In a market economy, it takes buyer, seller, and installer working together to ensure success of any project. For example, more and more students are discovering that thanks to telecommunications it's possible to get an education without the need of stepping foot on campus. Furthermore, such students can tailor their speed of learning to individual circumstances rather than be tied to traditional class scheduling. This means that more individuals can meet their educational needs in ways besides through historical classroom instruction.

This sounds ideal, so what's the hitch? "Power outages," declares Eugene Fernandez, director of facilities for a major player in the telecommunications education market, the LeCroy Center for Educational Telecommunications, located on Walnut St. on the north side of Dallas, TX. Speaking of the metro area's history for providing uninterrupted quality power, he continues, "We've had outages lasting from four to eight hours."

When you consider that there are more than 80,000 students relying on this school's telecommunications finesse for their education, the need for uninterruptible power is critical indeed. Then add in live broadcasting from the TV studio for PBS and cable networks, and the need for uninterruptible power becomes even more essential.

Fernandez recalls one outage four years ago that lasted six hours and returned power just 30 minutes before air time. He and his crew scrambled to assess the damage and make the necessary reconnections for tripped circuits. It was a hot time for all involved, but "we were able to do uplinks in time for the broadcast." Still, there are plenty of day-to-day challenges even without spikes, so the people at the LeCroy Center determined to find a lasting solution. That solution came on-line in February 2004 after much research on determining how to choose, fund, and install the technology.

Theresa Roffino, dean of resource development, explains, "The Dallas County Community College District is the leader in the development of distance learning college credit programs in the state of Texas." As with noneducational enterprises, the district knows that in order to remain a leader one has to continue to improve the product provided. And it had been made clear to those at the college that something had to be done about the brownouts, but the solution had to be effective, economical, and efficient—and space was one of the added concerns.

So they did their homework. Fernandez comments that they first looked at a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), "but we wanted to eliminate the array of batteries needed, as well as the expense and maintenance that go with that type of system." After studying other options, they determined that rotary technology was the route to go, and after negotiations with suppliers, they decided to take on SatCon's Rotary Uninterruptible Power Supply (RUPS) system, but it still would cost about $200,000 for the equipment.

Roffino reports, "Funding to support the system came from a grant to the Dallas County Community College District from the State of Texas Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board (TIFB)." She explains that TIFB was established a handful of years ago by the state to provide resources to support the technology and equipment infrastructure needs of state agencies, libraries, schools, hospitals, and institutions of higher education. Tax revenue for funding projects came from the telecommunications industry (i.e., cell phones). But the tax proved particularly unpopular, especially with the ongoing competition that has narrowed margins dramatically over the past few years for cell phone companies. "Unfortunately the TIFB was sunset during the last legislative session, but fortunately we got the grant before the agency was dissolved."

So, Who Is SatCon?

Still, without the technology, such funds just as well go unutilized. After all, if no one is addressing the potential user's needs, those needs will go unmet and the user must continue to rely on what might well be outdated technology. Fortunately the more suppliers of a given technology there are, the better it is for both sides of the sale. Competition keeps everyone seeking better and better solutions to problems, including those regarding reliable power.

According to Corey Cristmann, product line manager for SatCon Power Systems, based in Worcester, MA, the company is a division of SatCon Technology Corporation in Cambridge. Speaking from his Roanoke, VA, office, Cristmann, who has eight years' experience in industrial power needs and an MBA from Wake Forest, declares, "We're really into power quality, power distribution, and power generation. We get involved with different alternative energy sources, such as fuel cell systems, wind power, photovoltaic, and the power-quality portion of turbine-based systems. All of these sources have to be made usable, and this is where we come in from the power-quality end."

He adds that his firm has about two dozen representatives in the United States market covering all 48 lower states and helping identify marketing opportunities, which can range from college campuses to dot-com companies to waste treatment plants. "We go out and do specific site visits with that particular representative to ensure a better understanding of the individual customer's technical needs. The biggest time constraint is identifying the funding aspect. Once that's ensured, though, we can deliver the tailor-made product in 22 to 24 weeks. On average, it's a 6- to 10-month cycle from discovery of need to delivery of product."

Cristmann frankly admits that a RUPS system is more expensive initially than a battery-based system. But when looking at a 20- to 25-year life cycle, this technology can compete with other technology on the market. "Our intent is to look at total cost of the life cycle, including maintenance, replacement of batteries, and floor space involved. We also expect our focus to remain on industrial needs, as well as military and government concerns regarding uninterrupted power. After just 18 months of product development, our CEO [Chief Executive Officer] David Eisenhaure gave us the go-ahead to market the rotary system." He adds they expect to expand their product line in an effort to offer more answers to a greater number of customers.

Speaking in SatCon's News Update, a company publication, concerning the center's installation of one of his firm's units, Eisenhaure says, "I am extremely pleased with the successful installation of our UPS system at LeCroy. The growth of the digital economy has drastically increased the demand for reliable, quality power and organizations like the LeCroy Center are realizing the benefits of digital power technologies. I believe that there is a significant market for our Rotary UPS in a broad range of applications."

Cristmann then comments that much of the firm's activity regarding uninterrupted power users began in 1999 when it realized the potential for sales success because dot-com sites needed uninterrupted power sources. "When a company or school's primary source of income is the Internet, such must have an uninterruptible power supply. With the deregulation that's happening in the power-supply industry, reliable power delivery in the distribution network has become more and more important. Plus, industries are becoming more and more technical, and the ability to absorb mass-production power needs becomes more complex, the competition more intense. Reliable power enables those companies to better compete. After all, loss of production can lead to loss of customers.

"Naturally we've found a greater interest for our RUPS in parts of the country where power outages are more of a problem. In the event of a power outage, LeCroy is able to maintain the critical components of its own system and keep it up and running." Since the system is designed to handle anything from two-second spikes to outages lasting overnight, even major storms can be less of a concern than before the unit's installation.

Furthermore, with sufficient fuel on hand, users of the technology have time to get more fuel to the site and thus keep the turbine turning, giving LeCroy and other users stable power when their neighbors might not have any.

Meanwhile, Back to LeCroy

Fernandez explains that the LeCroy Center for Education Telecommunications opened its doors in 1991 offering telecourses, which are picked up by other channels on contract. The telecampus currently occupies 48,000 ft.² and has 84 full-time employees. The center has been involved in educational TV broadcasting since 1972. The E-campus is separate from the TV station and first began offering college credit courses via the Internet seven years ago. Thus, the need for unfailing quality power kept growing.

Fernandez explains, "We have technical power within the facility. We purchased this generator to support the technical power. We also rely on outside power for lighting, heating, et cetera, while the technical power and the RUPS ensure conditioned power necessary for our type of business. Just a few seconds' interruption in power has a potential for damage. For example, during the first spike after we commissioned the RUPS, we had four unprotected boards knocked out, which were worth $5,000 each. But the RUPS protected the rest of the system, which kept that brownout from turning the problem into a disaster." (That first brownout came less than a day after the college commissioned SatCon's RUPS. If nothing else, the experience reassured everyone involved that they'd made the right decision.)

When asked how much training it took for him and his crew to become comfortable with the new technology, he responds, "We started up with just a two-hour training session on the basics of the system. I'm expecting we'll need at least eight hours' training to become comfortable with the technology." This comes from an electrician who graduated in 1983 from the American Trade Institute and is a licensed journeyman electrician who worked with new construction and renovation until 1991. He started with the Dallas County Community College District seven years ago. One day's training isn't much of a price to pay to ensure accurate use of new technology, such as RUPS. It also shows how simple such technology can become once it is developed.

Outside Help

Fernandez is quick to point out that the college also relied on outside experts to help evaluate just how the school should take on the technology. A memorandum from Danilo D. Roasa, senior electrical engineer for the Lopez Garcia Group in Dallas, reports, "Based on the reference materials that we gathered from George Elliott of Reco Electrical Contracting and Associates and Ernie Stephens of Tubbesing Sales Corporation, and based on our telephone conversation with Johnny Gonzales of SatCon Power Systems, the following is what we have learned." He then gave the college eight considerations to keep in mind.

He comments that when the RUPS is on normal power, the bidirectional converter controls load voltage and compensates for the drop across the series inductor by controlling excitation of the induction motor via the rotor. "The flywheel is kept fully charged by rotor control of the induction motor to reach supersynchronous speed," he explains.

Roasa then comments that upon loss of normal power, the induction motor rotor, pulling power from the flywheel, immediately keeps output voltage up by turning the induction motor into a generator to provide power to the load via the direct path and the bidirectional converter. The normal-power input breaker opens to disconnect the unit from normal power. "As the flywheel slows, frequency and amplitude in the rotor circuit are changed to maintain output frequency and voltage. If after two seconds normal power does not return within specification, the engine starts, runs up, and assumes its power-source role until the grid returns."

Then, when the machine senses that normal power has returned within needed specs, it pulls the output voltage into synchronism with the normal-power voltage. Once synchronized, the breaker is reclosed and the flywheel is reaccelerated to full speed at the prescribed rate. "When the engine is commanded to shut down, the engine will always run a five-minute cool down before stopping. Once started, it will always run a minimum of 20 minutes to warm up properly." But if the normal power returns within two seconds, the unit automatically resynchronizes and the normal-power input breaker is reclosed without starting the engine.

Roasa also points out that the unit can be furnished with a 480Y/277V, three-phase, four-wire output voltage and will need 9 gal./hr. of fuel for a 150-kVA load, and the center's unit was to provide 315 kVA. Thus, the regularly supplied tank will store enough fuel for five to six hours of operation. Fortunately, he notes, a 200-gal. tank could be added to the unit. Furthermore, the unit can be disconnected for maintenance, yet essential loads can be powered temporarily through a bypass circuit.

Other elements of his firm's recommendations for LeCroy taking on the 23,000-lb. unit include overload capability (150% for one minute, 125% for five minutes, and 110% for one hour), transient output voltage regulation, reasonable temperature and humidity operating ranges, an outdoor ambient noise level of 75 to 80 dB, and being designed for outdoor installation, thus minimizing need for retrofitting or remodeling an existing building. All of this is for a machine measuring 102 in. long, 68 in. wide, and 83 in. high. (The associated control panel and interface measures 109 in. long, 32 in. wide, and 85.5 in. high.)

Roasa then simply wrote on his memorandum, "Based on all the features indicated above, we recommend acceptance of the unit."

Final Considerations

Fernandez reports that he still had a few other concerns; otherwise his people would recommend installation of a competing unit. In fact, the night before sale closing, he was prepared to recommend that the college purchase a competing unit. These concerns centered on warranty, fuel capacity, and payment schedules. Noting that the original warranty was for one year, he asked that it be extended to two years. He also asked that SatCon supply a 200-gal. tank in addition to the 50-gal. tank that came with the unit. "I wanted to be sure we had enough room to store a full day's supply of fuel rather than the smaller tank, which holds just enough for about five hours."

Noting that the competitor wanted 50% down plus the remainder paid 30 days after delivery, he comments, "We asked SatCon to agree to wait until commissioning of the unit before we paid them, and that we would pay them in-full at that time. They agreed, so we decided to go with them. Plus, their unit gave us more kilovolt-amps for the same price. It's given us room to grow."

Fernandez says that other real-life concerns included foundation design to ensure minimal vibration of the unit during operation, finding existing utilities before trenching, and just where on the campus was the best place to put the RUPS. "It took them about 90 days to resolve these issues."

He adds that the unit is in a chiller yard on the southeast edge of the campus in a secure area. "We keep it locked up to avoid unauthorized access." Those authorized for entry are chiefly his crew of three who take care of the college's electrical needs on a day-to-day basis. He also reports that once in place there were just a couple of minor glitches to resolve during the first six weeks, but that in the prior 30 days to the interview, the RUPS had been performing flawlessly.

In fact, Pamela K. Quinn, president/assistant chancellor at the center, reiterates in SatCon's company newsletter, "We installed the equipment to ensure continuous service to our distance learning students through the various forms of technology we use. During a recent power outage, all the equipment on the system functioned without an interruption. There was no downtime or outages for any of our students. We were very pleased with the outcome since the equipment functioned completely as planned."

Installation Challenges

When it came time to bid the project, the winner was Reco Electrical Contracting and Associates. George Elliott, project manager and estimator, reports that the company has been in operation since 1980 and has 40 electricians completing some $6 million/yr. in projects, chiefly in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. The company's specialties include commercial electrical contracting for schools, churches, and industrial firms. Much of its work involves remodeling projects for schools, stores, and different municipalities, with projects ranging from $3,000 to $1 million. The LeCroy's Center's RUPS system was a natural project to bid on.

Elliott explains, "It's critical to have good working relationships with customers. We are prepared to bid a wide variety of commercial electric projects, and we have a very good success rate of being awarded the projects. We use the Conest System for bidding. Our Chief Estimator Vernon Beesley, 80, has been in the electrical estimating trade for about 50 years. He's a former World War II P-38 Mustang pilot, and he keeps me straight." They won the bid in October 2002 and finished it in February 2004.

He comments that when that spike hit the system less than a day after installation and damaged unprotected equipment, the Center had Reco Electrical relocate the equipment's circuitry and tie it into the RUPS. Neither he nor Fernandez has pointed fingers as to why there was any unprotected equipment. Instead they worked together to ensure 100% coverage on the campus, and that's what the center's had since then.

When asked what caused the spike, he replies, "I have no idea on why the spike [hit]. In our area, spikes are very common. We do seem to have a problem with power quality, which is why the LeCroy Center has put in the system."

Elliott also adds that for trained crewmen installation was not complex. "We had some good ideas and good coordination with subcontractors. Installation was not all that difficult because the blueprints and directions laid out well. Plus, those subcontractors were available. We had five of our people working on the site from time to time as the project progressed."

He comments that the building adjacent to the RUPS also was in the midst of expansion, so other mechanical contractors were there. But by working together, they were able to avoid getting into each other's way. "We were able to install the SatCon RUPS with four apprentices and one journeyman. I visited the site weekly, sometimes two or three times during the week, to ensure that they were keeping on track. Journeyman Carlos Gonzales doubled as site superintendent. He's had a couple dozen years in the field. It went relatively well. Yes, there were a couple of minor details we had to solve, but nothing significant. It was a good, smooth installation."

Now, thanks to cooperation by all concerned from user to vendor to installer, online students in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area have a greater assurance that when they're working, so is the technology they rely on. This helps ensure that, regardless of the subject matter the e-mail student is pondering, it won't lead to vocabulary building.

Journalist JOSEPH LYNN TILTON specializes in land and building issues.

DE - May/June 2004