Yaming Zhu’s experience with significant transmission planning studies makes him a “dynamic” instructor in more ways than one. He has been responsible for some major, regional planning studies including, but not limited to, the Midwest ISO 765-kV Conceptual Overlay Reliability Study and the Minnesota CapX 2020 Reliability Study. His work as an instructor (and consultant) relies heavily on his power system knowledge in areas such as dynamic modeling, dynamic simulation, and power system solutions.
Zhu is a network consulting engineer at Siemens Energy, Inc., Siemens Power Technologies International (Siemens PTI). He has performed numerous power system planning and operating studies using advanced software, such as Siemens PTI’s PSS®E and PSS®MUST, which makes him especially qualified to teach Siemens PTI courses, in addition to his project management and engineering study work.
He will be presenting PSS®MUST – Using System Transmission Data for Decision Making from May 14 thru 16 at Siemens Power Academy TD – NA, in Minnetonka, Minnesota. A NERC-certified course, the class provides practical applications of PSS®MUST for transfer limit analysis, ATC calculations, parametric contingency analysis, transactional impact analysis on transfer limits, impact of interregional transactions on control areas, sensitivity analysis for the most limiting constraints, generation dispatch sensitivity analysis on transfer limits, identification of the "must run" units and the NERC flow gate concept. Hands-on examples using PSS®MUST are included.
Zhu will also teach PSS®E – Introduction to Power System Dynamics in July. “Dynamic simulation is critical to the successful planning of the bulk power system,” Zhu said. “The system must be able to withstand a variety of disturbances, and evaluation of system stability requires dynamic simulation. Students need the skills to perform dynamic simulations and interpret results of stability studies.” He has presented many other Siemens PTI courses as well, and he said that he enjoys passing his knowledge onto many students through teaching different course topics.
He also enjoys the challenge of studying the power system, which is what made him select power system engineering as his career field back in 1984. “The power system, as the world’s largest man-made system, involves complicated phenomenon, facilities, control strategies and studies,” Zhu said.
So when he enrolled in Tsinghua University, he started on that career path. He earned his B.S. from Tsinghua in Beijing, then an M.S. from Nanjing Automation Research Institute, and a Ph.D. from Washington State University. At Nanjing, he was a major contributor to the development and implementation of LFP-900 series digital transmission line protective relays and was awarded the “First-Class Prize of National Science & Technology Progress” in 1999. Prior to joining Siemens in 2008, he was a senior transmission planning engineer at Midwest ISO, where he was responsible for the Overlay and CapX2020 studies.
When he is not dealing with the complex power system, Zhu spends a lot of time playing tennis, enjoying the skills development and strong friendships with his teammates.