Voltage optimisation technology? any experience? thoughts?

[Smudge]

I'm not siding with the claims, or 100% against them, just looking for a decent debate on it. Their gaurantee was if the target saving was not met, then they would give us the cash difference on the FIRST year. There would have to be a lot more room for negotiation on that for starters.


playing devils advocate here...but here is an extract from the reply email i just got.


Hi Martin,

I have included some info on motors and a couple of other pdf’s that you may find interesting.

3phase is no different than single phase ... the principles are exactly the same.

For motors the key points are as follows
· We take the motor to the voltage at which it was designed to operate
· Lightly loaded motors can off significant savings
· VSD driven motors can still yield significant savings ... especially if the inverter frequency is >45Hz and the motor itself is lightly loaded
· The speed of a motor is NOT compromised AS LONG AS the voltage is not taken below it’s designed level
· Torque is not reduced ...
· IF a motor was taken to way below its designed operating voltage e.g. 209V ... then slip could increase significantly = reduced speed.
· Reducing losses in a motor should in no way be confused with the task the motor has to perform. E.g. an 11kW motor running DOL, supplied at 415Vand driving a pump to move water from A to B might reasonably consume 7kW. Reducing the voltage to the motor to 380V might reduce the motor consumption to 6kW ... but it will drive the pump at the same speed ... and water will still be pumped from A to be exactly as before.

Hope that helps!?

 

[Smudge]

Do you have your own dedicated transformers?

If you do, try dropping the tap changer to -2.5% and see what happens. Remember this can only be done with the transformer isolated!

We don't own the transformer, Scottish Power do. I find all this quite interesting, and obviously 'in theory' it sounds a great deal, but it's good hearing others experiences.

 

[UNG]

I'm not siding with the claims, or 100% against them, just looking for a decent debate on it.

If you do a search of this forum this subject has been debated numerous times before

Their gaurantee was if the target saving was not met, then they would give us the cash difference on the FIRST year. There would have to be a lot more room for negotiation on that for starters.

So your company is not going to change it's electricity usage year on year not sure how you are going to prove you have not made the savings or they can prove you have so the guarantee leaves it a bit open just because the bills may come down you may not have been using the equipment as much as you did the previous year

There has to my knowledge been no like for like, before and after trials done with these units that show beyond reasonable doubt that they deliver what they claim

 

[Knobhead]

Talk to SP, ask them if they’ll drop the supply voltage on one transformer. They’ll charge you, but it will be cheaper than buying the box of snake oil.

If it works out, leave it at the lower setting and you’ve saved a fortune in capital expense.


Trev! Where do I shift these cases of snake oil?

 

[trev]

There's some VO units on ebay for about £130 so we could try there Tony.

 

[Knobhead]

With a pump to move the same amount of water it will use the same shaft power. A 7KV will still use 7KW. They couldn’t have picked a worse example.