RDCPE designs and develops asynchronized equipment. More specifically, the company builds and commissions new generation units at power substations that include asynchronized turbogenerators, hydrogenerators and compensators.

RDCPE is a recognized thought leader in vector management for the electric power equipment. The world’s first asynchronized units were developed following a major fundamental research program conducted under the leadership of M. Botvinnik and Y. Shakarian over fifty years ago.

A key feature that distinguishes asynchronized equipment from conventional synchronized units is the presence of two (or three) field coils. Under normal operating conditions, the rotor can run on direct or alternating current. If powered by direct current, excitation is controlled by a vector (in contrast to a conventional synchronized machine), which facilitates stable operation under any loading angle up to 180 degrees. If powered by alternating current, the excitation field revolves in relation to the rotor while remaining synchronized with the stator field. As a result, the turbine can revolve with a variable frequency, which is important for hydrogenerators as well as wind turbine generators.

Several asynchronized turbogenerators rated for 110 – 320 MVt have been commissioned and are currently operating in Russia’s and Ukraine’s electric power systems (see Table 1). Asynchronized turbogenerators do not only provide outputs but are also heavy-duty consumers of reactive power, which allows for the wide range voltage regulation at substation busbars.

The use of asynchronized turbogenerators allows to address a number of critical challenges in today’s electric energy systems:

• avoid installation of shunting reactors on power lines, which allows for significant cost savings in normalizing voltage levels;
• expand the allowable range for voltage regulation at power plant busbars;
• move synchronized turbogenerators that operate concurrently away from unfavorable operating modes with a high capacity ratio (close to 1) or with consumption of reactive power, toward safe operating modes with reacting power outputs, which extends their design life and time intervals between required repairs;
• increase overall operational reliability of power plant generating units not only due to increased reliability of asynchronized turbogenerators (standby mode operation after field system breakdowns) but also due to increased reliability of concurrently operating generating units with synchronized turbogenerators.

With proper selection of facilities where their use is appropriate, asynchronized machines offer significant cost savings. The purchase price of asynchronized units is higher than conventional synchronized machines; however, savings are achieved through reduced capital and operational costs and increased reliability of power generating equipment.

RDCPE offers the following services with regard to installation of asynchronized machines:

• Inspection of power plants and electric power grid systems to identify unfavorable operating modes based on reactive power (voltage levels) and development of recommendations on the use of asynchronized machines in order to stop synchronized machines at the same power plant from operating in unfavorable modes with regard to reactive power (consumption of the latter, or close); ensuring that the voltage regulating range of the power plant stays within allowable limits;
• Studies of existing and transitional generator operation modes through mathematical (computer) simulation of power plants closely resembling real-life conditions, structures and parameters of generating units;
• Participation in development of feasibility studies, detailed design etc. for asynchronized machines;
• Scientific and technical support during installation of asynchronized machines;
• Participation in set-up and testing of asynchronized machines;
• Set-up of microprocessor field regulators at the computer rack in real time;
• Engineering and consulting services;
• Development of methodologies and instructions for asynchronized machines;
• Training seminars on asynchronized machines;
• Calculations of power and electricity losses in distribution transformers of 6(10)/0.4 kV adjusted for asymmetrical phase load;
• Определение величины технических потерь электроэнергии в изоляции кабельных линий 6(10)-220 кВ с учетом срока службы кабеля.
• Flexible edit mode;
• Parameters of the design diagram or any of its elements are accessible for viewing in any mode;
• Ability to switch between diagrams with no need to edit at current divider points, and analysis of system consequences of these view switches;
• Calculation of electricity losses in cable line (6(10)-220 kV) insulation adjusted for cable service duration;
• Ability to perform calculations for every diagram separately or for a selected group of diagrams with previously uploaded data;
• Ability to use Microsoft Excel for input values of currents, voltage, power generation etc. (import and export);
• Attribution of grid lines and transformers for calculations of allowable capacity and electricity losses;
• Ability to view calculation results not just by grid elements attributed to the owner, but also by subscriber lines and transformers, as well as their aggregate values;
• User-friendly display of results;
• Display of the following values on the grid diagram: currents in grid branches, voltage levels in grid nodes, current loads at transformers, short circuit currents, electricity flows and grid element resistance;
• Archivation of calculation results in consolidated tables that can be aggregated by power supply centers, electric grid regions and grid companies;
• Archivation of additional data in consolidated tables with calculated electricity losses, ratios of transformer use and equipment covered by calculations (number and length of grids, number and installed capacity of transformers);
• Archivation of all calculation results (per grid line or consolidated summary tables) in standard Windows application formats (MS Excel);
• Verification of calculation results and baseline data;
• Preservation of historical results for any term.

Primary users of this software package are power grid owners and operators, municipal and private sector companies, energy audit and expert entities, as well as oil and gas companies. RTP 3 software has been implemented and is currently used at 1450 workstations at 285 companies and organizations.