Power
What to know about modular power distribution for industrial environments
By Doug Moore, senior product manager at Starline, a brand of Legrand P
ower is at the centre of operations in most markets today, but for industrial applications, power is the lifeblood for every aspect of operations. This means that understanding power distribution and reliability is critical.
Power must be distributed throughout industrial facilities to reach the equipment that’s being operated, but one additional consideration is future-proofing facilities and making floor plan changes or expansions quick and easy.
Meet modular power distribution Modular power distribution is an ideal solution, enabling facilities to make changes, grow and scale while still operating at a high level. For many years, systems such as track busways have been the innovative and reliable method of power distribution in industrial facilities, or wherever flexibility in power distribution is needed. Busway system layouts can be easily customized and feature overhead, wall-mount, and rack-mounting options. This cuts down on installation time and labour as opposed to legacy systems such as pipe and wire and busduct, which once installed are all but locked into place. What makes up track busways? Let’s dig a bit deeper into their components. Track busways, like the Starline Series-S, consist of straight sections with open channels that deliver power to assembly lines, equipment, workstations, or wherever it is needed. Track busway components also include elbows to join two straight sections in horizontal 90-degree turns and tees to join three straight sections along with power feed units placed at the beginning of the busway run that supplies power from the panel or other power source through the track busway. The final system component is the plug-in unit which integrates circuit breakers and electrical outlets for use within the facility. Plug-in units have an upper paddle inserted into the busway and locked into place. Plug-in units can be installed without tools and have a variety of custom features such
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as the number and types of outlets as well as specific ratings of circuit breakers. Busway can be quickly configured and reconfigured depending on what equipment needs to come on or offline or moved to another area. This makes track busways an optimal solution where limited floor space exists, or existing electrical and HVAC systems get in the way. Another strength lies in a track busway’s scalability for expansion for additional power loads. An optimal track busway should come in various sizes to support a range of operations, from 40 to 1,250 amps with 3-phase systems rated up to 600Vac or 600Vdc. Successful installations in data centres and industrial applications have demonstrated the busway’s superiority for meeting higher power requirements, all while maintaining the reliability and flexibility needed to make adjustments as demands change.
IP54 and ratings of importance for industrial power
Not all track busway systems can be installed in all industrial applications. For example, in nut processing facilities, dust intrusion is a concern, and in any facility with a sprinkler system, the busway must be able to stand up to water from the sprinklers if they were to
be set off. Additionally, indoor agriculture, automotive manufacturing, and even partially outdoor applications (such as EV charging in car parks or garages) subject busways to water splashing, dust or mist.
Various applications require different ingress-protection (or IP) ratings for components that will be installed in them. IP54 and IP44 are two of the most common rating requirements in industrial applications that should be considered when specifying a track busway solution. IP44 Rating: This rating signifies that a product or component has been independently tested and certified to withstand water splashes from all directions with very limited ingress as well as protection from the ingress of solids greater than 1 millimetre. IP54 Rating: This rating signifies that a product or component has been independently tested and certified to withstand water splashes from all directions with very limited ingress as well as protection from dust with very limited ingress.
Both ratings provide peace of mind that any liquid or dust intrusion is so limited that it will not affect the operation of the components or the overall flow of power throughout the facility. An IP54-rated product is suitable for
use in environments with either requirement and can provide additional reliability on dust- resistance in an environment that may only require IP44. Testing for both ratings adheres to standards set by NEMA and IEC. Sealing at the component level was critical to the product design for the Starline Series-S track busway to create the resistance to water and dust intrusion. This also makes the busway corrosion resistant, prolonging the life of the system and protecting power distribution throughout the facility.
Power distribution made easy The added IP54 rating for track busways increases the flexibility, customisation and cost savings for power distribution in a range of facilities. A reliable power distribution system is essential to any manufacturing or industrial facility. Wherever flexible power is needed, from the data centre to the manufacturing facility, Starline Track Busway has been there with the highest quality materials and design, unrivalled flexibility, and customisable plug-in units.
https://www.legrand.us/data-power-and- control
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