- August 7, 2021
- Posted by: Dyaneshwar Nirmale
- Category: Digital Meters
Monitoring power quality with energy efficiency for safe and reliable electrical networks.
Measurement of power consumption is key to saving power, and related costs. However, as the use of electronics rises, measuring energy efficiency is not enough. Electronic devices are quite sensitive to the quality of power they receive. Issues such as voltage sags and surges, harmonics, or transient currents could lead them to malfunction or fail prematurely. Power quality must be closely monitored to detect and avoid these issues.
Power quality does not have a single score. Rather, a number of power parameters are measured individually and then analyzed to obtain the overall power quality picture. These parameters include transient currents and voltages, frequency variations, harmonic distortions, voltage sags, and swells, and power factors.
Why is it important to measure power quality?
Power quality monitoring has a far-reaching impact on energy management. Power quality issues typically crop up when increasingly sensitive electronic devices are connected to ageing electrical wiring, or when there are faults in grounding. For instance, computers themselves generate the harmonics that damage them. With efficient power quality monitoring, such issues can be detected and redressed in the early stages at a low cost.
Power quality should be considered at every stage in the electrical system.
Design and installation: Installing an electrical distribution system in confirmation with the standards comprise around 1% to 2% of the cost of construction. However, if average electrical wiring is installed. retrofitting the system to address PQ issues that crop up later will cost you much higher. Hence, PQ should be considered at the initial design stage itself.
Predictive maintenance: Predictive maintenance using power quality data is focused on measuring and analysing a small set of key indicators that can predict the failure of critical loads. Devices such as motors, generators, pumps etc should be monitored under a predive maintenance program. Voltage and current are important PQ parameters to monitor with respect to these devices. Current measurements can help note the changes in the load parameters. These parameters can be analysed and limits can be set to trigger corrective action.
How MFM meter can help in power quality monitoring!
Most power quality events tend to be brief, and serious PQ incidents are rare. While covering critical and sensitive network areas with PQ analyzers is a good idea, installing them across the entire facility may not be economical. In such cases. digital meters that can measure certain factors related to power quality can help in the early detection of any signs of PQ issues.
A multifunction meter is capable of monitoring a number of power quality parameters. This includes the quality of current, voltage, power factor, as well as harmonics among others. Thus, using multifunction meters helps consumers quickly identify and redress a number of power quality issues
Changes in key parameters of critical loads can be monitored and recorded quickly effortlessly. These can then be transferred to a computer system to be analysed by software to arrive at corrective action.
Newtek provides a range of multifunction meters and VAF meters that can measure many critical power quality parameters. This makes power quality assessment easy and affordable for power consumers.
Benefits of PQ monitoring features in multifunction meters and VAF meters
- Multifunction meters can provide accurate measurement of key PQ parameters at low cost.
- Key PQ parameters such as voltage, harmonic distortion, and current can be recorded quickly and easily using multifunction meters
- Multifunction meters help monitor the system continuously over a long period of time, enabling the user to gain a wealth of data, which offers insights into the health of the system.
- The data can be transferred to a computer system and used for preventive maintenance or for fault analysis in the even of a breakdown
- Multifunction meters designed to measure PQ parameters work efficiently under critical electrical environments.
Measuring the PQ parameters with Newtek meters.
Using the MODBUS communication system, data can be transferred from Newtek digital meter to your computer or laptop for further analysis. A communication LED for MODBUS can be added on the front panel of Newtek meters to monitor the status of MODBUS communication.
Explore the advantages of Newtek multifunction meters in our blog here
To deliver on both safety as well as performance fronts, Newtek meters are tested in line with standards IEC 61010, IEC 61326 and IEC 60529. To make your power quality monitoring easy, efficient, and cost-effective, write to us at sales@newtekelectricals.com
To explore the entire range of Newtek meters, download brochure