Allen-Bradley Dynamic Sag Correctors (DySC®) from Rockwell Automation are unique and exclusive industrial power quality solutions that protect against voltage sags and momentary outages that account for a significant amount of manufacturing downtime and damaged equipment. They do the job with no batteries, no moving parts and virtually no maintenance, making them ideal for critical manufacturing processes and sensitive electronics that require sag ride-through protection for up to 5 seconds. And the DySC is so efficient that it virtually pays for itself in energy savings alone when compared to other power quality technologies to maximize facility uptime.
Benefits of using a DySC® Voltage Sag Protector
The Allen-Bradley DySC® Voltage Sag Protector is designed to mitigate the effects of voltage sags, which are brief reductions in voltage that can cause disruptions and damage to sensitive electronic equipment. Here are the primary uses and benefits of the DySC® Voltage Sag Protector:
1. Protection for Sensitive Equipment
- It safeguards critical equipment such as computers, industrial controllers, medical devices, and other sensitive electronics from voltage sags, ensuring continuous operation and preventing damage.
2. Minimizing Downtime
- By preventing equipment malfunctions and failures caused by voltage sags, the DySC® helps minimize downtime in industrial and commercial operations, leading to increased productivity and efficiency.
3. Improving Product Quality
- Voltage sags can cause errors in production processes, leading to defects and reduced product quality. The DySC® helps maintain consistent voltage levels, ensuring high-quality production.
4. Cost Savings
- Preventing disruptions and equipment damage reduces maintenance costs and the need for costly repairs or replacements, leading to overall cost savings for businesses.
5. Enhancing System Reliability
- The DySC® improves the reliability and stability of electrical systems, providing a stable power supply that supports the smooth operation of critical processes and systems.
6. Supporting Regulatory Compliance
- For industries where power quality is regulated, the DySC® helps ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations by maintaining stable voltage levels.
The Allen-Bradley DySC® Voltage Sag Protector is particularly valuable in environments where maintaining a stable power supply is crucial for operational continuity, such as manufacturing plants, data centers, hospitals, and other facilities with sensitive electronic equipment.
Solving Power Quality Problems
The most effective power quality solutions are often specific to the particular site and the processes involved. Many issues related to power quality phenomena are challenging to address with standard, off-the-shelf solutions, except in cases where the load is minimal and largely independent of other process equipment. However, most real-world issues involve a variety of interconnected equipment that collectively form a process.
When implementing a solution, it is crucial to identify not only the appropriate technology but also its application point, size, and the specific portions of the overall process it should protect. Sometimes, determining what needs protection can be a complex task in itself.
The financial goal in addressing power quality problems is to achieve a satisfactory return on investment or meet specific payback criteria, making the initial cost of the chosen products a critical factor. The initial cost is influenced by the electrical size or rating of the solution. While there are economies of scale even in power quality improvement equipment, the cost increases linearly once the size of the loads to be protected becomes significant.
Figure 4-1 illustrates the trade-off involved in finding the best solution for a power quality problem. The simplest solutions involve protecting large groups of loads, but these can be expensive. Therefore, an optimal solution must be found between thorough investigations and applying conventional solutions for groups of loads.
(SP PowerGrid Limited, 2015)
Figure 4-1 Power quality mitigation options (SP PowerGrid Limited, 2015)
Note: The devices depicted herein are representative of devices commercially available today for various applications where voltage dip ride-through is desired. This is not an all-inclusive listing, but an illustration of the commercially available devices in the range. No endorsement of any of the devices is intended or implied.
Option 1: Incoming Supply Intake
At the supply intake level shown in Figure 4-1, power quality mitigation solutions, such as medium-voltage UPS and DVRs, can protect the entire plant. However, medium-voltage devices are expensive due to the high component costs, including switchgear and transformers. This approach often leads to overprotection, safeguarding both sensitive and non-sensitive loads. Another major consideration is the large footprint required for these devices. Nonetheless, the solution is straightforward—a single connection point. However, it only protects against dips originating from the supply network and not those occurring within the plant.
Option 2: Distribution Panel Level
At the main distribution panel level, large UPS systems and MegaDySc devices are examples of low-voltage solutions that can mitigate power quality issues.
Option 3: Equipment Supply Level
At the equipment supply level or sub-distribution board, medium-sized UPS systems, ProDySc, and Voltage Dip Compensator (VDC) are among the available solutions for mitigating voltage issues.
Option 4: Equipment Control Level
Protection at the equipment control level requires significant engineering effort. Access to the equipment’s engineering drawings and advice from equipment manufacturers is often necessary to achieve the best solution for voltage-sensitive equipment. Solutions at this level include MiniDySc, Dip Proofing Inverter (DPI), Momentary Line-Drop Protector (MLP), Constant Voltage Transformer (CVT), and Coil Lock.
Option 5: Equipment Specifications
Power quality solutions can also be integrated into equipment during the procurement stage. Customers can specify that the equipment must meet certain ride-through performance standards, such as SEMI F47. This approach shifts some responsibility to the vendors and OEMs, relieving customers from having to upgrade plant power quality to meet equipment requirements post-installation. Specifying equipment immunity to power quality variations upfront alerts manufacturers to the importance of this issue and encourages them to develop options with improved immunity characteristics for facility designers to consider.
(SP PowerGrid Limited, 2015)
Source: SP PowerGrid Limited. (2015). Collaborating Towards Power Quality. https://www.spgroup.com.sg/dam/jcr:503ba0b8-b2c7-4b4e-a662-f1d10e768b20/Collaborating%20Towards%20Power%20Quality.pdf
Products Worth Exploring
Use Case Examples of Allen-Bradley DySC® Voltage Sag Protector in Manufacturing, Healthcare, Data Centers, and More
The Allen-Bradley DySC® Voltage Sag Protector can be used in various scenarios where maintaining power quality is critical. Here are some use-case examples:
Manufacturing Plants
Automated Assembly Lines: Protects programmable logic controllers (PLCs), sensors, and robotics from voltage sags that can cause production stops, ensuring continuous and efficient operation.
CNC Machinery: Ensures consistent performance of computer numerical control (CNC) machines, preventing disruptions that can lead to defects or rework.
Data Centers
Server Protection: Safeguards servers and networking equipment from voltage sags, maintaining uptime and preventing data loss or corruption.
Storage Systems: Ensures reliable operation of data storage systems, critical for businesses that rely on uninterrupted access to data.
Healthcare Facilities
Medical Imaging Equipment: Protects sensitive medical devices such as MRI machines, CT scanners, and X-ray equipment from power disturbances, ensuring accurate diagnostics and patient safety.
Life Support Systems: Maintains stable power for life support and critical care equipment, essential for patient health and safety.
Pharmaceutical Production
Process Control Systems: Ensures stable operation of process control systems in pharmaceutical manufacturing, preventing batch failures and ensuring product quality.
Packaging Lines: Protects automated packaging machinery from voltage sags, maintaining consistent and reliable packaging operations.
Semiconductor Manufacturing
Wafer Processing Equipment: Ensures stable power for wafer processing tools, preventing defects and yield loss due to voltage sags.
Cleanroom Environments: Maintains stable power for critical cleanroom equipment, essential for maintaining contamination-free environments.
Food and Beverage Industry
Bottling and Packaging Lines: Protects bottling and packaging equipment from power disturbances, ensuring consistent and efficient operations.
Refrigeration Systems: Maintains stable power for refrigeration and cooling systems, critical for food safety and quality.
Telecommunications
Base Stations and Switches: Ensures reliable power for telecommunications equipment, maintaining network uptime and quality of service.
Data Transmission Equipment: Protects data transmission hardware from voltage sags, ensuring continuous and reliable communication.
Commercial Buildings
HVAC Systems: Protects heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems from power disturbances, ensuring consistent climate control and energy efficiency.
Lighting Systems: Maintains stable power for lighting systems, preventing flicker and ensuring consistent illumination.
Financial Institutions
ATMs and Banking Systems: Protects ATMs and other banking equipment from voltage sags, ensuring continuous operation and customer service.
Trading Floors: Maintains stable power for trading systems and workstations, essential for real-time financial transactions.
These examples illustrate how the DySC® Voltage Sag Protector can be crucial in various sectors to ensure operational continuity, protect sensitive equipment, and maintain high standards of quality and reliability.
Introducing the DySC® Voltage Sag Protector
Interested to find out more about Allen-Bradley DySC® Voltage Sag Protector? Feel free to contact us!