PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The objective of our project is to design a phase converter simulator that will test and train meter readers, service field representatives, and contractors on how to safely and efficiently measure the different service voltages in the field. This is a fully functional electrical trainer allowing simulation of most distribution meter connection schemes. This device contains actual transformers, which completely duplicates in-field situations. Our project is based on voltage control, logical design, and programming. The phase converter simulator has the capabilities to do the following types of service voltages: single phase 120 volt Delta, single phase 120/240 volt Delta, three phase 120/208 volt Network-Wye, three phase 120/208 Wye, and three phase 120/240 Delta. This project also features a panel-mounted 0 – 500 volt meter. This meter will be used to measure the input voltage to see if the desired voltage is being inputted into the system. A control box is connected to the panel-mounted volt meter. On the control box there will be a user interface that is control by a controller that will allow a person to be able to go through the steps of checking voltage without supervision. The controller will be the brains behind the simulator and will control the switches which will change the phase configurations. There are fuses which are set in place for safety precautions because of the high voltages that are coming from the output. The variable transformer which will allow the group to be able to control the input voltage also will be in the control box. From the control box there are five meter cans connected. The user will be able to interact with the user interface and change the switches on the controller in a certain logical order to be able to get the desire Wye or Delta single phase or three phase service voltage. There will be two different programs settings that the phase converter will implement. The first mode will be the training mode which will test the knowledge of the user on the different voltages in the Delta and Wye configurations and safety precautions. The user will have to pass this test proportion of the phase converter simulator with at least 90% efficiency. The second mode of the phase converter simulator is the training mode. The training mode will take the theory and knowledge that the user used in the testing mode and implement that knowledge into application. The user will then take a volt meter and measure the voltage between phase to phase and phase to ground to get the required voltage for that particular service. If the user measures the wrong voltage the phase converter simulator will let the user know that they measured the wrong voltage and they will not be able to move on to the next set of voltages without correcting their error.