Kenter, a Dutch energy management and metering company, detects partial discharges with the Fluke ii910 Precision Acoustic Imager to prevent degradation of medium-voltage applications that can impact SMEs and large multinational organizations
Kenter, a major Dutch metering and energy management company with over 30,000 customers, has improved its maintenance inspections thanks to fast, safe detection of partial discharge. Undetected partial discharge can lead to degradation of medium-voltage installations, presenting major risks in terms of safety, efficiency and costs, which need to be taken into account during maintenance inspections.
Kenter is part of Alliander, the largest energy network operator in the Netherlands, and works to install, lease and maintain safe, reliable energy distribution systems for a wide range of companies, from small family bakeries to electric vehicle manufacturers and large multinational chemical companies. Kenter offers innovative energy supply and metering solutions to help companies optimize their energy consumption. The company's team of 300 maintenance specialists has dramatically improved the speed and accuracy of scheduled maintenance inspections, thanks to an innovative handheld tool, the Fluke ii910 Precision Acoustic Imager.
Managing maintenance programs
Kenter provides 24/7 maintenance on the equipment needed to deliver safe, reliable power to customers nationwide. The service includes scheduled maintenance cycles, which generally take place every three, five, six or ten years. During these scheduled maintenance operations, Kenter seeks to coordinate several jobs, including partial discharge checks, to minimize disruption to operations.
Partial discharge is usually caused by a minor fault, resulting in thousands of small, repetitive electrical discharges. The phenomenon often occurs around the insulation of certain equipment, such as high-voltage lines, transformers, turbines, busbars and the inside of cabinets, and can have an impact on power supply through mechanical, thermal and chemical damage to insulators and conductors.
Fast, precise inspections
The Fluke™ ii910 Precision Acoustic Imager enables maintenance technicians to quickly scan electrical assets from a safe distance, while operational, to immediately identify areas prone to partial discharge. The image can be quickly analyzed to detect the type of partial discharge, enabling the team to undertake the appropriate maintenance. Users benefit from the tool's ease of use, speed and accuracy, while customers can get on with their business during maintenance inspections, without having to shut down the plant.
According to Martin Damen, Technical Manager at Kenter, the Fluke ii910 Precision Acoustic Imager revolutionizes inspection and is an essential tool for maintenance.
" Being able to scan an entire plant at once is a real game-changer in terms of the speed with which a partial discharge problem can be identified. "he declares.
Dirk Kwik, Maintenance Team Leader at Kenter, confirms: " Our technicians focus on identifying problems and undertaking maintenance as quickly and safely as possible to minimize disruption to our customers' operations and avoid costly unplanned downtime. "
Application benefits
A recent examination at a customer's site using the Fluke ii910 Precision Acoustic Imager showed that a partial discharge was occurring on the switching part. This had gone undetected by staff, as there had been no distinctive smell or sound during the intermediate examination, and no malfunction had been reported. The customer was also reluctant to stop operations for an oscilloscope evaluation. Failure to identify the problem could have major consequences because of the ultimate risk of switchgear failure. According to Mr. Damen, the cost of replacing the switchgear could reach 30,000 euros, not to mention the risk to the reputation of the customer, working to tight deadlines, who would have had to suspend his business.
The Fluke ii910 has enabled Kenter's management team to deploy its teams more efficiently. Over 18 technicians are now fully trained to use the Fluke ii910, and online training is being rolled out to the entire national team. Until now, training technicians to accurately detect partial discharges took much longer, due to the complexity of using an oscilloscope.
Innovative detection of partial discharges
The Fluke ii910 Precision Acoustic Imager has been developed to enable users to quickly identify and locate partial discharges. This innovative detection tool features a 7-inch LCD touchscreen that superimposes a SoundMap™ (sound image) over a video image, for rapid identification of discharges and leaks, at frequencies between 2 and 100 kHz. The Fluke ii910 can record videos up to 5 minutes long, and has a battery providing at least 6 hours of autonomy.
" The Fluke ii910 Precision Acoustic Imager has been developed withsant to the end usersays Tako Feron, Acoustic Imaging Product Manager at Fluke Corporation.
" A working group of electrical maintenance professionals from various companies helped test the device and provided feedback during its development. The group's comments proved invaluable in resolving some of the problems encountered in day-to-day use, and we are continuing this cooperation to add new features to the software. "