Bender worked closely to assist the Florida State University Center for Advanced Power Systems in acquiring and installing a monitored neutral grounding resistor for future power system research. FSU-CAPS is a research facility that advances technology in power systems used in ship propulsion. End customers are increasingly adopting resistance grounding on new applications, and Bender can offer many different solutions to fit these needs.
The CAPS facility is a test center, mainly for navy electrical components. They can produce and consume 5 MW AC and 5 MW DC. The MVDC lab can have 12 kV. They can simulate both supply and load conditions to and from the unit under test. The Bender NGR was installed so that they can simulate an HRG system that is required for upcoming tests. Resistance grounding is gaining popularity and being considered in many applications, including modern electric propulsion systems. Because this is a testing facility, the power system is most often not energized—it is only energized while tests are underway, and any transformer may be a part of a test procedure.