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High Voltage Lab at MSU prepares power companies to cope with the worst

High Voltage Lab at MSU prepares power companies to cope with the worst

Contact: Aspen Harris聽

STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擬ississippi 大象APP鈥檚 Paul B. Jacob High Voltage Laboratory simulates falling trees, thunderstorms, solar radiation, high salt concentrations, natural disasters and other likely scenarios plaguing electrical companies鈥攍ike the catastrophic damage from Hurricane Helene.

David Wallace, lab manager and MSU assistant clinical professor of electrical and computer engineering, and his students can recreate a variety of real-world scenarios inside the lab. With these capabilities and the largest university-operated high voltage lab in North America, MSU helps power companies prepare for any likely threat to power lines.

鈥淲e can recreate what the equipment will see in nature to see how it reacts and then ask, 鈥榃hat do we need to change to make it work in these scenarios?鈥欌 Wallace said.

One major focus of the lab鈥檚 research is insulators, which keep electricity inside power line wires. Insulators also prevent electricity from reaching poles, towers and the ground.

鈥淎ll power lines are supported by insulators,鈥 Wallace said. 鈥淲e have to ensure that if an earthquake comes, they don鈥檛 snap off鈥攁nd if a fire comes, they don鈥檛 melt and allow the wires to touch.鈥

MSU is testing ceramic insulating materials, which can last for nearly 70 years. Wallace said because of ceramic鈥檚 fragility and weight, the industry also has created polymer, or plastic, insulators which are lighter but have a shorter shelf life.

Since ceramic and polymer insulators have individual issues, he said the lab is testing various insulating materials, as well as cables and transformers, and how they will work and react in the field.

A bolt of electricity makes its way through equipment in MSU's Paul B. Jacobs High Voltage Laboratory. As the largest lab of its kind among North American universities, it serves as a鈥痷niversity research center for high voltage engineering. To help electrical companies during disasters, MSU recreates a variety of real-world scenarios inside the lab鈥攆alling trees, thunderstorms, solar radiation, high salt concentrations and more. (OPA photo)
A bolt of electricity makes its way through equipment in MSU's Paul B. Jacobs High Voltage Laboratory. As the largest lab of its kind among North American universities, it serves as a鈥痷niversity research center for high voltage engineering. To help electrical companies during disasters, MSU recreates a variety of real-world scenarios inside the lab鈥攆alling trees, thunderstorms, solar radiation, high salt concentrations and more. (OPA photo)

"It鈥檚 the whole picture from the end product, to everything that goes into it and to the end user,鈥 Wallace said. 鈥淚鈥檓 testing for all these different sections.鈥

He said this essential research isn鈥檛 only helping companies in Mississippi but the entire U.S., including the Department of Defense.

鈥淓lectrical power is the lifeblood of the world. If you take electricity out, we鈥檙e in the dark ages. We鈥檝e got to ensure we can go forward,鈥 Wallace said. 鈥淲ith changes happening, the bigger demand on electricity and the debate on fossil fuels, how are we going to generate new energy sources? That鈥檚 what we study.鈥

Wallace also stressed the importance of bringing in more power engineers to continue essential research. He said power engineering began to die when the computer was introduced and integrated, creating the need for more people to enter the field.

鈥淎ll the old power engineers are retiring. I鈥檝e been in this field since 1988, working on committees and serving as chair of various standards,鈥 Wallace said. 鈥淎t 58, I鈥檓 the young guy. We are in a desperate drought. We need engineers.鈥

Since joining the lab in 2016, Wallace has worked to build the power program at MSU, doubling the number of students in his time at the university.

At the lab, students receive hands-on experience in helping power companies grow and thrive. They also benefit from networking opportunities as they interact with industry leaders who work with the lab.

鈥淭his field is a great opportunity, and I love it. We鈥檙e the ones that make the world run. We provide the electricity,鈥 Wallace said. 鈥淭his is the time to be getting involved.鈥

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