Load bank (resistive, load station) - a device enabling precise electricity consumption from a generator set, a guaranteed power supply system or simply a power supply system. The use of a load bank allows to carry out tests of power generators and all other elements of guaranteed power systems such as: ATS systems, electrical switchgears, power transformers or cable lines.
Load bank - what exactly is it?
Load bank (resistive, load station) - a device enabling precise electricity consumption from a generator set, a guaranteed power supply system or simply a power supply system. The use of a load bank allows to carry out tests of power generators and all other elements of guaranteed power systems such as: ATS systems, electrical switchgears, power transformers or cable lines.
Types of load banks can be divided into:
- resistive load banks with cos fi = 1
- inductive (reactive) load bank with cos fi = 0.8 or other in the range from 0 to 1
- capacitive load banks - cos fi is negative
1. Resistive load bank - what is it?
In the case of a resistive load, there is no phase shift between current and voltage, so the power factor (cos fi) is equal to 1. The resistive load bank therefore mainly contains resistive elements allowing for precise power consumption at cos fi equal to 1. We use such a load bank when:
- we want to test the entire guaranteed power supply system
- we want to check the capabilities of the power transformer
- during service start-ups of the generator set
- we want to check the system "behind the switchboard" and all electrical installations, e.g. in the Data Center server chamber - then the resistive load banks in the RACK cabinet are used, enabling installation in server cabinets or on independent racks.
- we want to verify the power of the generator set and check its capabilities when applying the load - stepwise, smoothly, in accordance with PN-ISO 8528 or in any other way. This load bank allows to precisely check how the generator set, reserve switching system, ATS or transformer will behave in the event of the next devices being started. Thanks to the extended controller by Prototypownia we can accurately determine and set the stepping power that your devices will consume during start-up, and later during continuous operation. Exactly such loads and at exactly such a time we will be set to the load bank. The generator set will have to prove itself in extreme but possible conditions in your company. By the way, without renting/buying an additional power quality analyzer, you will download all the most important data via USB. You will also be able to view the most important charts. Check the sample specifications of the resistive load banks produced by Prototypownia. In your opinion, do the load banks manufactured by Prototypownia offer more possibilities? Please verify and let us know what else you could use. R&D works are conducted around a clock, so maybe it already exists.
2. Inductive load bank
In principle, the cos fi of each motor coupled to an electric generator is between 0 and 1. In this case, we are always dealing with an inductive current, which is worth testing with an inductive load bank. When do we use them?
- When we want to test RES (Renewable Energy Sources), i.e. hydropower plants, wind power plants or solar power plants - generators of sources belonging to RES have different power factors. It is possible for us to verify their efficiency with a resistive load bank, but the measurement will not be as precise as with an inductive load with a cos fi corresponding to the recommendations of the manufacturer of the generator used in the RES. Inductive load banks from Prototypownia offer allow to adjust the power factor in the full range from 0 to 1.
- When the most important is the generator set, its power, efficiency, quality of electricity generated. Thanks to the inductive load bank, we will adjust the power factor to, for example, the most commonly used level in power generators of 0.8. The load at such an adjusted power factor has a big impact on, for example, the number of Amps consumed.
Using an inductive load bank, you will check everything as it should be checked.
3. Capacitive load bank
At capacitive load, the voltage is ahead of the current in time. Then cos fi usually has a negative value between -1 and 0. Capacitive load banks are mainly used in cases where batteries need to be tested, e.g. in UPSs (UPSs are designed to maintain the power source from the battery during power outage and e.g. before the generator set starts)