Blog Post | 28.08.2023 | 4 min read | Aghnes Greuter
For electricity to reach consumers efficiently, we must assess the network’s power quality, a fundamental aspect that ensures a smooth and efficient power supply.
We expect quality in every aspect of our lives, from the clothes we wear and the food we eat to the cars we drive. High-quality experiences enrich our lives and make everything more enjoyable. So why settle for less when it comes to something as crucial as our power supply?
Oftentimes, we expect electricity to always be available and efficient at any time or anywhere we go, but in reality, that is not always the case. For electricity to reach consumers efficiently, we must assess the network’s power quality, a fundamental aspect that ensures a smooth and efficient power supply.
Running a system on poor power quality is a bit like trying to listen to your favorite song on a muffled speaker or watching your favorite movie on a blurry screen. You can still make out the tune or the picture, but it is not nearly as enjoyable as it could be. And poor power quality can do more than just ruin the experience - it can cause flickering lights, damage to electrical equipment, and lead to higher energy bills. In extreme cases, poor power quality can even pose a safety risk, leading to unfortunate accidents. These consequences are particularly important to consider in industries like food processing, where power quality issues could lead to large food waste, or healthcare, where the sudden unavailability of medical equipment can cost lives.
For these reasons, it is essential to take steps to improve power quality wherever possible. By embracing technological innovation, we can ensure that our power supply is as clean, stable, and safe as possible.
Pioneering filter technology
Power quality solutions have evolved over time, moving from traditional passive filters to a more advanced active filter technology.
Passive filter technology has been around for many years and is still used in many applications today. This technology works by using passive components, such as capacitors and inductors, to filter out unwanted harmonics and other forms of electrical noise. Passive filtering can be both effective and economical. However, its ability to cancel out harmonics except for specific pre-set frequencies is limited and can be impacted by changes in operating conditions.
On the other hand, active filter technology represents a more recent development in power quality solutions. Active filter technology has been around since the 1990s, with the first commercial product pioneered by Hitachi Energy (formerly ABB), in 1996. Active filters use electronics to actively cancel out harmonics and other forms of electrical noise, ensuring a cleaner, more stable, and safer power supply.
Introducing PQactiF
By leveraging digital advancements, Hitachi Energy’s active filters now use sophisticated algorithms to analyze and eliminate electrical disturbances, leading to even greater accuracy and efficiency in power quality management.
PQactiF is Hitachi Energy's premier solution for modern power networks, addressing issues such as harmonics, low power factor, and load imbalance. This modular, compact, and flexible solution is designed to protect critical residential, commercial, and industrial applications. PQactiF offers active harmonic filtering, reactive power compensation, load balancing, and enhanced communication capabilities, making it the one-stop solution for power quality management.
With a wide range of ratings and a modular design, PQactiF is suitable for a multitude of applications and allows for flexible installation and integration. Additionally, its energy-efficient design ensures significant cost savings while optimizing the performance of electrical systems.
For added convenience, PQactiF is equipped with Wi-Fi-based monitoring and control access, and can also be fitted with a user-friendly graphical interface.
Get ready for the future
From automated factories, Wi-Fi-enabled refrigerators to intelligent HVAC systems, we are scaling up investments in high-tech equipment at all levels of our life. But we must not overlook the foundation on which it all runs — our power supply.
The more futuristic new gadgets get introduced, the more they could be at risk of malfunctioning or even breaking down due to poor power quality. Without a clean, stable, and safe power supply, we can never achieve the efficiency and productivity improvements that we aim for.
Hitachi Energy's state-of-the-art power quality solutions, such as PQactiF, are paving the way for the groundbreaking technologies that are changing our lives. Their behind-the-scenes work helps drive progress forward, enabling us to achieve technological breakthroughs for the future. All this can start today if and only we build excellent power quality for such technologies to run on. As with anything in life, let’s not settle for less – quality power enables quality living!
