Hydro-Québec

About: Hydro-Québec is a government organization based out in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Electric power system & Dielectric. The organization has 2596 authors who have published 4433 publications receiving 100878 citations.

Statistical Dielectric Degradation of Large-Volume Oil-Insulation

Abstract: In an attempt to clarify the persisting controversy over the effect of the electrode area versus that of the stressed oil volume in large-oil-volume- breakdown, a study was carried out under well defined conditions of the oil quality, particularly with regard to the degree of particle contamination. The results indicate that both the electrode area and the stressed oil volume can affect the dielectric strength of transformer oil, with the stressed-oil-volume effect being most pronounced under particle contamination conditions. Test results with technically clean transformer oil as currently accepted for use in power apparatus indicate that the degree of particle contamination in these oils is sufficient to produce an observable stressed-oil-volume effect. Finally, it is demonstrated that the observed phenomenon can be interpreted in terms of an apparent effect of either the electrode area or the stressed oil volume. This has led to the development of a semi-empirical method of quantitatively assessing the breakdown phenomenon in large oil volumes with reasonable accuracy.

A New Fuel Cell Electrocatalyst Based on Carbonized Polyacrylonitrile Foam The Nature of Platinum‐Support Interactions

Abstract: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have been conducted on a new fuel cell electrocatalytic material based on a highly porous carbonized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) microcellular foam with very low platinum loading ({approximately}13 to 23 {micro}g/cm{sup 2}) TEM images of this material clearly show the existence of nanometer size platinum particles which are homogeneously distributed in the highly porous carbonized PAN matrix An XPS study of Pt-loaded PAN indicates that C 1s, O 1s, and N 1s peaks shift to lower binding energies, compared to virgin PAN It was concluded that special metal-support interaction exists, through the formation of a charge-transfer complex between platinum and pyridine-type nitrogen atoms of PAN support This interaction leads to the enhancement of the catalytic activity, and the improvement of the long-time stability of this electrocatalyst

Validation of single- and multiple-machine equivalents for modeling wind power plants

Abstract: This paper presents an exhaustive simulation study performed to validate the adequacy of the equivalencing method promoted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for modeling wind power plants by single- and multiple-machine equivalents. The main simulation results are presented for a number of steady state and transient wind turbine generator operating conditions following various faults and a typical low-voltage ride through. The impact of protection systems such as the crowbar is also taken into account. The aggregation technique has shown to be adequate for load flow, stability, and electromagnetic transient studies with limitations, as presented in the paper.

Concentrated solar thermal power in Saudi Arabia: Definition and simulation of alternative scenarios

Abstract: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has launched ambitious plans to integrate alternative energy sources into the national grid, including 25 GW of concentrated solar thermal power (CSP). There are several options available for the design of a CSP plant, including collection technologies, solar thermal receivers, heat transfer fluids, and energy storage capacities. In this study, a techno-economic analysis has been conducted, considering the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) for each technology in order to build a common understanding and vision. The analysis outcomes were incorporated with the Saudi energy sector requirements and local weather conditions to define alternative scenarios. Six power plant scenarios were defined for performance and financial evaluation. This includes parabolic trough, solar tower, and linear Fresnel collection technologies. A simulation was subsequently carried out through the System Advisor Model (SAM). The alternative scenarios were assessed through defining weather, technical, and financial parameters. Satellite observations and field measured data were combined to obtain a typical meteorological year weather data for the capital city Riyadh. The SWOT analysis revealed that the parabolic trough collectors are the most mature and that they are adopted in a majority of operational CSP projects, which is a key factor at the early stages of CSP integration in Saudi Arabia. Solar towers are gaining popularity owing to their ability to incorporate high levels of energy storage. The simulation results depicted significant capacity factors per initial cost as well as annual energy for solar tower scenarios. The linear Fresnel technique is in its infancy for large-scale operations, yet the results showed a high potential, including the lowest levelized cost of energy compared to other scenarios. The findings of this research will help assess alternatives for CSP projects with consideration of all relevant criteria.