OptiSense Networks, Inc., a leading provider of distribution automation intelligence announced today that OptiSense has signed an agreement with IMS Power Quality, a leading provider of supervision and control products for electrical energy, for exclusive distribution of the OptiSense™ Medium Voltage Optical Sensor solution within the Latin American region.

“OptiSense is excited to be joining forces with such a renown and respected partner as IMS, a specialist in electrical supervision and control products.” says Stephen Prince, CEO of OptiSense. “IMS offers 30 years of expertise with voltage, power quality, and power factor measurement instrumentation in highly-dynamic markets,” notes Prince. “We are excited that IMS chose to integrate OptiSensors™ into their power quality offerings for utilities seeking Volt/VAR Control, Conservation Voltage, and Energy Theft detection.”

In emerging markets such as Latin America and Asia, greater than 40% of electrical energy is not paid for. Additionally, power quality issues affect many of the cities within Latin America, adversely affecting manufacturers and others who contend with voltage deviations problems such as flicker, harmonics, voltage sags, and unbalances.

Elektro, a leading provider of electricity in São Paulo, Brazil notes that the cost of distribution disturbances has reached unprecedented proportions and the industrial sector is very motivated to reduce the cost through new solutions. 1

The distribution agreement with OptiSense gives IMS exclusive rights to distribute OptiSense Medium Voltage solutions throughout Latin America. IMS will also offer training to utilities to maximize the intelligence beyond the substation that OptiSensors™ provide.

IMS Power Quality will be joining OptiSense™ at DistribuTECH January 24-26 in San Antonio, Texas. OptiSense is displaying their 15kV, 25kV and 35kV OptiSensors™ “on the line” at Booth 4329.

About IMS Power Quality

Founded in 1981, IMS develops, produces, and markets highly efficient electronic devices that monitor the amount and quality of energy used. The continuous investment in research and development of proprietary technology has enabled IMS to gain credibility in an industry that requires dynamic and highly qualified technical, and manufacturing processes, marketing, pre and post-sales.

For more information on IMS (www.ims.ind.br) , distribution of OptiSense products, or power quality, please contact

COMMERCIAL AND MEDIA CONTACT:

Débora Presotto
President and CEO
debora@ims.ind.br

About OptiSense

Founded in 2001, OPTISENSE NETWORKS (www.optisense.net) provides utilities patented, medium voltage optical current and voltage sensors that increase electric distribution system reliability and efficiency through intelligence beyond the substation. Working closely with electric utilities, these next-generation sensors enable electric power companies to effectively monitor and manage distribution voltage, current and power factor in real-time.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Janet Kieffer
Gravity Solutions
janet.kieffer@gravity-solutions.com

The IMS equipments have a tension meansure’s limit, it can be diferent from equipment to equipment. When the network’s value ultrapass the limits acceptable (see the manuals, fast guides or technical catalogs) it must be installed one transformer to reduce the tension’s value (PT), then it’s able to do the meansure of equipment normally, no risk to damage the equipment.

 What will you program in it?

The value to be programmed is the value NOMINAL of this PT and NOT the value general of transformer (usually on network input). If it’s necessary the instalation of PT, then must be programmed the value nominal meansure (low tension’s network), so in primary as secundary.

If it use a transformer to power supply circuit, it will not need to change any configuration, because the PT used in the IMS equipments only means to meansure circuit, not to power supply one. It’s important to take care in these values, in a case if the equipment be configured incorrectly, it will not do a right meansure and also will not control the network (if you’re using a controller).

By install a regular power factory’s controller, it’s need installing a CT’s and, some cases, PT’s as well. Please, check some important points:

• If the installation is OK (it may take a long time);
• If the power factory meansured by equipment is the same that is showing by Public Utility’s meter;
• Foresee an anual manutence, it takes the equipment out operation for some time.

To solve these problems, IMS developed a controller called Smart Control PF, unnecessary the use of CT/PT, it just needs to use a optical cable (this cable replace the PT/CT), that’s where the economy starts, this controller do not need to be calibrated/ adjusted and garantee the perfect sincronism between controller and the Public Utility’s meter.

Some informations must be obtained by Public Utility before to connect with the Utility’s meter, these informations are: Output Type User; (it may be ‘normal’, ‘mixed’ or ‘extended’); PT’s Proportion (PTP), CT’s Proportion (CTP) and Eletrical Constant (Ke). Once configured, the controller will have autonomy enought to take the network’s control over by itself.

The operating systems Windows Vista and Windows 7 may operate on 32 or 64 bits platform. The softwares IMS were developed to run on 32 bits platform, so this is an important parameter to be verified before the instalation, avoiding any problem later.

To verify your PC’s platform (if it’s 32 or 64 bits), go to Control Painel > System.