OPERATION & MAINTENANCE OF POWER PLANTS
IINNOVATIVE ntegrated &
Steve Dunn reveals how a power control system integrates utility with emergency and renewable power sources in a complex project that pioneers the microgrid concept
T
he unique power control system at Quinnipiac University’s York Hill Campus, located in Connecticut, USA ties together a range of green
energy power generation sources with utility and emergency power sources. T e powerful supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system gives campus facilities personnel complete information on every aspect of the complex system. Initially constructed when the term microgrid had barely entered our consciousness, the system continues to grow as the masterplan’s vision of sustainability comes into fruition. In 2006, Quinnipiac University began
construction on its new York Hill campus, perched high on a hilltop with stunning views of Long Island Sound. Of course,
The York Hill campus pioneers the microgrid concept
effi ciency boiler plant, a high-effi ciency chiller plant and a campus-wide primary electric distribution system with automatic load shed and backup power. T e design also incorporates a microturbine trigeneration system to provide electrical power while recovering waste heat to help heat and cool the campus. Solar and wind power sources are integrated into the design. T e York Hill campus design engineer was BVH Integrated Services and Centerbrook Architects & Planners served as the architect.
IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES FOR THE COMPLEX SYSTEM
the campus master plan included signature athletic, residence, parking, and activity buildings that take maximum advantage of the site. But of equal importance, it incorporated innovative electrical and thermal distribution systems designed to make the new campus energy effi cient, easy to maintain, and sustainable. Electrical distribution requirements, including primary electrical distribution, emergency power distribution, campus- wide load shedding, and cogeneration were considered, along with the thermal energy components of heating, hot water and chilled water. T e fi nal design includes a central high-
T e ambitious project includes numerous energy components and systems. In eff ect, it was a microgrid before the term was widely used. Some years after initial construction began, Horton Electric, the electrical contractor, brought in Russelectric to provide assistance and recommendations for all aspects of protection, coordination of control, and utility integration – especially protection and control of the solar, wind and combined heating and power (CHP) components. Russelectric also provided project engineering for the actual equipment and coordination between its system and equipment, the utility service, the emergency power sources and the renewable sources. Startup and implementation was a complex process. T e power structure system infrastructure, including the underground utilities, had been installed before all the energy system components had been fully developed. T is made the development of an eff ective control system more challenging. Some of the challenges arose from utility integration with existing on-site equipment, in particular the utility entrance medium-voltage (MV) equipment that had been installed with the fi rst buildings. Because it was motor- operated, rather than breaker-operated, paralleling of generator sets with the utility (upon return of the utility source after power interruption) was not possible in one direction. T ey could parallel the natural gas generator to the utility, but the generator was also used for emergency power, so they could not parallel from the utility back to their microgrid. Unique system controls all power distribution throughout the campus. Russelectric designed, delivered and
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