How Do Resistive Load Banks Work?
Resistive Load Banks are the most common types of load banks. Resistive load banks come in a wide variety of options according to their applications. They come in the following forms:
● DC portable
● AC small portable
● AC large portable
● AC trailer mounted
● AC stationary
● AC medium/high voltage
Understanding the Load Banks
Load bank is a test equipment which is used to simulate an electric load by connecting it to a power source, without connecting it to the average operating load. The power source can be a diesel generator, UPS or any form of electricity-generating component. Load banks simulate the real-life situations of the normal operating load to test the power source prior to connecting it to the normal load. They replicate the actual demand of a load and help configure the power source according to the actual power demands. Heavy-duty resistors are placed in the load bank, which helps dissipate the energy in the form of heat and air or water cooling is utilized to dissipate the heat produced efficiently.
Electric generators are kept for emergencies and for the power source where no electric grid is available.
The thing about emergencies is they come at unexpected times, and for such times the backup generators should be ready. Load Bank testing is necessary to keep the generators working efficiently and provide their maximum output. Load Bank testing mimics the real-life situation of a load and dissipates the electric energy in the form of heat. Load banks are of the following type: resistive, inductive, and capacitive.
Working of Resistive Load Banks
Resistive load banks are the most widely used load banks because they allow you to test a generator or power source at 100% capacity. We know that the basic property of a resistor is to resist the current and convert electrical energy by dissipating in the form of heat. Resistive Load Banks have high power resistors in them, which convert the electrical energy into heat and the heat is dissipated in the atmosphere through air or water cooling systems. The resistive load bank converts all energy generated by a power source into heat, thus allowing it to test the generator at 100% capacity. The most common kind of resistive load banks have wire resistances adjoined with cooling fans, and they are portable and easy to operate from generator to generator. The resistive load banks can vary in size depending upon the utility of the equipment. They can either be fixed mounted or moveable.
Applications of Resistive Load Banks
Resistive load banks are employed in a wide variety of applications. According to their applications, they are available in a wide variety of form factors e.g., such as portable units to stationary mounted units, which can be used to test hundreds of megawatts power sources. A DC portable unit is used to test the DC power sources such as batteries, UPS, and DC generators.
There are also AC portable units which are carried on wheels which are used for testing of AC power sources such as UPS and AC generators up to 150 kW. There are units that are mounted on trailers and can be used to test generator sites up to 3000 kW. There are stationary units as well which are used in fixed power sources such as wind turbines and other renewable energy sources. They simulate the conditions of heavy load energy outputs, which range from 4500kW to 100 MW.
