Keeping the power on
With a reliable infrastructure being the backbone to the smooth, long-term running of virtually any facility. It is more important than ever to assure every conceivable measure is in place to ensure intelligent, fault-free and reliable power supply. Zina Shair of Schneider Electric advises on how building operators can take control of their critical power.
The importance of a consistent power supply cannot be underestimated. In this modern age, technology has become an inevitable part of everyday life and found in virtually every sector and discipline. From factories and industrial sites employing computer-aided manufacturing and hospitals using health IT and smart technologies to reduce medical error through to ever-evolving retail technology applications — technology is everywhere.
The result is that a loss of a power supply can be catastrophic. In addition to the high cost of downtime and maintenance fees, it can lead to loss of vital information, jeopardy to service, dissatisfied customers and, in some cases, can have safety implications. In the hospital environment, where life-saving operational equipment is in use, it can even mean costly law suits and in worst-case scenarios, the difference between life and death.
And so, critical power environments simply cannot afford power disruptions. Even though the electrical distribution systems for certain sectors are complex to install and maintain, building operators have a mandate to keep the power supply running, regardless of budget constraints or aging infrastructures.
Therefore, solid and informed product specification is imperative. Whilst for many building operators the onus remains on energy-efficient technologies and building-management systems, solutions that can prevent power loss also need to be raised up the bar of priority.
One such solution is the Power Outage Insight (POI) solution from Schneider Electric, a pioneering innovation that ensures continuity of service. Simple to install and use, it consists of an interface which can be easily integrated into communicating meters and circuit breakers which work together to monitor power availability and keep critical equipment up and running via three core elements.
First up is crisis prevention. The solution offers true full visibility of power distribution in real-time diagnosis, delivering vital information about the condition of all incumbent loads and breakers. In a single snapshot, personnel can see the number of trips a breaker has endured, the load on each breaker and the mechanical endurance of the equipment and maintenance status. This incredible level of visibility means that personnel can stop potential issues before they become a problem and pre-empt required maintenance to ensure maximum power availability. Another advantage is reduced cost, as working in this way allows staff to plan ahead and make informed, cost-optimal decisions.
Second and, perhaps, most important is instant fault detection using an integrated alarm system. Should a system abnormality occur, the solution will perform a real-time diagnostic to quickly identify the source of the problem. A warning is then sent to a dedicated member of staff, either via an SMS or e-mail, with easy-to-follow power-restoration instructions so the staff member can take action immediately and resolve normal operation. Users can even employ the services of Schneider Electric’s expert services team which will take the alert and ensure an instant response. Again, the upshot is maximum efficiency and minimum downtime.
Third is traceability. All too often with the fast-paced nature of modern premises, changes to electrical connections or layouts are not properly documented, and the facilities manager is not notified. This makes it nearly impossible to maintain a full understanding of the electrical distribution setup.
The Power Outage Insight Solution eliminates this issue. The information database keeps the building operator on track of every single change that happens in the network, facilitating access to updated reports concerning repairs and maintenance and recording changes to settings and facilities layout. As such, should personnel change, as is the case in all industries, a new member can easily pick up where the former left off, thus ensuring continuity of operation.
Safety is also an underlying benefit. Of course, even when an electrical fault can be repaired, safety of personnel remains vital. With this in mind, the solution helps to protect staff with the use of a short-circuit tester whereby staff can check if the system is safe before commencing work. The result is an a very high level of safety to protect workers should an issue occur.
In this fast-paced modern age, facilities can simply not afford to run the risk of a loss to power supply where the cost and reputational consequences can be huge. The recommendation, then, is to invest in the latest technologies which will assure a sound, reliable electrical connection and a solid prevention, lessening the need for cure.
Zina Shair is power solutions manager at Schneider Electric
