Windpower Engineering & Development » Electrical Systems

Combo HMI-PLC for wind with plug-in I/O

Kathleen Zipp — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:31:05 +0000

Maple Systems offers the HMC (Human Machine Controller). The company says the HMC is cost-effective, efficient, and compact, combining an HMI and PLC into one. Simply put, HMC=HMI+PLC. With customizable I/O, the HMC accepts up to five plug-in I/O modules with varying configurations of digital and analog inputs and outputs. Choose a 3.5-in. or a 5.7-in. touchscreen display, each equipped with six function keys adjacent to the screen. The HMC can integrate with an existing system serially and supports many popular communication protocols.

Maple Systems
www.maplesystems.com

Windpower Engineering & Development

Connectors with high density contacts for the wind industry

Kathleen Zipp — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:10:58 +0000

Conec, manufacturer of connectors, has expanded its combination mixed layout D-subminiature connector family by adding high density (size 22) signal contact layouts. Configurations available include: 19W1, 15W4 and 45W2, in straight solder pin and solder cup versions. The company says these provide more flexibility for design engineers who need to get more signal contacts in a small space. Such connectors are ideally suited for applications where high reliability, long life, and maximum performance are required, as in wind turbines.

Conec
www.conec.com

Windpower Engineering & Development

Palm-size box PC with Intel processor suited for wind and solar

Kathleen Zipp — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:05:17 +0000

Advantech, manufacturer of embedded computing products, offers the ARK-1120, an ultra-compact and fanless embedded system powered by an Intel Atom N455 processor. Its compact size, affordable price, robust performance and support for both HDD and CompactFlash memory makes it attractive for a range of embedded uses. This product is wellsuited for applications that need a simple but dependable controller, such as wind and solar.

Advantech
www.advantech.com

Windpower Engineering & Development

Electrical slip rings meet design challenges

Kathleen Zipp — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:50:30 +0000

In response to demands for longer, uninterrupted service life, Deublin offers electrical slip ring systems with material configurations that enable years of trouble-free operation. The manufacturer can design slip rings to a variety of EMI, operating temperatures, storage temperatures, acceleration, mechanical vibration, and mechanical shock requirements. The company’s rotary union and slip ring combinations also include a plug-and-play configuration to reduce installation and maintenance time.

Deublin
www.deublin.com

Windpower Engineering & Development

First gearbox-generator combo goes to German OEM

Paul Dvorak — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:06:47 +0000

The FusionDrive combines a gearbox and PM generators into one unit.

Wind gear manufacturer Moventas and generator manufacturer The Switch, have announced the delivery of the first commercial order for FusionDrive, a gearbox and generator combination. The first delivery is going to Germany-based DeWind.
“We think FusionDrive is the next big thing for the wind industry. It includes the benefits of a hybrid drive, but Moventas and The Switch have taken the integration even further,” says Dr. Sungkon Han, Managing Director of DeWind Europe.

The developers say FusionDrive is the answer to the challenge of turbines needing to be bigger in size and power, while the race is on to lower the cost of energy. The developers say FusionDrive is the smallest and lightest combination of gearbox and generator. Studies have confirmed that it is a technically optimized solution to limit rotational speed. More important to turbine manufacturer and energy provider, the unit provides the highest energy yield and the best serviceability in the market, say the two companies.

The unit requires minimal maintenance, say the companies. The gear and generator can be split, and all components are changeable in the nacelle enabling best serviceability in the market.
Moventas

Moventas.com

Windpower Engineering & Development

Utility-scale inverter also controls power storage

Paul Dvorak — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:10:51 +0000

The configurable Series 6001 interface allows communications and control of the inverter through a variety of links. By connecting to a system supervisory controller, transmission providers are able to send commands and receive data.

An industrial manufacturer has introduced an advanced utility-scale inverter in its new Series 6001 energy storage grid-connect inverter, engineered to provide improved power stability for wind and solar energy customers. Engineered by Eaton Corp. for utility-scale grid-connect battery applications, the Series 6001 inverter lets customers achieve full battery storage potential because of a large direct current operating voltage window. Eaton power electronics switching techniques result in lower losses and improved efficiency. The Series features proprietary electronics that make it one of the most efficient inverters in the renewable power market.

“With the recent IE Power acquisition, Eaton now combines strong design capabilities with an established product to deliver dependable and efficient inverters for utility-scale customers,” Chris Thompson, business unit manager at Eaton.

The Series 6001 provides high-performance conversion in utility applications for wind, solar and other heavy industrial power applications by creating a high-performance link between the power source and battery. The Series 6001 helps utilities reduce downtime and clear faults faster by staying on line during fault conditions. Low-voltage ride through (LVRT) with proprietary algorithms let the Series 6001 inverter run near zero line voltage for extended periods, while maintaining line synchronization. Also, high-voltage ride through (HVRT) capability is achieved through conservatively rated components.

Ride-through capabilities meet the requirements of North American and European standards: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Bundesverband der Energie und Wasserwirtschaft (BDEW), and E-ION. These standard compliance settings are field selectable to match site requirements.

A four-quadrant inverter for battery charge and discharge, the Series 6001 withstands demanding applications with a rugged design. The enclosure meets a seismic zone 4 rating and is available as indoor or outdoor rated. The dust-tight section protects the liquid-cooled inverter and electronics control components from harsh and dusty environments. Also, a vented section houses robust air-cooled magnetics.

The Series 6001 is rated for 500 kilowatt (kW), 1,000 kW and 1,500 kW applications. Designed for a 20-year life for utility applications, the unit has conservatively rated magnetics, liquid-cooled power modules with over seven million hours mean time between failure (MTBF) and a rugged enclosure for demanding environments. Additionally, the transformerless design, proprietary control strategies and filter design result in over 98% peak power efficiency.

Eaton grid-connect inverters provide the required grid support, including: low, zero and high voltage ride through; standalone/black start operation; islanding detection; utility communication; and full four quadrant operation.

In conjunction with a system supervisory controller and feedback from the point of common coupling (PCC), additional grid support features can be achieved. These include: peak power shaving, load leveling, grid frequency regulation and voltage control.

Eaton Corporation
www.eaton.com.

Windpower Engineering & Development

Generator manufacturer wins funding to encourage more exports

Paul Dvorak — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:59:47 +0000

Danotek manufacturers permanent magnet generators, such as the one above, and power controls for them. The company was recently granted state funds to encourage more exporting to foreign countieries.

Danotek, a Michigan-based manufacture of efficient and reliable permanent magnet generators, has been approved for funding from that state’s new State Trade Export Promotion (STEP) program.

The program, funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and administered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), is intended to increase the number of Michigan companies that export and to introduce current exporters to foreign markets and buyers.

This three-year pilot trade and export initiative was authorized by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, offering matching-fund grants for states to assist eligible businesses to expand their global exports. The STEP program aligns with President Obama’s National Export Initiative, which calls for doubling U.S. exports in five years, supporting two million new jobs as well as giving America a stronger competitive edge in the global market. The program provides federal government funding for 65 to 75% of program costs, with states supplying the remainder.

Danotek President and CEO Don Naab said, “The company is thankful for all the help and assistance of the SBA and MEDC, with special thanks to Jeanne Broad of the US Commercial Services Department, MEDC. With 80% of the world’s wind energy business in overseas markets, we appreciate the importance of exports in Danotek’s growth. Although we are already supplying our advanced generation systems to wind turbine producers in Europe, there are many more opportunities that this program will help us to develop.”

As a qualified Tier 2 company, Danotek’s approval is for one year, although the program can be extended for up to three years. The company will use the funds to support its exhibit at the AWEA WINDPOWER Expo (www.windpowerexpo.org) in Atlanta, GA in June. For more information on the STEP program: http://www.michiganadvantage.org/STEP.

Danotek
www.danotek.com

Windpower Engineering & Development

Smart grid report: Ten trends to watch in 2012 and beyond

Paul Dvorak — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:51:45 +0000

This article comes from Pike Research

The year 2012 represents a turning point for the smart grid. Utilities around the world have moved beyond pilot projects and are in full deployment mode for some phases of their smart grid projects, such as advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), while at the same time carefully assessing the right technology choices and business models for subsequent phases of deployment. The smart grid is no longer a novel idea, but rather a large global commercial venture that needs to prove its value, in concrete and financial terms, to the full gamut of stakeholders.

As a means of analyzing the evolution of the smart grid market, in addition to providing insights on industry issues that will be important factors in market growth and development, Pike Research’s analyst team has prepared a “top ten” list of key smart grid trends to watch in this rapidly changing business. This white paper examines the following ten leading trends that will help shape markets for smart grid technologies in 2012 and beyond:

Smart meters are shifting from deployment to applications
Dynamic pricing debates will escalate
“Architecture” will be the new buzzword
Cyber security failure risks will near inevitability
Consumer backlash will not go away
Distribution automation and ami will intersect
Microgrids will move from curiosity to a reality
Freeze on hans will thaw – just a little
Asia pacific smart grid adoption will accelerate even more
Stimulus investments will bear mixed fruit

This Pike Research white paper provides insights into and analysis of the key issues that will shape the smart grid market in the months and years ahead. Conclusions and predictions in this paper are drawn from a broad array of Pike Research reports, with market forecasts included for key market sectors.

A few questions addressed:

Why is the conversation is shifting from meter deployment to actual application success stories?
How can dynamic pricing bring people together to solve energy challenges?
What does the word “architecture” really mean in the context of the future evolution of the smart grid?
Why might we need a disaster to speed up standards for cyber security?
Is there an upside to consumer pushback on smart meters?
How is distribution automation (DA) converging with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) to push the envelope on smart grid communications?
Why are microgrids gaining traction with engineers and utilities?
Will we ever see home area networks (HANs) gain traction with consumers?
What is driving smart grid markets in the Asia Pacific region?
Did the ARRA stimulus funding help or hinder the smart grid cause?

Pike Research
www.pikeresearch.com

Windpower Engineering & Development

Electronics assembler acquires custom wire firm

Paul Dvorak — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:01:12 +0000

ETI, through its subsidiary American Cable & Harness LLC (ACH), Fort Atkinson, Wisc., has acquired the assets of CMK Enterprises Inc. and Calmer Industries LLC, Eagle, Wisc., a supplier for wire processing, custom wire, and cable-harness assembly, and UL 508A control box design and assembly. The acquisition provides ETI with state-of-the-art, high-speed wire processing equipment, an integral part of meeting customer deliveries. The combined company will continue to operate from the current locations in Fort Atkinson and Eagle.

“This acquisition supports our commitment to provide exceptional value of one-stop-manufacturing and speed-to-market,” says ETI President Bill Brink. “The acquisition provides ETI with greater capacity, increased machine automation, and a stronger market position. CMK Calmer fits well with our existing high-tech services of engineering, prototyping and production for printed circuit board assembly, wire harness/cable assembly, and box build assembly. This acquisition will offer increased resources for our existing customer base, as well as to new customers.”

ETI, along with CMK Calmer, have scalable manufacturing systems that can be optimized and configured to adapt quickly to volume changes that are frequent and common within Original Equipment Manufacturers.

Electronic Technologies International
www.etimfg.com

Windpower Engineering & Development

Report on community and residential energy storage

Paul Dvorak — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:16:13 +0000

Community and residential energy storage systems (CRES) usually sit at the “end of the line” on the grid. These systems are typically much smaller than utility-scale or bulk energy storage and are either situated at the distribution transformer or on the customer premise. Of the varied application areas for energy storage systems, community and residential storage is one of the newest and least understood applications. Currently, utilities, vendors, and even governments are demonstrating community and residential energy storage systems with a goal of understanding the value of these small, distributed systems sited at the edge of the electrical grid. These groups are testing CRES for the purposes of smoothing peaks in electricity demand, enabling voltage support and frequency regulation, and providing islanding capabilities.

Although the CRES sector is still nascent, market conditions, technology capabilities, and economics are beginning to align in a way that points to significant growth opportunities over the coming decade. The expansion of distributed solar photovoltaics capacity, the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles, and the spread of dynamic pricing programs will all be key drivers in the growth of such distributed energy storage systems. However, current barriers to CRES include the need for further refinement of business models for community and residential deployments, regulatory barriers related to financial structures, and the identification of cost/benefit models for various CRES applications.

This report assesses the market opportunity for the use of battery-based energy storage systems in community and residential deployments. Key applications covered include voltage support, frequency regulation, islanding, and peak shaving using lithium ion, advanced lead-acid, and flow battery technologies. The study includes profiles and analysis for key industry players as well as global revenue and installed capacity forecasts, segmented by technology and region, from 2012 to 2022.

Questions addressed in the report:

What are the key applications for distributed energy storage systems?
What are the market drivers and barriers for community energy storage and how do they differ for residential energy storage?
What is the technology mix for CRES in each global region and how will it change over time?
What regions will be the global leaders in CRES and why?
How large is the CRES market, in terms of capacity and revenue?
What are the key metrics and methodologies for analyzing CRES?

Pike Research
Pikeresearch.com

Windpower Engineering & Development