u n i v e r s i t y o f p i t t s b u r g h | S wa n s o n s c h o o l o f e n g i n e e r i n g
Electric Power
Systems Laboratory
Facility Dedicated January 2014
T
he new Electric Power Systems Lab at the University of Pittsburgh, sponsored in-kind by Eaton, is a multi-use
facility for both research and educational activities. Located on the Swanson School of Engineering’s new
Energy Floor in Benedum Hall, the lab provides opportunities for faculty and graduate students to perform advanced
work in the areas of AC and DC micro-grid developments, smart grid technologies, power electronics devices and
systems, renewable energy systems and integration, controls and communications, automation and relaying,
distribution engineering, power quality, electrical safety, energy management, energy storage, and other emerging
electric power technology areas. The educational components integrate new course developments in electric power
engineering focused on these same emerging areas, utilizing the equipment and technologies of the laboratory.
The design of the facility was inspired by Eaton’s Power System Experience Center in Warrendale, Pa.
• Technical Specifications: Maximum power
capacity: 480-V, 200-A, and 75 kVA.
• Core equipment: Main electrical infrastructure,
motor control centers, switchboard, protection,
M-G sets, UPS, data-servers, power factor
correction, isolation transformers, and other
miscellaneous components
• External components (as of 2014): Solar PV
panels, donated by John A. Swanson, PhD ’66 and
located on the Benedum Hall roof, are integrated
into the lab (including both AC and DC interfaces).
• Future enhancements: Provisions have also been
made for incorporating a gas-fired generator and
potentially a micro-wind turbine. Sag and surge
generators are currently under construction, which
will also be integrated into the main infrastructure.
The Workbenches
Six custom-designed workbenches are innovative
features of the Laboratory. The workbenches were
designed, prototyped, and tested by Eaton and Pitt
throughout 2013, and are intended for integration
into the overall laboratory environment, and are compatible with the other power system equipment
and components.
Each bench is capable of functioning as a stand-alone
entity. The overall objective of the workbench design
is to seamlessly combine the configurable load banks
and programmable logic controller (PLC) into the
workstations, providing a wide array of functionality,
while minimizing space within the facility. Each bench
includes resistive, inductive, capacitive, and harmonic
loads, with auxiliary connections for other loads and
the capability to feed an external motor control center
(MCC). Advanced metering devices are integrated to
communicate readings throughout the entirety of the
lab and allow students to clearly view all of the
electrical phenomena within the bench.
> > >
Gregory Reed, PhD
Director, Electric Power Initiative
Associate Director, Center for Energy
Associate Professor, Electrical and
Computer Engineering Department
Swanson School of Engineering
412-383-9862
gfr3@pitt.edu
University of Pittsburgh
Swanson School of Engineering
Department of Electrical and
Computer Engineering
1140 Benedum Hall
3700 O’Hara Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
412-624-8001
www.engineering.pitt.edu/ECE
u n i v e r s i t y o f p i t t s b u r g h | S wa n s o n s c h o o l o f e n g i n e e r i n g
Electric Power Systems Laboratory
MCC
6
Motors
1
2
3
Motors
4
5
6
MCC
5
MCC
4
MCC
3
S
Main IF
Return
MCC
1
MCC
2
MCC
h
Lab Benc
3
ch
Lab Ben
6
h
Lab Benc
2
h
Lab Benc
5
h
Lab Benc
1
h
Lab Benc
4
Fed from
8HL1-13,
Lab Fee
der
480V
15, 17
100A
Reactor
Z=5%
75 kVA
Fed from
PC
Penthouse 4 – East
100 A
160A
Lab Fee
EPO
der
100A
100A
480V Pan
elboard
480 V Pan
75A
Rooftop
Genera
tor
el in Mai
30A
3P
30A
3P
n IFS for
20A
3P
Special
20A
3P
20A
1P
Testing
20A
1P
in Main
(480V fed
20A
1P
20A
3P
IFS
from 8HL
1-13,15
20A
1P
,17)
20A
1P
30A
3P
SPD
75 kVA
480V/2
08V
Delta/W
ye
25 kW
Fed from
8LDP2
(Southe
ast elec – 2, 4, 6
trical clos
et)
PRC-1
250 kA
480 V
Wye
200A
80A
100A
Special
Testing
(480V)
Main IFS
100A
Switchb
oard (20
200A
ATS
PX
8 V, 60
PowRC
ommand
Lighting
Panel
and “No
rmal”
Power
Loads
Hz)
PX8000
SPD
208V Pan
150A
100 kA
208 V
Wye
elboard
150A
200A
30A
3P
200A
Sag
Genera
tor
(Future
)
Reactor
Z=18%
Normal
Source
#1 in Mai
n IFS (PN
30A
3P
L-1 – larg
20A
3P
er panel
20A
3P
20A
1P
Existing
(MicroinveSolar
rters)
200A
20A
1P
next to
60A
3P
480V pan
el)
60A
3P
20A
1P
PX
60A
LB2
Cable
Tray
Soft
Start
Drive
LB3
Cable
Tray
Lab
Bench
1
Cable
Tray
MCC 1
60A
Soft
Start
Drive
ATL
60A
LB4
MCC 3
Soft
Start
Drive
ATL
ATL
to
MG
SETS
elboard
60A
LB5
60A
LB6
Cable
Tray
MCC 4
Soft
Start
Drive
Lab
Bench
5
Cable
Tray
MCC 5
Soft
Start
Drive
ATL
Lab
Bench
6
n IFS (PN
60A
L-2 – sma
ller pan
el below
to
MG
SETS
40A
2P
40A
2P
DC
from
Roof
(Future)
To future
wind input
to
MG
SETS
Combine
r
Box
on Roo
f
5 kW
Solar
Inverter
480 V pan
el)
100A
120V
“normal”
power
(typical)
100A
Combine
r
Box
in Lab
100A
AutoVar
UPS
Cable
Tray
Servers
MCC 6
Cable
Tray
Collector
MCC
Soft
Start
From Lab
Source
1
Drive
ATL
to
MG
SETS
#2 in Mai
Cable
Tray
100A
Lab
Bench
4
Cable
Tray
ATL
to
MG
SETS
208V Pan
Cable
Tray
Lab
Bench
3
Cable
Tray
100A
3P
To
Collector
MCC
PX8000
Cable
Tray
Lab
Bench
2
Cable
Tray
MCC 2
20A
1P
Cable
Tray
200A
Phase
Shifting
Tx
(optional/
typical)
120V “no
rmal”
power to
lab
benche
s
225A
30A
3P
LB1
Circuits
2, 4, 6,
8 – ligh
Circuits
ts
1, 3, 5,
UPS (sw
7
itchboa
rd
power) control
to
MG
SETS
HMT
Delta/
Wye
Isolation
transforme
for use
rs
with
for phas benches
e shifting
5hp
5hp
5hp
5hp
5hp
5hp
PC-3 Pan
el (Roof)
30 kVA
ATL with
C441
Overloads
To Load
Source
2
100A
3P
to
MG
SETS
RLP-1
100A
3P
3 Position
Switch
(Roof)
20A
3P
20A
3P
20A
3P
Panel (Ro
of)
Wire nut
connection
20A
3P
RLP-2
Panel (Ro
of)
The information printed in this document was accurate to the best of our
knowledge at the time of printing and is subject to change at any time at the
University’s sole discretion.
The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution.
02/2014