High Power Lab
Powertech’s High Power Laboratory offers evaluation, verification, and certification testing of medium- and high-voltage products to support manufacturers, power utilities, and other users of electrical equipment.
Areas of Focus
The lab is the largest grid-connected short-circuit testing facility in North America and operates independently of utilities and manufacturers. It has controlled power level capabilities for short-duration single-phase tests up to 400 MVA and three-phase tests up to 1,000 MVA.
Test services include load- and fault-interrupting tests, arc-resistance tests, momentary and short-time current tests, and failure-mode and exploratory tests involving applying precisely controlled distribution-level 60 Hz voltage and current to test objects.
All our certification testing, equipment development testing, quality assurance testing, and non-standard testing is performed in accordance with IEEE, ANSI, IEC, UL, and CSA standards.
CAPABILITIES
Features
- Three-phase source with three independent single-phase, short-circuit transformers
- Network of selectable circuit elements for precise current, power factor, and transient-recovery-voltage control
- Make switches for accurately timed energization
- Dedicated team of engineers and technicians for set-up, execution, and reporting
- Comprehensive protection, control, and instrumentation system
- One outdoor and one indoor test cell
High Power Testing Capabilities
Max voltage 1 phase – 44.8 kV rms l-g
Max voltage 3 phase – 38.8 kV rms l-l
Max current 1 phase –100 kA rms
Max current 3 phase – 80 kA rms
SERVICES
Tests Include:
- Load and fault interrupting tests
- Momentary/short circuit resistance tests
- Arc-resistance tests
- Failure-mode/exploratory simulations
Equipment Tested:
- Reclosers, breakers, disconnects, and sectionalizers
- Metal-enclosed and metal-clad switchgear
- Fuses: power, current-limiting, and cutouts
- Transformers: power, instrument
- Reactors
- Insulators
- Arresters
- Connectors: grounds, separable
- Junction boxes
- Cables
- Fault current indicators
- Non-conventional: smart grid sensors, optical voltage and current transducers, and others
Technology Consulting:
- Finite element analysis and advanced numerical analysis for multi-physics electrical device design
- Test program and planning advice for standards-based and design verification testing of electrical technologies
