Aim Dynamics

Aim Dynamics supplies power monitoring equipment including: current transformers (split-core, solid-core and rope/Rogowski coils), current transducers and power monitoring meters. In addition to our easy-to-use website we pride ourselves in our excellent customer service. Home

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Aim Dynamics, a supplier of DC current transformer and other power monitoring equipment, partners with Measurlogic to offer our customers the DTS-310 Energy Sub-meter.

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As Colorado’s leading supplier of power monitoring software, Aim Dynamics has always been the premier choice of businesses for our high quality products, affordable prices, and on-time delivery. We are known widely as the number one distributor for products like current sensor, flexible current transformer, and split core transformer. To ensure that our customers get only the best, we have improved our services by offering quality products through our new business partnership with Measurlogic. Measurlogic is an American manufacturer of energy-efficient Smart Revenue Grade Electrical Energy Sub-Meters and Practical Data Acquisition Systems. Through this partnership, Measurlogic meters will now be available at Aim Dynamics including one of the best flexible current transformers in the market, the DTS-310 Line Powered 3 Phase Energy Sub-Meter. We offer the DTS-310 Energy Sub-Meter with a 3-rope kit of RCT-1800-000 Magnelab Rope CT AC current sensors.

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We at Aim Dynamics have recently partnered with Measurlogic, and we’re glad to inform you that we now have its Measurlogic DTS-310 in store as the latest addition to our array of quality split core current transformer, current and voltage sensors, and transducers. We’re offering this sub-meter in package with 3 Magnelab Revenue Grade AC Current Sensor SCT-075R. Measurlogic DTS 310 is a Class 2, single/three phase sub-meter of revenue grade. It supports communication interfaces, electronic data transfer, and data storage. The NET metering measures bi-directional energy flows, and features a security mechanism that protects it, and detects tampering. The visible energy consumption display will help you read departmental energy consumption and monitor surges in the energy usage of your equipment.

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Top Colorado power monitoring equipment distributor, Aim Dynamics, recently entered into a partnership with energy efficiency technology manufacturer, Measurlogic. Measurlogic’s DTS-310 energy sub-meter can now be purchased via Aim Dynamics’s online store, in addition to its line of premium-grade dc current sensor, ac current sensor, voltage transformers, power meters, and accessories. The aim of the said partnership is for the product to reach a broader market with Aim Dynamics’s speedy logistics. Aim Dynamics prides itself in being a one-stop-shop that sells the most advanced power monitoring equipment at competitive prices. It serves industrial, residential and commercial clients across the U.S. It also sells software intended to help power industry consultants in minimizing their client’s commercial electricity bills.

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The Implications of Replacing Fuel with Solar

Although it’s not getting as much sunshine as the U.S., Germany has taken its place as the leader in solar energy. In 2013, it built enough solar farms to overtake coal and nuclear power in terms of gross electricity generation. Other industrialized countries like the U.S. are expected to follow as solar panel production becomes more affordable.

Renewable energy will make a difference in energy conservation practices, but not in the way you might think. Should solar energy become the primary energy source in the future, people will have to conserve energy even more. Solar panels produce less energy than fossil fuel power plants. A solar farm that would meet demand from the U.S. would have to be 1,274 square miles wide.

At this scale, it's not impossible to build one; but given the hefty price tag still attached to solar panels, it's not practical as a primary source at the moment. Even if it is, the reduced output means there will be less energy to go around, assuming renewable energy technology remains constant for the next several years.

In the end, businesses must still mind their consumption, fuel or solar. Installing current sensors from power monitoring equipment distributors can produce data that would eventually give businesses a detailed view of their consumption, helping them make more sound decisions in the long run. It would take a long time before solar energy output can definitely match that of fossil fuel.  

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Transformer or Transducer?

The fine line dividing "transformer" and "transducer" grows ever blurrier. Most users think both are capable of sensing currents and stepping down voltages, but that's partly true. It's possible that the fading distinction stems from the forms both transformers and transducers take; they come in solid and split-core types.

The keyword here is "self-powered." While some current transformers from power monitoring device suppliers can reduce voltage, this isn't their primary function. A typical current transformer is designed to measure the current of an electrical load that is hooked to a power meter. Current transformers that have a secondary function most likely have separate secondary loads.

Current transducers, on the other hand, are dedicated dual-role electrical systems that measure current and decrease voltage. Due to this configuration, current transducers are not as good as current transformers in measuring current. Nevertheless, current transducers have such roles built in, allowing for more flexibility between functions.

With today's electronics technology increasingly merging current measurement and voltage reduction, it's no surprise that the terms are often interchanged. Regardless, it's important to know the difference because of another reason: to determine their measuring methods. Current transformers measure the current via shunts or low-ohm resistors, while transducers normally use a built-in magnetic core.

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Classifications of Current Transformer

Ever wondered how electricians manage to install or fix electrical systems with high-voltage electricity? Besides following strict safety protocol, they carry specialized instruments that help them perform repairs and measurements safely. Among these instruments is the current transformer, which is designed to produce a current in a secondary winding that is proportional to, but with a much lower magnitude than, the current in the first winding.

Current transformers can be classified as bar-primary, wound, and ring-type. A bar-primary transformer consists of a toroidal core made with laminated strip wound steel, a feeder or bus-bar that forms one turn of the primary circuit, and an insulated wire that provides inter-turn insulation and secondary to core insulation The bus-bar serves as the primary conductor, providing connectors for the two ends of the circuit.

A wound CT, on the other hand, consists of both primary and secondary winding like a typical transformer, with the secondary winding having a smaller-magnitude current that is proportional to that of the primary. This transformer is used to measure currents from 1 amp to 100 amps and is insulated up to 600 volts.

Ring-type CTs, the most widely used and preferred by professionals, consist of a quadrilateral or circular core. The solid core CT is normally clamped around an electrical source, such as a live wire, while the split-core CT can be installed and attached to the source whenever necessary due to its opening. Among the three, split-core CTs are considered the safest and most convenient to use.

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Current Transformers: Two Main Types

Current transformers (CTs) are devices used in railways, electricity transmission and distribution, vessel propulsion, power generation, wind/solar power renewables, and industrial equipment. With various applications come many different purposes for CTs, which include protection, power measurement, interposing, and summation, among other things. So when buying CTs from power monitoring equipment companies, you need to ensure that you buy the right type for your intended application.

Protection CTs

Protection CTs measure the actual currents in power systems to produce equivalent proportional currents in their secondary windings, which are far or separate from the main power circuit. These proportional currents act as inputs to protective relays, which are designed to isolate part of a power circuit should an abnormal condition occur. Protection CTs are able to do this without disrupting other parts of the system.

Measurement CTs

Measurement CTs are used for measuring instruments like voltmeters and ammeters. These instruments, which are either mechanical or electronic, usually meet design problems when they encounter high voltages or high currents in power systems. That’s the reason why they need to work with a current transformer that serves to: a) isolate the instruments from the power circuit, and b) standardize the current rating of the instruments, usually at 5 amps or 1 amp. The instrument’s scale then becomes its only non-standard feature, based on the CT ratio.

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Global energy demand will continue to increase due to population growth. In a recent Hydrocarbon Engineering report, Emma McAleavey writes that even with energy efficiency measures in place, residential, commercial, and industrial demand for energy will grow between 2010 and 2040. Fortunately, North America and Europe will see the lowest increase in demand. Building code updates, energy efficiency mandates, and investment in alternative sources of energy are able to keep the rate of increase down to 20 percent. McAleavey reports, though, that it could’ve been 50 percent—at par with Asia, a budding mega-economy.

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The first step in mitigating power surges is to recognize that they are sometimes inevitable and thereby spell the need to install a flexible current transformer. Such a device is commonly used to measure surge currents. Aside from utility works, power surges can also be caused by lightning or internal circuitry (e.g. activating high-powered systems). The next step is to identify the cause. If the facility is experiencing power surges on a clear day, lightning is unlikely to be the culprit. Experts believe most power surges stem from within a facility, such as a faulty wire or tripped circuit breaker somewhere. You can use the readings on the current transformer to determine fluctuations in a conductor’s current.

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If you are in need of high-quality current sensors to efficiently manage your business’s energy consumption, then you’ve come to the right place. Here at Aim Dynamics, we allow custom modifications for your utmost satisfaction. You can have your newly purchased current sensors customized with additional AC or DC current transformer accessories. Simply start by clicking on the current sensor you want to purchase and selecting your amp rating. After that, you’ll be directed to the page where you can see the description and features of your product of choice. To see how you can get a discount, simply click the “view quantity discount” box beside the description-features-certifications row, if available. At the bottom section, you can find all the accessories—and links to their respective descriptions—available for your product. You can purchase more than one accessory if needed.

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The Adc to Vac Transducer can convert a 2-300 Adc input to a 333 mVac output. The device is suitable for battery chargers, DC motor drives and DC systems, mobile applications, and similar systems that will be plugged into a power meter expecting a 333 mVac such as an eGauge power meter. The device has a DIN rail mount option; if preferred, it can also be mounted on a panel. This transducer has a 0.79” opening and weighs 0.5 lbs. It also has a supply voltage of 24 Vdc +/- 10% with a 1% accuracy. The operating temperature of the Adc to Vac Transducer is 0-50°C and contains an insulation voltage of 2500 Vdc. Users can look forward to a response time of 250 ms Max and 0-90% FS, and depending on your particular needs, the equipment can be customized based on the amp rating you require. Lastly, rest assured that the Adc to Vac Transducer is RoHS compliant.

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Considerations for Current Sensing

Generally speaking, current sensing involves the generation of a voltage signal that represents the current flowing at a particular position in an electrical circuit. A current sensing resistor needs to be considered as a current-to-voltage converter that, in order to be useful, must be chosen based on the following set of attributes: low value, low inductance, tight tolerance on initial value, high peak power rating, and high temperature rating.

The following details should help you understand some of the considerations that go into the selection and application processes of current sensing devices:

Value

The first factor in determining a sensor’s value is usually the voltage threshold of its circuitry. For more complex applications, where signal amplification is a factor, the choice would be made on ensuring minimal voltage drop across the entire device.

Temperature coefficient of resistance

TCR is a necessary consideration whenever accuracy is a primary concern. Normally specified in unit parts per million per degree centigrade, TCR can be translated into accuracy by using a specific formula.

Power rating

When it comes to choosing the proper technology for a current sensor, power rating is a huge determining factor. An important point for this particular consideration is a deep understanding of the nature of the current waveform on which the sensor will be used. The device may be intended to detect DC current, but may also need to handle, or perhaps even calculate, transient peak currents that result from output capacitor charging, load transients, inrush current surges, etc.

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Load Sharing in a Power Plant Engine

In the power industry, load sharing is defined as the use of multiple power plant engines to operate a common load. In this type of arrangement, a pneumatic speed setting assigned by the plant operator is directed to control the power output of the master engine and adjust the power output of the slave engines. The practice provides a multitude of advantages in a variety of applications.

A load sharing arrangement for a multiple-engine power plant generally follows the following configuration:

First and second engines containing a power output that is a function of the amount of fuel supplied, wherein first and second governors linked to their respective engines are of the type in which the fluid pressure control signal manages the pressure in a power cylinder. The power cylinder, in turn, manages the supply of fuel to the engine that its governor is linked to.

Meanwhile, the first and second voltage transducers inside the power cylinders of each governor are responsible for generating first and second voltages proportional to the power output of the particular engines they belong to. These transducers serve three primary functions: generate a first fluid pressure control signal that suggests the desired engine power output, connect the resulting first fluid pressure control signal to the first governor, and respond to first and second voltage to generate a first or second correction signal.

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The Riddle with Rogowski

The Rogowski coil is a step up from current transformer technology. Its lightness, flexibility, and reduced number of parts make it one of the best in use today. Although it was named after German physicist Walter Rogowski, he didn't actually invent the coil. In fact, nobody really knows who pioneered it.

Why name something after someone who didn't come up with the idea? Rogowski is known throughout the scientific community for merging theoretical physics with electrical engineering, having worked all his life with fellow scientists to create inventions that typified this union. In a way, the Rogowski coil is putting Ampere's law into practice.

Under Ampere's law, the electromagnetic energy generated by a primary conductor around it can be considered the same as the current flowing along the conductor itself. This allows the apparatus to take precise current measurements without actually touching the wire. You could say Ampere himself lent a hand in making this system possible.

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Why are Some Current Transformers Huge?

The more common current transformers are smaller than a typical apple. However, certain transformers are the size of wet-cell batteries or small towers. These can be commonly found in utility poles and electric substations, where they serve the same purpose of measuring currents in real time.

However, power companies know how to compensate for the reduced accuracy. These current transformers got big for a reason: every day, miles of power lines deliver immense amounts of energy at high voltages from power plants to neighborhoods. Current transformers in this scenario, then, are likely to be used to prevent entire grids from shutting down due to a burnout.

If you're looking for a current transformer for measurement purposes, the small ones will do. A lot of them fall under the top four accuracy classes as per IEC 60044-1, allowing for accuracy rates of up to 99.9 percent. Then again, based on the standard, the lower accuracy classes are no slouches, either, with an accuracy rate of as low as 90 percent.

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Any type of current flow creates a proportional magnetic field, and DC current transducer products measure this generated field using Hall Effect technology. Hall Effect is defined as the generation of a magnetic field perpendicular to the current and a voltage difference across an electrical conductor transverse to an electrical current in the conductor.

This article discusses how Hall Effect devices work, their limitations, and how they can be improved.Understanding Hall Effect devicesA Hall Effect-based transducer, such as the one contained in a RōCoil TCA-5-HV-KIT, is generally composed of a signal conditioning circuitry, a core, and a Hall Effect device.