The goal of quality power for your facility or application is
probably still the same:
·
Supply equipment with power that does not cause
malfunction or damage
·
Eliminate penalties from provider or save energy
costs
·
Comply with industry standards
Peace of Mind
What is new in power quality is the ability to model the
solution before it is installed to prove the effectiveness of the solution
giving you peace of mind. This can be
done at the power electronic level which is the most precise.
Achieving the goal is sometimes difficult. You may be faced with a decision between
multiple solutions offered by well meaning manufacturers. Which solution will truly solve your problem
or meet your needs?
Now, your system can be modeled at the actual power
electronic level to predict the performance of your myriad of possible
solutions. Using circuit simulation with a comprehensive
power quality analysis can save you from making an expensive mistake by evaluating
various alternative solutions before you buy them. Like a test drive before you buy it… this can
give you peace of mind.
Reduction in energy consumption has become the Holy Grail of both the engineering world and the wider business environment over the last decade. However, in the process the importance of power quality has been marginalised and few energy users understand that a welcome side effect of power quality improvement is a reduction in your electricity bill.
ReplyDeleteA power quality issue is generally defined as voltage, current or frequency deviations in the applied mains that have a detrimental effect on the performance or longevity of connected equipment. If the voltage or current is not a pure sine wave then there is a problem. It is easy to blame the power utility companies for quality issues on their network, but more often than not, it is the energy user’s own equipment and that of their neighbours that is the root cause of the problem.
Furthermore, the reasons for selecting power quality components can be a little intangible at times, given that the regulatory drivers lack teeth. However, one recent power quality project I’ve worked on resulted in a 500A reduction in metered current on a 1500A application, representing a cost reduction of one third. So perhaps the financial reasoning is more readily understood? The Holy Grail is clearly within reach, providing we look more holistically at our reasons for investing in power quality in the first instance.
Steve, Thank you for your thoughtful contribution.
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