The Founders of HVPD
The foundations of the extensive knowledge-base held by HVPD in the field of on-line and off-line partial Discharge (PD) testing and monitoring has been built on the research and development work carried out by the HVPD Directors, Dr Lee Renforth and Dr Ross Mackinlay, over the past 30 years.
Dr. Lee Renforth, Managing Director
Dr. Lee Renforth studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Manchester between 1986 and 1990. He was sponsored throughout this 4-year industrially-linked course by BICC cables where he received his first industrial experience in the testing of high voltage cables. Lee graduated with a BSc, M.Eng degree in 1990 and went on to study for a PhD, sponsored by the National Grid Company, also at Manchester University. Lee was awarded his PhD in 1993 when his thesis on the topic of the breakdown of high voltage insulation was published. In 1994, Lee became the Managing Director of IPEC Ltd, a new technology start-up which was established to provide technical and R&D services to the worldwide electricity supply industry. In 2004, Lee left IPEC Ltd and set-up IPEC Engineering Ltd to further develop products in the field of on-line partial discharge testing of high voltage plant in partnership with High Voltage Solutions Ltd (HVSL). In 2006, the on-line PD technology division of IPEC Engineering was merged with High Voltage Solutions Ltd to become the IPEC High Voltage Ltd J-V and Lee became the joint Managing and Sales and Marketing Director of the new company. In May 2009, IPEC HV was rebranded as High Voltage Partial Discharge Ltd (HVPD) Ltd which has now established itself as one of the market leaders in the growing field of on-line partial discharge test and monitoring technology for high voltage plant and cables. Lee continues to carry out the joint role of Managing Director and Sales & Marketing Director and oversees the relationships with HVPD's customers, agents and partners in more than 40 countries around the world.
Dr. Ross Mackinlay, Technical Director & Trainer
Dr Ross Mackinlay studied physics at Lancaster University (BA) and Oxford University (D. Phil), his D. Phil Thesis being on the topic of non-linear waves in plasmas. Following this, Ross was employed at the Electricity Council Research Centre, carrying out research and development in the area of electricity distribution equipment. In 1989, he became Head of Cables & Dielectrics at EA Technology after privatisation of the electricity industry in the UK. In 1993 he became Group Manager of cables and power technology at EA Technology. Ross left EA Technology in 1998 and, between 1998 and 2006, he ran his own company, High Voltage Solutions Ltd, in which he acted as an engineering and scientific consultant to the electricity supply industry. Ross remains a keen and 'hands on' PD measurement expert and is considered one of the world's foremost experts in the field of diagnostic methods for cables, switchgear, and other high voltage plant. Ross has used his significant knowledge and experience of on-line PD testing to help develop a number of HVPD's PD test technologies and software packages. Ross was appointed as the Technical Director of HVPD on formation of the company in October 2006.