Learn about voltage power optimisation via this expert overview by the industry respected Deane Gudsell.

1. Voltage Stabilisation & Optimisation
THE FACTS

2. OVERVIEW
• Who are we?
• What is Voltage Optimisation?
• What equipment does it work on and how well?
• Historic results
• Voltage Balance
• Types of VO
• Questions…

3. • 20 years as a power supply engineer and senior manager in NSW
electricity industry (now called Ausgrid)
• 20 years in the energy efficiency industry developing many large
energy saving projects in NSW, Qld, Vic and WA
• More than 10 years on the board of the Australasian Energy
Performance Contractors Association (now Energy Efficiency
Council)
• Implemented many successful energy saving Voltage Optimisation
solutions for Supermarkets, Office buildings and Hotels.
DEANE GUDSELL

4. • Specialist Power Quality and Energy Saving solutions provider and
manufacturer.
• Proudly Australian owned and a member of the Ampcontrol Group of
companies. Ampcontrol have been providing electrical engineering
services since 1968 in Australia, New Zealand and overseas.
• Market leader in Power Factor Correction manufacture and supply
for over 30 years
• Introduced the European manufactured Ortea VPO to the range in
2013. Ortea have been supplying VPO and stabilisers world wide for
decades.
CAPTECH

5. CAPTECH REFERENCES
CapTech equipment can be found in all facets of industries such as in supermarkets, Schools & Universities,
Government & Office Buildings, Power Authorities, National and International Manufacturers.

6. WHY SHOULD YOU BE
INTERESTED?
VOLTAGE OPTIMISATION DELIVERS:
• REDUCED electrical energy (kWh) COSTS
• REDUCED maximum demand/penalty (KVA & KW) COSTS
• STABILISE and BALANCES supply voltage (some do)
• PROTECT plant life expectancy
• PROTECT your processes/production (some do)

7. 1. Supply voltage is 240V (415V) and is steady
2. The voltage on each phase of my supply is always balanced
3. Motors are all designed for 240V (415V) supply voltage
4. Reducing voltage below 240V will burn out my electric motor
5. Power Factor Correction is the same as Voltage Optimisation
6. All electrical equipment will use less energy with reduced voltage
7. All VPO’s deliver the same results
All of the above are wrong or at least mostly wrong
MISCONCEPTIONS

8. • VO – Voltage Optimisation
• A reduction and balancing in electricity supply voltage that
achieves a saving in energy consumption (kWh) and a
reduction in maximum demand (KW & KVA).
• Achieved by better matching supply voltage with the design
voltage for your electric motors.
VO DEFINITION

9. • Supply voltage varies over time and with location
• 245 - 247V is the most commonly recorded average supply voltage
• Electricity Supply Voltage standard (AS/NZ60038-2000)
o 230V +10%/-6% (253V-216V phase to neutral)
o 400V +10%/-6% (376-440V phase to phase)
WHY? - SUPPLY VOLTAGE
Neutral
230V
400V
L1
L2
L3

10. 1. Optimisation/reduction of supply voltage will normally reduce energy
consumption of inductive electrical equipment like motors and some
older type lighting
2. Energy consumption reduction varies dependent on
– the average reduction in voltage achieved
– the stability of the reduced voltage
– the phase voltage balance
– type of electrical equipment connected.
3. Motor nameplate voltage rating is most often 220V (380V 3-phase)
VO FACTS

11. • HVAC systems and Refrigeration are the sweet spot for VO
• Saving varies based on motor design voltage & mechanical
load
• VFD’s reduce the level of saving for motors from VO
• Inverter HVAC – no saving from VO
• Electronic Power supplies like LED lighting and IT equipment
like Gaming Machines – no saving
RULE OF THUMB

12. OPTI net
ENERGY SAVING ST@BILISER
VOLTAGE STABILITY

13. SUPERMARKET – 12.3% WHOLE SITE
12.3% energy saving year to year raw data ‐ Dungog IGA

14. SUPERMARKET – 13% WHOLE SITE
13% whole site energy saving regression analysis, taking weather variables into account
Dungog IGA
M&V using IMPVP

15. SUPERMARKET – 14.4% WHOLE SITE
14.4% whole site kWh energy saving and 12.2% reduction in Maximum Demand

16. AQUATIC CENTRE
Results: energy consumption saving – Aquatic centre 17% saving
Regression analysis kWh taking into account temperature and relative humidity pre and post installation
M&V using IMPVP

17. COMMERCIAL OFFICE – 11% SAVING
Results: energy consumption saving – Office Building 11% saving
Before
After

18. ENERGY SAVINGS OPPORTUNITY
Good energy savings

19. ENERGY SAVING OPPORTUNITY
Good energy savings

20. ENERGY SAVING OPPORTUNITY
No saving ….. But no harm by lowering voltage

21. • Name-plate rating for 3 phase motors is commonly 380V (220V) for 50Hz.
• Sometimes is 400V, 415V, & rarely higher
• NEMA stipulate that a motor should operate normally for
• voltage range +/-10% of the nameplate voltage
• Limit of voltage unbalance should be 1%
MOTORS

22. • Very rare name-plate 430V …..but they do exist
• 430 VL-L = 248 VL-N
• Not for Voltage Optimisation
MOTORS – know when to fold em!

23. EFFECT OF VOLTAGE
VARIATION ON MOTORS
Reference – Electric Motors & Voltage – The Cowern Papers
Design voltage

24. EFFECT OF VOLTAGE
VARIATION ON MOTORS
Refrigeration Compressor Motor
Supply voltage
Design voltage 220V

25. • Out of balance voltages can cause significant energy loss (heat) in three phase motors.
• Balanced voltage on each phase separately can save even more energy & improve asset life
VOLTAGE PHASE BALANCE
Supply Voltage
VO Stabiliser
Output
2% Unbalanced voltage

26. • NEMA states that three motors shall operate successfully at rated load
when unbalance voltage does not exceed 1%
• Unbalanced voltages cause phase current unbalance from 6‐10 times the
percentage voltage unbalance for a fully loaded motor.
• Unbalanced voltage of 2.3% can cause up to 300C temperature rise in the
motor.
VOLTAGE UNBALANCE
Characteristic
Average Voltage 230 230 230
Unbalanced Voltage 0.3% 2.3% 5.4%
Unbalanced Current 0.4% 17.7% 40%
Increased Temerature Rise 0 30 C 40 C
Performance
Reference – Unbalanced Voltages and Electric Motors: Causes and Consequences, elongo.com

27. • Winding insulation life is approximately halved for every 100C increase in
winding temperature.
• Motor losses increase 25% with a 4% unbalance voltage
Reference – Unbalanced Voltages and Electric Motors: Causes and Consequences, elongo.com
VOLTAGE UNBALANCE

28. SAVINGS VARY
BY EQUIPMENT TYPE
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Inverter &
VRV HVAC
T5 & LED
electronic
ballast
lighting
Laptop &
Desktop PC
& Flat screen
VSD driven
motors
Pool Pump Fan motor HVAC
packaged
Refrigerator
(domestic)
Commercial
refrigeration
CFL lighting Halogen
lighting
T8 Magnetic
Ballast
lighting
HID lighting
(magnetic
ballast)
Energy Saving
expected from a 10% voltage reduction
low
high

29. SAVING CALCULATION
Voltage reduction and type and mix of electrical equipment is critical to estimating
the potential energy and demand savings
Load type
% of total
load
kWh
usage/year
Benchmark ‐
Saving per
10% volt
reduction
Saving per
actual volt
reduction
Energy
Savings
predicted
kWh/yr
Refrigeration no VSD 10% 195,412 15% 15.7% 30,660
Refrigeration ‐ with VSD 0% ‐ 4% 4.2% ‐
Lighting ‐ Mag Ballast 0% ‐ 18% 18.8% ‐
Lighting ‐ Electronic Ballast 10% 195,412 0% 0.0% ‐
IT and office equipment 10% 195,412 0% 0.0% ‐
Cooking (electric) other 5% 97,706 0% 0.0% ‐
Pumps fans and general motor 0% ‐ 12% 12.6% ‐
HVAC ‐ no inverters or VSD's 55% 1,074,767 12% 12.6% 134,904
HVAC ‐ with VSD's 10% 195,412 4% 4.2% 8,176
Total 100% 1,954,122 8.9% 173,739
ENTER Total annual kWh 1,954,122
Voltage reduction possible 10.46%
Target output voltage 220.0
Average Voltage 245.7

30. CONNECTING VO & PFC
PFC
L
Transformer
Main Switchboard
Circuit Breaker
11kV
LV
CT
IT
LV
220V
VO
247V ?
VO
Mechanical Services

31. TYPES OF VO
Type of VO Outcomes
Step‐down VO • Least energy saved
• Output fluctuates with input volt changes
• None or minimal phase voltage balancing
Automatic VO • Slow adjustments
• More accurate output than Step‐down VO but not
a stable output voltage
• Minimal phase voltage balancing
• More energy saved than step down VO
Automatic VO
Stabiliser
• Fast adjustments <20mS
• Highly accurate and stable output voltage <0.5%
• Accurate phase voltage balancing <1.0%
• Most energy saved

32. 1. Build Quality
2. Proven reliability in hot and humid environments
3. Track record
4. Stability of output voltage based on speed of operation, input range
and accuracy (Fastest and most accurate output the better)
5. Independent phase voltage control (balance)
6. Technical support - Depth, capability and geographic coverage
of supplier in Australia
7. Business strength and longevity of both manufacturer and
supplier in Australia.
VO SUPPLIER
SELECTION CRITERIA

33. VOLTAGE OPTIMISERS
Optinet series by CapTech
• Fast 18 millisecond automatic response time
• Independent phase voltage control
• Highly accurate output voltage +/- 0.5%
• Surge Protection
• Bypass switch
• Input/output display
• Voltage output can be set from 210-255V L-N
• Optional +/-30% voltage range for stable output (Supply input 161V-300V)
• Warranty 15 years on magnetics, 3years on other
• Tens of thousands of units installed worldwide (Europe, UK, Africa, SE Asia, Middle East
and Australia)
OPTI net
ENERGY SAVING ST@BILISER
Supply Output
253V‐220V L‐N
Stable
220V +/‐0.5%

34. Voltage Optimiser
& Stabiliser references
Some Ortea VO Australian and International reference sites:

35. • Save Electrical Energy
• Reduce Electricity Demand/Penalties
• Protect expensive equipment
• Doesn’t work for everything
• Different results by equipment type
• Saving can be predicted.
VOLTAGE OPTIMISATION
& STABILISATION
For more information
Deane Gudsell – www.captech.com.au ph: 0412 687848