Beyond energy transmission and distribution; electrical utilities are continuously facing the challenge of providing excellent reliability, high performance and keeping up with modern processes and strict regulations. In the dc systems evolving tends, the solution is automation and communication. So you will need to automate your dc system functions, monitoring and remotely gather critical information.
Electrical Utilities
The P4600 and the P600 chargers series can alleviate this pain.
Typical chargers supply the load, keep batteries on float, equalize the batteries and provide basic alarms: HVDC, LVDC, AC Fail, Rectifier Fail, Ground Fault, One to Five Form C contacts for annunciation. They also have current limiting and voltage regulation features.
Let’s take a look at a few of Primax’s technologically advanced options to help you reducing your maintenance expenditure, optimizing battery life and maximize your system’s reliability:
- An Event Log (250 Events), Date and Time stamped.
- A second level of low volts to get you a preventing warning signal when you battery has start discharging.
- High Volt Shutdown, Rectifier High & Low Amp, Rectifier High & Low Voltage, High Ripple alarm, High & Low Charger Temperature alarm & shutdown, High & Low Frequency alarm/shutdown, An Intelligent auto-equalize program that ensures your batteries are not under or over charged
The next level:
- Intelligent Auto Equalize Stop based on: Time (Default Back-up Mode), voltage level, DC low current, AH returned
- Battery protection: Battery recharge current limiting, Temperature compensation (Based on battery temperature), Battery high temperature alarm & shutdown
Other smart options:
1. Built in Ampere-hour meter to indicate:
- During normal operation: Battery discharging alarm and the battery state of charge in % of the battery at all times.
- During an Outage: how many Amps are being drawn from the battery in real time, how much backup time is left (Based on the A/h rating of the battery)
- During the recharge cycle: How many Amps the charger is delivering to the battery vs. the total load in Amps required from the charger.
2. Battery Monitoring & Testing
- Battery Imbalance monitor
- Battery Continuity Tester & Battery open alarm, Battery Capacity Tester (Using the station’s load and a small resistive load, your charger will periodically load test your battery. Should your battery have lost capacity, the charger will activate an alarm. This test can be done automatically without human intervention Without interfering with your required backup time.
3. Communication
- A true read & write communication module available in any of the following protocols: DNP3, MODBUS & MODBUS TCP/IP, Web server page, IEC 61850
4. Further Protection
- Watchdog Circuitry: Unmonitored control board failure is not an option. Our watchdog circuitry will constantly monitor your charger. Should any circuit board fail, the charger will automatically generate an alarm that helps prevent damage to your equipment.
Power Generation
Primax provides simple and complex systems for the power generation needs. Our systems may include ac ups, inverters, chargers, batteries, battery monitoring systems, distribution panels and accessories.
Complexity of auxiliary backup systems in power generation represent the major challenge to increase reliability and facilitate serviceability especially in the presence of aging and scarce workforce.
At Primax, these issues have been addressed by:
- Integrating touchscreens for user-friendly access to information and controls
- Included communication protocols that allows remote access to the backup systems’ parameters and status
- Adopting modular designs to reduce downtime and for easier service and repair.
Industrial
Industrial substations such as is the mining industry, smelters, hospitals, subways, large facilities, data centers, large manufacturing plants, etc. has transformed. They are more compact, smarter and easier to operate.
Primax has been instrumental in paving that direction:
- Compact switchmode battery chargers provide easy operation and upgrade.
- Communication systems provide access through different industrial protocols.
- Testing automation ensures the continuity of the energy provided by the station batteries and connected chargers.
Oil & Gas
Cost, environment and performance challenges in the Oil and Gas industry require smarter and more sustainable technologies to be introduced. We simply can’t solely rely on traditional electrical backup systems; as such, we introduced new ways to help.
Allow us to provide you with a solution that will alleviate some of your typical issues with our smart options.
Aging Workforce and scarce skills:
Automation is the new normal. Our systems will automatically and periodically test the battery continuity and other important system parameters. Therefore, the operation will be safer and more reliable. In this case, our battery lifeline option would be best suited to safeguard your system.
Major Events:
Shutdowns, emergencies, turnarounds and the like can be easily handled using smarter chargers and UPS to provide critical information and remote access. No need to be close to the equipment for diagnostic, inspection, shutdowns and start-ups. Our Modbus and other communication protocols can help achieve the continuity of the information.
Optimization:
We introduced smart and compact rectifiers/UPS along with smart Lithium-Ion batteries to provide these typical advantages:
- Our systems can be very compact to save space, footprint and weight.
- Our equipment can monitor and communicate all critical parameters.
- Our systems can proactively inform the user when it needs service.
- Our systems can perform auto-testing.
Interesting Options
Communication
Our communication option helps to integrate your DC system within your SCADA: Not only will you get the updated information at your finger tips, you will also be able to remotely access and modify all control parameters.
Our communication module is based on MODBUS, MODBUS over TCP/IP (Ethernet), DNP3 and IEC61850
Battery Failure Alarm
Having a defective or weak cell in your battery could not only prevent your battery from performing, it could also damage good cells by overcharging or undercharging them during float or equalize periods, hence jeopardizing your site.
This simple battery failure monitor would be an ideal option in that it forewarns when a cell is weaker than other cells. This alarm will be functional under loss of AC as well.
Temperature Compensation Circuit
As battery temperature rises, battery life shortens. By effectively lowering the charger’s output voltage in reaction to rising battery temperature, your charger will help to prevent premature positive plate growth, shedding of the active material and excessive water loss.
In cold applications, when battery temperature drops, it’s capacity will be less. Increasing the battery voltage will help to optimize your battery capacity to be ready for your next blackout.
Battery Capacity and Test Meter
Since the battery is the heart of your back up system. Its reliability is paramount.
Automate your routine maintenance battery testing and be instantly informed on your battery’s health as well as its remaining Ah capacity by having this option integrated into your charging system.
Pays for itself in a few months.
Low Volts Disconnect
After an extended power failure, your battery can be drained beyond its capacity to recover.
If the application can permit it, use this option to disconnect the load at a pre-set low voltage setting. Will also help protect your battery warranty.
Integrated DC panel
If space is an issue, we will integrate your DC distribution panel within the charger thereby reducing installation costs.
High Volts Shutdown
In the rare event of a charger failure, one of the consequences is that the system might go into high voltage mode.
Even though Primax chargers are protected by a high volt shutdown software, you may want to completely isolate it from its AC source by tripping the AC feeder.
DC Filtering
Excessive charger output ripple causes high frequency shallow cycling which causes overcharging and higher battery temperature. By controlling ripple, your charger maintains shallow cycling to a minimum and lengthens the life of your lead-acid batteries especially valve-regulated ones. Refer to NEMA PE5 Standards.
Other Interesting Ideas:
- High ripple alarm: It alerts you when one phase in a 3 phase system fails, 1 SCR leg fails or capacitors age…
- Watchdog circuitry: This circuit will constantly monitor the charger control circuits to insure their proper operation.
- Integrated load bank: This boosts your shallow station load which can be inadequate to perform a load test.
- Battery discharging alarm: Helps you see when the battery current is negative so the battery is discharging. Note that under certain adverse conditions your battery could start discharging
- Low electrolyte level: One sure way of shortening battery life is to let electrolyte fall below acceptable levels. Low electrolyte alarm gives you a warning when this is about to happen. Warns you when electrolyte level drops below a predetermined baseline.
- Redundancy: For improved reliability, redundant chargers, battery or a combination of both, can be implemented…
