CHATTANOOGA ENGINEERS CLUB

www.ChattanoogaEngineersClub.org

NEXT WEEK (AT THE CELLAR)_________________________________

Monday, March 8, noon, The Cellar at the Tallan Building, Downtown

Topic: "Smart Wire Technology" - Dale Bradshaw and Mike Ingram, TVA

What is the latest technology to improve electricity transmission?  One promising option is Smart Wires, a radical breakthrough that utilizes a system of sensing sag in a line and controlling power flow while reducing fault currents.  One of the greatest benefits is that transmission line capacity can be incrementally increased to its thermal limits.  Dale Bradshaw and Mike Ingram will discuss this new approach to dynamic impedance control of existing transmission lines. 

OUR PREVIOUS MEETING____________________________________

Topic: "The Utila System" - Rick Ector, Tennessee Valley Infrastructure Group (TVIG)

Richard Ector, President and CEO of TVIG gave a  presentation on work by the Tennessee Valley Infrastructure Group (TVIG).

TVIG installs wind production facilities throughout the world. Energy costs vary depending upon which industry produces the report. The cost of wind produced energy is about middle of the pack when compared to other methods of producing energy. Wind-produced energy started in 1981 but within a few years, the number of installations remained steady until 1998 when technology changed the cost of producing wind energy. Since 1998, the number of wind-produced energy installations has more than doubled.

Mr. Ector showed pictures from a wind farm being built in Kimball, Nebraska.  First, a windy site must be found.  Second, a foundation is excavated and a bolt cage that holds the steel tower structure is inserted into the foundation. Third, concrete is poured into the foundation to anchor the bolt cage. Fourth, the steel tower structure is erected. Fifth, the nacelle base with yaw gearing is installed. This base allows the hub and three blades assembly to rotate with the wind direction. Sixth, the blades are attached to the hub. Finally, the hub and blade assembly is mounted onto the structure. The power grid is underground and the Kimball wind farm has seven windmills.

Mr. Ector presented a design for an energy project in Utila, a small island off the coast of Central America. Before TVIG began upgrading the island’s power system, energy for the island was produced using diesel generators; the cost was high, and electricity was available only 18 hours a day. Three efficient diesel generators have replaced the original equipment.  They have been installed further from the center of town and will be augmented by wind turbines to reduce the amount and cost of fuel used.  TVIG has begun expansion of the electrical grid to more parts of the island, and now provides electricity 24 hours a day using self-managed (prepaid) meters.  Excess energy is used in a desalinization process that provides distilled water. Other governments in the Caribbean islands are interested in a similar solution.

Our thanks to Jim Barrott for the meeting summary.

FUTURE MONDAY MEETINGS_________________________________

March 15:  NASA’s X-37 Advanced Technology Flight Demonstrator, David Jacobson, Marshall Space Flight Center

March 22:  SimCenter Projects - Dr. D. L. Whitfield, Director

March 29:  Tour:  Top Flight Paper Products, Don Pauls (meet at 1300 Central Avenue)

April 5:  “Education and Research in the Future” - Dr. Bob Papp, President, Accurate Automation

EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS___________________________________

The Chattanooga Engineers Club would like to begin allowing recipients of this email newsletter to have control over their account.  What this means is that you will be in charge of changing information about your email address as you see fit.  If you would like to start using another email address for these bulletins, you will need to subscribe a new email address and unsubscribe your old one.  The email server will be instructed to send out a password reminder email to each recipient.  We will send out monthly password reminders for approximately three months.  This email will contain instructions on how to log on and change your password (if you want).  This allows you to administer your own email account, and allows you to set a few preferences as well.

WHERE WE MEET __________________________________________

In March, we will be meeting at The Cellar Restaurant at the Tallan Building in downtown Chattanooga. We may continue to park at the Days Inn on Carter Street (being sure to leave a notice on your dashboard that indicates you are attending the Chattanooga Engineers Club meeting).

QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS? ______________________________

If you have any questions or suggestions about program items please call Tiffany Gibby at 423-751-3168 or email her at tjgibby@tva.gov. You can find references to other Chattanooga Engineers Club members at our web site: www.ChattanoogaEngineersClub.org.