The per unit method short circuit calculations help simplify power systems. They identify if a piece of electrical equipment is safe from short circuits. I’m going to go over some of these important calculations. They’ll show you how you can apply the per unit method to various electrical equipment. As well as to different scenarios … Read more
Wind turbines look simple but are complex machines. To understand, you need to know how to calculate wind turbine power output. I’m going to go over the calculation. This will show why so many of these giant machines are sprouting up everywhere around you. At the same time, we’ll uncover the complexities of these machines. … Read more
The current limiting reactor sizing calculation is very straightforward. But there are a couple of important things you need to watch out for. I’m going to go over the calculation for sizing current limiting reactors for substations. It’s a common calculation I do. For this example, we’ll do the sizing for a typical substation located … Read more
Our power grid and machines rely heavily on electromechanical relays. These devices sound complex, but electromechanical relay operation is actually simple. Back in middle school, I was first introduced to electromechanical relay operation. Our science teacher lectured about various circuit components. He then showed how these circuit components “magically” work together. I had my eyes … Read more
We fear powerful volcanic eruptions with the flowing lava and balls of fire. But, the destructive volcanic ashfall effects on the power grid go unnoticed. I’ve already discussed the impact of a powerful coronal mass ejection hitting Earth. The destruction would be unworldly. I want to now go over the impact of a powerful volcanic eruption. … Read more
Drilling into Europa would be the biggest engineering challenge. To show this, I’ll calculate the required energy to pierce Europa’s ice surface. I’ll also look at other methods of reaching Europa’s ocean as well. Europa is Jupiter’s moon, yet it’s smaller than Earth’s moon. Part of the challenge is Europa is 390 million miles from … Read more
Living underground on Mars may be our only option because of the harsh environment. This presents many tunnel drilling challenges that go undiscussed. But, why do we even need to live underground on Mars? Deadly radiation from the sun Super chilly weather Blinding dust storms Clearly, Mars isn’t friendly. So, we need to dig tunnels … Read more
The movie Top Gun starring Tom Cruise made jets and aircraft carriers iconic. So, let’s go through the calculations of an F-14 Tomcat carrier launch. These launches are marvels of engineering. Massive jets taking off and landing on floating airports. The ocean’s airports The USS Theodore Roosevelt is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. It stands 20 … Read more
Batteries are the lifeline to substations, providing backup power. I’m going to go over a typical substation battery sizing calculation I’d make. I’ll show you step by step what to do in the calculation. Also, the considerations you need to make for the different substation loads. Before we dive into the meat of the calculation, … Read more
We all love to watch a rocket launch into space. But, the rocket structure analysis that makes a successful launch possible goes unnoticed. I’m going to go over the more interesting aspects of rocket structure analysis. This way we better appreciate how we fire large metal cylinders into Earth’s orbit. A distance of 100 plus … Read more
A raging fireball floats in the sky. But, we never stop to think of the power of the Sun. What if a powerful coronal mass ejection hit Earth? The impact could destroy life as we know it today. Why analyze a powerful coronal mass ejection? Many of us live in a bubble. We think life, … Read more
I’ll teach you how to calculate conduit size for cables and wires fast and easy. It’s a great way to verify your grueling conduit sizing hand calculations. Also, convenient for calculating conduit sizes on the fly if you’re at a job site or standing in Home Depot. Our free to use conduit sizing calculator will … Read more
This article covers 18 popular types of engineering. I’m going to go over each field, and give you a lot of info nuggets too. As I go through the 18 types of engineering, you can find answers to the following questions: Should I be an engineer? Which field of engineering is for me? What do … Read more
The top engineering skills translate over perfectly to everyday life. Without these skills, we wouldn’t have the many luxuries we all enjoy today. Maybe we’d still all ride horses and travel on sailboats as we did centuries ago. So yes, engineers have a unique set of skills that set them apart from most people. I … Read more
Electrical engineering has a bright future even with automation increasing. As an electrical engineer, I’ll outline how this industry will continue to grow. I’ll dive into the history of electrical engineering. Also, where the industry stands today. And I know. There’s a lot of talk about machines, robots, and AI taking over the world. I’ve … Read more