Global environmental market forces considerably impact how products are manufactured. Affordable, clean energy is a sustainable development goal intended to drive better efficiency.
In an effort to save energy through efficiency gains, those gains are often counteracted with power quality impacts due to the growing use of non-linear devices in product designs. Minimizing power quality issues, such as harmonics, while improving efficiency can help lower worldwide dependency on energy, while meeting the Department of Energy’s (DOE) efficiency compliance goals.
Whether a product generates power or consumes it, the measurement of energy efficiency, power quality, and power compliance is a universal requirement. Yokogawa Test&Measurement has unique and powerful analysis solutions to address these power needs.
Power quality, power efficiency, and power compliance are terms often used interchangeably, but actually have different meanings depending on the industry being referenced. Three variables to consider when choosing the best instrument for power compliance and power quality measurements are measurement type, measurement standard, and instrument type. This application note defines these variables and provides guidance to make the most accurate power quality, efficiency, or compliance measurement.
More than 40% of the total energy consumed in the United States is used to operate buildings, with most of that energy consumed by appliances and building-related equipment.
This white paper demonstrates the close relationship between power efficiency and power quality and identifies causes and types of power quality issues.
Electricity Applied
Electrical systems designed for efficiency in the >90% range require specialized analyzers to properly measure small energy losses in complex systems. Yokogawa provides guaranteed power accuracy across the entire bandwidth range to ensure the most accurate efficiency calculation.
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Harmonics
Concerned with voltage and current harmonics on your product's power system? There are numerous power quality standards with specifications and limits for harmonic distortion. Gain insights on the design, validation, and production testing processes through the  fundamentals of harmonics, measurements on distorted waveforms, and instrument considerations.
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AC Kinetics
Industry standards such as IEEE, CE, IEC, and MIL-STD dictate testing procedures and limits for passing criteria. Yokogawa has instrumentation certified to meet the requirements of these standards to make sure the test only needs to be made once.
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The non-linear semiconductors used in inverters to transform DC power to AC power inherently generate harmonics and noise, originating in the high dv/dt and di/dt semiconductor switching transients. It is important to measure energy efficiency and monitor the power quality to determine if levels are compliant within acceptable limits.
The best instruments to perform these measurements can vary depending on the measurement type and measurement points. Energy efficiency measurements are best made with a precision power analyzer, but transient waveform capture is often better achieved with a Power Scope. Power compliance ensures a product meets industry standards and that the proper solution is specific to the standard being tested.
When fractions of a percent matter
Electrical systems designed for efficiency in the >90% range require specialized analyzers to properly measure small energy losses in complex systems. Yokogawa Test&Measurement provides guaranteed power accuracy across the entire bandwidth range to ensure the most accurate efficiency calculation.
Click to learn more.
When you must be right
Power quality is about compatibility. Is your grid-connected equipment compatible with the power provided, or is power delivered by the grid compatible with your equipment? Yokogawa Test&Measurement has the tools to accurately measure power signals, even with dips, swells, and sags.
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When you need to comply
Industry standards such as IEEE, CE, IEC, and MIL-STD dictate testing procedures and limits for passing criteria. Yokogawa Test&Measurement has certified instrumentation that meets the requirements of these standards, ensuring that testing only needs to be happen once.
Click to learn more.
Electrical systems designed for efficiency in the >95% range require specialized analyzers that properly measure small energy losses in complex systems. Yokogawa Test&Measurement provides guaranteed power accuracy across the entire bandwidth range to ensure the most accurate efficiency calculation.
Energy consumption in low-power and standby modes is recognized as an important issue due to increased awareness that energy resources are becoming more limited and the demand for energy-saving household electrical appliances continues to grow. Internationally recognized standard IEC62301 Ed2.0 (2011)defines standby mode as the lowest energy consumption of an appliance not performing its main function, when connected to the mains, and also defines the test methods and requirements for both the mains supply and the test equipment.
More than 40% of the total energy consumed in the United States is used to operate buildings, with most of that energy consumed by appliances and building-related equipment.
This white paper demonstrates the close relationship between power efficiency and power quality and identifies causes and types of power quality issues.
Standby power consumption of an individual electric appliance is small, but the cumulative standby power consumption of all appliances in a household accounts for a sizeable percentage of that household's annual power consumption. Standards for power reduction such as IEC 62301:2011 (Ed. 2.0), ErP Directive, and Energy Star specify how to measure power consumption in standby power mode and requires highly-accurate power measurement. This document introduces four methods and accompanying challenges for reducing standby power, and key points of high accuracy power measurement.
Click the "Live Chat" button on the side of the screen to discuss your needs with a Precision Maker, or read the app note Choosing the Right Instrument for Power Quality and Energy Efficiency - Power Compliance, Efficiency, and Harmonics Tests. In this document, the variables of measurement type, measurement standard, and instrument type are defined based on industry-specific requirements, ensuring you make a fully-informed selection that meets your needs.
Power quality is about compatibility. Is your grid-connected equipment compatible with the power provided, or is power delivered by the grid compatible with your equipment? Yokogawa Test&Measurement has the tools to accurately measure power signals, even with dips, swells, and sags.
Efficiency and power quality standards for appliances and equipment used in residential and commercial buildings are designed to reduce energy costs. Generating reliable power is paramount in critical generation systems such as those in aerospace, military, and standby power applications. Power standards for generation systems typically focus on ensuring robust power networks. The efficiency and reliability of power networks are maximized by increasing the power quality of the system. Harmonic content is a key contributor to low power quality, and agency standards are written to ensure manufacturers take action to measure and control harmonics.
The 50/60Hz commercial power supply waveform is a sine wave. When a device such as an inverter-driven motor or switching power supply is connected, a frequency component that is an integer multiple of the 50Hz/60H signal is generated, distorting the commercial power supply. This application note describes the IEC61000 harmonics and flicker solution.
In several applications, especially those testing AC power to a standard such as IEC61000-3-11, voltage and current signals must be monitored for major dips and/or swells in the signal. This can be done with instruments capable of reporting rms values, including power analyzers, traditional oscilloscopes, and some data acquisition systems. To properly test to a standard, however, the instrument must have an accuracy spec that is traceable back to a national standard of calibration such as ISO17025 or NIST.
This video demonstrates how to test to an IEC standard (IEC 61000) using a Yokogawa Test&Measurement WT5000 Precision Power Analyzer and the harmonic flicker testing software. The software automates the process of judging if the device under test is compliant with the chosen standard and allows you to output the necessary test reports for your records.
Click the "Live Chat" button on the side of the screen to discuss your needs with a Precision Maker, or read the app note Choosing the Right Instrument for Power Quality and Energy Efficiency - Power Compliance, Efficiency, and Harmonics Tests. In this document, the variables of measurement type, measurement standard, and instrument type are defined based on industry-specific requirements, ensuring you make a fully-informed selection that meets your needs.
Industry standards such as IEEE, CE, IEC, and MIL-STD dictate testing procedures and limits for passing criteria. Yokogawa Test&Measurement has certified instrumentation that meets the requirements of these standards, ensuring that testing only needs to be happen once.
The Power Consumption Measuring Software from Yokogawa Test&Measurement provides a comprehensive solution for standby power testing and meets the requirements of IEC 62301:2011 Ed2.0 – Household electrical appliances (measurement of standby power)and EN 50564:2011 – Electrical and electronic household and office equipment (measurement of low power consumption). In this video, application engineer Kourtney Morrison demonstrates how to use the software for easy standby power measurement.
Energy consumption in low-power and standby modes is recognized as an important issue due to increased awareness that energy resources are becoming more limited and the demand for energy-saving household electrical appliances continues to grow. Internationally recognized standard IEC62301 Ed2.0 (2011)defines standby mode as the lowest energy consumption of an appliance not performing its main function, when connected to the mains, and also defines the test methods and requirements for both the mains supply and the test equipment.
In several applications, especially those testing AC power to a standard such as IEC61000-3-11, voltage and current signals must be monitored for major dips and/or swells in the signal. This can be done with instruments capable of reporting rms values, including power analyzers, traditional oscilloscopes, and some data acquisition systems. To properly test to a standard, however, the instrument must have an accuracy spec that is traceable back to a national standard of calibration such as ISO17025 or NIST.
Click the "Live Chat" button on the side of the screen to discuss your needs with a Precision Maker, or read the app note Choosing the Right Instrument for Power Quality and Energy Efficiency - Power Compliance, Efficiency, and Harmonics Tests. In this document, the variables of measurement type, measurement standard, and instrument type are defined based on industry-specific requirements, ensuring you make a fully-informed selection that meets your needs.
Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) charge controllers play a crucial role in the optimization of renewable energy system efficiency and performance. Through dynamic tracking of a renewable energy source’s maximum power point, an MPPT controller enables more efficient energy harvesting, faster charging, and adaptability to changing environmental conditions.
10-video training series from Yokogawa Test&Measurement that covers the basics of power analyzers including an overview of our power analyzers, their theory, wiring, filters and sync source, and voltage and current ranges.
Video training series for WT5000 Precision Power Analyzer from Yokogawa Test&Measurement: Power analyzer overview of front and back panel inputs and element types.
Part 1 - Part 7 of the Yokogawa Test&Measurement IS8000 Integrated Test and Measurement Software Platform training module series. These videos provide a big picture look at the software.
Part 8 - Part 16 of the Yokogawa Test&Measurement IS8000 Integrated Test and Measurement Software Platform 20-video training module series. These trainings detail waveform display settings and analysis options.
Part 17 - Part 20 of the Yokogawa Test&Measurement IS8000 Integrated Test and Measurement Software Platform training module series. These videos provide information on some additional features including PTP synchronization, report generation, screen capture, and high-speed camera synchronization.
In a research paper published by ISLPED '22: Proceedings of the ACM/IEEE International Symposium on Low Power Electronics and Design, researchers from Loyola University Chicago and Purdue University use a Yokogawa Test&Measurement WT310E Power Meter to measure the energy consumption of the various techniques presented.
In the paper Grid-Tied Solar System published on ResearchGate, a researcher from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo uses a Yokogawa Test&Measurement WT310 Digital Power Meter to review the power, current, and voltage measurements of a microinverter system.
In dissertation published by the University of Central Florida on its STARS website, research is conducted using a Yokogawa Test&Measurement PZ4000 R&D Power Analyzer to measure the efficiency and total harmonic distortion (THD) of microinverter operating modes.
When I started with my company almost 20 years ago, Yokogawa Test&Measurement instruments were already in use and the engineers had no intention of switching. In fact, we still routinely use some of the older instruments because, well, they just work! The equipment doesn't really become obsolete, and they support their instruments as long as is feasible, which ultimately saves us money. Even so, as things change in our industry Yokogawa adjusts to meet those changes. From our sales representative through technical support and more, I can count on the Yokogawa team to really listen and work with us to provide a specific solution for unique problems.
—Senior Lab Technology Engineer, EMI/EMC, Large Power Systems, Testing, Global Design of Commercial and Industrial Power, Cooling, and IT Infrastructure
For standby power measurement and energy certification maintenance, we rely on Yokogawa Test&Measurement instruments. Their precision, accuracy, and ease-of-use are unrivaled. When given a choice between other test and measurement equipment and Yokogawa, our technicians always go for Yokogawa first. The support team provides thoughtful insights based not just on our industry but also our company’s specific needs. My team has used Yokogawa Test&Measurement instruments for decades and will continue to do so well into the future.
—Director of Technology Laboratories, International Multi-Brand Manufacturer of Major Home Appliances
I’ve been using Yokogawa Test&Measurement instruments for power measurement and analysis for several years and they always get the job done. They provide extensive and thorough documentation for their equipment and their drivers are very handy. Features like screengrabs of test results for easier sharing and the remote interface (which minimizes the time we spend having to automate tests) have proven to be incredibly helpful. My team needs instruments that are well documented, easy to use, and reliable. Yokogawa instruments check all these boxes.
—Power Drive Systems Electrification Validation Test Development, Fortune 500 Leading Global Supplier of Sustainable Automotive Solutions
We developed an algorithm to optimize induction motor operation and produce an average power consumption savings of at least 10%. To demonstrate our algorithm’s effectiveness, we needed a proven and verified system that would give these results credibility. The solution provided by Yokogawa Test&Measurement enabled us to monitor and refine our algorithm using real-time speed, power, and temperature readings – data that would normally be incredibly difficult to accurately obtain. Having these real-world results that demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm means we can be more efficient with our own customers. —Neil Singer, President, AC Kinetics
We are going live on YouTube to answer your questions about the Yokogawa Test&Measurement DL950 ScopeCorder. Join us as we discuss how to make the most of this versatile instrument based on your application needs. Whether you’ve worked with a ScopeCorder for years or curious if it is a good fit for your engineering work group, this live stream can help.
We are going live on YouTube to answer your questions about the Yokogawa Test&Measurement WT5000 Precision Power Analyzer. Join us to discuss how to make the most of this versatile instrument based on your application needs. Whether you’ve worked with a power analyzer for years or curious if it is a good fit for your engineering work group, this live stream can help.
In this video, an Application Engineer shows users how to bring in Modbus/TCP-communicating instruments for measurement data synchronization across devices with the IS8000 Integrated Test and Measurement Software Platform from Yokogawa Test&Measurement.
We went live on YouTube to answer your questions about the DLM5000HD High-Definition Oscilloscope from Yokogawa Test&Measurement and to discuss how to make the most of this incredible instrument. This live stream covers potential applications, settings and features like its high resolution, eight channels, serial bus capabilities, and portability, and last (but definitely not least) a few demonstrations.
Learn how to log power measurement data continuously from a digital power analyzer when connecting it to a data recorder to easily and securely collect and synchronize voltage, current, harmonics, and power data for long periods of time, while also collecting thermocouple, RTD, and standard analog signal, all in one place.
Why should you be concerned with your product’s power system voltage and current harmonics? From an engineering perspective, harmonics produce excessive heat in equipment that causes significant damage and results in inefficient operation. From a business perspective, compliance is an absolute requirement for entry into global markets. To minimize or eliminate these issues and establish acceptable levels of harmonics, numerous power quality standards with specifications and limits for harmonic distortion, such as IEEE 519-2014 and IEC61000-3-2, have been introduced. During this webinar, attendees will gain knowledge on the inner workings of harmonics, learn best practices for accurately measuring harmonics, learn to recognize and distinguish the critical difference between DFT and FFT, and discover important measurement tradeoffs across various test equipment.