Voltage Optimisation
What is Voltage Optimisation (VO)?
Voltage optimisation is a term commonly used to describe the control of voltage to an optimal level for installed equipment resulting in electricity cost savings and a reduction in carbon emissions, with the additional benefit of equipment protection.
Graphical representation of Voltage Optimisation
How does VO work?
Electricity savings are achieved by reducing losses in the equipment being supplied, and vary according to the type of equipment. There are two factors which determine cost and carbon savings: voltage levels and the amount of applicable load for any given site.
Voltage levels Voltage delivered in the UK is nominally 240v but can range from 207-253v, with the average being 242v. Since, for the vast majority of electrical equipment the optimal voltage is 220v, a full 22v more electricity is delivered than is required by equipment in your facility. The excess is wasted; lost mostly as heat and sound energy. For an average applicable load useful savings can be made at 235v and above – 94% of UK businesses receive an average of 235v and above.
Illustration of UK Voltage Optimisation opportunity
Applicable load VO savings are not applicable to all electrical loads and will vary according to equipment types. The asset mix in your facility will define how much VO applicable load you have.
Voltage and applicable load - savings matrix
How is EcoAdapt VO technology different?
The vast majority of VO equipment sold to date has been fixed ratio step-down transformers. While these devices are simpler in construction than EcoAdapt Sensing Technology™ and are therefore less expensive to manufacture, they will not achieve the same levels of energy savings. This is because the step-down ratio needs to be set to allow for variation in the supply voltage so as not to reduce the voltage on the site below a minimum acceptable level, and the voltage can therefore not be reduced to the optimum level at all times. In addition, unlike EcoAdapt Sensing Technology™ units, a fixed ratio transformer cannot correct imbalanced phase voltages.
Sensing Technology™ versus Fixed Ratio unit
The heart of our Sensing Technology™ is a phase specific kevlar-impregnated roller contact head with a tested mean time to failure of 450,000 movements representing 15 years of correcting voltage variance. What does that mean for your business? Greater cost and carbon savings and enhanced equipment protection!
Sending Technology™ - phase specific kevlar-impregnated roller contact head
