Diesel and Gas Turbine Worldwide

The Power Management Controller (PMC) is a multifunction energy metering instrument that allows control and analysis of power con-sumption/production and quality. The unit includes data logging capability, and DSP technology provides for high accuracy, reliability and long life expectancy, according to OTEK.

New PMC from OTEK

The Power Management Controller “PMC” series of a.c. power management controllers from Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.-based OTEK Corp. is designed to provide power consumers or producers a multifunction energy metering instrument that allows control and analysis of power consumption and production as well as quality.

The unit is engineered to offer such useful features as data logging in a small footprint, thereby allowing operators to reduce control room panel size while maintaining high accuracy, reliability and long life expectancy through DSP technology. The compact, practical and user-friendly unit is designed as the ideal replacement for existing analog meters or for installation in new metering applications for an outstanding cost/benefit ratio. It features automatic load (L&C) compensation and provides high energy cost savings as well as equipment efficiency, according to OTEK.

The PMC is intended to replace up to 30 individual meters, shrinking the panel size greatly. The front of each PMC has four 4-digit color-coded displays; one 6-digit large display with an exponential digit on its upper right; 42 LED annunciators for illuminations of engineering units; and a large super bright LED for ground fault warning or other indicators.

The OTEK PMC is designed to monitor, manage and control virtually everything a power energy generator or consumer would need such as: phase-to-phase, phase-to-ground volts, amps, Lead, lag, sag and peak. The unit will also display total and present power (VAR, VAA or VAAP) in k Wh or MHW during either import or export. Also included is a Julian real-time clock (RTC) for date and time stamp of any occurrence, as well as I/O synchronization pulses.

To prevent lethal high-voltage exposure to the operator, the PMC also provides ground fault detection by monitoring the earth-ground to system-ground integrity and activates a relay to sound an alarm for the operator (or shuts down the equipment) when a lethal potential develops. Another dry contact input accumulates the number of breaker’s openings for preventive replacement before power outage.

The data logging capability of the PMC uses an included multimedia memory card (MMC) with 250 to 1000 MB of memory for data storage of any parameter of any phase or total energy imported or exported. The MMC is divided in two sections: a temporary area that can be erased with a password via the serial port or keypad, and a permanent area that cannot be erased except by OTEK. This feature is for power consumption ( billing) purposes only.

A second removable memory card is accessible from the rear of the PMC. This is used mainly for maintenance and data logging.

If controlling outputs are required, each PMC offers four, 4-20 mA isolated outputs configurable for PID for proportional control or indication of any variable. Also included are six SPDT relays, two open emitter or open collector transistors and programmable KY2 output from 1-5 K/KwH. There are three dry contact or 120 Va.c. input interrupts for emergency actions. Serial communications for Wireless (R.F.), RS232, 422, 485, CAN, Modbus, Auto-Dial telephone modem, I.R. (Infrared), USB and Ethernet are also included. Power inputs include 10 to 72 Vd.c., 90 to 265 Va.c. and 50/60 Hz.

The unit is an industry standard switchboard meter (ANSI 4”) with only a 2. 5 cm depth on the front of the panel and 5 cm depth behind the panel including the captive screw terminal Euro connectors. The PMC can be mounted on existing switchboard or 1/4 DIN (92 x 92 mm) panel cutouts. For tight panel spaces, the 1/4 DIN version — the Energy Management Controller (EMC) model — complies to 1/4 DIN standards.

Above and below each display are four annunciators so you can select the main parameter to display such as volts, amps, Hz, phase, power factor, and on a semi-permanent basis (they are all assignable) the push-buttons allow the operator to view (for 10 seconds) parameters related to that phase such as Peak, SAG, Hz, Lead, LAG, VAR, vaa and vaap.

Uses of the PMS are in mobile and stationary generating plants for single-and three-phase, Delta or Why, with programmable billing rates based on time of day, day of the week, week of the month and month of the year, as well as power factor ratio. For large consumers, it helps track peak consumption time of days, power factor correction and verify billings.