Universal power cell offers motor load control benefits
The ‘Universal’ Power Cell range manufactured by Load Controls Inc (USA) has been designed specifically for precision process monitoring and control and is ideal where variable frequency drives are fitted.
The product is designed to cope with the most difficult of motor load sensing tasks when other power sensors and motor load controls are unable to function reliably. The control of many process machines such as grinders, mills, mixers, rollers, pumps, compressors, conveyers may be improved by sensing true power instead of just current.
There are various models allowing the product to be used in a large number of industries, in fact anywhere that electric motors are used such as the food industry, pharmaceutical, chemical, gas, oil, water treatment, building industries, machine tools and many more. Applications include mixture viscosity, tool condition, optimum feed rate, pump or fan flow, beginning or end of processes, detecting obstructions and overloads or loss of load (prime).
The Universal Power Cell Series includes the original standard UPC with analog outputs but also the UPC-FR (Fast Response) for machine tool or fast applications as well as the UPC-E (Ethernet) which has an Ethernet Connection and an analog output. In addition the UPC-LB is suitable for applications where large cable holes are required.
The standard UPC is suited to mixer ‘process endpoint detection’ where by measuring the power drawn by stirrer or paddle drives, the Power Cell is sensitive enough to detect minute viscosity changes on machines ranging from laboratory sizes to large production machines. Power changes may be used to indicate the start or end of a cycle, viscosity end-point or overload.
In combination with associated KWH3 energy meter and DM100 load meter, the UPC-KWH is suitable for many applications such as batch mixing, where the sensor accumulates the total power absorbed in the mixing process for consistent production batches. Examples of this are processes such as the mixing of rubber, dough and clay which all respond to energy control.
The UPC is suitable for any 3 phase, single phase AC or DC motors. The UPC uses fast Hall Effect devices and does not use CT’s (current transformers) or external VT’s (voltage transformers) where power measurement errors may occur.
More information about the Universal Power Cell Series at
www.vydas.co.uk/prod00.htm