Thanks to the progress made in the fields of power electronics, variable frequency drives are now common. By offering high efficiency and good power factor, these drives help operators to save energy.

However, the frequency converters used to regulate them, supply the grid with harmonics, which will impair the power quality. Industrial distribution networks often therefore display high loads with harmonics – under certain circumstances, even the standards for the point of coupling with the public grid are violated.

Impermissible disturbances in power quality can have serious consequences – if a sensitive device, such as an electronic control unit, is damaged by harmonics, this may result in problems extending right up to production failure.

Reactive power, load unbalance and flicker also represent significant power quality challenges. One of the major benefits of the active filter is its speed. It will be of particular importance for flicker compensation because the voltage changes need to be absorbed. If an active filters regulation is only designed for a rapid rise time, overshoots may arise.

The new generation of ACF Active Filters for very exacting demands

Westek Electronics offer the high quality Gridcon ACF Active Filters from industry leader MR.

Gridcon ACF series is designed for high peak currents so that harmonics can always be compensated for with high power.

Active filters can reliably and highly accurately compensate for these disturbances. They take the strain off the grid, extend the service life of devices and increase the safety of industrial systems.

Active filters function as a regulated current source, they compensate for disturbances in the grid by feeding a current of just frequency and amplitude needed.

Active filters ensure clean grids in a whole host of sectors and applications, for example:

• Chemical industry

• Offshore platforms and ships

• Steel plants

• Water treatment and pump stations

• Paper industry

• Oil and gas

• Mining

• Power generation from renewable sources

The Gridcon ACF series offer the level of reliability and safety you would expect – even beyond standard operational voltages and under demanding environmental conditions.

The central operating element of the Gridcon ACF is a touch panel on the front of the cabinet, with a clear menu structure.

The 3-level circuit of the Gridcon ACF is based on twelve IGBTs, whereas the conventional 2-level version simply comprises six. The special circuitry halves the voltage load of the power semiconductors. This will lead to lower losses and higher overvoltage capacity.

The benefits of the Gridcon ACF Series:

• Large area of use and high power

• Fit for future applications

• Maximum operational reliability with high voltages

• Low life cycle costs

• Ease of service and operation

For more information about the Gridcon ACF active filters from MR, please contact us through our online contact form.

The post Gridcon ACF Active Filters from MR – More Power, More Value first appeared on Westek Electronics.

Sorensen has become a clear global leader in the design and manufacture of precision, programmable power supplies for R&D, test and measurement, process control, power bus simulation and power conditioning applications across diverse industrial segments.

High quality DC Power Supply is what separates them from their competitors. Westek offer both bench top and rack mount power supplies from Sorensen. Over the years the importance of having high quality power supply has increased. Unfortunately, there are unreliable equipment on the market.
Unwanted electronic interference, such as noise, can be the result of investing in low quality power supplies. It’s a significant specification to consider, because noise can have a negative effect on sensitive instrumentation. If the noise is very high, small signals can be overwhelmed or the life of the hardware can be shortened.

Luckily, noise can be as good as eliminated with high quality power supply.

Westek Electronics offers an extensive range of low noise DC Power equipment. The XLP Series Compact Bench Top DC Power Supplies from Sorensen, is a low power and low cost 30W to 125W DC linear power supplies. It’s available in dual or triple output configuration.

Another one of Sorensen high quality, very low noise equipment is the XDL Series Digitally controlles 215W DC Linear Power Supplies. The XDL series also has other great benefits, like very high precision and excellent dynamics. To enquire about our wide range of Sorensen DC Power Supplies, please contact us through our enquiry form.

The post Low noise DC Power Supplies first appeared on Westek Electronics.

The significance of harmonics in the modern distribution grids has increased vastly over the years. As a result, compensation systems and filters need to perform at higher standards.

In an electrical power system, a load with low power factor will draw more current than a load with a high power factor. The higher currents increase the energy loss in the distribution system.

As the focus is on increasing the efficiency of the energy supply, the GRIDCON PFC product range is used in the distribution grid. The passive systems for reactive power compensation and filtering harmonics can cut transmission losses and therefore energy costs.

Individual assemblies form the basis of MR’s passive systems. They make up the platform for the systems’ modular structure, which provides various benefits, including simplification of service work and subsequent expansion of modification. Since assemblies use common carriers, various technologies can be combined in one cabinet, making highly economical solution possible.

The GRIDCON PFC Systems offered by Westek

GRIDCON thyristor switched PFC equipment is used to compensate the reactive power in three-phase power supply systems with frequent fast load changes. By switching in the current’s zero point, the thyristor-controlled systems have virtually no wear. This preserves the capacitor and reduces system perturbation. GRIDCON thyristor switched PFC systems are available with 7% or 14% detuning reactors for additional harmonic mitigation of the power supply system.

Westek also offer the GRIDCON Automatic PFC equipment, used to compensate the reactive power in three-phase power supply systems. These systems allow the automatic switching of different capacitor banks, thus following the variations of the absorbed reactive power and keeping the power factor of the installation constant. Automatic PFC systems are available with 7% or 14% detuning reactors for additional harmonic mitigation of the power supply systems.

Some of the GRIDCON PFC benefits:

• The system’s modular concept simplifies subsequent assembly expansion or modification

• Complete systems in freestanding cabinet design with various cooling concept

• Maximum operational reliability

• Passive filters with multi-stage protection concept and early detection of faults

• Modular assembly concept makes demand-driven investments possible and reduces installation and service costs

High-quality and low-loss components as well as careful project planning ensure a long service life

For more information about the GRIDCON PFC product range from MR, please contact us through our online contact form.

The post GRIDCON PFC – Actively Cut Power Costs with Passive Systems first appeared on Westek Electronics.

One of the main benefits of the Compact i/iX Series is capability of handling complex applications that have traditionally required multiple systems.

Manufacturers of electronic equipment and appliances are increasingly required to fully evaluate and test their products over a wide range of input line conditions. The built-in output transient generation and read back measurement capability offers the convenience of an easy to use and integrated test system.

The sleek integrated approach of the Compact i/iX Series avoids cable clutter, which is commonly found in test systems. All connections are made internally and the need for digital multimeters, power harmonics analysers and current shunts or clamps, is eliminated. Since many components in the Compact i/iX Series are shared between the AC/DC source and the power analyser, the total cost of the integrated system is less than the typical cost of a multiple unit system.

For less demanding applications, the Compact i/iX Series provides similar output and transient capabilities as the Compact iX Series, as well as basic power measurements.

With precise output regulation and accuracy, the compact i/iX series AC and DC sources address many application areas for AC and DC power testing. The i/iX also provides a high load current capability, multi or single phase output modes, and built-in power analyser measurements. Additional features including line distortion simulation (LDS) and arbitrary waveform generation address requirements for product quality and regulatory compliance testing.

Some of the features the California Instruments Compact i/iX Series offers:

• 750 VA to 2250 VA of AC Output Power

• Combines AC/DC source and power analyser

• Harmonic analysis of Voltage and Current

• AC, DC and AC+DC Output Modes

• Multiple Chassis Configurations

• Powerful output transient generation

• High Crest Factor Capability

• Arbitrary & harmonic waveform generation

• Single and Three Phase models available

California Instrument AC power sources are used in R&D, test and measurement, avionics testing, inverter testing, arbitrary waveform generation, bulk power and power conditioning applications across a wide variety of industrial segments. California Instruments’ main product line is comprise of AC programmable power sources, AC power supplies, AC power sources and AC compliance testing ranging from 800VA to 480kVA. The voltage ranges from 0V to 600V and the current ranges from 0A to 1,500A.

To know more about the California Instruments Compact i/iX Series, please enquire through our online contact form.

The post Precision Programmable AC Power Source From California Instrument first appeared on Westek Electronics.