Electricity + Control January 2017

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Reducing Energy Consumption in Big Business and Industry

Heather McEwan, Rhino Lighting

South African case studies showhow voltage optimisation systems are necessary for reducing energy consumption…and significantly increasing savings in big businesses such as Pick n Pay and Pretoria’s Manhatten Hotel.

A new deal between South African energy efficiency specialists, Rhino Lighting and Powerstar SA, has signalled the rollout of a globally-patented Powerstar (referred to in this article as the company) range of voltage optimisation systems, which is aimed at reducing the energy consumption of big businesses and industry. Manufactured at the company’s international headquarters in Sheffield in the United Kingdom, the solutions being rolled out are designed to deliver significant, guaranteed energy savings. The range being rolled out nationally includes the latest innovation, Virtue – an energy storage system that can be integrated with any of the com- pany’s Max or HV Max voltage optimisation systems. The range is unique in that it was designed to ensure that savings can be achieved, regardless of the type of energy load it is connected to. Savings can also be achieved on LEDs or VSD drives that have been installed to improve energy efficiency. The patented designed voltage optimisation system returns the excess voltage in terms of negative power (back EMF) which is subtracted from the grid input power. Up to 80% of the total savings come from the negative power feedback (back EMF) while 20 to 30% comes from the improvement in equipment efficiencies.

A voltage optimisation systemwas installed at the hotel to reduce the incoming voltage by 8%, bringing it in line with the 220/230 V required by most electrical appliances. In addition, as a true voltage optimisation system, the incoming power supply was cleaned and conditioned, providing suppression of harmonics and transients along with improving the power factor, therefore contributing to improve- ment in power quality. Following the installation of the voltage optimisation system, an average of 30% less downtime due to poor power supplywas recorded.

Case studies 2 and 3

2 Pick n Pay, Port Alfred • Guaranteed kW savings: 7,2% • Annual kWh savings: 7,8% • Annual kWA savings: 10% 3 Pick n Pay, Grahamstown • Guaranteed kW savings: 7,3% • Annual kWh savings: 8,7% • Annual kWA savings: 8,8%

Case study 1 • Guaranteed kW savings: 10,41% • Annual kWh savings: 20,71% • Annual kWA savings: 32,71%

Pick n Pay seeks to promote sustainable practices in every aspect of the business. The challenge for the two stores was to further lower their energy consumption, despite both incorporating various renew- able energy generation solutions. Both stores operate seven days weekly and could not afford any downtime. With average voltages of 238,5 V at the Port Alfred store and 234,4 V at the Grahamstown store, both suffered from excess voltage supply which was in turn causing high levels of energy consumption and increasing wear on electrical equipment. Through the installation of the voltage optimisation technology described in this article, issues

Manhatten Hotel is a three-star New York themed hotel with a spa and; it is situated 250 m from the Pretoria Gautrain Station. The chal- lenge for the hotel lay in the high level of incoming voltage to the hotel, which negatively impacted the lifespan of electromagnetic or induction motors and compressors in the hotel. The excessive volt- age power quality was a cause for unplanned downtime, affecting productivity.

Electricity+Control January ‘17

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