by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Apr 3, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, Plant Operations, The Sustainable Plant
Compressed-air systems are an important part of most plant operations. That said, these systems have typically been the most inefficient utility in plants. Even in a well-maintained compressed-air system, to operate a one-horsepower air motor, you generally need seven...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Mar 21, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
Last week’s article (March, 13, 2021), “Evaluation Of Medium And High Voltage Machines with Motor Circuit Analysis (MCA)” sparked quite a bit of interest. That included substantial on- and off-line discussion about low- and high-voltage testing. Based on articles and...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Mar 13, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
Low- and high-voltage Motor Circuit Analysis (MCA) methods have existed since the 1950s, with low-voltage MCA technology becoming commercially viable in the 1980s. Since the mid-1980s, MCA technologies have become more prevalent as part of predictive-maintenance (PdM)...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Mar 7, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
in this week’s article, we wrap up our short series of discussions around the first of the three parts (“Volumes”) of the 2021 “U.S. Industrial and Commercial Motor System Market Assessment Report.” In doing so, we need to consider...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Feb 27, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
As noted in Part I of this article series (Feb. 14, 2021, see link below), the purpose of the “U.S. Industrial and Commercial Motor System Market Assessment Report” is to provide information on the current state of electric motor-driven systems in United States...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Feb 21, 2021 | Asset Management, Electrical Reliability, Plant Operations
With the extreme polar vortex dipping south into Texas recently, there’s been plenty of discussion about the reliability of wind turbines in supplying power. The issues raised have ranged from turbine icing to the notion that Texas might have been relying too...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Feb 21, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, The Bloch Files
Unless you’re hiding in a cave, you probably will have heard what happened when severe winter weather hit Texas over the past week (starting Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021). It’s been an unimaginable catastrophe for all 254 counties in the state and the millions of...
by Bob Williamson, CMRP, CPMM, MIAM, Editor | Feb 20, 2021 | Asset Management, Electrical Reliability
Here’s a bit of history to ponder, or for RAM pros of a certain vintage, to vividly recall. “Drive 80 mph and freeze a Yankee,” was a popular bumper sticker in Texas during the 1973 – 1974 energy crisis. I lived in Northern Michigan at the time and...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | Feb 14, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, Motors & Drives
In 2016, a project was launched by the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) through Lawrence Berkeley National Labs to re-perform the original industrial and commercial motor-system opportunities reports from 1996. At the beginning of the study, there was a...
by Jim Seffrin, CMRP | Feb 6, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, IR Thermography, RAM Tools & Methods
It’s a common question: “How often should electrical systems be thermographically inspected?” Historically, accepted industry practice has recommended that infrared inspections be performed annually. However, site-specific conditions may dictate considerably...
