About Cirencester Hospital

The Cirencester Hospital is under the authority of the Gloucester NHS Trust. Located on Tetbury Road, Cirencester, it offers surgery and out-patient clinics, therapy services and emergency care. It has a capacity of 24 general surgery beds as well as 70 assessment rehabilitation beds.

How powerPerfector were able to help Cirencester Hospital

After receiving the annual electricity consumption details for Cirencester Hospital, it was possible to give a provisional quote for a powerPerfector unit and to outline the potential for energy savings. A voltage logger was then sent for one week, which recorded the voltage level in the building by connecting to it in to a regular mains socket. It was found that the average voltage at the hospital was 239.0 volts (V), 9V higher than the nominal supply in the UK. After a survey of the site by a powerPerfector approved contractor, the installation took place. The installation was completed on Thursday, 2 April 2009. Analysis following the installation showed that there was an average reduction in kWh consumption of 8-10% attributable to the powerPerfector installation, equating to annual carbon dioxide emissions saving of 37,800kg.

Getting the source right

powerPerfector is the world’s only Voltage Power Optimiser, giving energy, carbon and cost savings by efficiently optimising a site’s supply voltage. By optimising the voltage, electrical equipment runs more efficiently and consumes less energy. The declared electricity supply in the United Kingdom is now, as a result of European Harmonisation, 230V with a tolerance of +10% to -6%. This means that effective voltage can be anywhere between 216V and 253V depending on local conditions. Most electrical equipment manufactured for Europe and the UK is rated at 220V and operates more efficiently at this level. Forcing appliances to operate at a higher voltage in the UK (242V is the average supply level) leads to significantly higher energy consumption, increased heat losses and a reduced life span. As a result of equipment specification and the range of voltage supply, there is an opportunity to achieve cost savings by optimising voltage at source and at the same time improve the operation and lifespan of a site’s electrical infrastructure. It is estimated that 90% of sites in the UK are operating at too high a voltage and could therefore benefit from a powerPerfector installation.

Voltage Power Optimisation. The less obvious benefits

Reduced maintenance, longer life

All electrical equipment has an optimum voltage at which it works best. A powerPerfected supply delivers that optimum and reduces the strain on your electrical equipment, leaving it to work more reliably and for longer.

Better quality power supply

Some things you may have accepted for years as product faults can turn out to be caused by a poor quality power supply. For instance, the life of incandescent light bulbs is almost doubled when the supply voltage is optimised. Now imagine that in relation to an IT network or an expensive piece of manufacturing equipment.

Missing the penalty kick

Power factor penalty charges – which are now uncapped in the UK – can be avoided if your power factor is above 0.95. If your power factor is at around 0.9 at the moment, powerPerfector could remove your exposure to these charges by improving the electrical efficiency of your site
Lower harmonic distortion and reduced neutral currents
powerPerfectors are able to filter harmonics on the mains incomer. Harmonic distortion is on the increase and can lead to random failures of electronic equipment – particularly computers.

Protection

Common transients – very brief spikes in voltage from the grid – are eliminated by powerPerfector. Transients at this level can cause catastrophic damage to equipment, but smaller, more common transient events will also shorten the life expectancy of electrical equipment over time. The looming energy gap means that the risk of transients is increased – Cirencester Hospital is now protected.