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Transformer Protection


Optimizing Protection for Industrial Applications

Transformers play a critical role in industrial facilities, stepping up or down voltage levels to power motors, machinery, and lighting systems. However, the industrial environment presents unique challenges for transformer protection compared to traditional utility applications. This article...

Lightning Protection Systems


Fire Prevention: Role of Lightning Protection in Mitigating Fire Risks

Lightning strikes pose a significant fire risk to buildings, structures, and natural areas, capable of igniting devastating fires within seconds. Lightning protection systems (LPS) play a crucial role in mitigating these risks by safely dissipating the electrical energy of a strike. This article...

Overcurrent and Short Circuit Protection


The Evolution of Circuit Breaker Technology

Circuit breakers play a critical role in overcurrent and short circuit protection within electrical systems. Their function is to interrupt the flow of current when it exceeds safe limits, preventing equipment damage and potential fires. Over the past century, circuit breaker technology has...

Cybersecurity for Protective Devices


Zero-Trust Security: Securing Electrical Protection

The ever-increasing reliance on interconnected electrical protection systems necessitates a robust cybersecurity posture. Traditional perimeter-based security models, which rely on strong external defenses, have proven insufficient against sophisticated cyberattacks. Zero-trust security offers a...

Generator Protection


Modernizing Protection for Aging Generators

As the electrical grid continues to evolve, the challenge of maintaining effective protection for aging generators becomes increasingly significant. Many older generators operate with potentially outdated protection schemes that may not meet the current standards of efficiency and safety. This...

Motor Protection


Coordinating Motor Protection Relays

Motor Protection Relays (MPRs) are critical for safeguarding motors from various electrical hazards. However, integrating these relays into broader system protection schemes presents challenges, particularly regarding selective operation and coordination with upstream protective devices. Electric...

Electrical Protection

Protecting Industrial Control Circuits

Addressing relay challenges with the modern technology

BY MARK STEPHENS & ALDEN WRIGHT, Electric Power Research Institute

In 2009, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) began an effort to create improved alternating current (AC) “ice cube” relays that could withstand voltage sags without dropping out.

Their white paper entitled “AC Ice Cube Relays Applied for Improved Power Quality” outlined the basic design and vulnerability of these common devices that often appear in modern industrial control...

Electrical Protection Articles