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VOLTAGE OPTIMISATION OPTIMISING YOUR ASSET LIFE


Mark Yates, of air and fluid power specialist Thorite, explains how voltage optimisers can help rein in energy costs, extend asset life, improve plant efficiency and reduce your carbon footprint The UK Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE)


bottom line. But some manufacturers may be paying excessively high energy bills because they are being supplied with more electricity than their equipment needs to function effectively. In fact, not only might they be paying over


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the odds on their bills, but their equipment might also suffer damage from the over- supply of voltage, adding higher maintenance costs to their outgoings. The problem dates back to the early 1990s,


when the voltage of UK factory equipment was harmonised with the rest of Europe, from a standard 240v to 230v +/- 10%. As a result, all equipment is now designed to operate at the lower voltage levels, around 207v. However, the national grid was not


adapted to meet this lower demand and has continued to supply energy at levels that can potentially reach the upper level of 253v. This means that some equipment might be being over-supplied, consuming energy at a far higher voltage than it actually needs to function – all of which has to be paid for. Inflated energy bills are not the only


problem. If an asset which only requires 207v is being fed above that amount, the additional current increases both its running temperature and vibration levels. This can cause issues such as premature bearings failure and reduced asset lifespan, bumping up routine maintenance costs and increasing the risk of unscheduled downtime.


4 JUNE 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL 6


oaring energy prices are set to put even more pressure on companies already battling to maintain a strong


wiring regulations state that the lifespan of a light operating at an excessive 240v, instead of the 230v it requires, will be reduced by 46%. Apply that principle to plant equipment such as heaters and motors, and it is easy to see how the costs of over-supply can mount up. Voltage optimisers (VO) can provide a sustainable solution to this excess energy use.


How a Voltage Optimiser works The principle of a VO is simple – it regulates the voltage feed going into your premises and ensures a machine only uses the amount of KWHs it was designed to consume. Regulating the supply means energy is


consumed at the optimal level a machine needs to function – reducing your carbon


footprint as well as reining in energy costs. Assets are also protected from potentially damaging overheating and excess vibration, extending their lifespan and helping to ensure only routine maintenance is required. It should be stressed that the inductive


nature of any loads has no bearing on the effectiveness of VOs to bring about savings, and they also work effectively alongside power factory correction. To establish whether your plant would


benefit from a voltage optimiser, an energy survey should be conducted by a qualified provider. This involves measuring the amount of


voltage going into your factory and calculating whether it will be viable to reduce the level of input, taking into account factors such as voltage drop. Put simply, the closer you are to an electricity substation, the higher the supply is likely to be; the further away, the longer the supply cable, and the more the voltage will progressively reduce over distance. A VO such as GWE’s Eco-Max can optimise


the voltage to a single piece of equipment, localised area or an entire building, with fixed or variable outputs and optional power factor correction. Projected energy savings can be


accurately calculated on the reduction in KWHs consumed. Maintenance and repair savings will differ according to an individual plant, but Ofgem estimates that a 10% reduction in maintenance costs can be achieved when voltage is optimised.


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