Company Overview

NxtPhase Corporation

Market Focus:

Electric utilities, independent power producers, large energy consumers

Core Technologies:

Optical sensors for measurement of transmission level voltage and current; more than 20 patents issued

Funding:

Privately held; last financing $9.1M, October 1999

Key Investors:

Hydro-Qubec CapiTech Inc. Energy Capital Innovation, L. P. Western Technology Seed Investment Fund Canadian Science & Technology Growth Fund Working Opportunity Fund

Founded: 1999

Employees: >35 and growing Facilities: Vancouver, BC & Phoenix, AZ

Award: CIE Award

Associations: BCPIA

NxtPhase is developing world leading optical sensing technologies for a rapidly changing electric power industry. The newly formed company consolidates the resources of the Vancouver-based technology research and development company, Carmanah Engineering Ltd., with a spin-off group from Honeywell Inc.'s Phoenix-based Space and Aviation Controls Division.

The electric power utility sector is undergoing a major transition brought on by deregulation and a need to upgrade an aging infrastructure. NxtPhase's new optical sensing technologies are ideally suited to capitalize on the changes in the industry. Its transducers deliver unparalleled accuracy, have broader dynamic range and offer wider bandwidth than conventional sensors. Moreover, they provide significant economic and environmental benefits. When integrated into the digital electronic substation measurement and control system of the future, NxtPhase's optical sensors will help revolutionize metering, protection and power quality management.

NxtPhase aims to help its customers realize the benefits of precision optical systems for the control and measurement of electric power.

Company Information

Additional Details

Legal Name: NxtPhase T and D Corporation

Number of Employees: 35

Contacts

Products

• Nxct - Optical Current Transducer

  The NXCT - Optical Current Transducer brings a new level of accuracy to current sensing and maintains that accuracy over a broad dynamic range.

  This high performance makes the NXCT perfectly suited for applications like high-side revenue metering for a merchant generator where a switch from generation to load exceeds the dynamic range capability of a single conventional CT.

  These multifunctional, high performance sensors reduce lifecycle costs, yet are priced at a level competitive with conventional technology.

  Key Features

  • Metering Accuracy
  • Protection Accuracy
  • Wide Dynamic Range
  • High Bandwidth
  • Safety
  • Light Weight
  • Seismically Robust
  • Voltage Classes 69 to 765kV

  OPTICAL CURRENT TRANSDUCER - FEATURES AND BENEFITS

  • Metering Accuracy

  Exceeds IEC Class 0.1 and IEEE Class 0.3 to address stringent revenue metering requirements.

  • Protection Accuracy

  Exceeds Class 3P accuracy allowing the same NXCT to serve relaying applications, reducing the need for dedicated devices for metering and protection applications.

  • Wide Dynamic Range

  Dynamic range of 105 allows measurement of signals from 1A to 100, 000A.

  • High Bandwidth

  Accurate waveform reproduction to 25kHz allows full power quality analysis with no sensor-imposed limitations.

  • Safety

  Optical current sensors eliminate the hazards of an open secondary and reduce the risk to personnel from explosive failure of conventional CTs..

  • Composite Insulator

  Field proven lightweight composite insulator reduces installation costs and has improved safety characteristics over conventional instrument transformers.

  • Light Weight

  Reduced transport costs, less heavy equipment required for installation, reduced civil engineering/support structure requirements.

  • Environmentally Friendly

  No need for oil/cellulose or SF6 insulation systems results in the elimination of the costs associated with managing these materials.

  • Seismically Robust

  The lightweight insulator column and low mass fiber optics are ideal for seismically active locations.

  • Passive Design

  All active components remain at ground potential eliminating the need for costly outages to maintain electronics.

  • High Sample Rate

  Sample rate of 200 k/samples per second is easily adapted to any IED requiring a lower rate.

  • Interface Flexibility

  Choose conventional or low energy analog interfaces, or utilize the NXCT's full performance potential with a 16-bit digital interface.

  • Modular Electronics Package

  Designed for rapid diagnostics, ease of maintenance, module self-calibration, and reduced sparing requirements.

  • Voltage Classes

  A range of current sensors are being developed to address applications from 69 to 765kV.

• Nxvct - Optical Voltage & Current Transducer

  NXVCT - Optical Voltage & Current Transducer

  The NXVCT - Optical Voltage & Current Transducer combines the features of the NXCT current transducer and NXVT voltage transducer into a single column optimized for metering and protection applications.

  Three columns are all that are required in applications demanding broad dynamic range such as revenue metering at generation or industrial facilities.

  Fewer columns, less up-front installation work, and more flexibility result in lower costs.

  Key Features

  • CT & VT combined
  • Common electronics package
  • Metering Accuracy
  • Protection Accuracy
  • Wide Dynamic Range
  • High Bandwidth
  • Performance attributes identical to the individual NXCT and

  NXVT

• Nxvt - Optical Voltage Transducer

NAICS Categories

• 335311 Power, Distribution and Specialty Transformers Manufacturing

Additional Information