LOSSES OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY DUE TO ITS LOW QUALITY AT PUMPING STATIONS OF HEATING NETWORK ENTERPRISES

The issue of increasing the reliability of the facilities in the energy system of Ukraine is considered. It is noted that Ukraine lacks sources of electric energy as a result of hostile actions. In addition, the level of electric energy losses is very noticeable. Even according to pre-war statistics, the level of losses exceeded 10 % of all energy produced. And this was a consequence of the wear and tear of both electrical equipment and insufficient quality of electric energy. And as a result of hostile actions, the destruction of energy equipment led to an even worse decrease in the parameters of the quality of electricity. The priority is to maintain the operability of the energy system, while quality indicators are relegated to the second place. For most electricity-consuming equipment, deterioration in the quality of electricity can have a multiplier effect. Manifesting itself as a sharp increase in losses. For enterprises whose work provides for the vital needs of the population, the quality of electric energy is not a criterion. The main goal is to maintain operability. Such enterprises also include enterprises of heating networks. Almost all devices and equipment of heating companies operate on electricity. Forced movement of the coolant in the network is created only by electric pumps receiving torque from asynchronous electric motors. Such motors are characterized by increased losses of electrical energy if its quality is poor. Measurements of the quality of electrical energy were made at two different heat supply enterprises. The article presents the results of the measurements. Despite the fact that the heat supply enterprises are very different (the first serves more than 30 thousand residents, the second – more than 8 thousand residents), the results of the measurements show the affinity of problems with the quality of electrical energy. The overwhelming majority of electrical energy quality indicators do not meet the requirements for the quality of electrical energy. The most critical deviations are in the values of average voltage and average positive sequence voltage, which may not meet the standard in 100 measurements out of 100. The deviation of the voltage asymmetry coefficient for zero sequence also exceeds the standard values. The authors draw attention to the presence of a deviation of the average coefficient of the n-th harmonic component of voltage in all phases. The specificity of the operation of heat supply enterprises' equipment is that their operating modes are continuous throughout the entire heating season. And losses in the network can accumulate. In addition, one of the consequences of using low-quality electricity is a reduction in the service life of electrical equipment. The authors propose general methods for correcting the situation and emphasize the need to conduct a study of electrical equipment of heat supply enterprises in order to develop measures to improve their operation and reduce energy losses.