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  • VIEWS & OPINION: more >>

  • LIGHTING: more >>

    • The challenges of surge protection in street lighting

      Information from Philips Lighting SA

      Street lighting installations are located where continuity of service is essential. It is therefore crucial that these installations be protected against lightning and overvoltage. Voltage surges have a very destructive impact on public lighting systems. They wear out LED drivers and distribution panels prematurely and increase service interruptions to street lighting. Beyond material damage […]

    • Indoor positioning using visible light

      by Dr. Siu-Wai Ho, University of South Australia

      This article introduces a novel indoor positioning system that uses visible light then compares it with other indoor positioning systems, and discusses its potential applications. Indoor positioning systems underpin applications in diverse areas such as automatic monitoring systems, indoor navigation, and retailing. The demand for highly accurate low-cost indoor positioning systems is rapidly increasing. […]

    • The manufacturability of OLED encapsulation and light extraction

      by Dr. Russell Kurtz, Luminit LLC

      Applications for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) in lighting are opening unique possibilities for designers. However, the organic materials make OLEDs more fragile than LEDs. Although OLEDs don’t currently enjoy the commercial success in general lighting of its more established parent, the inorganic light-emitting diode (LED), applications for OLEDs in lighting are opening unique […]

  • SWITCHGEAR & DRIVES: more >>

    • Explosion proof electrical equipment

      by Mike Rycroft, EE Publishers

      Accidental or naturally occurring explosive atmospheres, which occur as a result of the process, activity or product in the environment, are encountered in many industrial and mining situations. In these conditions, a single small spark can initiate a large explosion, and care needs to be taken when using electrical equipment in these environments. In […]

    • An alternative to SF6 in electrical switchgear

      by Thomas Diggelmann, Denis Tehlar, Jocelyn Chang and Sebastian Zache, ABB

      For decades, the unique properties of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) have made it popular as an insulation and switching medium for electrical switchgear. SF6 is a greenhouse gas and there are life-cycle management costs associated with its use. For some years, ABB has been conducting research into alternatives with lower environmental impact but with insulation […]

    • Low-voltage air circuit breakers – the case for preventive maintenance

      Information from ABB

      Owners and facility managers must keep their equipment at peak performance, leaving them tasked with managing the maintenance process while decreasing maintenance costs. The National Fire Protection Association standard, NFPA 70B Recommended practice for electrical equipment maintenance, states: “Electrical equipment deterioration is normal, but equipment failure is not inevitable. As soon as new equipment is […]

  • MECHANICAL TECHNOLOGY: more >>

    • The Hall effect and its applications

      Information from ICMEESA

      From the ICMEESA archive Although discovered as long ago as 1879 by E Hall at Johns Hopkins University in the USA, it is only in comparatively recent years that any commercial exploitation has been made of the Hall effect. Based on the Lorentz force, the effect occurs when an electrical conductor is placed in […]

    • The installation of a Koepe winding plant in a working shaft Part II

      by G Armstrong, ICMEESA

      A case study in two parts, detailing the installation of a Koepe winder at a busy mine shaft. Part I of this article (Vector, April 2017) discussed shaft preparation; headgear superstructure; tail rope protection; underground skip loading; the installation of the lead ropes, and transferring the load to the Koepe wheel. Shortening the ropes […]

    • The installation of a Koepe winding plant at a working shaft: Part I

      From the ICMEESA archive

      Installing one of the three large winders at mine shafts earmarked for large future outputs can be deferred until it is decided to expand the operation. It has been found convenient, in such cases, to construct a concrete headgear designed for the addition of a tower-mounted Koepe winder or a ground-mounted drum winder. A […]

  • INSTALLATION & CONTRACTING: more >>

    • Using Li-ion batteries in UPS applications

      by Patrick Donovan and Martin Zacho, Schneider Electric

      Longer lifespan, reduced size and weight, faster recharge times and declining prices have made lithium-ion batteries an appealing energy storage technology. This article answers some questions new users may have.  In the simplest of terms, a battery is an electrochemical device that stores energy and releases it as electricity. Batteries are typically organised in […]

    • IR thermography inspection on plant electrical systems

      Information from Concilium Technologies

      The advantages and disadvantages of the predictive, preventative, and run-to-failure maintenance practices, and how preventative maintenance programmes are enhanced using thermal imagers. Typical predictive maintenance includes tasks such as vibration analysis on machines, acoustic, ultrasonic, and infra-red (IR) thermography inspection on electrical systems. Table 1 provides a comparison of predictive, preventive, and run-to-failure maintenance. […]

    • Functional safety (SIL) basics for process control

      Compiled by Gary Friend, Extech Safety Systems

      This article provides a basic overview, covers some of the misconceptions and considers some of the implications of safety and safety integrity level (SIL) on a process control loop. Safety instrumented systems (SIS), often referred to as emergency shutdown systems (ESDs), are put in place in addition to the basic process control system (BPCS) […]

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