This blog entry is about the different sources I’ll be using to introduce AC and DC grids.
Primer on transmission: AC vs. DC. (Power Pointers) – This paper in short is an overview of the difference about direct current alternating current. It gives a brief history about the two and why alternating current for now is the best way we can do things. It goes on to further explain why direct current is extremely beneficial for the AC power grid. It’s needed to connect the two together because of phase differences. He also describes how someday in the future we’ll be able to transition to a completely DC power grid which would clear up so many issues and make the whole power distribution system stronger and more efficient.
Why this article is important to my paper. This article was an amazing overview of why alternating current and direct current are different and why they work well together. I’ve learned that they are needed because AC has the ability to be stepped up in voltage better and DC has the ability to have no power loss over great distances. I’ll be able to use his paper as a great opener to more complex ideas.
AC vs. DC distribution: A loss comparison – This paper is honestly a more complex version of my paper. It describes and outlines the exact reasons as to why the AC power grid is outdated and has some huge drawbacks. Mainly relating to green technologies and what kind of devices are on the grid today. Many of the new green technologies produce DC current and many of the devices that consume power are DC. The need to then convert the power over is a waste of energy.
This article will be very useful because it outlines the exact reasons I want to put forth in my paper. Why are we still using AC power grids when everything we use is DC and even then most of the things that use AC are a product of the power grid being AC. This article gives good understanding which in turn will help me better explain these things to you.
Ultra-high Voltage AC/DC Grids – This book actually outlines the way China has been building their power grid. It also outlines the advantages and disadvantages to using Ultra High Voltage systems (UHV). It discusses the differences between an AC and DC UHV grid. It also discusses the research and development that China has done to produce better systems to transmit power. This is really interesting to me because of the huge demand China has for power.
I’m especially excited to read parts of this book because it will give the much needed in-depth background not only for this paper but also for later on in my field of study. This book will help my paper because of the new systems that are being created to transmit and deploy newer DC grid systems.
Ultra-high Voltage AC/DC Grids – The reason I chose this paper was because it describes a very important aspect to the power grid, power generation. Many sources of power rely on AC. Take a wind turbine for example, this device produces power in alternating current. If we were on a completely DC grid we would have to convert it to DC. This article describes the best way to transmit power over a long distance and how the method of transportation affects the power generation itself.
This article is going to be useful because it will give further background on DC and AC grids and why one is better than the other or at least for now how they best can interact with each other. It will also help by showing different use cases. How does AC and DC power work on the grid but how does work with power generation.
Sources:
Bresesti, Paola, et al. EZProxy Login, IEEE, Mar. 2007, ieeexplore-ieee-org.hal.weber.edu/xpls/icp.jsp?arnumber=4105997.
Liu, Zhenya. Ultra-High Voltage AC/DC Grids. Elsevier, 2015.
Starke , Michael. EZProxy Login, 12 May 2008, ieeexplore-ieee-org.hal.weber.edu/document/4517256.
“Primer on transmission: AC vs. DC. (Power Pointers).” Electric Light & Power, vol. 80, no. 6, June 2002, p. 38. Gale OneFile: Business, https://link-gale-com.hal.weber.edu/apps/doc/A87468680/ITBC?u=ogde72764&sid=ITBC&xid=f2c0c3f1. Accessed 30 Mar. 2020.
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