ABB teams in New Zealand and Vietnam have partnered with Yoosung KN Co. to introduce ABB PCS100 AVC Active Voltage Conditioner technology at two facilities producing semiconductors in Southeast Asia. Since installation, the PCS100 AVC devices have resolved severe problems caused by fluctuating power quality that was costing the facilities millions of dollars every year.
Founded in 2002, Yoosung has been a longtime ABB channel partner, operating from its base in Changwon, South Korea. One of Yoosung’s customers, a major semiconductor producer, operates two factories in Asia, which were endangered by monthly voltage sags. These deep sags caused extensive damage to equipment in the original plant. In 2019, the plant sustained 219 power quality events, 68 percent of which had a magnitude of 80-90 percent.
To resolve this serious power supply issue, Yoosung recommended the ABB PCS 100 AVC-40 to tackle the need for high-speed full correction of the voltage sag.
ABB’s PCS100 AVC-40 is able to fully correct a sag in less than half a cycle while fully loaded. Another important benefit is its small footprint, allowing it to be easily installed in the first factory’s existing electrical room. The PCS100 AVC-40 solution performed so well that the customer decided to install more AVC units at the beginning of construction of its second facility.
Ultimately, PCS100 AVC-40 reduced the number of power quality issues at the facilities by 90 percent. Thanks to the installation of the ABB technology, the customer has saved around $2.5 million USD per year by avoiding production losses and equipment damage.
ABB’s PCS100 AVC-40 is specifically configured for industrial and large commercial applications. Its industrial design and rugged overload capability allow it to handle conditions that others cannot. The device requires no batteries, since it draws the additional energy required to make up the correction voltage from the utility lines. With none of the ongoing maintenance expense typically associated with batteries, the cost of ownership for PCS100 AVC-40 systems is very low.
The customer installed three PCS100 AVC-40 units protecting production lines and motor control centers, totalling 3000kVA. The systems were installed in the main electrical rooms with a maintenance bypass panel supplied by Yoosung.
“The AVC systems have resolved most of the voltage sags in our customer’s production line since their installation ,” said Yoosung President Min Choi. “They are also easy to operate and have saved a lot of space. No longer do the plants need small sag solutions for each machine.”
With industry-leading efficiency exceeding 98 percent, the PCS100 AVC-40 has minimal heat rejection, resulting in low costs for electricity and cooling. Its small footprint also allows it to fit into confined areas, eliminating the need to heat and cool additional floor space.
“We are proud to see another satisfied customer using the ABB solution,” explained Gary Aw, ABB Global Business Development Manager for the semiconductor industry. “Given the recent semiconductor chip shortage and capital announcements from many companies, we see more opportunities for the semiconductor industry to use PCS100 AVC-40 to solve voltage sags with a low total cost of ownership compared to other traditional power protection solutions.“
The PCS100 AVC-40 is a reliable, compact solution for sagging voltage in regions with uncertain power supplies, available across the globe from ABB.
