ORTEA is finalizing the manufacturing of the first batch of isolation transformers for a large Data Center project for the Ministry of Interior of a North African Country.

The transformers are equipped with a measurement control unit with RS485 communication module and Modbus protocol for remote monitoring with BMS system. They will be coupled with the already installed UPS.

The supply includes a total of 30 isolation transformers, 4 of which of 1250kVA and 2 of 1600kVA.

A second batch will follow to complete the supply.

The installed control unit allows the customer to remotely monitor the operation of the transformer, including measurement and control functions.

These transformers are highly customized, as a matter of fact their design is linked to the design of the UPS to which they must be coupled. A close cooperation with the customer is therefore an essential requirement for the development of the most suitable solution.

Thanks to decades of experience, ORTEA is able to design and manufacture transformers for any kind of UPS. The partnership with major manufacturers worldwide provides evidence of the high degree of reliability achieved.

The voltage supplied by the electrical network to the user’s terminals should be perfectly sinusoidal, at a constant frequency and without interruptions. Actually, the mains voltage usually presents several anomalies, as shown by the measurements carried out on site, and as taught by the CEI EN 50160 standard, a guiding document in the world of power quality fundamentals.

Non-continuity is among the major problems afflicting the power supply: this can be caused by the tripping of circuit breakers, interruption of the conductors, maintenance or works on the grid, atmospheric events, etc. Voltage sags are another big issue: they can be considered as close relatives of voltage interruptions when they are short and deep; instead, they are more similar to voltage variations when they have limited depth and long duration. Another problem is the voltage fluctuation, which can be fast or slow, usually due to network maneuvers, difficulties of adjustment by the energy distributor, disconnection or starting of large loads, etc. The duration of a voltage fluctuation can be several hours.

A "classic" solution to slow voltage variations is the voltage stabiliser, which can be electromechanical or electronic. LV voltage stabilisers for large powers, let's say >100kVA, typically operate thanks to a “buck-boost” transformer connected in series to the line and suitably piloted by voltage regulators. They are available in a wide range of sizes: from the smallest ones capable of handling an apparent power of a few kVA, up to those managing several MVA. They guarantee an excellent output voltage accuracy, up to ±0.5% of the nominal value, provided the input voltage variation remains within the range shown on the data label. In the most recent versions, the voltage regulation is obtained through electronic actuators, whose performances allow a higher reaction speed: the voltage regulation is completed within 20ms.

When equipped with appropriate accessories, voltage stabilisers become very complete solutions and can significantly improve the power quality of the systems installed downstream.

Voltage stabilisers can be equipped with the following options:

• Interruption and protection devices.
• Protection of the load against over/undervoltage, with automatic release if the output voltage exceeds the pre-adjusted threshold: this is a very useful protection for very sensitive loads.
• By-pass line made with disconnectors, changeover switches or circuit breakers.
• Input isolation transformer.
• Fixed or automatic power factor correction system.
• Surge arresters.
• EMI/RFI filters, to detect and reduce high frequency disturbances conducted along the lines.
• Active filtering system to reduce the current harmonic content.

When enriched with these optional features, a voltage stabiliser is called "line conditioner", like 3200kVA Sirius Advance shown in the picture.

Since voltage stabilisers are not equipped with any energy storage system, of course they cannot cover interruptions. Short ones have traditionally been solved by means of expensive and sophisticated equipment, such as the flywheel UPS, usually dedicated to special systems. Generators are the right solution for long-lasting interruptions.

More recently, the development of power electronics and the spread of batteries has led to the emergence of UPS as the solution for a large part of the voltage problems, which is especially true for the more complete versions ("online” or “VFI" types):

• Interruptions
• Slow and fast voltage variations
• Sags
• Frenquency variations

Therefore, it would look like the voltage stabiliser is destined to be inexorably replaced by the UPS. It would seem that when the designer or the person in charge of the plant decides to use a UPS, the stabiliser will automatically be discarded. But this is not always the case.

First of all, the perfect equipment without "weak points" does not exist: in the case of UPS, the most expensive and delicate aspect is the cost of the batteries on board and the fact that they have a limited useful life, after which they must be replaced, otherwise the UPS will prove ineffective.

The batteries must be carefully managed and maintained in order to optimize their life: attention must be paid to their operating temperature, but other aspects can also be annoying, for example the operation of the UPS with too low mains voltage. In fact, if the mains voltage exceeds a certain range, the UPS goes into battery operation even if the mains is on. For these reasons, some UPS are equipped with a stabilisation stage to preserve the batteries.

In Ortea we have come across many examples of synergy between stabilisers and UPS, especially when it comes to large installed power, and when the user loads include sophisticated machinery, sensitive to power quality issues. This is particularly true in those Countries, where large and technically advanced industrial plants are supplied by much less robust and solid electrical networks.

Let's see the three most typical situations.

In series

As already understood in the previous paragraph, a rather frequent synergistic use of stabiliser and UPS is to install the two units in cascade, with the voltage stabiliser immediately upstream of the UPS. In power grids where large and frequent voltage fluctuations are expected, the stabiliser in series with the UPS preventes the wear and tear of the batteries, which would normally be required to work overtime, with a significant reduction in their useful life. In this case, the stabiliser and the UPS necessarily have the same size. The stabiliser is designed to manage very large voltage fluctuations, which differ even up to 30% from the nominal value. For such situations we have supplied voltage stabilisers up to 1.5MVA.

In parallel

To ensure continuity of operation to the powered systems in the event of the UPS being out of order for maintenance or failure, a by-pass line is very often provided. If the network is unstable, but the customer does not want to add a redundant UPS, a good solution is to install a voltage stabiliser or a line conditioner on the by-pass line, thus raising the power quality at a reasonable cost for the limited period of time in which it will be called to operate. The stabiliser/line conditioner is an excellent solution for this kind of application, as it requires very limited maintenance during inactivity periods. Also in this case the two units are substantially the same size.

Centralized stabilizer, distributed UPS

A "centralized" stabiliser/line conditioner of great power associated with small "local" UPS only on the loads that really need them is an excellent solution for those systems, which are characterized by a large installed power, in order to avoid installing a huge UPS or many of them when the loads are numerous. In this case, the stabiliser brings the general power quality of the system to a good level, preserving the batteries of the individual peripheral UPS "pampering" particularly sensitive loads. On large systems this philosophy can lead to significant savings also in terms of battery maintenance/replacement. The stabiliser must be large enough to support the power of the entire system, whereas the UPS will be suited to the individual loads, to which they are dedicated. For this kind of application, we have supplied power stabilisers up to 4MVA.

The manufacturing of 6 special detuned power factor correction systems MULTImatic FH20 for a large grain milling plant in Pakistan has been completed.

Each unit has a rated power of 685kvar/415V. They will be coupled in a master-slave configuration, to create three 1370kvar power factor correction systems for the 2500kVA MV/LV transformers powering the production plant.

The plant includes numerous inverter motors, which means high current harmonics . But thanks to the robust detuning chokes on board the MULTImatic FH20 (Fd = 180Hz), there will be no overload problems on the capacitors, nor of resonance in the LV power grid.

It is interesting to underline that, in addition to the "classic" power factor control and management functions, the RPC8BGA regulator on board the MULTImatic system performs several additional advanced functions, such as the measurement of the electrical parameters and of the Power Quality (calculation of the current and voltage THD and the relevant graphic representation). These functions can be remotely monitored through MODbus protocol (on RS485 or via TCP/IP) or with Profibus protocol. The regulator can also be connected to the system in the configuration with 3 current transformers: in this case it is an "additional" multimeter. Moreover, it can monitor the hours of operation and issue warnings that recall the execution of maintenance: an important feature to keep the power factor correction system always efficient and in perfect running order

Industrial electrical systems have their own life: after they are born, they usually grow with substantial changes compared to the initial project.

The reasons can be many:

• The Company is successful on the market and increases production.
• The Company adds new production lines or modifies the existing ones, in order to adapt them to new market needs.
• Regulatory evolution of electrical systems.
• Technological evolution of machinery and processes.
• Introduction of new systems to optimize the plant (e.g.: energy optimization, generation from renewable sources, improvement of Power Quality).

Therefore, it becomes sometimes necessary to modernize/replace/expand the power equipment located in the electrical substation, where spaces are rarely abundant and do not always allow for the installation of new heavy and big machinery.

Sometimes companies are forced to renounce interventions that would be profitable, simply because there is not enough space in the electrical room. Sometimes expensive extension works must be planned, perhaps over a long period, losing precious time in terms of efficiency and savings.

The customer is a large industrial laundry, specialized in sanitizing workwear also in the health sector, a subject of great sensitivity and urgency in this particular moment.

To improve the energy efficiency and Power Quality of their system, a 315kVA ENERSOLVE equipment was proposed and selected, but there was not enough space in the electrical room. Energy efficiency is a rather recent technology and existing electrical systems are often unprepared for housing them.

Ortea engineers have found a solution to this critical issue by proposing the equipment in IP55 configuration for outdoor installation, giving the customer the possibility to install it outside the room under a canopy.

In addition, since the power factor correction system of the laundly was obsolete, the ENERSOLVE equipment has also been equipped with an integrated 70kvar automatic power factor correction system.

The entire intervention benefits from the reduced taxation of Industry 4.0.

The whole ENERSOLVE range can be equipped with an integrated power factor correction system and it can be supplied in IP54/55 configuration for either indoor installation, for “difficult” internal environments, or for outdoor installation.

The isolation transformer is an important element for the power quality of a LV system.

Installing an isolation transformer upstream of your network allows you to galvanically isolate the loads connected downstream of the transformer from everything upstream and, consequently, to protect them from disturbances affecting the mains, in particular transient overvoltages and conducted disturbances.

Isolation transformers are used in telecommunication systems, data centers, sensitive applications in terms of security for the community, such as military bases.

In those cases where the continuity of operation of the isolation transformer is a decisive factor, monitoring and, consequently, the communication of the parameters allowing to evaluate its state of "health" become relevant.

The following example relates to a transformer supplied to a State agency in the Gulf area.

We proposed and built a transformer equipped with:

• Temperature measurement and control instrument with communication functions.
• Probes for reading the temperatures inside the transformer and the ambient temperature.
• Data transmission with Modbus protocol via RS485 port.
• Protection by circuit breaker.
• Monitoring of fan operation and status.

This solution will allow the customer to monitor the status of the transformer and to receive real-time information on the status of its accessories and alarms, in the event of phenomena outside its operating range.

A solution by Ortea for a very demanding customer!

The production of static stabilisers ODYSSEY is proceeding apace. The ODYSSEY has been in production for some years now and it is establishing itself on the world markets, thanks to its outstanding technical characteristics and quality, which have always distinguished all our products.

When response speed becomes an essential requirement, for example for computers, laboratory equipment, test benches, medical instruments, CNC machines, etc., the static stabiliser is a must.

Our static stabilisers ODYSSEY are available for powers from 80kVA to 4000kVA, with input voltage range ±15%, ±20%, ±25% and ±30%.

The compensation of the input voltage fluctuation is managed by exploiting the double-conversion technology. The traditional regulating system is replaced by the converters, that generate the necessary voltage once the control system has detected an incorrect situation.

The main feature of such configuration is its fast response (<3msecs), which guarantees real-time correction and voltage steadiness on the load side.

The double conversion technology also ensures insulation from disturbances and distortions in the grid. Thanks to suitable electrolytic capacitors, high power loads demands can be met.

A 10” multilingual touchscreen on the front door works as user interface. By surfing the available menus, all electrical data can be monitored and setting parameters can be adjusted.

The interface is equipped with an Ethernet communication port, allowing remote monitoring via a dedicated «client» (on request). Communication with the control system can be established also via RS485 serial bus and Modbus TCP/IP protocol.

Ortea, global supplier of Power Quality solutions, is happy to announce the signing of a cooperation agreement with Grenke, a leading Company specialized in the operational leasing of capital goods and business solutions.

The agreement, immediately operational, will allow our customers to enjoy our products with the benefits of operating rental, without immediate outlay of money and without affecting their credit lines.

This proposal is applicable to all our product lines.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.

Two voltage stabilizers SIRIUS ADVANCE 3200kVA ±20% are now ready to be packed. These two units will be installed in Ghana, downstream of the MV/LV transformers of a power distribution project with generation by hydroelectric power plants.

The SIRIUS ADVANCE significantly increase the #powerquality of a system, as they combines a voltage stabilizer with a power factor correction system. Moreover, they are equipped with our total protection kit, which includes an automatic input circuit breaker, a manual by-pass with interlocked automatic circuit breaker and an output motorized interlocked output circuit breaker. All in a single device!

Everyone says they know how to make them… Ortea really makes them!

Our top-of-the-range model SIRIUS ADVANCE is available as standard from 60kVA up to 4000kVA and with different input voltage ranges: ±15%, ±20%, ±25%, ±30% adjustment.

Control and stabilisation, performed on the true RMS value, is carried out by a two-way DSP-microprocessor under the supervision of a second "bodyguard" microprocessor, operating with a software which has been developed specifically for ORTEA.

The columnar variable autotransformer with rollers (ORTEA design - without sliding contacts, which are subject to heavy wear & tear) is solid and very reliable.

The user interface is a multilingual 10” touch panel equipped with RS485 port. The display shows all the electric parameters (voltage, current, active power etc.), the information regarding the operating modes (power on; voltage regulation limits; increase/decrease of voltage regulation etc.) and the alarms (minimum and maximum voltage, maximum current, overtemperature, etc.).

A panel with the reactive power regulator RPC8BGA is installed to manage the power factor correction part. Designed to provide the desired power factor, while minimizing the wear and tear of capacitor banks, the SIRIUS ADVANCE are accurate and reliable in measuring and control and easy to install.

Here are some numbers:

• Power rating: 3200kVA
• Input voltage: 415V ±20%
• Output voltage: 415V ±0,5%
• Rated current: 4452A
• Max input current: 5565A
• Dimensions: 7400x2000x2400mm
• Weight: 14.000kg

The manufacturing of 2 special detuned power factor correction systems MULTImatic FD25 has finally been completed. The two units will be installed in a large automotive plant in Southern Europe, where research and development activities for special tires are carried out.

The systems, each with a power of 750kvar/400V, have been fully tailor-made, in order to faithfully reproduce the two previously installed units they will replace.

Thanks to the indestructible bimetallized paper capacitors and the robust detuning reactors on board the MULTImatic FD25 (Fd = 180Hz), the harmonic currents of the system will not be a problem!

In fact, current is often affected by distortion in industrial plants. This can cause two types of problems:

• stress on the capacitors on board, which tend to overheat due to the harmonic currents flowing through them, on account of their progressively lower impedance as harmonic currents increase
• resonance with the MV/LV transformer powering the system. Resonance becomes more probable as the ratio between the reactive power (kvar) of the power factor correction system and the apparent power (kVA) of the transformer increases

To overcome these problems, detuned power factor correction systems are used. The detuning reactors installed on board must also be of excellent quality, as well as the capacitors. Our reactors are designed and manufactured by ORTEA, to guarantee the quality and reliability of the finished product. The reactors are calculated to obtain a detuning frequency of 180Hz.

When dealing with "big" stabilizers, such as these two 3200kVA SIRIUS, also their dimensions and weights are "big": each box measures 6500x2160x2770mm and weighs 14.600kg. As a consequence, also the loading operations require the use of extra-large cranes.

Since we are talking about numbers, here are those relating to these two 3200kVA SIRIUS with ± 20% input voltage range:

• Power rating: 3200kVA \ • Input voltage: 400V ± 20% \ • Output voltage: 400V ± 0.5% \ • Rated current: 4619A \ • Max input current: 5774A \ • Dimensions: 6200x2000x2400 mm \ • Weight: 12.600 kg

Our top-of-the-range model SIRIUS is available from 60kVA up to 6000kVA and with different input voltage ranges: ±10%, ±15%, ±20%, ±25%, ±30%, +15/-35% and +15/-45%.

The stabilization, performed on the true RMS value, is carried out by a two-way DSP-microprocessor under the supervision of a second "bodyguard" microprocessor, operating with a software which has been developed specifically for ORTEA.

The columnar variable autotransformer with rollers (ORTEA design - without sliding contacts, which are subject to heavy wear & tear) is solid and very reliable.

The user interface is a multilingual 10” touch panel equipped with RS485 port. The display shows all the electric parameters (voltage, current, active power etc.), the information regarding the operating modes (power on; voltage regulation limits; increase/decrease of voltage regulation etc.) and the alarms (minimum and maximum voltage, maximum current, overtemperature, etc.).

Supply of 11 x ICAR MULTImatic FH20 detuned automatic power factor correction systems of 420kvar each at 400V and 9 x fixed MICROfix FH20 power factor correction systems of 50kvar each at 400V, for a total of 5070kvar.

The customer is a large logistics facility (over 150,000 square meters with 130 loading bays) specialized in the "luxury" market, located on the outskirts of Milan, a city where luxury is at home…

Big power plants (about 12MW installed) with great attention to safety, given the peculiarity of the "treated" goods.

The loads are mainly new generation lighting, inverter air conditioning, electronic equipment: all heavily distorting loads, requiring robust detuned power factor correction systems, such as the MULTImatic FH20, which are characterized by a detuning frequency of 180Hz, thanks to the generous dimensioning of their harmonic current detuning chokes.

Power quality is crucial to guarantee absolute continuity of service to this kind of plants. And this goal is not easy to reach: the huge total length of the cables and the consequent voltage drops, the sensitivity of many users, harmonic currents … all issues that must be kept under control. Detuned power factor correction sytems avoid the risk of resonances, which could cause an amplification of the #harmonics, with a consequent deterioration of the power quality.

The customer is a major player in the fertilizer industry, located in the Po Valley.

In August 2018 a 1600kVA energy optimiser ENERSOLVE was installed at their production facility on the TR3 transformer line. Since it was installed, it has generated over 175,000kWh of energy savings, equivalent to over 15 tonnes of oil and approximately 70 of Co2.

The customer, satisfied with the excellent results obtained so far, has decided to purchase two other ENERSOLVE units of 1250kVA and 1600kVA respectively, to be installed in association with his TR1 and TR2 transformers.

Our ENERSOLVE team, as usual very attentive to saving, has decided to split each unit into two parts to minimize the installation costs and maximize the customer's ROI. This peculiar configuration will allow an easy installation, without carrying out costly structural modifications of the customer’s building.

The commissioning of a sag compensator Oxygen 320-10-40 has been completed.

This model is able to compensate for voltage sags up to -40% and to regulate in real time voltage fluctuations within ±10% of the rated voltage: all this for a power of 320kVA at 400V 50Hz.

The end customer is a multinational company specialized in the production of large-scale gas turbines, perfectly reproducing models that are no longer in production, even from third-party manufacturers. This great engineering capacity allows generating plants to be kept alive which otherwise should to be rebuilt.

The newly installed Oxygen will improve the Power Quality of a busbar, to which machines performing high-precision and long-lasting mechanical works on large and costly pieces are connected.

This new Oxygen will be added to a 250-10-40, which has already been appreciated for the excellent results obtained since it was installed at the beginning of 2019.

In addition to standard production, ORTEA SpA can design and manufacture tailor-made equipment in a short time and at low cost.

Like this 2500kVA voltage stabilizer SIRIUS with ±15% input range, designed to improve the power quality of a residential complex under construction in Myanmar.

The stabiliser has been split into two parts easy to connect, to allow handling and installation in a "difficult" environment.

This supply includes 6 power factor correction systems MULTImatic FH20 of 460kvar each at 400V, for a total of 2760kvar.

The plant is a large building used as an advanced logistics platform, one of the largest in northeastern Italy (almost 200,000 m2 covered, of which 140,000 m2 for robotic storage, 65 loading bays).

The installed power is huge: 8MW, a value that makes you think more of an industry than a logistics site!

The loads include new generation lighting, inverter air conditioners, electronic equipment, robotic handling systems: heavily distorting loads, which make it necessary to use heavy duty power factor correction systems with detuning chokes, such as the MULTImatic FH20, which are characterized by a tuning frequency of 180Hz, thanks to the generous sizing of its detuning reactors.

Power quality is essential for guaranteeing absolute continuity of service to this kind of plants. And this is not easy to obtain: the huge total length of the cables and the consequent voltage drops, the sensitivity of many users, the current distortion… issues that must be kept under control. A detuned power factor correction system helps to avoid the risk of resonances, which could cause an amplification of the #harmonics, with a significant deterioration of the power quality.

And all with an eye on energy efficiency: the whole plant is certified "BREEAM Very Good" … also thanks to the ICAR power factor correction system.

Milan, Italy (September 1, 2020)

ORTEA SpA, a leading global supplier of power quality devices, announced today the signature of a definitive agreement for the acquisition of the Assets from POWERSINES Ltd, a leading company in the market of Voltage Optimization and Energy Saving.

The production of the product lines will be based in Ortea’s manufacturing plant in Italy. The deal is effective immediately and is expected to be completed by September 30th. Upon closing, Powersines will continue to provide a service support to Ortea.

“We are pleased to bring this acquisition to completion in such a positive manner. It has been quite a long road, but with hard work and efforts by many of POWERSINES Ltd. and ORTEA SpA employees we have been able to reach a positive conclusion. We believe that this combination of our technologies and products will position us to return exponential value to our shareholders over the coming fiscal years with a larger and synergic technology portfolio to cover a larger market segment along a better integrated value proposition for our customers” stated Massimiliano Scarpellini, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. “Furthermore, this deal will improve our EBITDA and net financial position to benefit our additional investments” continued Mr. Scarpellini.

Big currents (max input current 5774A) involve the production of extra-large components: big bars, big transformers, big regulators… ultimately: big voltage stabilizers.

Like these two 3200kVA SIRIUS with ± 20% input voltage range, intended to improve the power quality of a large Nigerian bank.

These are some numbers:

• Power rating: 3200kVA
• Input voltage: 400V ± 20%
• Output voltage: 400V ± 0.5%
• Rated current: 4619A
• Max input current: 5774A
• Dimensions: 6200x2000x2400 mm
• Weight: 12.600 kg

The SIRIUS, ORTEA’s top-of-the-range model, is available from 60kVA up to 6000kVA and with different input voltage ranges: ±10%, ±15%, ±20%, ±25%, ±30%, +15/-35% and +15/-45%.

The control and stabilisation, performed on the true RMS value, are carried out by a two-way DSP-microprocessor under the supervision of a second "bodyguard" microprocessor, operating with a software specifically developed for ORTEA.

The columnar variable autotransformer with rollers (ORTEA design - without brushes, which are subject to heavy wear & tear) is solid and very reliable.

The user interface is a multilingual 10” touch panel equipped with RS485 port. The display shows all the electric parameters (voltage, current, active power etc.), the information regarding the operating modes (power on; voltage regulation limits; increase/decrease of voltage regulation etc.) and the alarms (minimum and maximum voltage, maximum current, overtemperature, etc.).

Commissioning of an ICAR MULTImatic FD25/S 1500kvar power factor correction system installed in a large metal forging company. The new panel corrects the power factor of one of the largest presses in Italy (16,000ton), and is associated to a 1200kvar MULTImatic FD25/S, correcting the power factor of the manipulator (capable of handling pieces up to 100ton).

The press and the manipulator are very fast, but the two systems are able to timely correct the power factor, thanks to their thyristor switches: together, they are able to deliver almost 4000A in less than 100ms, without generating annoying transients for the system.

Thanks to this important power factor correction, the transformers powering this section (4x3150kVA) are relieved of the "effort" of carrying all the inductive reactive power needed by the motors on board the press and by the manipulator, thus reducing the thermal and mechanical stress.

The indestructible bimetallized paper capacitors of these two panels are very much appreciated in this "heavy industry" environment.

Power factor correction: an excellent solution to improve the energy efficiency and power quality of industrial plants.

With reference to the global health emergency caused by Covid-19, ORTEA SpA has immediately reacted in order to install and adjust preventively protective measures according to the indications provided by the national Health authorities. Such measures aim at preserving and safeguarding ORTEA’s employees, avoiding the virus spreading among the population and ensuring business continuity for ORTEA’s esteemed Customers.

At the moment, although not spared by difficulties in provisioning components and raw materials, there are no indications whatsoever that might negatively affect ORTEA’s business continuity.

At the same time, we are confident we are protecting at the best the health of whoever might get in contact with ORTEA SpA, such as internal and external partners, Customers and Suppliers.

One of ORTEA SpA peculiarities has always been the attempt to offer efficiency to Customers and partners and to establish a network of consolidated relations, in which human rapport plays an important role.

In the immediate future, travelling will not be a possibility, but this emergency is teaching all of us a different working pattern by exploiting digital technologies.

To this purpose, ORTEA SPA is acquiring all the necessary knowhow to carry on these relations even from a distance by means of training initiatives and commercial and technical updating sessions.

Looking forward to shake hands once again as soon as possible, we would like to grasp the opportunity to pay tribute to the resilience of our partners and suppliers throughout these difficult weeks and we also thank them already for the their future support which will allow us to carry on with designing, manufacture and trade innovative solutions.

Ortea Spa, a global provider of advanced, high quality electrical systems and mission critical power quality solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Massimiliano Scarpellini as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Ortea Spa and its distinguished collection of portfolio brands, including Ortea, Icar, Enersolve and Italfarad, serve customers in over 90 countries and across six continents via a global footprint in several segments as PFC, voltage stabilizers, SAG compensators, transformers, active filters and energy efficiency smart devices.

Mr. Scarpellini has served as executive across multiple industries and sectors, with a focus on technology, innovation and multinational operations. He most recently served as Vice president Operations, Vice president Business development and Chief Operating Officer of leading manufacturers of electronic components.

“Ortea brands and operations have tremendous market credibility, unique flexibility and the right offerings with leading innovations and operational expertise” said Mr. Scarpellini. “I am thrilled to join the Ortea team and look forward to working with our employees, customers and other partners worldwide to build on our strengths and drive the company to even greater levels of success”.

Ortea offers a new, innovative approach to the power quality sector, providing premium products and innovative solutions globally. Ortea is committed to growth through customer collaboration, innovative product development, and delivery of premium, mission-critical power quality solutions globally.

In order to optimize our range of fixed Power Factor Correction Systems, the MICROfix have recently been revised.

Below is the range of equipment which will be listed in the 2020 catalogue and price list. Starting from January 27th 2020, only these models will be available for sale (the other sizes of the previous range will be discontinued).

PFC restyling

Starting from January 2020, our Power Factor Correction Systems will be progressively restyled and their look will be updated according to our new company image.

The labelling of the systems, regulators and thyristor switches will be blue, as per the examples below.

Thanks to the technical characteristics of its columnar voltage regulators, ORTEA is able to design and manufacture high power voltage stabilisers (up to 6000kVA at 400V).

The quality and reliability of her equipment has enabled ORTEA to secure numerous orders; in particular, several XXL stabilizers were produced in October: on the right side of the picture we see 3 units of 1250kVA with bypass and automatic circuit breakers, and two of 800kVA for a total power of over 5MVA, ready to be shipped in Africa and North America.

Everybody boasts they can do this … ORTEA really manufactures them!

Three SAG compensators OXYGEN (for a total power of 800kVA), destined to one of the most important European International Airports, are currently being tested in our laboratory. On customer’s request, the cabinets are painted yellow, a color that does not go unnoticed. Once installed, they will provide an important contribution to the Power Quality efficiency of the hub facilities, by counteracting the effects of voltage SAGs.

On October 9th, in cooperation with Company Richard Equipment, a trade seminar about ORTEA stabilisers was held at the Hotel Casino Du Port in Dakar, focusing on our "cost-effective" range Lyra & Polaris.

The participation and involvement of the attendees was wide.

We thank our distributor Richard Equipment and our Africa Regional Director Paul-Marie Dable for making this event possible.

Being aware of the importance of ensuring qualified technical presence everywhere, ORTEA SpA keeps allocating resources for engineers training, enabling them to operate efficiently on voltage stabilisers, transformers and power-factor correction systems installed worldwide.

The first 2019 training session has just come to an end: the ORTEA team, by means of theoretical and practical learning sessions, has given detailed information to the attendees, which will allow them to maintain and repair the installed units. The participants (about thirty people in total) came from different Countries: Colombia, Egypt, the Philippines, Germany, Pakistan, Poland, Singapore, Sudan and Turkey.

The session in French will be held in September.

Power Quality is gaining increasing attention in the electric power industry. The consumer of electrical energy requires electric power with a certain quality, but loads can have a negative impact on the electrical system and are thus also subject to an assessment in terms of quality. Power quality is therefore intrinsically linked to the interaction between the electrical system and loads and must take into account both the voltage quality and power quality.

Possible consequences of low power quality that affect business costs are:

• Power failures (Release switches, fuses blowing).
• Breakdowns or malfunctions of machines.
• Overheating of machines (transformers, motors, etc.) leading to reduced useful life.
• Damage to sensitive equipment (computers, production line control systems, etc.).
• Electronic communication interference.
• Increased distribution system losses.
• The need to oversize systems to cope with additional electric stress, resulting in higher installation and operational costs.
• Luminosity flickering

Interruption of production due to these impacts of low power quality entails high costs due to production loss and the associated waste. For the Industrial sector, the estimated costs due to poor power quality represent 4% of turnover (Source: Studio Leonardo Energy). The impact of production interruptions is greatest in companies with continuous production.

Among the main causes of poor power quality in low voltage are:

• Voltage sags, because equipment operates less efficiently and can stop.
• Harmonic pollution, which causes additional stress on the networks and systems, causing them to operate less efficiently.
• Excessive reactive power, because it charges useless power to the system.

The solutions vary for each cause. The voltage sags can be eliminated with a sag compensator, which ensures a voltage output at a nominal value. Reduced productivity, loss of data, loss of security, and machine breakdowns are only some of the problems caused by an unstable power supply that can be solved with a voltage sag compensator.

Harmonic pollution is caused by large amounts of non-linear consumption (from inverters, soft starters, rectifiers, power electronics, non-filament lighting, presses, etc.). Such devices deform the electrical current causing disturbances and problems to the system. Harmonic pollution is solved by active filters that are capable of eliminating the current harmonics in the system by measuring and injecting the same current, but in the opposite phase.

Excessive reactive power is regulated by a power factor correction system, which not only avoids any penalties due to excessive reactive energy, but reduces the “unnecessary” electrical current that flows into the lines and power components, yielding substantial benefits, such as reducing voltage drops along the lines and leakages due to the Joule effect.

Loads operated by electronic devices are increasingly adopted in more and more industrial and commercial applications such as: Variable Speed Drives, rectifiers, UPS systems, DC power supplies, welding machines, computers, TV, energy efficient lamps, photocopiers.

These loads generate waveform distortions that become threat for network components.

In particular voltage and current harmonics, where the latter is the more dangerous, generate a series of problems, like:

• Cable overheating
• Undue tripping of circuit breakers
• Blowing of fuses
• Capacitor overloading and network resonance
• Neutral cable overload
• Transformer premature ageing
• Electronic appliances disturbance.

These effects are seldom related to harmonic current and voltage distortion, while effective remedy for harmonics are passive and active filters. Active filters achieve much higher levels of efficiency in harmonics cleaning the first does not:

ACTIVE FILTER

• it can compensate many harmonic currents simultaneously (ICAR FA40 up to the 50°)
• It does not saturate or overload
• It is uninfluenced by the network conditions (capacitance/Inductances)
• it hasn’t capacitance
• it is extremely flexible, it can target few harmonic currents
• It can compensate power factor, even at high speed
• it can compensate unbalanced loads
• it attenuates voltage flicker
• it can be set in parallel with other filters, even at later stages
• it automatically and semalessly adjustes to the load

PASSIVE FILTER

• it can compensate only one or very few harmonic current
• it is extremely difficult to compensate few harmonics at the same time.
• it can saturate or be overloaded
• it is influenced by the network as for the existing capacitance and inductance
• it is a capacitive load, hence improve power factor.
• it is fix and not adjustable
• it can be ON/OFF, or in steps.