How can power quality be continuously monitored in energy-intensive industrial plants?

Standards-compliant monitoring requires high-resolution, grid-synchronous acquisition of all relevant electrical parameters. The iba system records voltages, currents, frequencies, and harmonics continuously according to EN61000-4-30 Class A. Analysis in ibaAnalyzer enables precise identification of deviations such as harmonics and phase imbalance. Combined with ibaHD-Server, this provides a reliable long-term data foundation for monitoring and compliance verification.

How can harmonics and phase imbalances be reliably detected and evaluated in industrial power systems?

Detecting such disturbances requires high sampling rates and frequency-based signal analysis. The iba system performs grid-synchronous measurements at high frequency, capturing even short transient events. ibaAnalyzer enables detailed evaluation of individual harmonics and phase imbalances. This supports precise assessment of power quality and the derivation of targeted optimization measures.

How can energy and process data be effectively combined?

Only the time-synchronous combination of energy and process data enables robust root cause analysis. ibaPDA captures process data from control systems in parallel with electrical parameters. These datasets can be analyzed together to reveal interactions between plant operation and power quality. This allows direct correlation between process states and electrical anomalies.

How can compliance with power quality standards such as EN50160 be verified?

Standards compliance requires continuous and gapless data acquisition. The combination of iba hardware and iba software components enables evaluation of all relevant quality parameters against defined limits. Automated reporting supports regular documentation for both internal and contractual requirements. Long-term storage in ibaHD-Server ensures that historical data remains accessible at all times.

What measures can be derived from power quality analysis to reduce downtime?

Analyzing load flows, harmonics, and phase distribution reveals concrete optimization potential. Typical measures include balancing transformer loads and adjusting network configurations. ibaAnalyzer allows direct validation of these improvements based on measured data. This helps prevent power-related disturbances early and sustainably increase plant availability.

Power Quality as an Important Quality Feature

Undisturbed Operation Due to Voltage Monitoring

In steel works and metallurgical plants, downtime and repair costs due to the power quality disturbances become an increasing challenge. In addition, certain contractually agreed quality characteristics must be met when drawing electrical energy from the public grid.

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Business Benefits The Technology Used Functions More Success Stories

Continuous monitoring of the power quality together with the process data forms the basis for undisturbed operation and the detection of possible failure causes at an early stage.

For this reason, a leading steel producer monitors, among other things, the power quality parameters at several transformer stations (from 110 KV to 30 KV) in order to demonstrate compliance with contractually defined limit values according to IEC50160 standard. In addition, power flows and system perturbations are systematically recorded to optimize the workload of the transformers. In addition, process states from the automation systems were used for the evaluation.

Line-synchronous

and gapless recording

Simultaneous

acquisition of energy and process data

Standard conformity

according to IEC61000-4-30 Class A (ed.3)

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An outdoor view of a high-voltage electrical substation with numerous insulators and power lines.

The Technology

Due to the measurement with ibaPQU-S and further analysis of the measured values with ibaAnalyzer, excessive values of the individual harmonics were detected as well as unbalanced phase load. These parameters could be reduced by optimizing the workload of existing transformers and lines. Since then, the grid has been permanently monitored, which allows an early intervention in the network dynamics.

By combining them with data from PLCs, you are able to react quickly to changes in process chain. Thus, the required product quality is guaranteed and high downtime and repair costs as a result of poor network quality could be reduced.

A weekly report with appropriate certification information is generated for the documentation backup.

Faultless operation due to voltage monitoring scheme

Power Quality Monitoring and Fault Analysis in a Steel Mill

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Line synchronous, high sampling rate of up to 40 kHz allows detection of all grid anomalies – no event remains undetected.

Thomas Caramagno
PQ Expert, iba AG

Used Functions

The following functions of the iba system are used in this success story.

Time Synchronization and Standards Support
- Full Support for Common Grandmaster Clocks Using PTP (IEEE 1588 and IEC 61850-9-3)
- Data Synchronization Independent of Data Source
Triggering and Data Storage
- Freely Configurable Trigger and Event Definitions
- Database Based Storage for Continuous Monitoring
Visualization and Analysis
Power Quality Monitoring
- Power Quality Measurements in Compliance to IEC 61000-4-30 Class A
- Customizable Reporting or Standards-Based Reporting (e.g., EN 50160)
Communication and Interfaces
- Integration of Modbus TCP and M-Bus
Hardware and Compliance
- Galvanically Isolated I/O Inputs Compliant to IEC 61000-6-5
- Sampling Rates up to 100 kHz

Explore More Success Stories

Read more inspiring success stories of our satisfied customers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How can power quality be continuously monitored in energy-intensive industrial plants?: Standards-compliant monitoring requires high-resolution, grid-synchronous acquisition of all relevant electrical parameters. The iba system records voltages, currents, frequencies, and harmonics continuously according to EN61000-4-30 Class A. Analysis in ibaAnalyzer enables precise identification of deviations such as harmonics and phase imbalance. Combined with ibaHD-Server, this provides a reliable long-term data foundation for monitoring and compliance verification.
How can harmonics and phase imbalances be reliably detected and evaluated in industrial power systems?: Detecting such disturbances requires high sampling rates and frequency-based signal analysis. The iba system performs grid-synchronous measurements at high frequency, capturing even short transient events. ibaAnalyzer enables detailed evaluation of individual harmonics and phase imbalances. This supports precise assessment of power quality and the derivation of targeted optimization measures.
How can energy and process data be effectively combined?: Only the time-synchronous combination of energy and process data enables robust root cause analysis. ibaPDA captures process data from control systems in parallel with electrical parameters. These datasets can be analyzed together to reveal interactions between plant operation and power quality. This allows direct correlation between process states and electrical anomalies.
How can compliance with power quality standards such as EN50160 be verified?: Standards compliance requires continuous and gapless data acquisition. The combination of iba hardware and iba software components enables evaluation of all relevant quality parameters against defined limits. Automated reporting supports regular documentation for both internal and contractual requirements. Long-term storage in ibaHD-Server ensures that historical data remains accessible at all times.
What measures can be derived from power quality analysis to reduce downtime?: Analyzing load flows, harmonics, and phase distribution reveals concrete optimization potential. Typical measures include balancing transformer loads and adjusting network configurations. ibaAnalyzer allows direct validation of these improvements based on measured data. This helps prevent power-related disturbances early and sustainably increase plant availability.