The structure, circuit-design solutions and information support of the city electric networks in the conditions of the SMART GRID have been analyzed. It is demonstrated that the new conditions of functioning of electric power engineering, increasing demands for its technological state and reliability in most countries determined the transition to a restructuring of electrical networks to be based on the SMART GRID (intelligent power networks) innovative new structure. The definitions of the SMART GRID, its various attributes and characteristics in most developed countries including Belarus are presented. It is revealed that the existing and future circuit and constructive solutions that can automate the process of managing modes of urban electric networks under the SMART GRID conditions are manifold. At present, the most common in distribution networks are the sources of distributed generation (combustion turbines, wind turbines, photovoltaic installations, mini-hydro, etc.). The patterns and problems of information traceability of a traditional urban networks of the unified energy system of Belarus have been analyzed, and it is demonstrated that in the conditions of the SMART GRID most of the problems of the control mode that are characteristic for traditional distribution networks 6–10 kV and 0.38 kV, lose their relevance. Therefore, the present article presents and features the main directions of development of automatic control modes of the SMART GRID.

A high level of operational reliability of power supply systems is virtually impossible to provide without operational control of the reliability of the measurement variables (currents, voltages, powers, energies, temperatures, pressures) that characterize the condition of power equipment and technological processes. Reforming the power engineering and its transition to market relations necessitate one to toughen the requirements for the reliability of the measuring information. Inaccurate measurements are a potential source of misdiagnosis of malfunctions of equipment and they cause incorrect operation of emergency control equipment and erroneous actions of operating personnel in the control of technological processes. Operational methods of reliability control that enhance the operational reliability of the measuring information are based on the usage of the semantic value of the measured data, their consistency, process consistency, and consistency of balance. These methods use technological sense of the measured variables and they complement the methods of hardware status monitoring of automated control systems based on digital codes. That improves the overall operational reliability of the transmission, collection and processing of information. The most common semantic method of control is the method of limits (“fork”) that compares the numeric value of the measured variable with the upper and lower boundaries of valid values. The disadvantage of limit values in many cases is its poor resolution, due to the wide range of appearance of results of measurements. This reduces the probability of detection of gross and systematic errors of measurements more than it may be accepted. With this regard, the objective of a reasonable narrowing of the range of valid values of the variables, that uses the theory of statistical decisions, acquires high relevance.

The assessment of the suitability of cables of 6–110 kV with XLPE insulation in comparison with cables of the same voltage but possessing paper-oil insulation has been fulfilled on the basis of the criterion of reduced costs. Thus, the comparison was undertaken between cables of various design and material of insulation: three-core paper insulated ones vs. three-core XLPE insulated ones; three-core paper-insulated ones vs. solid wires with XLPE insulation; single-core oil-filled cables of 110 kV with paper insulation vs. solid wires of 110 kV with XLPE insulation. The increase in long-term permissible current loads for cables with XLPE insulation because of the larger permissible temperature of heating in comparison with cables with paper-oil insulation complies with as would increase in the cross-sectional area of cable cores (equal to 0.61 from the original) and therefore reduces the cost of the cable by reducing the cost of manufacture of conductors. The reduced costs of the construction and operation of cable lines with XLPE insulation (accounting the increase in the cost of a cable 1.2 and 2 times as compared with the cost of a cable with three-core insulation), despite the decline in the cost of manufacture of conductors and the reduced annual operating costs (9 % and 17 % respectively of cable lines of voltage of up to 35 kV and 110 kV), occurred to be more than the reduced costs of the construction and operation of cable lines with paper insulation. Currently the cost of one meter of cable with XLPE insulation is less than the cost of cables of AAB, CASB, AASv types of a voltage of 10 kV with aluminium cores, that ensures their undeniable efficacy.

The importance of the problem of the static stability of the stationary mode of the power system for its operation is extremely high. The investigation of the static stability of the power system is a subject of a number of works, but the problems of static stability of the stationary points of an autonomous synchronous generator are given little attention. The article considers transient and resonant (stationary) modes of the generator under active-inductive and active-capacitive loads. Mathematical model of transients in a natural form and in the coordinate system d, q are plotted. It is discovered that the mathematical model of the transition process of an autonomous synchronous generator is identical to the mathematical model of the transition process of the synchronous machine under three-phase short circuit. Electromagnetic transients of an autonomous synchronous generator are described by a system of linear autonomous differential equations with constant coefficients. However, the equivalent circuit of a generator contains dependent sources. We investigated the stability of stationary motion of an autonomous synchronous generator at a given angular velocity of rotation of the rotor. The condition for the existence and stability of stationary points of an autonomous synchronous generator is derived. The condition for the existence of stationary points of such a generator does not depend on the active load resistance and stator windings, and inductance of the rotor. The determining of stationary points of the generator is reduced to finding roots of a polynomial of the fourth degree. The graphs of electromagnetic torque dependencies on the angular velocity of rotation of the rotor (mechanical characteristics) are plotted. The equivalent circuits, corresponding to the equations of the transition process of an autonomous synchronous generator, are featured as well.

The production, transformation, transmission, distribution and consumption of electricity is one continuous process. The change of the load, i.e. the level of energy consumption, should cause a corresponding change in the level of generated energy. It means that the power system should be a balance of produced and consumed energy, taking into account technological cost of conversion, transmission and distribution. Otherwise, electric power quality indicators will be violated. For example, at infringement of balance of active power the frequency in the grid will have a value different from 50 Hz. One of the automatic devices on the lowest rung in the hierarchy of automatic dispatcher control system of frequency and power interchange is the system of automatic control of power units (SACPU). It is a comprehensive and complex device, which consists of several connected together simpler systems, governing all thermal power devices of a power unit. SACPU ought to regulate the active power of the unit and participate in primary frequency regulation in the network with a given accuracy and sensitivity; also, it ought to be adequately fast. At the same time, this device should be simple from the point of view of technical implementation, easy to use, allow one to maintain a high level of efficiency, reliability, durability and environmental performance of the units. To satisfy all these requirements (often conflicting) simultaneously, SACPU should have a certain structure, which depends on the composition and characteristics of heat power equipment of the power unit and on operating modes. The analysis of known SACPU have demonstrated that they are unable to fully provide the requirements of the modern standards for quality control of frequency and power, i.e. the SACPU models are still in need of structural and parametric optimization on the basis of the proximate methods developed at the Belarusian National Technical University.

The research presented in the article conforms to the severe accident that took place at the Three Mail Island nuclear power plant in the USA. The research is focused on improving the reliability of the pressure compensator that is an important equipment of the primary circuit. In order to simulate such a situation, the stand has been developed to simulate the design of the pressurizer of the PWR-440 reactor, in particular an elliptical shape of the upper lid which has a steam outlet pipe at the top of the construction that creates conditions for occurrence of such water hammers. For the experiments, an installation has been created that makes it possible to measure and record the water hammering that occur when the tanks are filled. Measurement of the amplitude of the water hammering was carried out by a specially developed piezoelectric sensor, and the registration – by a light-beam oscilloscope. The technique of carrying out the experiment is described and the results of an experimental study of the water hammers arising when the vessels are completely filled are presented. Quantitative data were obtained on the amplitudes of the hydraulic impacts depending on the rate of filling of the vessel and the diameter of the outlet, the maximum pressure of the hydraulic shock was 7–9 atm. Comparison of calculated and experimental data has been performed. The allowable discrepancy is explained by the calculated value of the system stiffness coefficient, which did not take into account the presence of welded seams in the tank that imparts the system with additional rigidity. The calculated relationships are obtained, that make it possible to estimate the amplitudes of the water hammers through the acceleration of the water level in front of the outlet from a vessel with an elliptical bottom. The possibility of a water hammer in the pressure compensator is demonstrated by experiment and by theoretical calculations. Based on the experimental data, a list of initial events of severe accidents at NPPs with a water-cooled and water-moderated power reactor can be expanded.

Since there are no large natural energy resources in Belarus, energy savings ought to be a point of the special attention. With this regard it is important to develop modern ways of savings during the process of air conditioning inside new buildings with an air layer in the enclosure, especially in translucent ones. The system of ventilation of air layers in the enclosure of a building has been introduced in which air movement is caused by the gravitational and aerodynamic forces. It makes it possible to arrange further ventilation – a natural, forced or a hybrid one. With the purpose of increasing and streamlining natural draught the partitions are used separating the different parts of air layers. For natural ventilation with the use of gravitational forces the holes in the upper and lower parts of the partitions between adjacent air layers are applied. Natural ventilation in the holes of the partitions is regulated by movable shutters, blinds or other adjusting devices. For combined or forced air exchange between adjacent zones of air layers fans are used pumping air from the air layer zones with a higher temperature to zones of air layers with lower temperature and vice versa. When air exchange is forced, in order to intensify the infiltration of air into zones of air layers jets are laid on a hard surface. In order to cool a multi-layered enclosure of a building, where the movement of air between the air layers (that have been formed by internal partitions) is being fulfilled by a natural, forced or combined mode, a part of the air or the total air processed inside the building (i.e. conditioned or non-conditioned air cooler as compared with the outside one) is being sent to these strata. Combined or forced flow of the air processed inside the building into the air layers is done through the ducts associated with the output channels of the air conditioners. The internal partitions are equipped with the air valve hole.

The present article contains information concerning the new Cl-anionization technology in the preparation of hot drinking water. In contrast with water softening, that replaces all the hardness salts by sodium cations in the cation exchanger, this new technology makes it possible to replace incrustating HCO₃^̄ and SO₄^2--anions in a strong-base anion exchanger by Cl⁻-ions. As a result, the incrustation on the surfaces of heating hot water heaters is prevented. Thus, cations of hardness that are valuable for the human body remain in the water, the quality of the latter conforming to drinking water quality. Considering the important role of calcium and magnesium in the human body, in Germany and Turkey the minimum value of hardness cations in drinking water is limited to 2.85 and 7.50 mg-Eqv/l, respectively. According to the World Health Organization, in the composition of drinking water, the concentration of cations of magnesium and calcium is recommended, respectively, within 10–(20–30), and 20–50 mg/l; the minimum value of total hardness is 2–4 mg-Eqv/l. According to the developed technology drinking water is passed consistently in the downward direction through the mechanical and chlorineanionite exchanger filters. In the latter, the main part of HCO₃^̄ and SO₄^2--water ions are exchanged for Cl-anions of anionite. Then the water is collected in the tank, from where it is pumped to the hot water heater through the ultraviolet disinfection unit. After the depletion of the anionite by HCO₃^̄ and SO₄^2--anions, it is regenerated by a solution of 8–12 % NaCl. The results of research by the anion exchangers Purolite A200EMBCl and AB-17-8 are plotted. It is noted that when the specific consumption of salt for regeneration is of about 45–55 kg/m³, working exchange capacity of the A200EMBCl occurs to be in the range 300–370 g-Eqv/m³. For anionization of water, the residual concentration of HCO₃^̄-ions are changed from 0.5 to 3.2 mg-Eqv/l. The average concentration of these anions occurs to be between 1.8 and 2.2 mg-Eqv/l, when their initial value is 4.4 mg-Eqv/l.