Industrial

TCI provides a variety of solutions to improve power quality, reduce energy costs, extend motor life and performance and protect sensitive equipment in industrial applications.  The company specializes in delivering the right product for the right application and offers the following solutions:

Variable Frequency drives (VFDs) have grown in popularity in a variety of applications because of their energy savings and added controls and their ability to reduce mechanical and electrical stress during the starting and stopping of loads.  However, VFDs can create most of the power quality problems found in industrial facilities.

VFDs create harmonic distortion because the loads are nonlinear and draw current with a waveform that doesn’t conform to the shape of the supply voltage. Harmonic distortion can cause incorrect utility power meter readings, nuisance-tripping of circuit breakers and fuses, motor overheating, blown fuses and interference with telephones and other communications systems.

Harmonic distortion can be produced in a plant and/or may enter a plant from the electric utility power system because of other sources on the line. IEEE 519 guidelines have been established to limit the amount of harmonic distortion allowed in a facility. The major concern for the electric utility is the power quality for its customers.  In addition, some utilities now impose penalties for introducing harmonics onto their grid, providing incentives for owners to reduce harmonics.