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Provides Testimony In

Motors, Variable Speed Drives VFD, Adjustable Speed Drives Variable Frequency Drives ASD VFD, Power Quality PQ, Energy, Energy Management, Renewable Energy, Distributed Generation DG, Electrical Reliability, Electrical Efficiency, Energy Storage, Energy Efficiency, Fuel Cells, Fuel Cell Technology, Fans, Pumps, Compressors, Steam Systems, Pump Systems, Industrial Systems Energy Optimization, Photovoltaics, PV, Wind Power, Solar Thermal, Combined Heat Power CHP, Desiccant Chiller, Power Controllers, Wind Farms, Wind Generation, Wind Energy, DC Transmission, Renewable Energy Convertors, Micro Hydro, Hydro, Combined Heat Power CHP, District Heating, District Cooling, Transformer, Protection Systems, Fuse Failure, Breaker Trips, Cable, Insulation, Overheating, Ventilation, Surge Arresters, Resonance, Tortional Resonance, Reed Frequencies, Bearings, Shaft Failure, Motor Shaft Misalignment, Coupling Failure, Motor Foundations, Vibration, Motor Maintenance, ASD VFD Maintenance, Motor Maintenance, Electrical System Maintenance, Electrical Specification, Equipment Specification, System Specification, Cable, Long Lead Effect, Metal Oxide Varistors MOV, Input Line Reactors, Power Factor Correction, Capacitors, Link Capacitors, Power Factor Correction Capacitors, Harmonics, Harmonic Mitigation, Arc Flash

Electrical Engineer Motors Variable Speed Drives VFD Expert Witness Summary

The Expert is an independent consultant and sole proprietor who provides specialized engineering services locally, nationally, and internationally. His expertise covers a broad spectrum of engineering functions from concept development to practical hands-on troubleshooting of obscure motor and drive system problems. He has published a number of technical papers and presents tutorials and workshops. He is an IEEE Fellow recognized for energy efficient adjustable speed drive systems.

The nature of his work is both conceptual and practical. It is associated with the analysis and resolution of electrical engineering problems. It has utility, industrial, institutional, and commercial applications and an educative component. During the period 2000-Present he has performed specialized engineering consulting services for individual industrial and commercial clients, for other consulting companies, for EPRI, for electric utilities, and for NCSU. He has acted as an Expert Witness. He has written, presented, and published over fifty technical papers. He has undertaken volunteer roles for his professional organization, serving on IEEE Standards Committee for adjustable speed drives larger than 500hp, on the Chemical Subcommittee of IEEE PCIC, and as Chairman of his local Section IEEE.

The Expert has completed work for a variety of industries including: pulp and paper, pharmaceutical, petroleum and petrochemical, textiles, steel, automotive, cement, water and waste water, rubber and plastics, and both municipal and investor owned electric utilities. He has also worked for universities, government, non-profit and commercial entities. His activities are associated with electrical efficiency and reliability, energy conservation and optimization, electric motors, adjustable speed drives (ASDs), energy storage, and power quality (PQ). He understands energy savings opportunities available in steam, hydraulic, and compressed air systems. He is familiar with the integration and application of renewable energy in projects that include solar thermal, solar photovoltaics (PV), wind, natural gas, anaerobic digester gas, landfill gas, and syngas.

Prior to establishing his own consultant practice in 2000, the Expert spent 26 years with a major industrial manufacturing company designing, developing, and commissioning industrial power and power electronic equipment, specifically medium (7.2kV and 13.8kV) voltage vacuum switchgear and transformer systems and low (480V) and medium (7.2kV) voltage adjustable speed drives and uninterruptible power supply systems. During this time he established a business based on inverter products, assembled and led the technical team for a drives’ manufacturing company in the US, and developed and implemented a company wide ISO 9000 quality plan. He spent 7 years as technical consultant and Director of the EPRI Adjustable Speed Drive Application Office facilitating field demonstrations of ASDs, Flywheels, Ultra Capacitors, SMES, Dynamic Sag Correctors and other power system mitigation devices.

The Expert’s experience affords an exceptional awareness and understanding of both the industrial manufacturer and the electric utility and provides a route to practical, economic and objective solutions implemented for success. He is comfortable working with low, medium and high power electrical systems.

Areas of expertise include

·     Systematic Analysis of Control Strategies for Industrial Processes
offering optimum production at minimum cost

·    Analysis and Resolution of Electrical and Mechanical problems
grounding • rating • power factor • impedance • steady state voltage • voltage unbalance •
harmonics  • flicker • EMI/RFI • lead length • bearings • load characteristics • torque measurement

·    Analysis and Resolution of Power Electronic Systems problems
process lines •  numerically controlled (NC) machines • injection molding machines • spinning
machines • weaving machines • welding machines • lathes • robots • extrusion lines • pipeline
controls • computer power supplies • real time voltage waveform interpretation • transformers •
protection systems • fuse failure • breaker trips • cable • insulation • overheating • ventilation •
surge arresters

·    Analysis and Resolution of Power Quality System Problems
bus transfer • capacitor switching • load transients • common mode voltage disturbances • single
phase voltage sags • three phase voltage sags • voltage swells • power quality voltage waveform
diagnosis and solution • resonance • “mysterious events”

·    Energy Conservation through the Systematic Application of Electric Motors Adjustable
Speed Drives, Power Quality, and Distributed Generation 

fans • pumps • compressors • dynamic sag correctors • flywheels  • ultra capacitors • site surveys

·    Development of Motor, Adjustable Speed Drives, Energy, and Power Quality Specifications
for system coordination between the electric utility and the driven equipment

·    Systematic Analysis of Renewable Energy Resources and their Application to Power
Systems

solar PV • solar thermal • wind • landfill gas • anaerobic digester gas • syngas • natural gas

·    Comprehensive Analysis of Steam and Pump Systems
offering optimum production at minimum cost

·    Systematic Analysis of Clean Energy Solutions
The integration of district energy, combined heat and power, and the recovery of waste heat

Academic and Professional Qualifications

BSc (Eng) and ACGI from Imperial College, London University
MBA from Mercer University
Chartered Engineer (C Eng)
European Engineer (Eur Ing)

Fellow IEEE
Member of IEEE PES, IEEE IAS, IEEE PELS, IEEE RAS, IET
Professional Engineer in NC, GA, FL, TX
Education and experience registered at The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)
Senior member of Association of Energy Engineers (AEE)
Certified Energy Manager (CEM)
US DOE Qualified Steam Specialist
US DOE Qualified Pump Specialist
Past Member of NEMA SC3 (Motor Controller) and SC7 (Adjustable Speed Drives)


Work History

Independent Consultant and Sole Proprietor
2000-Present

NCSU  Facility Engineering Management Diploma (FEM)
Program Chair and Head of Advisory Board
2009-Present

NC Solar Center, NCSU
US DOE CHP/Clean Energy Technical Advisor, Project Coordinator, Site Assessment, Combined Heat and Power Distributed Generation, Education and Outreach
2008-2010

Jacobs-Sirrine, Inc.
Director of EPRI’s Adjustable Speed Drive Demonstration Office (ASDO)
Director of Special Projects and Technical Consultant to EPRI’s ASDO
1993-2000

(One employer Graduate-1993)
Cegelec Automation Projects, Inc.
V.P. Technical

GEC Automation Projects, Inc.
V.P. and Technical Director
Executive V.P. and Director
V.P. of Engineering

EMICC
Director of Engineering and Contracts
(Additional special assignment on drives)
Director of Engineering

GEC Industrial Controls (U.K.)
Manager Inverter Unit
Design Section Leader AC Drives
Design Engineer Drives

Associated Electrical Industries (U.K.)
Design Engineer UPS
Graduate Trainee

Recent Projects 2000-Present

·    Research, investigative study, and laboratory confirmation of energy conservation and demand
response for light industrial, commercial, and domestic appliances
·    Investigated 50MVA substation transformer related to maintenance, circuit reliability, and industrial
power quality
·    Investigated the heat recovery systems for a 47.5MVA gas turbine generator in a paper making
application
·    Advised on the economic strategy for an absorption chiller
·    Identified and mediated reliability issues related to a medical lighting system
·    Investigated power delivery problems associated with a high security data center
·    Investigated steam use and condensate recovery in industrial and institutional energy systems
·    Investigated failure mechanisms in combustion air fan motors of large HVAC units
·    Advised on energy conservation measures in a commercial incubator facility
·    Resolved operational problems associated with microprocessor valve controllers
·    Resolved power quality audio noise interference issues in a commercial building
·    Constructed an operational procedure that enabled a pharmaceuticals’ manufacturer to avoid
catastrophic shaft failures
·    Advised on power quality issues experienced in a healthcare facility
·    Investigated clean water pump cavitation for a pharmaceutical company
·    Field tested efficient motors for food chests used in supermarkets
·    Bench tested energy efficient motors for food chests used in supermarkets
·    Specified power equipment for solar thermal energy collection system
·    Completed US DOE Steam and Pump Energy Savings Assessments (ESAs) in a variety of industrial
plants that identified potential for energy savings of 7.5%-10%, which was valued at over $1.7M
for one plant. No/low cost project implementation at another plant realized savings of $70,000 in
the first quarter.
·    Examined and advised on the replacement of four water cooled adjustable speed drives
·    Investigated and advised the control logic for a 14,000hp adjustable speed drive in a chemical
refinery
·    Advised a pharmaceutical company on the systematic application of electric motor drives
·    Advised and specified an electric motor replacement for a 10,000hp steam turbine
·    Advised the employees of a petroleum refinery in the application of ASDs for improved system
control
·    Advised the corporate staff of a petroleum refinery in the use of motor speed control to optimize
plant reliability
·    Investigated and advised a steel maker in the resolution of a voltage flicker problem
·    Advised and collaborated on a ten axis instrument robot
·    Identified, by means of real time simulation, power system problems associated with an off shore
manufacturing plant
·    Developed and presented three workshops for the US DOE entitled “Advanced Control and Power
Technologies for Petroleum Refineries and Petrochemical Plants” based on research completed for
the refining and petrochemical industries
·    An investigation of multiple component failures revealed the cause to be linked to resonant
conditions in an underground power distribution system
·    Investigation of a natural system resonance on a 25kV underground distribution system serving a
series of commercial buildings
·    Solved a power quality problem associated with a transformer resonance in a steel mill that has
resulted in trouble free running since June 2005
·    Devised and researched a project focused on the chemical and petrochemical industries to identify
the benefits of advanced control and power technologies. This is ongoing and relevant to a variety
of industries and industrial applications
·    Advised on the structure of an 8000hp high power drive system for rotor testing and solved
associated power system and control integration issues
·    Solved a power quality coordination problem experienced by an electric utility that involved an
analytical study of the power system and the load
·    Solved a power quality problem associated with a 5MVA rectifier in a copper refinery that included
an analysis of the interaction between the load and the power system
·    Consulted and advised on an overheating motor. A detailed analysis uncovered reasons for the
problem and implementation of my recommendations has permitted the motor to continue running
successfully
·    Presented technical concepts for system compatibility for electrically driven pipeline compressors to
the EPRI Gas/Electric Consortium
·    Consulted on a 200hp DC Drive for which torque measurement was introduced and a successful
electro mechanical solution was provided
·    Consulted on an advanced Adjustable Speed Drive concept
·    Consulted on concepts for the future for Flexible Alternating Current Technologies (FACTS)
·    Consulted on the application of Adjustable Speed Drives to multistory building ventilation systems
·    Consulted on the application of AC Drives to a major new capital pipeline to be constructed
·    Solved environmental, installation, construction, and OEM design problems associated with an
industrial gas separator
·    Provided engineering support for a new and advanced electro technology that included analysis,
task definition and results’ monitoring
·    Advised on erratic weld problems in a plastics extrusion plant and provided solutions
·    Advised on flame safety problems in a paper mill and provided solutions
·    Advised on bus failure problems in a textile mill and provided solutions
·    Advised on voltage sag problems in a weaving mill and provided solutions
·    Advised on sticking solenoid problems in a box plant and provided solutions
·    Advised on harmonic current problems in several individual machine shops and provided solutions
·    Technical papers presented annually at IEEE PCIC 2000-2004, and 2008
·    Contracted continuing education lecturer for NCSU Facilities Energy Management 2000-Present
·    Contracted Renewable Energy Diploma Series lecturer for NCSU Solar Center 2006-Present

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