Overview; Cause Of Voltage Sags; Nature Of Voltage Sags - ABB PCS100 AVC-20 User Manual

PCS100 AVC-20 User Manual 11
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1 OVERVIEW

The ABB PCS100 AVC-20 is an inverter-based system that protects sensitive industrial and commercial loads from
voltage disturbances. Providing fast, accurate continuous voltage regulation and load voltage compensation, the
PCS100 AVC-20 has been optimally designed to provide effective, efficient voltage regulation where industrial or
commercial processes demand a clean, readily available, and consistent supply of power.

1.1. Cause of Voltage Sags

Electrical grids are comprised of two parts: transmission and distribution lines. This is due to the fact that the
traditional sources of energy and the consumption are geographically far apart. The strength of network
indicates the ability to withstand sudden changes. Long transmission lines to remote areas result in weak
network where sudden changes in the grid would lead to reduced quality of supply to users.

1.2. Nature of Voltage Sags

One of the ways a weak network manifests itself is unstable grid voltage. As a weak grid lacks the ability to
withstand sudden changes, the grid voltage fluctuates. This affects productivity and the consistency of
operations, leading to a reduction in the quality of products and services. This can also lead to increased wear on
machinery components, resulting in a greater number of malfunctions and a reduced life expectancy of
equipment.
High penetration of renewable energy, such as photovoltaic (PV) or wind, also threatens the overall stability of the
network as the amount of power generated from these sources is not constant.
Brownouts, overvoltage, and an unbalanced voltage supply, which are typical symptoms of a weak network,
results in poor use of resources in terms of staff, materials and energy consumption. It can also cause reliance on
costly back-up systems, such as diesel generators.