CBI-electric assists Customers with Auto Load Shedding
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CBI-electric has, for a number of years, developed products that contribute substantially towards the efficient use of electrical energy. Products such as energy management devices and automatic load shedding devices, now have renewed significance as they have been developed to enable end-users of electricity to themselves manage their own power usage. Automatic load shedding maintains consumption below maximum demand, thereby saving penalty charges. These devices are suitable for both Residential as well as Industrial use. CBI-electric’s Energy Control Unit (ECU) is a load shedding device used to control the shedding of nonessential loads for a period until able to resupply.
For residential consumers, the ECU can be installed to load shed electrically heated water geysers, underfloor heating, and air-conditioning units during high demand periods such as early evening, when families are preparing dinner. As an example, when a stove is switched on and the current exceeds the rating of the ECU, the supply to the hot water geyser will be temporarily interrupted; and reconnected when the stove current is reduced or the stove is switched off.
Kevin Flack, CBI-electric, Product Manager states, “Clearly the main task of load shedding products is to control peak demand – they do not necessarily save energy, but they can reduce maximum demand effectively and automatically”. Reduction of peak demand can be a significant benefit to industrial installations. With the escalating cost of electricity, profit margins are continuously being reduced. The installation of the CBI-electric ECU can reduce maximum demand levels by controlling the operational times of non-critical processes. By sensing load current the unit can disconnect non-critical processes. Once the load current is reduced the non-critical processes are reconnected.
For electricity supply utilities the ECU provides significant advantages in optimising the utilisation of installed cables and other equipment. The ECU achieves the function of Maximum Demand Control without resulting in the loss of energy sold. The energy used by the non-essential loads is automatically shifted to off-peak periods.
The ECU is compact in size, operation is silent and the controlling circuit can carry 60 A continuously. The ECU provides convenient mounting by clipping onto a mini-rail. It has LED indication when the controlled circuit is interrupted and reconnected with instantaneous interruption of the controlled load at a nominal 105% of rated current. There is instantaneous reconnection of the controlled load at a nominal 65% of rated current with the operating point unaffected by ambient temperature.
