,提前做研究,做技术储备。一旦问题真的来了,解决就是了。这个问题难的不只是技术问题,如果规划、储备不做好,将来要做,工作量就很大了。
2 建筑电气:您是全国电压电流等级和频率标准化技术委员会的副主任委员,标委会负责电压、电流、频率和电能质量国家标准的制定和修订工作,请您介绍一下我国目前电能质量系列国家标准的制定和修订情况。
陆:我接触这个工作是从第2届标委会开始的,当时是电力部一个副司长在做副主任。这个委员会不跟设备、产品这些经济效益发生直接关系,但是它的工作是基础。开始阶段的主要工作是电压电流等级标准,就是今天我讲的这个电压等级,之后就是频率。频率问题在今天已经不是什么问题了,但在30年前,频率问题非常突出,好多地方的电网低频跳闸时有发生。
近几年标委会在扩展工作领域方面做得比较好,比较全面地覆盖了电能质量的各个领域。应该说,这个团队正在成长。各标准的制定正按部就班地在进行。大前天,我们在石家庄开了一个会,标委会马上要搞一个智能电网和电特性的标准,大家都很踊跃,参与的人都还是在专业上说得清的人。
这领域中堡垒之一是电压暂降,现在还没有国家标准。所以我们准备成立一个工作组,收集一些国内外的情况,国外有国家已经有标准了,我们可以吸收过来,做些研究。如果条件暂时不成熟,可以作一些基本概念、定性描述,出一些技术性指导文件。现在标委会正在进一步加强和IEC TC8的联系,根据原来我们在雷电防护标委会的工作经验,定期组织国内的专业人员参加IEC的会议,对带动我们这个专业的技术进步和扩大国际影响是有好处的。今年大概11月会组团到韩国参会。标委会的工作大概就是这样。
建筑电气:就是说现在电压暂降相关标准的制定还没有申报国家制定计划?
陆:是的。因为国家对国家标准的质量要求很严,一年国家标准不能超过多少个,现在申报计划很难,我们标委会今年只申报了两个,电压暂降相关标准没有报,专家们认为技术上欠成熟。
建筑电气:有专家批评国内对电压暂降问题认识不足。确实在建筑电气领域对电压暂降几乎没有相关讨论,而对谐波问题的讨论已经有好几年了,有专家研究,也有技术和产品在做。是不是电压暂降问题在国外比较受到重视?
陆:国外也是刚开始重视,IEC也还没有标准,连指导性文件都没有。我们国内的研究工作应该去伪存真,由表及里,到底哪些是电压暂降问题。比如像电力系统防雷,可能线路本来就有问题,打雷了,好啦,这是老天爷的事啦,我管不着了,这不行的。
3 建筑电气:建筑是能耗大户,根据统计资料,建筑能耗可能要占到总发电量的40 % ,针对我国电能质量现状,您认为建筑电气需要重点关注哪些方面的问题?对建筑电气从业人员您有什么指导和建议?
陆:建筑电气我是外行,谈不上指导和建议。我看过一篇小文章,我在很多次会议上都讲这篇文章。我觉得我们的同志真该做点儿这样的工作。作者做了这样一个调研,假设一家一个月用200度电,你家里装修布线的时候,是用2.5 mm2的线还是用4 mm2 的线,他关注这个细节,很有普遍意义。经过计算,用4 mm2 的线,像这样的用电量,大概3年就收回投资了,还补充了一句,铜可以循环利用。他的观点、理念,包括这种精神,都值得提倡。
现在电能质量喊得比较多,从目前城市供电来说,电能质量问题不是很突出。不是像大家所说的那么严重,我觉得应该有一个正确的评估,突出的问题,可能还是集中在大型负荷、敏感负荷上,对于普通民用和商用,应该没多大问题。
眼下智能电网正在兴起,强调设备商、系统运行商和用户之间的协调互动是智能电网的特色之一,通过这种互动或许可以很好地解决这些问题。
建筑电气:谢谢陆主任,您的这些精辟见解,使我们受益匪浅。谢谢您给我们建筑电气行业的指导和建议!
陆宠惠博士简介
博士,博士生导师,中国电力企业联合会,教授级高级工程师。1966年毕业于西安交通大学电机系。现任全国雷电防护标准化技术委员会主任委员,全国电压电流等级及频率标准化技术委员会副主任委员,全国电气安全标准化技术委员会副主任委员。国内外公开发表专业技术文章30余篇。
专访Alex McEachern 教授
建筑电气:首先我代表杂志社及我们杂志的广大读者向您表示敬意。您在改善电能质量方面作了大量的专业技术工作,您在这一领域的长期努力和贡献,被这个行业赞赏和尊敬。
1 建筑电气:当今新能源的研究、开发和使用已经成为一种非常主流的趋势,无论是欧美国家还是我们中国等新兴国家,政府和电力行业都从不同层面给予积极倡导甚至是强力的推动。我们注意到,您在这样的背景下,研究新能源接入电网所带来的电能质量问题,请谈谈您研究这个问题的出发点。
Alex:你的问题很好。我到过世界很多地方,主要就是解决电能质量问题。的确,现在我碰到很多新的问题。因为大家都在广泛采用新能源,随之带来了很多电能质量问题,互连啊,入网啊等等,造成不少新问题。
20年前,我们就有了风力发电、太阳能发电,但那时所占的比例非常小,根本不足为奇,即使真的碰到什么问题,把它断开就行了。现在像风力发电有的地方已经占到发电量的10 % 甚至到20 %,在这种情况下,如果电网有一个扰动,如果这个扰动造成风力发电机都要离线,离开电网,会对电网造成很大的影响。既影响电网的稳定性,又给风力发电公司造成很大损失,这么多的能量本来是应该用来发电的。
以前,传统的发电机功率非常大,惯性也非常大,不像现在发电机数量很多,越来越多的小风力发电机,从安全和稳定的角度来看和原来就不同了。我注意到这样的现象,并不是因为谐波怎么样,更主要的是由于这么多小型发电机互连,会对整个电网的稳定性造成很大的影响。
再比如太阳能,同样也存在刚才讲的稳定问题。如果我们把这座大楼(会议中心)和电网断开,单纯靠太阳能供电,对电网不存在稳定性的问题,但是对会议中心来讲是有很大问题的。如果我们这座大楼只靠太阳能供电,因为整个负荷很大,太阳能发电承载不了,会造成过负荷,电压会降低。(Alex先生指着头顶一盏坏掉的灯)你看现在虽然是连着电能质量非常好的上海电力公司的电源都有这类小问题,如果是只靠太阳能供电,这个现象会严重得多,糟糕得多。我的这个回答非常的长。
2 建筑电气:从表面上看大力开发利用新能源和保证电能质量似乎是相对立的,您怎样看待这二者之间的关系?
Alex(Alex先生考虑了一下回答):尽管这是一个矛盾,但相对来讲这是一个比较好的矛盾。首先,如果我们不采用新能源,我们的河水就会上涨得更凶,我们的碳排放就会更厉害,所以跟这些大的环境问题比起来,电能质量问题就是很小的问题了。
建筑电气:您在进行电能质量问题研究的过程中,在解决新能源入网所引起的电能质量问题的过程中,是否能得到不同利益方的配合?
Alex:大家都知道最终目标应该是开发使用更多的新能源,因为我们的能源不够用了。在解决电能质量问题过程中,我认为应该靠制定更多的新的标准来平衡各方的利益。当然在这中间会碰到很多实际的问题,这就需要我们一起来努力,认真研究一个一个的实际问题,解决问题,标准的制定应该可以兼顾到各方的利益。
就拿电动扶梯来说。在全世界电动扶梯的宽度和高度基本都是统一的标准,这个标准的制定,并不是因为某个人对扶梯感兴趣而写了这个标准,是因为在使用的过程中,有的人因为踏步太高而绊倒了,而太低又导致了另外的问题,结果大家逐渐统一,形成了现有的标准,解决了之前的问题。关于电能质量也应该是这样一种状态。
今天上午很多人在发言中强调,要怎么去严格执行电能质量标准。我是代表IEC写了这样的电能质量标准,也许我写的时候,初衷并不是一定要作那么严厉的规定,但现在我看到,大家是怎样在严格地执行标准的条款了。这里我需要告诉大家,在严格执行标准条款的时候,不能忽略了为什么要执行这个条款,同时也要思考标准这样制定是否合理?因为标准更多是来源于经验值。
建筑电气:对于规范标准的定位,中美之间似乎还存有些许差异?
Alex:是,又不是!举个例子:这两天住的酒店,房间内部有楼梯,很陡的楼梯。尽管在全世界都有楼梯的标准,但是在这个问题上中国人还是很有创意,用很陡的楼梯来解决空间不足的矛盾。
3 建筑电气:中国作为一个快速发展的国家,13亿人的能源需求增长,一定是惊人的,这必定会刺激新能源的开发利用。事实上,中国的新能源发展已经超乎人们的预料。有资料显示,目前中国光伏发电占世界40 %,风力发电也仅次于美国,而且增长速度惊人。您作为一位资深专家怎样看待这种超乎预料的发展速度?
Alex:中国在新能源方面,无论从技术还是资源都是领先的,中国的太阳能发电成本比世界任何地方都低。尽管发展速度很快,但和传统能源相比所占比例还是很小(传统能源应该超过90 %)。
我们应该将改善环境状况作为根本目的来开发和利用新能源。事实上电能质量问题和碳排放来比,或者和环境污染相比就小得多了。比如,这盏灯闪动肯定不舒服,但黄浦江水位上涨3 m却要严重得多。我尽管是电能质量问题专家,我还是认为环境要重要得多,不能因小失大。
建筑电气:也就是说,新能源发展速度快是好事,肯定会有电能质量问题,但是我们可以通过技术方式来解决。
Alex:是的!
4 建筑电气:像太阳能发电、风力发电这类间歇式能源,对储能技术以及电网智能化程度的要求非常高,新能源本身的质量认证体系及新能源电力入网的接入标准也应该是不可或缺的。在部分国家标准暂时空缺或薄弱的这种局面下快速发展的新能源,电能质量问题实际上是很严峻的。Alex先生能否给我们中国电能质量领域一些建议?
Alex:这个问题大家似乎都很清楚,但做起来却不那么尽如人意。我的第一个比较务实的建议是,更广泛地采用监测系统,这样大家可以更清楚地了解到底是什么现状,什么问题才是最严重的问题,然后我们再根据实际情况来解决。第二点,大家都应该执行标准,但不要因为标准把有创意的思路给抹掉了,给阻碍了。不要过分地被标准所束缚,一个好的想法可能比现有标准更实用,应该给这些新的想法空间。标准也不一定就是最好的。
建筑电气:您作为写标准的人,对标准的定位有些出乎我的意料。
Alex:我作为国际标委会的召集人,很希望中国能有更多的专家积极参与国际标委会的工作,这种交流很重要,大家可以更全面更深入地了解标准制定的情况、背景。而且像中国目前这个发展规模,在国际标委会这类组织内,应该有相当的声音及全面的对接。可是目前中国参与的人太少了。再有个建议:尤其希望使用标准的人参与其中,把对标准使用的感受反映到标准制定的会议上来。
5 建筑电气:您作为电能质量问题的国际知名专家,对建筑电气领域的电能质量问题有何认识?请给予指点。
Alex:对于建筑电气领域电能质量问题,应该加强对敏感负载侧电能质量的监测,比如数据中心或者是别的经常出问题的地方,并不需要对整个变电站、变压器或是整个系统进行监测。解决电能质量问题应该是有针对性的,务实的,因某个建筑具体情况而言的。对电能质量各项技术指标的要求,可能会因不同用户的使用需求而有不同。那么,我们应该根据负载需要什么品质的电能来提供相应品质的电能,而不是仅仅按照标准规定的指标来提供电能。比如信息系统和普通照明对电能质量的要求就相差很多,简单地执行电能质量的一些常规基础指标,很难真正解决电能质量问题。
6 建筑电气:建筑电气杂志社是“欧盟-亚洲电能质量项目中国合作组”的成员,合作组成立1年以来,合作组成员共同努力,致力于宣传、推广电能质量领域的先进理念、先进技术和先进产品,希望更大范围地引起社会各方及专业人士的关注、重视。您如何看待和评价APQI的工作?
Alex:这是很好的一件事情,我们需要各个方面的合作,我们需要媒体,通过更多更广的专业渠道,让不了解的人了解这个问题,让大家关注电能质量问题,一起来解决电能质量问题。
建筑电气:谢谢Alex先生接受本社的采访!
Special Interview with Professor Alex McEachern
Building Electricity:First of all,on behalf of our magazine and extensive readers,I would like to extend my sincere respects to you. As known,you have long been highly appreciated by the industry for your great efforts and contributions in improving the power quality.
1 Building Electricity:Nowadays no matter in western countries or newly risen nations like China,the research,development and utilization of new energy have become an inevitable trend and been actively advocated and strongly promoted by both the government and the power industry. We know that upon such background,you are currently studying on the quality of the power produced by the new energy access into the grid. Could you please tell us why you are doing such researches?
Alex:A good question. I have ever been to many places all over the world,mainly for dealing with power quality issues. I pay more attention to new problems and I indeed have met a lot. The large -scale utilization of new energy has brought a series of new challenges to the power quality,such as interconnection,grid access,etc.
Early as 20 years ago,we began to apply wind and solar energy into power generation. But at that time,an extremely small proportion of power was got from new energy,by which the grid can be hardly influenced. Even if there is something wrong,you can just cut off that kind of energy supply. However,at present,wind power has taken up 10% or even 20% of the gross power generation in some places. As a result,when there is a perturbation in the grid and if it makes wind turbines off -line,the grid will suffer a big energy loss.
Today,a traditional generator with large power and inertia has been replaced by a number of small wind turbines working together and thus the safety and stability problems come along. I find that not the harmonic resonance,but the interconnection of so many small turbines has heavily impacted the stability of the grid.
The stability issue also exists in the utilization of solar energy. If we cut off the grid but only use solar energy for the power supply of this building(the conference center),there will be no damage to the grid’s stability,but the whole building will get trapped into power insufficiency.
Since the solar power cannot bear such heavy load that the voltage provided will drop.(point to a breakdown lamp above his head)Look,although with high -quality power supply from Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company,such problems have occurred. If only with solar power,it will be much worse. My answer is a bit too long,isn’t it?
2 Building Electricity: Apparently,the extensive exploration and utilization of new energy is contradictory with the guarantee of power quality. What would you say about the relation between the two issues?
Alex(consider for a while and then answer):Though it’s a contradiction,it’s a good one. If no new energy is utilized,flooding and carbon emission will become more and more serious. Therefore,compared to environment,power quality is really a tiny case.
Building Electricity: When you are dealing with the power quality problems caused by the new energy access into the grid,can you get related affiliates ‘ support and cooperation?
Alex:Everybody knows the final goal is to explore more new energy,since we are faced with worldwide energy shortage. In terms of the power quality issues,in my opinion,more new standards should be formulated to balance all related affiliates’ benefits. During formulation,there must be many practical problems here and there,but we should work together to analyze and solve each of them. I believe we can achieve the standards meeting all affiliates’ satisfaction.
Taking escalators for instance,all escalators in the globe are with standardized width and height. The formulation of such standards is not because of a single person’s interests on escalators but due to during utilization,too high steps make people stumbled while too low ones lead to some other problems. And then standards gradually come into shape by integrating different considerations to solve the above -mentioned problems. It is quite similar to the power quality issues.
This morning,many people emphasized in their speeches that how the power quality standards should be strictly followed. It’s true that I composed such standards on behalf of IEC,but I never meant to make them unalterable. However,it seems that my work has been regarded as absolute rules. I hereby would like to say when following the standards,you should never forget to verify their rationality in practical utilizations. Anyway,standards originate from experience.
Building Electricity:It seems that there are some differences between China and the US in positioning the standards.
Alex:That’s true but not absolute!For example,there are rather steep stairs inside the rooms of the hotel that we are accommodated in these days. Although there are global standards for making stairs,Chinese people are so creative that they use steep stairs to solve the problem of space insufficiency.
3 Building Electricity: China,a rapidly developing country,has witnessed a tremendous energy demand caused by its population of 1.3 billion. Such situation is bound to stimulate the nation’s exploration and utilization of new energy. In fact,China’s achievements in new energy development have gone beyond people’s expectations. It is reported that China’s PV power generation has taken up 40 % of the world’s total amount while its wind power generation is just second to that of the US and still increasing at a startling speed. As an expert,what do you think of such a high development speed?
Alex:As for new energy development,China is a leading country no matter in terms of technologies or resources. The cost of its solar power generation is lower than that of any other part of the world. Although with a high development speed,China’s new energy still takes up a rather small proportion of utilized energy if compared to traditional energy(traditional energy takes up more than 90 % ).
We should take environment improvement as one of the primary goals to explore and utilize new energy. In face of carbon emission or environment pollution,power quality is not worth mentioning. For example,the flickers of this lamp may look uncomfortable. But it will be more serious if the water level of Huangpu River rises 3 meters. Although I’m an expert on power quality,I think environment is much more important. After all,no one wants to save a little only to lose a lot.
Building Electricity:That is to say,the rapid development of new energy should still be promoted whereas we can solve the power quality problems brought therein via some technologies.
Alex:Exactly!
4 Building Electricity: The utilization of intermittent energy such as solar and wind energy for power generation lays very strict requirements on energy storage technologies and grid intelligence. It is crucial to establish a quality certification system for new energy utilization as well as standards for new energy access into the grid. Under the current situation that some countries are still in lack of or even in vacancy of required standards,rapid new energy development has caused very serious power quality problems. In this respect,could you please give some suggestions to China?
Alex:It seems that we all know clearly about the consequences,but what has been done is not that favorable. My first practical suggestion is to make full use of the monitoring system,which can make us see the current situation more clearly,so as to discover the most urgent challenges and then find out the corresponding solutions. Secondly,we should follow the standards,but it does not mean to wipe away the creative ideas. It is not necessary to be constrained by the standards. A new idea may be more practical and should be encouraged. The standards are not equal to the best.
Building Electricity:As the standards maker,you have given us quite an unexpected answer!
Alex:As a convener of the International Organization for Standardization(ISO),I really hope more and more Chinese experts can join and work together with us. Such exchanges are essential. Then we are able to learn fully and deeply about how to formulate relevant standards. As such a big country,China should play a key and active role in the ISO. However,such few Chinese experts have been involved. I especially hope those who are implementing the standards can come and tell us their experience on our conferences.
5 Building Electricity:What’s your opinion on the power quality issues in the area of building electricity?
Alex:This area should focus on monitoring the power quality on the sensitive load,such as the data center or where errors frequently occur. It is unnecessary to monitor the whole substations,transformers or the entire supply system. Solutions for power quality problems should be made practical and directed against the actual situation of a certain building. Technical specifications on power quality are dependent on different users’ demand. We should provide power based on the actual needs of load but not strictly in accordance with the standards. For instance,the power quality required by information systems is very different from that needed by ordinary illumination. Just following some basic technical specifications cannot actually solve the power quality problems.
6 Building Electricity: Building Electricity is a member of the EU -Asia Power Quality Initiative China Alliance(APQI ). For more than 1 year since its establishment,the APQI members have been devoted to popularizing and promoting advanced concepts,technologies and products in terms of power quality,aiming to draw more attention from related professionals as well as the whole society. What’s your comment on APQI?
Alex:It has done a good deed. We really need cooperation from all sides. We should make people learn more and pay attention to the power quality issues via the media or other channels. Then more people will join us in solving the problems we are faced with.
Building Electricity:Thank you for your time!
Alex McEachern 教授简介
美国电力标准实验室创始人、总裁、首席技术专家,美国电气电子工程师学会(IEEE)高级会员, IEEE 1159.1主席,IEEE 519成员, IEEE电能质量标准统筹委员会投票会员;国际电工委员会(IEC) TC77A第9工作组(IEC 61000 - 4 - 30)主席, IEC 61000 - 4 - 11与IEC 61000 - 4 - 34成员。
在世界各地解决各种电能质量问题,因其对电能质量行业的长期贡献,被授予2001 Mungenast Award终身成就奖;电能质量仪器制造公司BMI创始人;在世界各地为研究生电能质量相关课程授课; 著有大量学术文献、大学教科书等;拥有28项与电能质量有关的专利。
专访 Bill Howe 教授
建筑电气:首先,我们很高兴Bill先生接受建筑电气杂志社的采访。
1 建筑电气:您在这次论坛上的演讲内容是关于智能电网,您认为智能电网和传统电网最本质的区别在什么地方?
Bill:在短期内,两种不同电网的传输方式不会有什么区别。但其中有两个方面会发生改变,第一个改变,我们能从智能电网得到更多的数据,虽然变压器和传输电缆都是一样的,但是智能电网在处理数据和治理电能质量问题方面都会优于传统电网;第二个改变,对于大量新的用电需求可以有一个重新的分配。这种新的电能不仅要输出,可能有时还需要输回电网,是双向的。智能电网在短期内能提供更多的数据、资料,从长期来讲,会使电网发生质的改变。
2 建筑电气:有资料说,中国和欧美在智能电网发展的侧重点上不一样,欧盟更多侧重在如何更高效地接纳可再生能源;美国则首先是着眼于电网的安全运行;而中国的智能电网建设,因中国国情所决定的远距离大规模能源运输、面临国际社会的减排压力、整个社会发展已经进入了信息化和市场化的时代大环境,这一切都对电能质量带来很大压力,因此中国的智能电网更关注整个过程的双向互动的功能,即在发电、输电、配电等环节都需要形成互动,以全面保证功能的实现。您怎样评价中国智能电网的这种定位?
Bill:基本上每个国家都会根据自己国家的实际情况来制定相关的政策。在美国,因为汽车数量巨大,所以有很多关于混合动力汽车及其充电系统的讨论。而欧洲的重点是节能。在中国,因为高速发展,我个人认为,应首先在电能的生产上满足需求,扩大电网覆盖的区域。最近看到一份资料,中国有100个大型发电厂在建,中国首要的任务是把电送到需要用电的地方。(Bill先生指着窗外陆家嘴的高楼群)以我的了解,10年前这些建筑都不存在,如果城市建设以这么快的速度发展,那么电网当务之急应满足这个发展,这样的发展令人叹为观止。
3 建筑电气:由于本刊的技术覆盖范围,我们比较关注配电系统的相关问题,智能电网技术对于解决配电系统电能质量问题的优势十分突出,这方面您个人作为熟知欧美现状的知名专家,有什么资讯可以和我们分享的?
Bill:这个问题挺复杂的。其实在短期内智能电网会使电网更复杂,对电能质量不会有直接改善,甚至还可能使情况更糟,我们都知道,越简单的系统出问题的概率越小。智能电网将会用到很多新的电子设备,大量的新设备可能会带来新挑战。但是智能电网的长处是可以收集大量的资料和数据,在数据分析和处理方面可以为解决电能质量问题提供很好的基础。
建筑电气:之前我们认为智能电网能很好地解决电能质量问题,但Bill 先生认为短期内智能电网不能解决电能质量问题?
Bill:因为初期使用大量的新设备,可能带来一些问题。短期内智能电网可以收集数据,寻找问题的症结,从而最终解决问题。这需要一个过程,在这个过程中,关键是分析处理获得的数据,如果不能有效地处理,这些数据也就是一堆数据而已。
4 建筑电气:您认为建筑电气行业在智能电网中应该是什么角色?重点应该做好哪些方面的工作?
Bill:建筑电气对智能电网是非常重要的,特别是现在出现了越来越多新的建筑,使得两者之间的关系更加密切。建筑电气决定着建筑物选择使用什么样的电气设备,希望提升配电质量,希望供电质量达到一定水准,而供电公司希望优良的设备能够避免或处理一些基本的电能质量问题。因此,解决电能质量问题选择电气设备有很多可行的方案,如选择有效接地设备、谐波抑制变压器或选择能处理电压暂降的设备等等。
目前很多解决方案把重点放在建筑物建成以后,这个代价会很昂贵。如果能在建筑物建成之前把这些方案设计进去,就能大大降低造价。所以,设计师不仅要了解关于诸如安全、防火等方面的标准,这仅仅是国家规定的最基本的标准,同时还应了解像电能质量方面的满足更高层次需求的标准。
现在用户和供电公司之间的沟通比较少,我认为建筑电气一个很重要的工作就是把智能电网收集到的数据资料反馈给用户,使他们得到完整准确的资讯,同时给用户提出专业的建议,这些资讯和建议对业主或房地产商是有很大价值的。另外,太阳能发电等新能源的发展前景非常好,在设计建筑物时应考虑新能源的应用,并将富裕的电能并入电网。如停车场的太阳能汽车充电系统,建筑物光伏屋顶、光伏墙面等,这对于业主和房地产商是很有价值的。我不太清楚中国的情况,在美国目前供电公司还不是很愿意接受小型新能源,例如住宅光伏电能进入电网。现在这种情况已开始有所改观。
建筑电气:不愿意接受新能源是出于对电网安全的考虑吗?
Bill:是的,多年来供电公司的主要业务只是发电并提供给用户。然而新能源的使用会使电网更加复杂,给管理带来麻烦。当然如果采用智能电网,这些问题就可以迎刃而解。
建筑电气:在美国智能电网有没有较成熟的标准规范?
Bill:目前还没考虑到这点,眼下重点还是在智能电网本身。
5 建筑电气:您认为建筑电气领域电能质量最主要的问题是什么?
Bill:电网的谐波干扰是建筑电气中的主要问题。很多电子产品,如电子镇流器,会产生谐波问题。如这种节能灯(指了指头顶上的灯),我们对它的了解还不够,它对电网电能质量的影响,我们还没有很准确的测试数据。以前的白炽灯,如果我们发现它坏了,那就是灯泡坏了,里面的灯丝断了,换一个就可以了。而这只节能灯坏了可能是由于谐波、过热或其他的问题。虽然新技术会非常有用并且具有潜力,然而它会更加复杂。智能电网中的这种复杂性将同时成为它的优势与挑战。
建筑电气:谢谢Bill 先生接受本社的采访 !
Special Interview with Professor Bill Howe
Building Electricity:We are more than happy to have you here with us.
1 Building Electricity: Your speech on this forum is about the smart grid. What’s its essential difference compared to the traditional one?
Bill:In a short term, we will not easily see their differences. However, two changes have occurred:one is that we can get more data from the smart grid. Although with the same transformers and cables, the smart grid is superior to the traditional one either in data processing or in power quality control; the other one is the incorporation of new, distributed generation and energy storage so that a new distribution can be done when more power is needed. Such new demand requires not only the output of power but also the return to the grid. That’s kind of bilateral transfer. The smart grid can just provide more data and information in a short time but from a long-term perspective, it will cause a qualitative change to the grid.
2 Building Electricity:It is reported that compared to the western countries, China lays a different emphasis on the development of smart grid. The EU focuses on how to utilize renewable energy more efficiently while the US pays more attention to the grid’s safe operation. China, in face of the large -scale and long -distance energy transportation required by its national needs, the emission reduction criticism from the international community and the increasing informationization and marketization of the whole society, bears a rather big pressure in the guarantee of power quality. Therefore, the nation attaches more importance to the bilateral and mutual power transfer in the links of generation, transmission, and distribution during the construction of smart grid. What’s your opinion on China’s way?
Bill:Each country should have its own way to formulate relevant policies based on its actual conditions. In the US, the huge number of possessed cars has aroused hot discussions on hybrid electric automobiles and their charging systems. Europeans stress on the energy saving. In my opinion, as a rapid developing country, China should firstly provide adequate power to meet its needs of development. It should make its grid cover more areas. I have read something recently and got to know that China currently has approximately 100 large -scale power plants under construction. So China’s urgent task is to transfer power to where it is needed. (point to the skyscrapers of Lujiazui outside)As my knowledge, those buildings have come into being only during the past 10 years. China’s urban construction is going so fast at an unparalleled speed, so it’s most urgent to build up a grid to meet the needs of such development.
3 Building Electricity: As for our reports’ coverage of technical specifications, our magazine pays close attention to the issues related to distribution system. We know the smart grid performs excellently in settling the power quality problems of distribution system. You are an authoritative expert in this area and know very well about the current situation in the western world. Could you please share with us some information related?
Bill:Very hard to say. Actually in a short term the smart grid will make the grid more complicated and cannot directly improve the power quality or may make the condition even worse for a while. As we all know, the simpler the system is, the smaller the error probability it has. The smart grid will involve a great many new electronic devices that may bring new challenges. But the smart grid can help us collect plenty of data and information. Its advantage in terms of data analysis and processing lays a solid foundation for solving power quality problems.
Building Electricity:We originally thought the smart grid can well settle the power quality problems. But in your opinion at least in a short term it cannot. Am I right?
Bill:At the initial stage, the use of many new devices connected to the grid and used within the grid may cause a series of problems. The smart grid can collect relevant data in a short term, and then help analyze the crucial reasons and ultimately help find out the applicable solutions. In this process, data analysis and processing plays a key role. However, we must be prepared to analyze this new data as the data will become useless if it cannot be effectively dealt with.
4 Building Electricity:What role do you think the industry of building electricity plays in the construction of smart grid? What kind of works should be done firstly?
Bill:Building electricity is very essential to the smart grid. The emergence of more and more buildings makes the relation between the two industries even much closer. Building electricity, deciding on the selection of electric equipment for buildings, requires high quality power distribution and supply while power supply companies hope good equipment can help avoid or reduce some basic power quality problems. Therefore, some power quality problems can be solved by adopting a number of feasible options in selecting electric equipment, such as the equipment being well grounded, transformers that can tolerate harmonics, or the equipment that is tolerant of voltage sags, etc.
At present, many solutions are worked out after buildings have been completed. That’ s too costly. If such solutions can be taken into account during design and construction, much money will be saved. So designers should not only know some basic state -stipulated standards like in terms of safety, fire prevention and so on, but also learn more about higher -level standards like those concerning power quality, etc.
At present, there is hardly any exchange between users and power supply companies. I think what should building electricity firstly do is to give complete and accurate feedbacks to users about the data and information collected by the smart grid. At the same time, it should give users professional suggestions for power utilization. That will be quite useful for proprietors or real estate developers. The utilization of new energy like solar energy, with a very promising future, should be taken into account during the design of buildings and powerful currents should be merged into the grid. For example, the solar automobile charging system in the parking lot, the PV roofs and walls of buildings, etc., all of these are beneficial to proprietors or real estate developers. I don’t know what’s undergoing in China, but currently in the US, power supply companies have not in the past been much willing to accept new, small energy sources like residential PV being connected to the grid. This is starting to change.
Building Electricity:Because they concern about the grid’s safety?
Bill:Yes, after all their main business is to supply power to users whereas new energy will make the grid more complicated and take more troubles to their management. Of course, if the smart grid is adopted, such problems will be readily solved.
Building Electricity:Are there relatively mature standards about the smart grid in the US?
Bill:Not yet, but much work is on going. Most emphasis has been given to physical interconnection and communications standards for the smart grid itself.
5 Building Electricity:In your opinion, what are the major power quality problems in the area of building electricity?
Bill:The harmonic interference. Harmonic resonance may occur to many electronic products such as electronic ballast, etc. Just like this kind of energy saving lamp (point to the compact fluorescent lamp overhead), we still do not have enough knowledge about it. We haven’t got accurate testing data to verify its influence to the grid’s power quality. If we find an incandescent lamp does not work, the reason directly goes to the bulb —— the filament in it must have been broken. But if this energy saving lamp breaks down, it may because of harmonic resonance, overheating or other problems. The new technology, while useful and promising, is much more complicated. It is this complexity that will be both the advantage and challenge to the smart grid systems of the future.
Building Electricity:Thank you for your time!
Bill Howe教授简介
注册专业工程师。主要专业领域:电能质量研究、信息及资源的开发及应用、工业及商业电能质量分析、工业及商业电气控制系统设计及优化、需求响应、电能效率及市场研究。
目前从事美国电力科学研究院电能质量研究方案的管理工作。主要负责战略规划、项目管理、信息产品及大客户研究,涵盖领域有质量、可靠性以及送电效率等。同时还从事电能质量信息、以电能质量知识为基础的服务工作,以及国际电能质量高级信息资源等领域的管理工作。
进入美国电力科学研究院工作之前,Bill先生曾经是Primen 公司电力综合业务部经理,该公司现为Energy Insights公司并作为美国国际数据公司的一个部门。曾经是PQ集团总裁以及E Source公司电能质量部经理。Bill先生曾经在美国财富杂志评选的500强公司中的管理及高级工程部门任职近20年之久,在中压电能质量产品开发、产品测试、变电站及配电系统设计及施工、电机及驱动系统以及工艺自动化等领域拥有丰富的经验。
专访Angelo Baggini 教授
1 建筑电气:关于国际电能质量项目您有非常丰富的经验,请您给我们的读者作一个电能质量项目的介绍。
Angelo:目前世界上有很多这样的和电能质量相关的组织,有标准化组织,也有官方的组织,他们很有权威性,但是行动较慢。而另外还有一些商业机构,他们效率较高,比较贴近市场,但有时会有一些立场上的偏差。APQI这样的组织比较独特,因为参与的面很广,有学者,也有商业机构,还有标准化组织,大家都是自愿的,所以它的工作效率很高,技术上标准上不会有特别的偏袒。工作组收集整理来自各方的资料,这些资料有时可以是官方制定政策的很好的依据。另外项目组可以把学者和商业机构联系起来形成互动,这两者本来互动是很少的。
2 建筑电气:您在做电能质量项目管理的工作中有什么特别的感悟或是给我们一个成功的案例 ?
Angelo:一个很好的成功案例:之前,欧洲电能质量项目合作组在欧洲作了一个广泛的电能质量市场调研报告,重点是关于电能质量问题所造成的损失。进行这个调研非常困难,因为成本太高,区域范围太大,牵涉到的人也太多,不是那么容易做。我们的电能质量调研报告提供了大量测试数据,促进了一些国家的政府出台一些新的政策或是建立一些新的标准。另外,对市场产生了非常直接的影响,因为有了这些数据,电力供应商或是产品设备供应商会采取相应的措施来减少因为电能质量造成的损失。这给用户带来了非常可观的利益。
3 建筑电气:“欧盟-亚洲电能质量项目中国合作组”成立1年了,作为先行者您对中国合作组项目有何评价?对合作组的工作成效有何评价?
Angelo:下周在北京会有一个会议,所有欧洲的、亚洲的工作组都会作关于自己工作组的报告。我知道中国合作组比较有创意的成绩,比如电能质量学习软件。另外培训活动、研讨会等也做得不错。
建筑电气:有没有一个全球组织来统一协调各个国家电能质量合作组的工作?
Angelo:在拉丁美洲和北美洲都有类似的组织,只是名称可能有些不同,每年有两次全球性会议,各合作组织间互相交流成果和经验,这些成果和经验最终会向公众公开发布,免费使用。一些企业在项目进行过程中会投入资金,当然它可以在第一时间获得数据,最终这些信息会是公开的。其实注资的企业都很希望把这些信息和大家分享。
建筑电气:谢谢Angelo 先生接受本社的采访 !
Special Interview with Professor Angelo Baggini
1 Building Electricity: You are very experienced in terms of the International Power Quality Initiative. Could you please give our readers an introduction about it?
Angelo:At present,there are many organizations in the world related to power quality issues,including those for standardization and some official ones. They are authoritative but often act too slowly for many understandable reasons. Some commercial agencies,though with higher efficiency and market demand satisfaction,sometimes may pay too much to profits. Leonardo Energy(www. leonardo -energy. org),i. e. the new framework including LPQI,and APQI(www. apqi. org)are quite unique. They involve extensive circles including academies,manufactures,commercial agencies and organizations for standardization. Everyone here works voluntarily. So it is doing an efficient and fair work,not partial to any fixed technical specification or standard. Data and information collected from all parts of the world by the working groups can be taken for reference by authorities to draw up relevant policies. Moreover,the initiative has set up a link between university and industry. The two sides hardly had any mutual exchange in the past.
2 Building Electricity: What’s the most impressive thing to you during years of work? Or could you say something about a successful case?
Angelo:I indeed have one. The Europe Power Quality Initiative Alliance previously conducted a large scale market research about power quality,focusing on the losses caused by power quality problems. It is really hard due to too high cost,too extensive scope and too many people involved. The mass of data provided by this research report has promoted some countries to issue new policies or establish new standards,and moreover,it has laid very direct impact on the market. With such data,power and equipment suppliers can make relevant improvements to reduce losses because of power quality. It’s quite beneficial to the users.
3 Building Electricity: APQI has been one year old. As its pioneer,what’s your comment on the initiatives in China as well as the alliance’s performances?
Angelo:A conference is going to be held next week in Beijing. By then all alliances from Europe and Asia will give reports about their work. I know China alliance has made fairly creative achievements such as the software for power quality learning. It also does well in training activities and workshops.
Building Electricity:Is there a global organization unifying and coordinating the jobs of power quality alliance in each country?
Angelo:There are similar organizations in Latin America and North America,just under a different name. Each year it holds two global conferences for all alliances to share experience and achievements,which are then made open to public and free for use. Some companies may invest to the initiatives for getting relevant data at first time,whereas such data will be issued publicly later. Actually these investing companies are also willing to share data and information with the public.
Building Electricity:Thank you for your time!
Angelo Baggini 教授简介
意大利贝加莫大学电气工程教授,国际能源顾问。1993年在帕维亚大学电气工程专业获得学士学位,1997年在该校获得博士学位。1997年成为CEI TC14的成员,也是欧洲电工标准化委员会TC14的秘书。著有超过200篇学术论文,在专业杂志或在国内、国际论坛上发表。
外籍专家专访内容英文部分已经受访专家本人确认,中文部分为现场翻译记录内容,二者如有差异,以英文为准。
专访 Alex McEachern 教授,翻译:上海捷实机电科技有限公司,总经理,王俊;专访Bill Howe教授、Angelo Baggini教授,翻译:国际铜业协会(东南亚),市场经理,Bek Chee Jin,在此对二位的鼎力支持表示衷心感谢!
建筑电气杂志社