Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site ihnet.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!packard!hoxna!houxm!ihnp4!ihnet!eklhad
From: eklhad@ihnet.UUCP (K. A. Dahlke)
Newsgroups: net.analog
Subject: Selling Energy to the Utilities
Message-ID: <288@ihnet.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Aug-85 09:47:52 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihnet.288
Posted: Mon Aug 26 09:47:52 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 27-Aug-85 06:28:49 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 36

A recent lunchtime discussion centered around the energy consumption of Fermi
Labs (a nearby facility).  Recall that AT&T typically hires
many physicists, as government funding waxes and wanes.
Well anyways, they were "harking" (I love that word) back to the days preceding
superconducting magnets, when energy consumption was enormous.
Once these magnets were installed, a general question was raised.
Can we put power back onto the grid, and get a fair rebate.
The ruling (after all, Com Ed is a regulated utility) was "yes".
It probably isn't dollar for dollar, since Com Ed must pay the I*I*R losses,
but you *can* get credit for putting energy back.  Anybody know how much?

Since I have only had a few basic EE courses,
I don't understand *how* you put power onto the grid.
What is the mechanism?  If I drive a generator (e.g. wind powered),
I would have to be damn careful, if I planned to simply plug the thing into
the wall, wouldn't I?  Voltage sources in parallel have to be exactly equal,
in phase and amplitude, else you produce a virtual short circuit.
How does a homeowner do it?

How would they measure it, a separate meter?
This seems necessary if they buy and sell at different rates.

How does Fermi Labs put their I*I*L energy back onto the grid?
You have to keep the current flowing in those magnets,
from start to finish, while absorbing and releasing the energy.

Sometimes the commercials talk about Com Ed's 6 generators,
all running concurrently, to provide reliability.
They *must* be (essentially) in parallel.
How do you match phase and amplitude in all of them.
When one fails, do circuit breakers take it out of the system?
Now that I have demonstrated my complete ignorance concerning
commercial power distribution systems ... any responses welcome.
-- 
	This .signature file intentionally left blank.
		Karl Dahlke    ihnp4!ihnet!eklhad