Lord Power Equipment

…the realisation of a revolutionary design philosophy.

Working in conjunction with internationally-respected Partial Discharge technology company IPEC Engineering UK, LORD Consulting is excited to announce the release of the world’s first hand-held, multi-purpose Partial Discharge testing device.
Undeniably, that the main impediment to date in the widespread uptake of PD surveying of assets by the power industry has been the combined influence of the price of the equipment, the complexity of use, the need for skilled technicians to operate the equipment, and the sheer lack of productivity possible from present hardware. All have collectively contributed to the inescapable corollary of marginally acceptable survey costs per item inspected.
Whilst now capable of offering stunning survey outcomes, such advanced equipment still comes at a price tag of around AUD $20,000 per week for a contracted service and offers restricted productivity by virtue of the significant setup/ pack-up times and by each recorded test necessarily taking nominally 5 minutes per asset.
All that has reportedly now changed with the advent of the IPEC PD Surveyor hand-held PD survey device!!

FIVE UNDERLYING DESIGN CONCEPTS

The philosophy guiding the development of the PD Surveyor is in itself revolutionary in this field of asset management.
Firstly, the inescapable conclusion that of all assets surveyed as little as 5% might have any significant PD activity draws one to the logical conclusion that a device that could pre-screen all assets quickly and cheaply would greatly appeal. That being so, assets identified as having concern would then justifiably be prioritised for a targeted investment from a comprehensive PD survey effort.
Secondly, the fact that a required level of pre-screening survey on a given cable or item of switchgear need only take a total of around 10 seconds per test, versus 5 minutes presently for a full survey, leads one again to an inescapable conclusion that such a concept would offer merit. Were such a testing device not to require any set-up time, then the argument is even more persuasive.
Thirdly, and significantly, companies simply do not have a significant resource of technical staff with the qualifications and time on hand to conduct full time specialist PD surveys in larger networks. Were it possible to somehow package the technology in a form whereby it could go into the hands of a substation fitter with a few hours of training, then one would be talking of both a revolution in the operating costs and, by virtue of the fitters being out and about in substations all day, of ready access to gear for surveying as part of normal site visits.
Fourthly, the average specialist PD survey kit at present is implemented with a price tag in the area of AUD $140,000. Were it possible to make a simple prescreening device of good specification for say 10% of the cost of this figure we would be seeing a readily-justified exponential rollout of such technology.
Lastly, and very importantly, those who have ever been close to the aftermath of an explosion of either a piece of metal-clad MV switchgear or a cable termination in the confines of a substation would need no convincing that we are talking here of one of the worst possible of electrical accidents. From a health and safety viewpoint, the concept of the logical combination of a simple PD screening device that can be used by fitter staff as a quick pre-screening tool for safety checking in the sub prior to doing any necessary work in the building is an inescapable one. The fact that such data would be of inestimable value to the asset owner could then be really considered a bonus.

MAJOR INNOVATION

LORD Consulting’s Managing Director, Trevor Lord comments: “Now, with a device costing just over AUD $14,000, a company can issue its fitters with a means to pre-screen for PD all cables and switchgear in a substation, all for around 10% of the normal hardware outlay, 50% of the salary of a skilled PD technician, and 3% of the testing time of a comprehensive PD survey. Rolled into that, that Union support of the inescapable heath and safety assurance that the quick few minute survey offers upon entering a substation means this is truly a win-win outcome for all parties. It could be convincingly argued that this innovation is the biggest revolution yet in partial discharge surveying of power systems assets”.