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In many companies, electrical energy costs are among the largest operating expenses. One of the most effective ways to reduce these costs is to lower energy consumption – for example through more efficient systems and optimized processes. This requires transparency: energy consumption, power demand and load profiles must be continuously monitored and analyzed.

In many industrial applications, machines and systems operate with three-phase power. Measuring these currents often requires multiple devices – typically one per phase.

One sensor for all three phases

With the three-phase version of the Smart Sensor Current ESS 076, STEGO offers a compact solution for exactly this task. The sensor measures the current in all three phases simultaneously and without direct contact. Regardless of whether the load is evenly distributed or unbalanced currents occur, all phases are reliably captured. This also allows unbalanced load conditions to be detected and evaluated.

The measured values are processed internally and can be output either via an analog 4–20 mA interface or digitally via IO-Link. This enables seamless integration into both existing systems and modern automation architectures.

“With the three-phase version of the ESS 076, we offer a particularly compact solution for monitoring electrical loads,” explains Dietmar Guilliard from the Sensor Development department at STEGO. “In addition to current values, IO-Link also provides access to process, device and diagnostic data. This information can be directly integrated into automation or energy management systems.”

Compact, reduced, easy to install

A key advantage is that the sensor replaces three individual current sensors by combining the measurement of all three phases in a single device. This saves space in the control cabinet and significantly reduces installation effort.

In addition, only a single port is required on the IO-Link master to transmit all measurement data. Compared to using three separate devices, this reduces both the number of required ports and the cabling effort.

For measurement, the three conductors are simply routed through the integrated openings. Inside the device, current transformers ensure galvanically isolated measurement of the currents. The signals are then electronically processed and output as measurement values. The sensor is designed for conductor diameters of up to 11.4 mm.

Conclusion

The three-phase version of the Smart Sensor Current ESS 076 provides a compact and easy-to-integrate solution for the continuous monitoring and analysis of electrical loads in industrial applications.