What are load banks? These are significant components of any industry because they take the responsibility of ensuring that equipment will run properly in the event of blackouts and power outages.
To be more specific, load banks create loads similar to what you use in everyday life and can test your power source for its running efficiency. By adapting the characteristics of the conventional electronic load, you will never be met with random or unpredictable currents.
These are usually found within system units that combine both accessories and controls into a singular location for installation. The power source takes care of the power supply, then the load bank utilizes the energy to support the source and protect it, or even have this tested.
Types of load banks
You can have load banks for battery systems, ground power units, engine generators, hydro, aircraft, and wind generators, among many others. They have several functions in different industries. Here are the basic types.
Resistive
These are the most common types, utilized in generator and prime mover applications. In here, the concept of the load bank applying each kilowatt or horsepower to the generator, it applies an equivalent load amount to the prime mover.
With this, the resistive type takes way all the energy from the system, for instance, the load bank from the generator and the generator from the prime mover, as well as the prime mover from the fuel. From the operation of these resistive load banks, more energy is taken away, while accessory tools consume the energy, generator losses, coolant’s waste heat, and exhaust. It also affects several parts of the generating setup.
The conversion of electrical energy to heat energy via power resistors creates a resistive load bank’s load. The operator must be able to dissipate this from the load bank through water or air, by means of the process of convection.
Resistive loads mimic real-life versions of this kind in testing systems, which comprise of heating and lighting loads. This also includes the unity power factor component of magnetic loads, that is, in transformers and motors.
You can further categorize these types of load banks into:
- DC Portable. These include resistive load banks brought around on wheels for DC power equipment maintenance and testing. You’ll find them in battery systems, UPS systems, battery chargers, and DC generators.
- AC Small Portable. In this setup, this load bank type is also brought around on wheels, but for AC power tools, including generators of up to 150 kW and UPS systems.
- AC Large Portable. This load is also for load banks on wheels maintaining and testing heavy-duty AC power machines, such as generators and UPS systems at 1,000 kW.
- AC Trailer Mounted. It is the sub-type loaded on trailers for maintaining and testing AC power equipment, such as generators and UPS systems in various areas at up to 3,000 kW.
- AC Stationery. This pertains to load banks that test and maintain AC power tools, both generators and UPS systems in one location at up to 4,600 kW. Many of these banks may be used as modular building blocks for usage requiring the capacity of tens to hundreds of megawatts.
- AC Medium/High Voltage. This pertains to load banks for testing and maintenance of AC power tools and large generators up to 7,000 kW and 15,000 volts.
- AC Radiator Cooled. This sub-type refers to resistive load banks for testing and maintaining AC power equipment which uses a generator engine’s radiator air outflows, to cool resistive elements of the load. Adapt these to fit a variety of site conditions and dimensions in the duct. It is available for up to 1,200 kW.
- AC Water-Cooled. These are resistive load banks for testing and maintaining AC power tools that make use of water for cooling the resistive load elements. These are ideal for surroundings that require very peaceful and quiet operations. It is available until 2,500 kW.
Reactive
The next main type is the reactive load, which is classified into inductive and capacitive loads.
- Inductive. The electronic load of this type comprises reactive components in iron-core wherein if utilized with resistive load banks, it provides lagging power factor loads. In many scenarios, inductive loads are rated at 75 percent of the corresponding resistive loads in such a way that when implemented, the operator gets 0.8 resultant power factor load.
- Capacitive. These load banks are comparable with reactive banks when it comes to purpose and rating, except if you create leading power factor loads. They also mimic certain non-linear and electronic leads usual in industries that involve computers, telecommunications, and UPS.
Resistive/Reactive
And then you have load banks that fuse together the capabilities of resistive and reactive elements in one load bank package of up to 6,250 kVA.
Final words
Mark Gordon, CEO of Circuit Specialists, says, “We take pride in what we do, providing every customer who needs the electronic resources, with the components, accessories, and equipment in the finest quality. We have been in the industry for more than 40 years, and offer the best prices.”
Beginners in the field of electronics may find these concepts difficult to comprehend. However, there are companies that can help you understand them, and provide products for making these happen.