QUANTUM CONTROLS'

TODAY’S ENGINEER
Vol 32 Issue 38: December 2018 Published exclusively for members of Quantum Controls' VIP Inner Circle

AC versus DC - What’s the difference?

"Take warning! Alternating currents are dangerous. They are fit only for
powering the electric chair. The only similarity between an AC and a DC
lighting system is that they both start from the same coal pile". Edison

A nd thus did Thomas Edison try to discourage the

growing use of alternating current electric power
that was competing with his DC systems. Edison
had pioneered the first true central generating station
at Pearl Street, in New York City, with DC. It had the
ability to take generators on and off line and had a
battery supply for periods of low demand.
Distribution was at a few hundred volts, and the area
served was confined because of the voltage drop in
conductors of a reasonable size.
The use of DC at relatively low voltages became a
factor that limited the geographic growth of the
electric utilities, but DC was well suited to local
generation, and the use of electric power grew rapidly.
Direct current motors gradually replaced steam
engines for power in many industries. An individual
machine could be driven by its own motor instead of
having to rely on belting to a line shaft.
Low-speed reciprocating steam engines were the
typical prime movers for the early generators, many
being double-expansion designs in which a high-
pressure cylinder exhausted steam to a low pressure
cylinder to improve efficiency. The double-expansion
Corliss engines installed in 1903 for the IRT subway in
New York developed 7500 hp at 75 rpm.
Generators were driven at a speed higher than the
engine by means of pulleys with rope or leather belts.
Originally, the power house was equipped with eight
huge Allis-Corliss reciprocating steam engines, each
rated at 10,000 horsepower maximum. Each engine
drove directly a Westinghouse three-phase, 11,000
volt, 25-cycle alternator rated for 7500 kilowatts. At
the time these eight Westinghouse alternators were
the largest ever built!
Storage batteries usually provided excitation for the
generators and were themselves charged from a small
generator. DC machines could be paralleled simply by
matching the voltage of the incoming machine to the
bus voltage and then switching it in. Load sharing was
adjusted by field control.

Quantum Controls, Quantum House, Low Prudhoe Industrial Estate, Prudhoe, Northumberland NE42 6PQ
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 Vol3213Issue
Vol Issue
38:18: Aug 20162018
December | Engineers’ Q&A's
| AC versus DC 2016
and initiated Edison’s famous statement that opens
this article. The first of these was the transformer.
George Westinghouse acquired the patent rights from
Gaulard and Gibbs for practical transformers.
They allowed AC power to be transmitted at high
voltages, then transformed to serve low voltage loads.
Power could now be transmitted with low losses yet
be utilised at safe voltages, and this meant power
AC and DC generation systems
could be generated at locations remote from the load.
Alternating current generators had been built for Hydroelectric generation could supply industries and
some years, but further use of AC power had been households far from the dam.
limited by the lack of a suitable AC motor. Low- An early installation of AC generation and distribution
frequency AC could be used on commutator motors was made by William Stanley, a Westinghouse expert,
that were basically DC machines, but attempts to in Great Barrington, MA, in 1886.
operate them on the higher AC frequencies required
William Stanley developed the first practical AC
to minimise lamp flicker were not successful.
transformer for Westinghouse and helped build the
Furthermore, early AC generators could be paralleled only first AC systems
with difficulty, so each generator had to be connected to
Distribution was at 500 V, and the Siemens generator,
an assigned load and be on line at all times.
imported from London, supplied two transformers
connected to some 200 lamps throughout the town.
The second invention was that of the induction motor,
the result of research by a brilliant young engineer,
Nikola Tesla, employed by Westinghouse.
The first designs were for two-phase power,
although three-phase designs soon followed.
Three-phase transmission was preferred, because
it minimised the amount of copper required to
transmit a given amount of power. The simple,
rugged induction motor was quickly put into
production and was the key to utilising AC power
by industry.
The induction motor required no elaborate starting
means, it was low in cost, and it offered important
advantages in unfavourable environments. Together,
Battery backup or battery supply at light load could the transformer and induction motor were responsible
not be used. Figure 1 above shows the difference. for the rapid growth of AC power.
Finally, generation and utilisation voltages were The superiority of AC power was proven when
similar to those with DC, so AC offered no advantage Westinghouse lighted the Columbian Exposition at
in this regard. Chicago in 1893 with a two-phase system and literally
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? turned night into day.
Two key inventions then tipped the scales toward AC Edison held the patents on the glass sealed
2 3
Quantum Contract Features | Vol 32 Issue 38: December 2018
A final study resulted in the installation by
Westinghouse in 1895 of AC generators using a 25-Hz,
two-phase system that incorporated transformers and
transmission lines to serve a number of factories.
The 25-Hz frequency was chosen despite the growing
popularity of 60 Hz, because it was recognised that a
number of the process industries would require large
amounts of DC power, and the rotary converters then
used could not function on 60 Hz.
Frequencies of 30, 40, 50, and 133 Hz were also
in use in the 1890s, and 50 Hz persisted until mid-
century on the Southern California Edison System. A
number of utilities also provided 25-Hz power late
into the last century.
Today we find that while more than 85% of the UK
motors market now utilises AC technology. This is
incandescent lamp, so Westinghouse devised a
generally due to the high performance of modern
stopper lamp design utilising sealing wax. It was not a
AC Variable Speed Drives and advanced motor
commercially successful design, but it did the job. The
technology, DC still does have a place in the market
dazzling display was a source of awe for the visitors,
but it is reducing due to high maintenance and
many of whom had never seen an electric light.
running costs versus its more popular AC relation.
A second major advance in AC generation and
transmission was an installation at Niagara Falls. The If you have existing an DC application and want
power potential of the falls had been recognised for some expert advice on the benefits, costs and
many years, and various schemes had been proposed energy savings that could be achieved with a
for using compressed air and mechanical methods to modern AC Driven System contact our expert
engineers at sales@quantum-controls.co.uk
harness the power.
William Stanley and Thomas Edison
 Vol 32 Issue 38: December 2018 | Engineer of the Month
ENGINEER OF THE MONTH
This month we’re talking to Bruce
Sears, Operations and Maintenance
Co-ordinator at EPR Eye Power station
Question 1 - Let’s start by telling us your background and when you started at EPR EYE
Answer: I have been at EPR Eye Power station for 3 ½ year as a E,C&I Technician and progressed to an
Operations and Maintenance Co-ordinator. I have worked up and down the country working mainly as an
Electrical contracting Electrician. I did my apprenticeship at an ABB motor rewinding company in Zimbabwe in
the late nineties.
Question 2 - How would you describe your day/job to a child?
Answer: Working in an office organizing people to keep the power station working.
Question 3 - Describe your role in 3 words.
Answer: Busy, open-ended, challenging.
Question 4 - What do you enjoy the most and least about engineering?
Answer: I enjoying the challenges associated with completing a project. I don’t like how much single use waste
is generated by engineering process.
Question 5 - If you could switch jobs with someone, who would it be?
Answer: David Attenborough. He has had a pretty cool life travelling the world.
Question 6 - What new engineering skills have you developed over the past year?
Answer: Multi-tasking across different engineering disciplines.
Question 7 - What is your biggest achievement to date - personal or professional?
Answer: Watching my 3 beautiful children grow up.
Question 8 - Last but not least, do you have any advice for someone who has just joined the engineering industry?
Answer: Never approach an issue as a problem, but as a challenge.
4 5
Strong Scottish Economy leads
Quantum Expansion
Quantum has achieved 214% growth in Scotland during 2018 with 24
new Drive Maintenance Contract Partnerships in place.
Sir David Attenborough
With a current run rate of three new contracts a month,
this expansion see’s our existing team in Scotland move
into a new bespoke Variable Speed Drive Service Centre at
Hillington Industrial Estate near Glasgow.
The new facility will see jobs created in Scotland, based at
the new Drive Service Centre. We are currently recruiting
for Drive Service Engineers, Office Administrators and
Technical Support Engineers.
This year we have been the winner of Global 100’s
Best ABB Drives Service Supplier of the Year, Business
Excellence Drives and Motors Supplier of the Year and
Corporate Livewire Drive Rental Company of the Year.
This success and our growth has made 2018 one of our
biggest years.
Our Drive Service Centre Network has bespoke premises
across the UK, which allows our growing team of 18
Drive Service Engineers to operate from a local facility
to service all of our 200 + Drive Maintenance Contract
Partners throughout the UK. Our Scotland Drive Service
Centre will house:
• Local Base for Drive Service Engineers in Scotland
• Office and Admin Function
• Drive Spares Stock
• Drives Stock
• Hire Drive Stock
• ABB Motors Stock
• Drive Test and Repair Facility
All manufacturing facilities use motors as the workhorse
for their various processes, these motors are now most
commonly controlled by Variable Speed Drive technology.
While there are some companies that can offer support
on one particular make of drive, we feel this does not
offer what the modern market place demands. While a
company may prefer a brand of drive there is not one
plant in Scotland that we know of that does not have
different makes and power ratings installed, all of which
need maintaining and supporting.
Quantum Controls have been an ABB Drive Service Partner
for over 25 years, in 2018 we formed new partnerships
with all major Drive Suppliers in the UK and are the Official
Service Partner for Schneider, Danfoss, Vacon, Mitsubishi
and Control Techniques
Nidec, and have
engineers fully trained
on Siemens Drives.
The fact that Quantum
can offer unique
Drive Maintenance
Partnerships that cover
ALL the drives you have
on site have led to our
exceptional growth in
Scotland.
Scottish Engineering’s
review of the
manufacturing
engineering sector
shows overall a
continuing positive
quarter for the third time in 2018, albeit with some
declining indicators also evident. Order intake, exports
and optimism all remain positive at less than 5% above
even, whilst staffing numbers and capital investment show
double digit positive indicators.
“With all these factors considered we have decided to
make this investment in our business in Scotland. The
New Drive Service Centre near Glasgow creates local 24/7
support for all of our clients based throughout Scotland
and creates new jobs locally” say Kevin Brown, Managing
Director, Quantum Controls.
Quantum Controls, established in 2009, have grown
from a staff of 12 to currently employing 69 people with
a turnover more than £10 million in 2018. With existing
Head Offices at Prudhoe near Newcastle and Service
Centres at Birtley, Thetford, Leeds and now Glasgow.
The new facility will be up and running in December
2018. We will be looking to recruit new members
of our Scotland based team immediately, so if you
would like to be part of this exciting new Branch, get
in touch with us at hr@quantum-controls.co.uk
 Vol 32 Issue 38: December 2018 | Engineers' Q&A
ENGINEERS' Q & A
Every month we answer the most popular questions asked by our
customers. There seems to be some confusion being put into the
market place recently, particularly regarding ABB Drive Warranty, as we
have recently been inundated with queries on this matter.
So this month we answer the most popular questions and introduce our
unique Drive Warranty + Service below
Question
Does ABB Drive Warranty cover all countries in the World?
Answer
Yes, ABB Drives product warranty is Global and is applied throughout the 110 countries ABB operate, so no matter which
country a customer buys or supplies an ABB Drive to it is fully covered by the Global warranty.
Question
Who is authorised to carry out ABB warranty repairs in the UK and does that repair cover parts and
labour for free?
Answer
As for the UK, ABB Service UK have the role to undertake and manage all repair warranties on behalf of the ABB Ltd
who are based in Finland. No Authorised Value Provider, sub distributor or OEM is authorised to carry out any warranty
repairs or assessment/triage on a drive. All that they can do is complete a faxback form on behalf of a customer and
await a response from ABB. Should ABB UK deem the issue urgent enough they can and will authorise a third party
to repair or replace (often from whoever has a replacement in stock, not necessarily an AVP, reseller, OEM or indeed
the original seller of the drive). Any site time to strip out, or install a replacement IS NOT covered under Warranty. In
addition, any transport costs to return a drive to ABB under warranty is not covered.
Question
With the ABB warranty is a failed drive repaired in situ or do I have to return the drive to ABB?
Answer
37Kw and below is a back to base (Finland factory) agreement, upon receipt of a purchase order from client a new drive
will be shipped by ABB. It is the customers responsibility and cost to remove the damaged drive, ship the damaged drive
to ABB, install and commission new drive. Following inspection and confirmation of a warranty issue ABB will replace
for free however should after the inspection ABB conclude that the drive is not covered under warranty then they will
invoice for the replacement drive using the previously requested order number.
6 7
Engineers' Q&A | Vol 32 Issue 38: December 2018
Question
If I have an ABB Drive fail under
warranty who should I contact?
Answer
Contact Quantum Controls on 0330 9000 247, we will action our
Quantum Drives Warranty + Service detailed below. This service
ensures you have the minimum downtime and easiest path to getting
back and up and running, either through a repair actioned from our ABB Drive spares stock which covers all ABB drives
manufactured from 1995 to date and up to power rating of 1500kW ex stock. Quantum Controls have 18 Drive Service
Engineers based throughout the UK and we will the warranty problem on your behalf contacting ABB as necessary as we
have done for the 25 years +
Quantum Drives Warranty+
All major drive manufacturers offer a global product warranty. Quantum
Controls are the Official Service Partner in the UK for Schneider, Danfoss, an
Co
tum ntrols
Qu
Vacon, Mitsubishi and Nidec Control Techniques Drives with as well as
being an ABB Drive Service Partner for over 25 years. ve Wa rranty+
Dri
Standard Drive Warranty for all our Drive Manufacturing Partners is a non-repair policy Qu
s
tr
ol
a nt
for drives 37Kw and below. Which is a back to base (manufacturers factory) agreement, u m Con
upon receipt of a purchase order from the client a new drive will be shipped by the
manufacturer. It is the customers responsibility and cost to remove the damaged drive,
ship the damaged drive to ABB, then install and commission the new drive. Following inspection and confirmation of a
warranty issue, ABB will replace for free. However should after the inspection the manufacturer conclude that the drive
is not covered under warranty, then they will invoice for the replacement drive using the previously requested order
number.
Quantum Drive Warranty + removes all those costly and inconvenient steps by guaranteeing to attend site with a new
drive, of any manufacturer no questions asked, to replace a failed drive that is still in the warranty period.
One call to us day or night and we will either ship a new drive immediately to you, or if requested we can come to site to
remove damaged unit, install new replacement drive and re commission. We minimise the downtime, remove the costs
and own the problem to get our customers back up and running as quickly as possible.
Should the Drive that has failed under warranty be above 37kW then our engineers will immediately attend site and
liaise with the manufacturer and either action the repair though our own fully Qualified Drive Engineers and Drive
Spares Stock, or facilitate the manufacturer’s own engineers to get to site to action the repair.
All of the above services delivered by Quantum though Drive Warranty + are FREE OF CHARGE to the customer and
ensure your plant is back up and running with the minimum of downtime incurred.
Quantum are the only company in the UK to be able to offer Hire Drives up to 1.5 Mega Watt in power, with over 1500
units in our fleet we Guarantee to be able to get your plant back up and running with the temporary installation of a hire
drive while any major warranty failure is rectified.
 Vol 32 Issue 38: December 2018

Merry Christmas and a

Happy New Year from us all!
Christmas Competition
We would
This months prize is like
a £20to bigcard
say a gift
Amazon thankand ayou to everyone’s
Quantum Beanie to keep your ears warm this
winter. Send a photo or scan to d.koleva@quantum-controls.co.uk by 12pm on the 12th December to
continued
enter. We support
will announce in 2018,
the winner on ouritLinkedIn
has beenpageathat
successful
same day!
year for Quantum and we could have only achieved
Good Luck!
this with our clients and staff by our side. We look
forward to what 2019 brings for us all and we hope
everyone has continued success next year!

Christmas Competition
1
This month's prize is a £20 Amazon gift card
and a Quantum Beanie to keep your ears
2 3 4 5
warm this winter. Send a photo or scan to
6
d.koleva@quantum-controls.co.uk by 12pm
7 on the 12th December to enter. We will
8
announce the winner on our LinkedIn page
that same day! Good Luck!

9 10

11

ACROSS
1 the stationary part of the motor’s electromagnetic circuit and usually consists of either
windings or permanent magnets
3 in an electric motor it turns the shaft to deliver the mechanical power
7 each of a set of standardized parts or independent units that can be used to construct a
more complex structure
8 which city in USA had the first true central generating system?
9 a static electrical device that transfers electrical energy between two or more circuits
10 foot or ..... mounted
11 protect (something) by interposing material that prevents the loss of heat or the intrusion
of sound

DOWN
1 Quantum Controls is an Official Drive Service Partner for this Manufacturer. Altivar 212
is one of their Variable Speed Drives
2 the requirements for a wide range of mechanical and electrical equipment used in the
UK water industry
4 any current load in excess of the safety rating of equipment or the ampacity of a
conductor
5 also called a coil, choke, or reactor
6 the first name of the inventor best know for his contributions to the AC electricity supply
system