Summary
Modular, flexible harmonic filters ensure good power quality at Castle Ingredients, Belgium
Challenge
In the fast-paced consumer goods industry, power efficiency and reliability play a crucial role in ensuring smooth operations and optimal performance. Whether it's an industrial or commercial establishment, maintaining high power quality is essential to avoid costly disruptions and maximize productivity. The food processing industry is no exception.
Leading food processing company Castle Ingredients understands the significance of quality in every aspect of its operations. Located in Hombourg, Belgium, Castle Ingredients specializes in the preservation, color, and taste of a wide range of ingredients. The company heavily relies on automated process machinery to achieve precision and consistency in its services. However, as with any industry, power quality issues can pose significant challenges.
Operating motors, variable frequency drives (VFDs), heaters, and dryers can introduce power quality issues, such as harmonics and low power factor. These issues can result in inefficiencies, power outages, equipment failures, and penalties from utility providers. Poor power quality can have far-reaching consequences in a food processing facility, resulting in substandard food production and spoiled products.
Solution
Castle Ingredients turned to Hitachi Energy for its expertise in diagnosing potential power quality issues and recommending effective solutions. Leveraging a successful history of collaboration, Hitachi Energy conducted a comprehensive analysis and devised a tailored solution for Castle Ingredients.
After careful assessment and solution engineering, Hitachi Energy proposed the implementation of its modular active harmonic filter, PQactiF, on the plant's low-voltage network. Powered by the utility distribution and a rooftop solar installation, the network will benefit from canceling harmonics and other forms of electrical noise, ensuring a cleaner, more stable, and safer power supply.
We are delighted to partner with Hitachi Energy for an innovative solution that will help us achieve a cleaner network and improve our facility’s overall efficiency. Based on the results after installation, Hitachi Energy’s active filter has demonstrated its effectiveness and ease of use, thanks to its modular design and intuitive interface.
Impact
Unstable power supply poses significant risks to the food industry.
It can potentially lead to losses, disruptive production interruptions, and create food spoilage, besides waste of energy and increased costs. Active filters like PQactiF help curb these risks by improving the facility’s power quality, enabling food manufacturers to achieve stable energy and increase productivity.
Furthermore, active harmonic filters are ideal for networks powered by renewable energy. They efficiently address specific power quality issues that originate from wind or solar installations, optimizing the use of renewable energy sources and thus reducing the facility's carbon footprint.
Through Hitachi Energy’s PQactiF, Castle Ingredients delivers the promise of quality ingredients that bring rich flavors to homes one tasty dish at a time.
