Power Systems

POWER SYSTEMS TOPICS 110

Power Up With a Load Management System:

Setting Up a Load Management System
Part 2 of a 3-part series

By
Isaac Frampton
Senior Engineer
KOHLER Power Systems

Part one of this three-part series focused

on appropriate applications of load
management to help control load priorities
and improve power quality to critical loads.
This installment will explore setting up load
management systems, determining load
priority orders, and methods of shedding loads.

Chillers
HVAC compressors/pumps
Elevators
Luxury equipment such as swimming pools,
hot tubs, etc.
Office or commercial space.

Important Non-Critical Loads

QUESTIONS TO ASK DURING LOAD

MANAGEMENT SETUP
While load management setup is applicationspecific and depends on facility engineers to
determine triggers to activate load management,
there are four questions to answer in the process
that are consistent for any setup:
1. Which loads need to be managed?
2. What is the load priority order?

Air handlers
Non-emergency lighting
Medical imaging systems

Critical loads

3. How will the loads be shed?

These are loads that, if removed, could potentially

cause life-threatening situations. Some common
examples include:

4. How is load shed coordinated?

WHICH LOADS NEED TO BE MANAGED?

Load management systems may prioritize loads
based on the load type or importance. Load
importance may vary widely depending on the
application and facility, but often fall generally
within one of the following categories:
Non-Critical Loads

These are loads that, if removed, will have a

minimal impact on peoples safety. Some
common examples include:

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These are loads that keep people comfortable

and generally would not cause life-threatening
situations if temporarily removed. Some
common examples include:

Generator support systems such as fuel

transfer pumps, louver controls, and remote
display panel alarms
Emergency lighting
Fire pumps
Life-support systems
Safety equipment such as navigation or
propulsion systems, air supplies, etc.
Communication systems such as computer
servers or telephone switchboards

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POWER SYSTEMS TOPICS 110

WHAT IS THE LOAD PRIORITY ORDER?

The initial task for prioritizing load order is usually
to determine which loads will have the least
harmful effects when power is removed. The
process of prioritizing loads could take some time,
particularly where potential repercussions from
shedding a load are not immediately evident.
For example, at first glance, air handlers may
not be considered critical. However, if they are
left inactive for long periods of time, the air may
become stale in some environments and even toxic
to breathe in other environments, and therefore
causing the air handlers to become critical loads.
Another consideration when prioritizing a load
order is to understand the whole power circuit
path. While some critical loads may be immediately
evident, additional loads required for operation of
the critical loads may also need to be classified
as critical loads. For example, while lights in
an operating room of a hospital may be clearly
categorized as a critical load, it may be important
to remember that the electrical panel controlling
the lights should also be classified as a critical load
to ensure proper control of the lights when needed.
When assigning load priorities, facilities engineers
may benefit from following three steps: categorize,
prioritize and review.
Categorize

Categorize loads based on factors of similarity.

Some example similarities that engineers may
consider when categorizing loads include:
1. Interdependency assign priority based on

most critically dependent system.
2. Similar function loads may be grouped

into a category based on which systems

they support.
3.

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Power requirements when segregating

loads, try to minimize the impact of shedding
a single priority on the system to not require
additional loads to be shed. When grouping

loads into a priority, it is often useful to

achieve a minimum shed, such as 20% of
the rating of each generator. If the load shed
exceeds 100% of the generator rating, it
may be useful to split that into two load
priorities. If not, the system may remove
additional loads that otherwise could have
been powered.

4.

Number of available priorities the number

of supported priorities in a load management
system will often determine the number of
categories that can be supported and
how broad the categories should be. While
the number can vary between systems, a
common rule of thumb is two load priorities
per generator. Some load management
systems may not permit configuration of the
expected load for each priority. In these
cases, the load should not provide
significantly more inrush loading than the
fixed expected load per priority.

5.

Acceptable outage time some loads can

easily be shed for several hours, but are
necessary to operate occasionally.
Acceptable outage time can be managed on
some load management systems to allow
periodic cycling of shed priorities.

Prioritize

Once the categories have been determined, it can

be beneficial to assign a priority to each one by
determining the criticality of each category. Below
are some factors to consider:
Applicable regulations
Human safety
Cost to productivity
Out-of-pocket cost
Effect on customers, company reputation
Convenience

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POWER SYSTEMS TOPICS 110

Review

The reset requirement may provide advantages,

such as providing a lockout to prevent unwanted
load cycling and drawing attention to the shed
condition. The lockout may also be instrumental in
the detection of configuration errors.

After engineers have categorized and prioritized

the loads, it may be useful to review and check the
load groups for potential issues. Some common
issues an engineer may encounter include:

Reset requirements may be disadvantageous in

some cases as well, such as where generators
could have easily supported some loads that
remain shed while awaiting user interaction.

A more important category depending on a

less important category
Failing to identify categories with levels of
importance that may change depending on the
duration of the outage

HOW ARE LOAD SHEDS COORDINATED?

The difficulty of maintaining generators during

an extended run since loads are often shed
while generators are in need of service

Loads may have a very high initial power requirement

that tapers off as the load reaches an operating
condition. To avoid unintended cycling of load
priorities, it is often beneficial to configure the
expected load of each priority as the maximum load
that the priority could add to the generator system.

Inability to add priorities when other priorities

are shed
Downstream automatic transfer switches
(ATS) that transfer from an unimportant
load to an important load

Each generator and application is different, so

it is typically important to ensure that the load
management settings are configured to shed load
before the generator controller shuts down or a
protective relay trips the generator paralleling breaker.

Distribution panel that has both critical and

non-critical loads

HOW WILL THE LOADS BE SHED?

Finally, systems that incorporate generator

management should generally be configured so that
any disconnected but available generator will start
and connect to the paralleling bus before loads are
shed, except during an abnormal overload.

There are many ways to shed loads, but the

following three methods are generally the
most common:
1. Use programmed transition transfer

switches, placing the switch in the

OFF position

OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER

2. Use breakers or contactors that can be

opened and closed as needed
3.

System Redundancy

In many applications, generators are paralleled to

allow for redundancy and prevent a single point
of failure. If a load management system is used,
consideration for redundancy and failure of the load
management functionality should also be evaluated.

Through equipment controls such as

building management systems, HVAC
controllers, motor controllers, lighting
controllers, dry contact or sending a
message through a communication device, etc.

When a load sheds, some load management systems

may require a manual reset while others may reset
automatically when another generator comes online,
and some may not require a reset at all.

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p. 3

Load management redundancy can be provided

to varying extents:
Control redundancy
Shed redundancy

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POWER SYSTEMS TOPICS 110

Supply redundancy

redundancy, with varying degrees of integrated

redundancy (from dual processor to dual power
supply, to fully redundant system with duplicate
controllers).

Manual control override

Control redundancy provides an alternate method
of controlling some or all of the load control
priorities when any single device loses primary
functionality, power or communication. In cases
where the generator controller is providing the
load management functionality, it may be helpful
to tie some load priorities to each of the controllers
to retain partial functionality when a generator
controller is disabled, avoiding a single controller
failure that otherwise could result in a loss of load
management capability on a system. Many discrete
load management systems provide integrated

Priority 8

Priority 7

Priority 6

Priority 5

Priority 4

Priority 3

Priority 2

Priority 1

Critical Loads

25 130 kW

35 185 kW

160 210 kW

105 335 kW

95 110 kW

110 165 kW

0375 kW

25 175 kW

145 315 kW

Parallel Generators With Load

Management in Controller
M

Parallel Generators With Load

Management in Switchgear
C

Unimportant Load

Gen

Critical Load

illustration 1

Gen

Important Load

Gen

Parallel Generators with

Load Management System (LMS)

p. 4

Critical Load

Gen

Parallel Generators with Building

Management System (BMS)

MotorOperated
Breaker

Gen

Generator

Controller
Paralleling
Switchgear
Control

Unimportant Load

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Important Load

Gen

Gen

LMS

C
M

Key:

Important Load

Unimportant Load

(500 kW)

Important Load

Gen 4

(500 kW)

Unimportant Load

Gen 3

(500 kW)

Critical Load

Gen 2

(500 kW)

Critical Load

Gen 1

Illustration 1 represents an example system, where

four generators are paralleled to a common bus.
The bus supplies power to nine segregated loads.
The loads are prioritized as critical, never to be
shed, and numbered 1 through 8, with 1 being the
most important. Through the load management
system, priority loads 1 through 8 will be added and
removed as needed. In illustration 1, each generator
controller offers load management to two loads. If
the load management system fails, the loads will
automatically be powered from the bus.

BMS

Power Systems
Gen

Gen

Priority 1

Critical Loads

Priority 1

Priority 2

Priority 3

(500 kW)

Priority 4

Gen 4

(500 kW)

Priority 5

Gen 3

(500 kW)

Priority 6

Gen 2

(500 kW)

Priority 7

Gen 1

Priority 8

POWER SYSTEMS TOPICS 110

Shed
Mechanism
for Priority 1
Fail-safe behavior
on Normal
Source

Fail-safe behavior
on Emergency
Source

Shed
Mechanism
for Priority 3

Shed
Mechanism
for Priority 1
Fail-safe behavior
on Normal
Source

Priority 3

Shed
Mechanism
for Priority 1

illustration 3

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p. 5

Power Systems

Interlock

Priority 1

Shed
Mechanism
for Priority 1

Priority 1

Critical Loads

Priority 1

Priority 2

Priority 3

Priority 4

(500 kW)

Priority 5

Gen 4

(500 kW)

Priority 6

Gen 3

(500 kW)

Priority 7

Gen 2

(500 kW)

Priority 8

Gen 1

Priority 1

Shed
Mechanism
for Priority 3

Priority 3

Fail-safe behavior
on Emergency
Source

Interlock

Priority 1

Shed
Mechanism
for Priority 1

Priority 1

Shed
Mechanism
for Priority 1

Priority 1

(500 kW)

Critical Loads
Critical Loads

(500 kW)

Priority 1 Priority 1

(500 kW)

Priority 2 Priority 2

(500 kW)

Priority 3 Priority 3

(500 kW)

Priority 4 Priority 4

(500 kW)

If the load management for the entire system

was provided by the controller for generator 1,
as shown in illustration 3, all the loads would be
added if that controller was powered down to
perform service on generator 1.
Priority 5 Priority 5

(500 kW)

Priority 7 Priority 7

(500 kW)

Priority 8 Priority 8

Loss
controller
only result in the
Genof
1 a generator
Gen 2
Gen
3
Gen will
4
loss of control of two priorities, giving the system
Gen 1
Gen 2
Gen 3
Gen 4
C capability
C
C
C
some
to maintain
power
to critical loads.
The Cloads controlled
1 are added
C
Cby generator
C
to the bus. Priorities 1 and 5 cannot shed due to
generator 1s failure; however, the other six loads
can still be shed.

Priority 6 Priority 6

In illustration 2, each generator controller provides

a portion of the load management functionality.

Priority 1

illustration 2

Priority 2

Priority 3

Interlock

Critical Loads

Priority 1
Priority 1

Priority 3

Shed
Mechanism
for Priority 1

Priority 1

Priority 1

Priority 1

Priority 3

Priority 1

in series. In other cases, it can be provided by

interrupting an upstream switch in the event of a
failure. The upstream switch is often tied to a more
critical priority, which still provides the function
of providing redundancy for shedding the less
critical priority, but only allows a single means
to disconnect the more critical priority. Shed
redundancy is often provided when the means of
shedding a load is perceived to be unreliable, such
as sending a shed signal over a communication
network, or when shedding the load is considered
highly important. Illustration 4 shows an example
of shed redundancy.

Shed
Mechanism
for Priority 1
Interlock

M
fo

Priority 1

Priority 4

Priority 5

Critical Loads
Priority 6

Priority
1 7
Priority

Priority
2 8
Priority

Priority 3

Priority 4
Critical Loads

Shed
Mechanism
Shed
for Priority 1
Mechanism
Shed redundancy provides multiple means
for Priority 3
Shedcases, shed
to disconnect a priority. Shed
In some
Mechanism
Mechanism
redundancy is provided
byfortwo
for Priority
1 circuit
Priority
1 breakers

Priority 1

Interlock

illustration 4

Critical Loads

Shed redundancy using

upstream device on more
critical priority

Use of a programmed-transition ATS to provide

load-shed capability may provide supply
redundancy by default, as most ATS controllers
will not shed load when fed by the normal
source. In addition, many ATS controllers will also
automatically transfer from the load-shed position
to the normal source in the event of a return of
normal power. Illustration 5 shows an example of
supply redundancy.

Priority 1

Priority 1

Priority 1

Priority 3

Fail-safe behavior
on Emergency
Fail-safe
behavior
Shed
onSource
Normal
Mechanism
Source
for Priority 3

Shed Shed redundancy using two

Mechanism
circuit breakers in series
for Priority 1

Priority 1

Priority 2

Priority
3 1
Priority

Priority 4

Priority 5

Critical Loads
Priority 6

Priority
1 7
Priority

Priority
2 8
Priority

Priority 3

Priority 4
Critical Load

Priority

Priority 1

Supply redundancy is essentially the opposite of

shed redundancy in that it allows for two sources
to
feed the load, requiring that both sources
Shed
Mechanism
are shed to remove power to the load. Supply
S
for Priority 1
Mec
redundancy is commonly used in applications
Fail-safe behavior
for P
whereon
inadvertent
shedding of a load could result
Normal
in highlySource
undesirable conditions. If consideration
Shed
is
given
to
supply redundancy for a load priority, it
Mechanism
S
formay
Priority
be3 beneficial to also consider the possibility Mec
of increasing the individual size of the supplying for P
generators and including the load with the
critical loads.

Shed
Mechanism
for Priority 1

Fail-safe behavior
on Normal
Source

POWER SYSTEMS TOPICS 110

Supply redundancy using two

interlocked circuit breakers

Supply redundancy using a

programmed transition ATS

illustration 5

Shed
Mechanism
r Priority 1
Shed
Mechanism
for Priority 1

Power Systems
1

p. 6

riority 1

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POWER SYSTEMS TOPICS 110

Manual control override can provide a versatile,

inexpensive and robust means of providing
redundancy. An operator can make decisions
based on factors that are unknown to the load
management system, can operate devices that are
no longer able to operate electronically and can
diagnose the cause of a failure. Manual control
override may provide redundancy quite effectively
in applications where a facility has full-time
maintenance staff, but maintenance personnel may
not be able to respond in a timely manner
to a failure in a remote location.
Manual control override can be implemented
on a variety of levels. Some load management
systems provide a user interface to allow manual
override of the automatic system, but the user
interface may only provide a means to temporarily
change the system functionality (and thus not
provide redundancy). The enhancement to system
redundancy provided by a manual control override
typically improves as the override is moved closer
to the actual switching hardware for shedding
the load.

For prime power or low utility reliability

applications, loads may often be configured
to shed with a failure. Since these systems are
typically on the generator it is important not to
overload the generator and potentially cause the
entire system to shut down leaving all loads with
no power.
Use of a programmed-transition ATS as a means
to interrupt power to a load may provide the best
of both worlds, as it generally will not shed load
while on the normal source (even if it gets an
erroneous shed signal), but should interrupt the
load if fed by the emergency source. Load priorities
that are shed using a programmed-transition
ATS can be configured to shed the loads if the
load management system fails, minimizing the
chance of generator overload in the event of a load
management system failure, while still preventing
the risk of unintended outages while fed by utility.
Regardless of the selection for fail-safe operation,
it is important to take care when planning power
supply, control wiring and control reliability for any
devices that control the power supply to a load.

Fail-safe operation

Even when redundancy is not provided in a load

management system, it may be important to
specify how the system will behave when the load
management capability fails. There are two primary
choices: failure that results in the load always being
powered (normally added) or failure that results in
the load never being powered (normally shed).

The next and final installment of this three-part series

will explore seven methods for load management.

For standby applications, load priorities can

typically be configured to be normally added if
the load management system fails. In standby
applications, loads are usually connected to
utility, and the power generation system is used in
emergency situations only, so it may be useful to
retain power to the loads.

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POWER SYSTEMS TOPICS 110

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Isaac Frampton is a senior engineer at Kohler Co. He has worked for the companys Kohler Power
Systems division for nine years and specializes in control system design and paralleling applications.
He has a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Kettering University in Flint, Mich.

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