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THE PLUG MANTRA:Why is one pin in a plug thicker than the other two? Why do sparking occurs while connecting a plug in switch on mode?What is the significance of cut on the plug pins?

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The three pins of a plug consists of a Live(L) wire connection, a Neutral (N) wire connection and an Earth(E) wire connection. The Earth wire is used for protection purposes while the other two is used to get power from the supply. As an engineer the main two criteria of designing any device, connector or instrument is economic and safety.  The Earth wire is designed thicker such that any short circuit occuring within the device or in the supply can be grounded as soon as possible so as to protect the devices. The thickness reduces the resistance of the Earth wire and the short circuit current reaches the ground easily and fast. Now,Have you ever plug your device in with switch already on? No? Ok, If  you try once then you may see a spark in the Live pin or the smaller right pin. The main reason is that the Live is a phase while Neutral is the return path. To simplify, the current enters the device through live and leaves through neutral to complete the circuit. As you try t
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MAJOR CHALLENGES TO BE FACED WHILE IMPLEMENTING SMART GRID & PROJECTS IN INDIA

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Most opposition and concerns have centered on smart meters and the items (such as remote control, remote disconnect, and variable rate pricing) enabled by them. Where opposition to smart meters is encountered, they are often marketed as "smart grid" which connects smart grid to smart meters in the eyes of opponents. Specific points of opposition or concern include: · consumer concerns over privacy, e.g. use of usage data by law enforcement · social concerns over "fair" availability of electricity · concern that complex rate systems (e.g. variable rates) remove clarity and accountability, allowing the supplier to take advantage of the customer · concern over remotely controllable "kill switch" incorporated into most smart meters · social concerns over Enron style abuses of information leverage · concerns over giving the government mechanisms to control the use of all power using activities · concerns over RF emissions from smart meters Security With
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Features of SMART GRID!

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Features of the smart grid The smart grid represents the full suite of current and proposed responses to the challenges of electricity supply. Because of the diverse range of factors there are numerous competing taxonomies and no agreement on a universal definition. Nevertheless, one possible categorization is given here.     1. Reliability The smart grid will make use of technologies, such as state estimation,   that improve   fault detection   and allow   self-healing   of the network without the intervention of technicians. This will ensure more reliable supply of electricity, and reduced vulnerability to natural disasters or attack. Although multiple routes are touted as a feature of the smart grid, the old grid also featured multiple routes. Initial power lines in the grid were built using a radial model, later connectivity was guaranteed via multiple routes, referred to as a network structure. However, this created a new problem: if the current flow or related effect
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THE SMART GRID....Where We Are Today and What the Future Holds

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What Makes a Grid “Smart In short, the digital technology that allows for two-way communication between the utility and its customers, and the sensing along the transmission lines is what makes the grid smart. Like the Internet, the Smart Grid will consist of controls, computers, automation, and new technologies and equipment working together, but in this case, these technologies will work with the electrical grid to respond digitally to our quickly changing electric demand. What does a Smart Grid do? The Smart Grid represents an unprecedented opportunity to move the energy industry into a new era of reliability, availability, and efficiency that will contribute to our economic and environmental health. During the transition period, it will be critical to carry out testing, technology improvements, consumer education, development of standards and regulations, and information sharing between projects to ensure that the benefits we envision from the Smart Grid become a reality. Th
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What is Electrical Grid?...It's Onset and Development .

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The first alternating current power grid system was installed in 1886. At that time, the grid was a centralized unidirectional system of electric power transmission, electricity distribution, and demand-driven control. In the 20th century local grids grew over time, and were eventually interconnected for economic and reliability reasons. By the 1960s, the electric grids of developed countries had become very large, mature and highly interconnected, with thousands of 'central' generation power stations delivering power to major load centers via high capacity power lines which were then branched and divided to provide power to smaller industrial and domestic users over the entire supply area. The topology of the 1960s grid was a result of the strong economies of scale: large coal-, gas- and oil-fired power stations in the 1 GW (1000 MW) to 3 GW scale are still found to be cost-effective, due to efficiency-boosting features that can be cost effective only when the stations beco
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