Power Quality Audit Solution

Power Quality Solution

The term “Power Quality” means different things to different people. One definition is the relative frequency and severity of deviations in the incoming power supplied to electrical equipment from the steady or fundamental 50 Hz, sinusoidal waveform of voltage or current. These deviations may affect the safe or reliable operation of electrical equipments such as circuit breakers, motors, fans, CNC machines, computers etc.

i) Power quality Audits

Power quality is affected from both sides of the grid, referring both to the quality and reliability of power as supplied by the utility and to the type and effect of customer loads on the transmission system.

The following are the types of power quality problems
Harmonics: It is a distortion of the utility supplied waveform and are caused by “non-linear” loads, which include motor controls, computers, office equipment, compact fluorescent lamps, light dimmers, televisions and , in general, most electronic loads. High harmonics increase the line losses and decrease the equipment lifetime. Total harmonic distortion (THD) measures the degree to which the input is distorted, and is the relative value of all the harmonics combined, as a percentage of the fundamental current.

Transients: Commonly called swells, surges and spikes, transients are the most frequent types of power quality problems and often the easiest to fix. The difficulty with transients is in detection since they manifest only as a short-duration change in voltage.

Brownouts: These are hours-long voltage sags caused by system overload. These are tending to damage equipment, but such fluctuations are common in developing countries.

Reliability: It refers to the probability of maintaining a continuous supply of electricity without interruption.

From surge suppressors, filters and voltage regulators to isolation transformers, power conditioners and motor generator sets, there is a solution for just about every power quality problem imaginable.

The objective of the power quality audit is to determine the source of power quality problems and to devise a solution to that problem. Prior to conducting a power quality audit, we should look at a facility’s unique power needs and then budget appropriately.

Some of the silent features of a power quality audit include:

DYNASPEDE engineers can complete an on-site power quality audit and make recommendations for commercial and industrial facilities. During the audit, monitoring devices are placed throughout the facility in order to determine precisely where in the system power quality problems are being found, as well as to monitor the quality of the power being supplied by the electrical utility. In general the following are the activities involved in the power quality audit.

Basic data gathering and analysis
Review of facility wiring and grounding systems
Analyze recorded electrical data and utility disturbances
Provide written recommendations, as necessary
Possible Solutions to the power quality problems:
Power Factor Correction
Dynamic Sag Correction
Power Quality Monitoring
Harmonics filter, static
Harmonics filter, dynamic

ii) Thermography

Basic: Temperature is a physical property of any body. All the objects emit energy. The wavelength of the energy emitted differs from material. If the wavelength falls in the region of 400 nanometers to 720 nanometers (40 X 10 HZ to 75 X 10 HZ) in electromagnetic spectrum, then the body would be visible. If the energy emitted is not in the visible range of electromagnetic spectrum, then it would be invisible. This infrared energy is not visible to our eyes but can be captured using a thermal camera.

Infrared Thermo graphic test is the non-contact mapping and analysis of the thermal patterns from the surface of an abject. There are 2 methods involved in Non Contact temperature measurement.

Radiation Thermometers
Thermal Imagers

Thermal imagers (Thermal Camera) detect radiation in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum (roughly 900-14,000 nanometers or 0.9-14) and produce images of that radiation. Since all objects based on their temperatures according to the black body radiation. Since all objects based on their temperatures according to the black body radiation law emit infrared radiation, thermo graphic makes it possible to ‘’see’’ one’s environment with or without visible illumination. The amount of radiation emitted by an object increases with temperature; therefore thermo graphic allow one to see variation in temperature (hence the name).

Other Ups, Power, Precision Cooling Solutions: