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Energy
EnergyProcedia
Procedia117 (2017) 000–000
00 (2017) 724–730
www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia
1st International Conference on Power Engineering, Computing and CONtrol, PECCON-2017, 2-
1st International Conference on Power
4 March Engineering,
2017, VIT Computing
University, Chennai and CONtrol, PECCON-2017, 2-
Campus
4 March 2017, VIT University, Chennai Campus
A Practical Investigation on Conservation Voltage Reduction for its
A PracticalThe
Investigation onSymposium
15th International Conservation on DistrictVoltage Reduction
Heating and Cooling for its
Efficiency with Electric Home Appliances
Efficiency with Electric Home Appliances
Assessing the feasibility of using the heat demand-outdoor
A.Singaravelan,* M.Kowsalya
temperature functionA.Singaravelan,*
for aVITlong-term district heat demand forecast
M.Kowsalya
University, Vellore, India
VIT University, Vellore, India
I. Andrića,b,c*, A. Pinaa, P. Ferrão a
, J. Fournier
VIT University,
b c
Vellore, India ., B. Lacarrière , O. Le Corre
c

a
IN+ Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research - Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Abstract b
Veolia Recherche & Innovation, 291 Avenue Dreyfous Daniel, 78520 Limay, France
c
Abstract Département Systèmes Énergétiques et Environnement - IMT Atlantique, 4 rue Alfred Kastler, 44300 Nantes, France
Conservation voltage reduction (CVR) method is a cost efficient solution to reduce the peak demand and power consumption.
This method decreases
Conservation power consumption
voltage reduction (CVR) method of electric
is a costload by reducing
efficient solution the supply the
to reduce voltage. This method
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and power used within
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efficiency of CVR the load power consumption values between appliances with CVR and without CVR. The results shows that which
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be heat
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reduce the
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implementing of
CVR Alvalade,
within located
the consumer in Lisbon
side. (Portugal), was used as a case
peak demand within consumer side with maintaining consumer comfort level. A new low cost smart plug design is given in study. The district is consisted ofthis
665
buildings that vary in both construction
paper for implementing CVR within the consumer side. period and typology. Three weather scenarios (low, medium, high) and three district
renovation scenarios were developed (shallow, intermediate, deep). To estimate the error, obtained heat demand values were
© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
©compared
2017 Thewith Authors.
results Published by Elsevier
from a dynamic heatLtd.demand model, previously developed and validated by the authors.
Peer-review
© 2017 The underAuthors. responsibility
Published by of Elsevier
the scientific
Ltd. committee of the 1st International Conference on Power Engineering,
Peer-review
The results under
showed responsibility
that when of the
only scientific
weather committee
change of the 1st
is considered, theInternational
margin of errorConference
could beonacceptable
Power Engineering,
for some applications
Computing
Peer-review
Computing and
under
and CONtrol.
responsibility of the scientific committee of the 1st International Conference on Power Engineering,
CONtrol.
(the error in annual demand was lower than 20% for all weather scenarios considered). However, after introducing renovation
Computing and CONtrol.
scenarios,Conservation
Keywords: the error value increased
Voltage Reduction; upPeak
to 59.5%
Demand;(depending on the weather
Power Consumption; Energyand renovation
Savings; scenarios
Smart Plug; combination
Smart Gird; considered).
Voltage Contro
The
Method;value
Home of slope
Energy coefficient
Management; increased
Smart Meter; on average
Consumer within
Comfort the range of 3.8% up to 8% per
Keywords: Conservation Voltage Reduction; Peak Demand; Power Consumption; Energy Savings; Smart Plug; Smart Gird; Voltage Contro
decade, that corresponds to the
decrease
Method; in the
Home number
Energy of heating
Management; hours
Smart Meter;of Consumer
22-139h during
Comfortthe heating season (depending on the combination of weather and
renovation scenarios considered). On the other hand, function intercept increased for 7.8-12.7% per decade (depending on the
coupled scenarios). The values suggested could be used to modify the function parameters for the scenarios considered, and
improve the accuracy of heat demand estimations.

© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

* Corresponding
Peer-review author.
under Tel.: +918870411118.
responsibility of the Scientific Committee of The 15th International Symposium on District Heating and
* E-mail address:
Corresponding
Cooling. a.singaravelan2013@gmail.com
author. Tel.: +918870411118.
E-mail address: a.singaravelan2013@gmail.com
1876-6102
Keywords:©Heat
2017demand;
The Authors. Published
Forecast; Climatebychange
Elsevier Ltd.
Peer-review©under
1876-6102 2017responsibility
The Authors. of the scientific
Published committee
by Elsevier Ltd. of the 1st International Conference on Power Engineering, Computing and CONtrol.
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 1st International Conference on Power Engineering, Computing and CONtrol.

1876-6102 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of The 15th International Symposium on District Heating and Cooling.
1876-6102 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 1st International Conference on Power Engineering, Computing
and CONtrol.
10.1016/j.egypro.2017.05.187
 A. Singaravelan et al. / Energy Procedia 117 (2017) 724–730 725
2 Author name / Energy Procedia 00 (2017) 000–000

1. Introduction

CVR (also called as Voltage Reduction Method (VRM)) is an easy and low cost method for energy savings and
peak demand reduction. CVR method reduces the power consumption by reducing the supply voltage magnitude
within the allowed limit. Even though CVR method becoming familiar now a days, but it is not a new topic. CVR
method proposed at the time of electricity is started to use in commercial [1]. In past, the CVR method is
implemented by utilities to reduce power consumption and to reduce peak demand for maintain the availability of
electric power to all of its consumers. But at present, due to latest smart grid technology and advance metering
infrastructure, CVR can be implement with in consumer side [2]. Implementing CVR method has its limitation to
reach the optimized level of power saving or power consumption. Not all electric home appliances reduces the
power consumption, when reducing supply voltage. Some appliances may lead to more power loss. Because the
efficiency of ‘CVR method’ is depends on the characteristic of electric appliances or load. For constant restive load,
if the supply voltage is reduced then the power consumption also will reduced. But for constant power load when
supply voltage is reduced then the load tends to maintain the power level so current increased which leads to higher
energy losses in line [2]. This shows that the utilities cannot be implement the CVR method, because if the utility
decreases the supply voltage for all appliances then energy losses occur because some of the home appliances have
constant power characteristic. So CVR method is very effective when it is implement to constant resistive load and
constant current load. Therefore for optimized implementation of CVR method, the efficiency of CVR over different
appliances need to be identified.
The methods to quantify the CVR effects and efficiency are given in [4]. The simulation based quantifying the
CVR effects are given in [5] and [6]. In [7], Mathematical static model of electrical load is given to test the CVR
effects on it. Local voltage control method for CVR is given in [8]. The local voltage method provides the facility to
implement the CVR at consumer premises. Signal processing and control method for CVR is given in [9]. In [10],
[11], the CVR implementation method and planning and are given for CVR control at feeder or at substations by
utility. Modeling, measurement and verification for a CVR installed substation with real time data is given in [12].
From all the above research and reviews, efficiency of CVR is not tested at consumer premises or with local voltage
control method. So in this paper the authors conducted an experiment for measuring the efficiency of the CVR
method over commonly using home appliances, the experiment is conducted in machines lab at VIT University,
Vellore. A smart plug design is given in [13] to minimize the standby power loss. The modified smart plug design is
given in this paper for future implementation of CVR method with in consumer premises. This paper is organized as
follows. In Section 2, Description of Experimental setup. In section 3 CVR implementation process with Smart plug.
Conclusion is given in section 4.

2. Description of Experimental setup

Power consumption by CVR method is not applicable for all electric home appliances. For this reason, the
authors conducted an experiment to test the effects of CVR under different home appliances. The authors used a
latest pre-installed digital measuring table in machine lab at VIT University, Vellore is used for this experiment on
CVR. The testing table contains digitalized AC power sensor, AC voltage sensor, AC Current sensor, with auto
transformer and Digital output. The controllable AC source voltage to the appliances is supplied by an
autotransformer. The power sensor is connected between source and load to measure the power. The voltage sensor
is connected across the autotransformer to measure the input supply. The testing table with appliance is shown in
Fig. 1. To test the benefits of CVR with respect to different home appliances, initially the appliances are supplied
with 230v. The power consumption with supply voltage of 230v is measured. Then the same appliances is operated
with supply voltage of 200v. And the power consumption for 200v is measured. Same like this the experiment was
conducted with some home appliances which is commonly used. Table 1 shows the power consumption of different
home appliances with 230v and 200v supply voltage. From the table, the power consumption for most of the home
appliances reduced by VRM. Power consumption for PC desktop, TV, Induction Stove, PC monitor and lighting are
not changed by VRM. This type of appliances belongs to constant power characteristics. This experiment show the
VRM reduces the power consumption for about 64% of electric home appliances. In Fig. 2. Shows the power
consumption with respect to time for Induction Stove, Iron, Electric Cooker, and Microwave Oven. In this figure,
726 A. Singaravelan et al. / Energy Procedia 117 (2017) 724–730
Author name / Energy Procedia 00 (2017) 000–000 3

Induction stove consume 1040w with 200V supply and 1012w with 230v supply. This shows that 2.8% of power
consumption is increased with decreasing the supply voltage. So the induction stove is not suitable for CVR method
to power consumption.

Fig. 1. Experimental setup

230V 200V 230V 200V

1050 1200
1040 1000
Power (w)

Power (w)

1030 800
1020 600
1010 400
1000 200
990 0
0:01
0:04
0:07
0:10
0:13
0:16
0:19
0:22
0:25
0:28

0:00
0:00
0:00
0:00
0:00
0:00
0:00
0:00
0:00
0:00

Time (min) Time (m)

a b

230V 200V 230V 200V

30 800
25
600
Power (w)

Power (w)

20
15 400
10
200
5
0 0
0:01
0:04
0:07
0:10
0:13
0:16
0:19
0:22
0:25
0:28

0:01
0:04
0:07
0:10
0:13
0:16
0:19
0:22
0:25
0:28

Time(min) Time (min)

c d

Fig. 2. Appliances Power Consumption, a. Induction Stove, b. Iron, c. Electric Cooker, d. Microwave oven.
4 Author name / Energy Procedia 00 (2017) 000–000
A. Singaravelan et al. / Energy Procedia 117 (2017) 724–730 727

Table 1. Experiment result.

Appliances Measured Power(Watt) Percentage of
power reduced (%)
For 230V input For 200V input
Electric Cooker 609.45 467.13 23.4
Microwave Oven 666.10 526.60 20.9
PC desktop 55.00 55.00 0.0
Kittle 1840.00 1440.00 21.7
Iron 951.09 730.58 23.2
TV 121.83 121.83 0.0
Induction Stove 1012.00 1040.00 -2.8
PC monitor 17.00 17.00 0.0
Water Heater 1061.36 922.92 13.0
AC 800.00 635.16 20.6
Washing Machine 400.00 347.82 13.0
Fridge 109.00 94.78 13.0
Lighting 240.00 240.00 0.0
Table fan 30.60 22.85 25.3
Water pump 371.99 323.47 13.0
Mixer Grinder 296.23 238.00 19.7

3. CVR implementation process with Smart plug

To simplify the implementation of CVR with in consumer place, a simple and low cost CVR smart plug is
proposed in this paper. Centralized voltage control with in a home can be achieved in this proposed smart plug. This
smart plug is designed with aim to reduce peak demand and reduce power consumption. When CVR is implemented
at peak hours, then the peak demand will reduced. So the smart plug in connected with central control system
wirelessly to enable and disable CVR with respect to time. The block diagram of implementation of CVR smart plug
is shown in Fig. 3. In this figure, the AC voltage from the grid is connected with a smart meter to measure the
overall power consumption of the home. Then the appliances is connected with smart plug. Supply voltage from the
grid to appliances is supplied via smart plug. So smart plug have full control to supply the voltage to appliances. The
block diagram of smart plug is given in Fig. 4. From the figure the AC voltage can be tapped with two different
voltage magnitude level. One is AC magnitude without transformer to get voltage output of 230v and another one is
voltage magnitude reduction from 230v to 200v using stepdown transformer to get voltage output of 200v. The
tapping of voltage magnitude is achieved by two solid state relays. The control signal for solid state relays is given
from a ZigBee module. The control signal to ZigBee module is received from central control system. So central
control system can able to control the voltage magnitude of all appliances, which is connected to smart plug. Control
system contains a microcontroller and a ZigBee module. So in future, when peak hour’s data is uploaded to the
central control system microcontroller, then the central control system will enable the CVR method to all appliances
during peak hours and disable the CVR method during off peak hours. Due to smart plug the CVR can be
implemented only with constant current and constant resistant appliances.
To test the efficiency of CVR for its energy consumption level, an experimental test is done with Induction
Stove, Iron, Electric Cocker, Microwave oven, Mixer Grinder, and Kittle. This experiment was conducted for 2
days. For first 24 hours (day 1) the appliances supplied with 230v. And for second 24 hours (day 2) the appliances
supplied with 200v. The time and duration for turn-on and turn-off for day 1 and day 2 are same for all appliances.
The power consumption of appliances with 230v respect to time is shown in the Fig. 5. The power consumption of
appliances with 200v respect to time is shown in the Fig. 6. The result shows that the energy consumption on day 1
728 A. Singaravelan et al. / Energy Procedia 117 (2017) 724–730
Author name / Energy Procedia 00 (2017) 000–000 5

is 2.864kWh and energy consumption on day 2 is 2.43kWh. Around 15.154% of energy is saved on day 2 while
comparing to day 1.

Fig. 3. Block diagram of CVR smart plug

Fig. 4. Smart Plug block diagram

4. Conclusion

An experiment was conducted for testing the benefits of CVR with commonly used electric home appliances, and
the results shows that power consumption of around 64% of home appliances are reduced with CVR. The results
shows that CVR for induction stove is not suitable. This result helps to modify future implementation of CVR to
achieve optimal power savings from CVR. A new low cost smart plug design is given in this paper to implement the
CVR on consumer premises. To test the energy consumption efficiency of CVR method, an experiment was
conducted for 2 days on using electric home appliances. Day 1 without CVR and Day 2 with CVR. The results
shows CVR method saves around 15.15% of energy consumption on comparing with Day 1. So it can be concluded
that, CVR is an efficient method for reducing the power consumption and to reducing the peak demand. But the very
important limitation of CVR method is, choosing suitable electric appliances for implementation. This paper is a
part of main research work of the authors. The future scope of this work can be developing smart plug and central
control system by including optimization algorithm for reducing the peak demand without sacrificing customer
comfort level.
6 A. Singaravelan
Author et al.
name / Energy / Energy00Procedia
Procedia 117 (2017) 724–730
(2017) 000–000 729

Fig. 5. A day power consumption profile with 230v supply voltage

Fig. 6. A day power consumption profile with 200v supply voltage

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