Chris Liebold
The participants in our excursion to the Siemens Power Academy in Nuremberg on 18 April 2024 dealt with this question.
The Siemens Power Academy is a training center for system operators in electrical energy systems. System operators ensure that the electricity arrives where it is needed and that the grid is operated in a stable manner, i.e. that there are no power outages or the like. In the course of the energy transition and the associated increase in renewable energy sources in the grid, the demands on the electricity grid and therefore also on the system operators are increasing. In order to master the complex tasks and ensure a secure power supply, system operators train as realistically as possible at the Siemens Power Academy, where the trainers support them in stress management.
Our excursion began with an introduction to this complex task and the Siemens Power Academy's portfolio in this area by our former colleague Dr. Pedro Moreno. He showed the participants how the German power grid is structured and where exactly the system operators intervene during operation in order to control it.
After this theoretical introduction, we started the practical part of the excursion with a visit to the Siemens "Switch Museum". The museum houses a whole range of old and new switching devices, which are also used for training purposes. The participants on our excursion also had the opportunity to view the switchgear from the inside, i.e. to understand the switching mechanisms shown in the lectures. After looking at various switchgear and control cabinets, we used the lunch break to talk to some of the Siemens employees who accompanied the excursion. After lunch, the participants were allowed to do some hands-on work themselves, starting by de-energizing a system on a demonstration control cabinet. At this point, the participants learned how difficult it can be to switch such a system completely manually, as the circuit breakers are opened and closed by strong spring contacts. In the next section of the practical part, a power grid that had gone black (damage to a substation) had to be supplied with power again. The difficulty of this task was that not only did the power supply have to be restored, but faults such as calls from electricity customers or cleaning staff also had to be dealt with. However, despite the numerous disruptions, the participants were able to restore the power supply as a team.
Another highlight was the use of a Hololense for remote maintenance work. With these augmented reality glasses, which are attached to a construction helmet with a headset, it is possible to carry out maintenance work together with a technician who is not on site. This application is particularly suitable for emergencies in multiple locations or maintenance work on offshore platforms with limited access. With the help of the Hololense, the participants were able to carry out small "repairs" on a demonstration system themselves.
We would like to thank the Siemens Power Academy for the exciting insights and look forward to further excursions.
Contact Excursions IEEE Student Branch TU Ilmenau:
Dipl.-Ing. Carsten Gatermann (Vice Chair)
E-mail: ieeesb.ilmenau@gmail.com
