Cressall takes the brakes off its marine range

Power resistor manufacturer Cressall Resistors has taken advantage of the growing preference for electric propulsion in marine applications to increase its presence in the sector. More than ten per cent of the company’s turnover can now be traced to projects for the marine and offshore industries.

As a supplier with over 15 years of sector experience, Cressall has used its engineering knowledge to provide products including Dynamic Braking Resistors, Neutral Earthing Resistors and Neutral Earthing Transformers to almost every type of marine electric powered application, from propulsion systems, bow thrusters or driving winches, to cranes, lifts, cable laying and tensioning.

Electric propulsion has brought essential changes to the harsh world of marine and offshore. Electric drives are more flexible, energy efficient and reliable than their mechanical predecessors. They also accept regenerative and dynamic braking solutions, which result in better control, increased weight reduction and even the opportunity to make use of regenerated braking energy.

Cressall offers a wide range of pre-designed braking resistors for marine electrical drives, as well as bespoke solutions to suit any application. The key to the company’s success in the marine sector is its close working relationship with its clients. By first understanding the requirements of each project and then using its strong engineering experience to design and manufacture the perfect product for the application, Cressall is able to provide resistors with braking powers from a few kW up to many MW. Cressall also uses a range of different cooling methods, from fresh or sea water cooling, to air cooling and natural convection.

The robust construction of Cressall’s marine range of products results in reliability and long life, even in the most severe environments. Cressall’s designs can employ a number of suitably rated resistor elements including Incoloy-sheathed mineral insulated elements, which are highly resilient to physical damage, and are significantly safer to use in harsh environments. All metalwork, including fasteners and fittings are manufactured from marine-grade stainless steel.

“Safety and reliability play a central role in everything we do,” explained David Atkins, projects director at Cressall Resistors. “We know that in harsh environments such as marine, offshore or oil and gas, these factors become paramount. Cressall’s engineering expertise and long experience of using the elements to our advantage helps us create the best designs, which not only ensure that the crew and the equipment is safe, but also that the product is durable, flexible and energy efficient.”

About Cressall Resistors:

The world's foremost power resistor manufacturer, Cressall Resistors, offers an unrivalled combination of experience and expertise as well as the UK’s widest range of resistor technologies. Cressall’s customers include ABB, Siemens, Areva, GE and Alstom as well as major utilities such as Western Power, Electricity North West, SSE and Northern Power Grid. The company also works with countless specialists such as Street Crane, CP Automation, CHS and Thames Valley Control. Indeed, because of the fundamental nature of Cressall’s product almost everyone in the electrical industry will have cause to contact the company at some point; making the Leicester based business a bellwether for the health of the sector itself.