Alexander Liss
Power outages are frequent occurrence in
different Power Grids in different countries. This shows that the cause of the problem
is neither identified nor eliminated.
In the same time, the problem's dynamic is
clearly described: Sudden shut-off of power, because of internal reasons of a
power consumer or because of some damage in the Power Grid, leads to the excess
of power flow in some segment of the Grid. This excess of power causes
protective shut-offs of other power consumers connected to this segment or even
entire segment of the Grid. This process escalates until some power producers
are shut-off the Grid and a large number of power consumers are shut-off.
Such cascades of events cannot be prevented,
until there are special devices plugged in the Grid, which quickly absorb
power, when its level suddenly jumps.
Such devices already exist.
One such device consists of two connected
ponds with a power generator, which works, when water from one pond flows into
another. In addition, there is an electric pump, which moves water in an
opposite direction.
This device is used to accumulate energy
during periods of low consumption and produce it during periods of high
consumption.
Equipped with a few pumps, which production
could be rapidly increased in a moment of energy spike in the Grid, this device
could be used to prevent outages.
Segments of the Power Grid should have such
devices connected to them. In the case of a power surge in a segment of the
Grid, a connected device should absorb this surge and prevent cascading
events.