IoT-enhanced Energy Metering and Maintenance
15.03.2021, 07:22
IoT-enhanced Energy Metering and Maintenance
Eaton’s latest smart digital moulded case circuit breaker (MCCB) combines IoT connectivity, predictive maintenance and Class 1 energy metering to enable building digitisation and decarbonisation platforms.
The built environment is estimated to be responsible for around 40 per cent of the UK’s total carbon footprint, with almost half coming from energy used in buildings. To achieve a net zero carbon built environment, there is increasing demand to monitor energy consumption accurately in buildings.
The NZM MCCB provides ISO50001 readiness through integrated Class 1 energy metering across current, power and energy parameters. This pre-installed sophisticated energy metering function measures current and voltage with +/- 0.5 per cent accuracy to yield precise, real-time monitoring of energy consumption without additional metering. This accuracy ensures the device meets the Class 1 energy metering standard in accordance with IEC 61557-12. It enables close control of energy consumption and sustainability efforts, helping end users save energy and move to a carbon neutral status, increase efficiency or reduce bills.
Increasing onsite safety
To ensure maximum protection of personnel, such as maintenance staff, the NZM compact circuit breakers offer Eaton’s Arcflash Reduction Maintenance System (ARMSTM) as an option. This goes beyond regulatory standards to create a safer working environment during maintenance switching. By reducing the tripping time, the system decreases the risk of arc faults and provides unparalleled onsite operative protection.
Limiting interruptions to operations
Eaton’s new advanced digital MCCB platform enables remote monitoring and diagnosis capabilities to manage breaker health and ultimately, reduce system downtime. An integrated lifespan indicator ensures timely replacement of the device through predictive maintenance.
Additionally, Zone Selectivity Interlocking (ZSI) goes beyond time selectivity and current selectivity to ensure faults are isolated instantaneously, right where they occur. By guaranteeing tripping the breaker closest to the fault, the ZSI function limits the effects of an overload and minimises interruptions to operations. Combining ZSI, predictive maintenance and remote diagnosis features reduces system downtime and enables quick, simple maintenance.
IoT readiness
The circuit breaker is Industry 4.0 enabled via onboard communication, improving data and information processing. As IoT enables a shift to building digitisation, advanced digital MCCBs can help facilities managers and onsite engineers maximise a building’s life cycle and simplify its management.
Simple installation, maintenance and testing
According to the company, integrated functions instead of extra components mean the MCCB is quick and simple to install, reducing onsite costs. It is also compatible with existing Eaton systems, making it easy to retrofit. Additionally, the digital MCCB can be used with the manufacturer’s Power Xpert Release (PXR) Manager Software (PXPM) to visualise circuit breaker data, set breaker parameters, and test breakers’ tripping functionality via an integrated test function as PXR trip unit technology allows technicians to interact with the trip unit remotely from any laptop, using a USB connection.
Neil Potter, Lead Specification Manager, explains: “Circuit breakers play a critical role in ensuring business continuity and increasing safety for operatives,” “Yet advanced circuit breakers, like our intelligent digital NZM, are designed to do much more than protect people and facilities. This new IoT-ready series can be integrated into a building system’s information flow to enhance the availability of electrical systems, enable efficient energy management, lower maintenance costs and reduce downtime.
“This next generation of circuit protection acts as a one-stop-shop package to enable the evolution of today’s buildings as the IoT and energy transition reshape building infrastructure.”
Learn more by registering for the company’s upcoming webinars.
