Studies on a LV DC network

Dragos Deaconu, Aurel Chirila, Mihaela Albu, Lucian Toma UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA BUCURESTI Spl. Independentei 313 Bucuresti, Romnia Tel.: +40 / (21) 402.97.40. Fax: +40 / (21) 402.93.42. E-Mail: albu@electro.masuri.pub.ro URL: http://www.pub.ro

Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support from the Romanian Research Council in the frame of the CNCSIS grant 194/07/06/2006 and the CEEX grant DCiDER 109/10/10/2005.

Keywords
DC power supply, modelling, power quality, efficiency.

Abstract
In this paper, one application targeting a small-scale DC network supplying signal processing laboratory (personal computers, universal motors and other low-voltage, low-power loads) is proposed, in order to analyze the technical interconnecting possibilities of isolated power systems. As a first step, simulations using the already implemented network elements models in DIgSilent were performed in order to choose an optimal location of the generation units, considering restrictions related to available space, safety and future development. The next step was to develop mathematical models of the loads characteristics when each module is supplied with direct voltage, in order to further test direct DC supply of the laboratory. The paper is a consequence of the new approach oriented to innovative technologies for integrating dispersed and intermittent sources (DG) into distribution networks.

Introduction
The requirements for environment protection stimulated the engineers to look for clean energy sources. Small energy sources have been developed in the last years to exploit the renewable resources and high efficiency storage devices. Also, the encouragement for power companies evolving toward competition and the efficient use of primary resources increased the need for sharing of electricity produced from distributed energy sources [1, 2]. Since several renewable sources and the presently available storage systems deliver electricity in DC form (fuel cells, solar cells), while other generators (wind turbines, micro-hydro or micro gas turbines) deliver the electrical energy in AC form (but mostly at variable or non-standard frequencies and consequently their output must be rectified, converted again in AC and conditioned as to meet the nominal grid parameters), it appears the natural solution to link them all in a DC grid and to distribute the power in DC form [3, 4]. Although the electricity era begun with the Edisons first power plant and electrical line operating at DC current, the difficulties concerning the interconnection and long distance transmission as well as the invention of the induction machine by Tesla, the AC transmission rapidly expanded as an alternative to the DC solution. The development of power electronics based technologies convinced us to reanalyze the DC solution. HVDC technology had been successfully developed for asynchronous interconnections of power systems as well as for longer distance transmission to overcome the difficulties of the AC transmission. Due to the low voltage devices characteristics the asynchronous interconnection via isolated DC grids could more efficient than the direct connection to the main AC

network. Most of the high performance equipment is required to be ITC labeled and therefore they host a DC power source accommodating an inverter due to the existing AC grids. Anticipating the further extensive use of low-power DC based intelligent devices [5]; a local DC network proves again to be a more efficient solution, therefore avoiding losses in energy transfer at least in those locations where the energy is produced in a DC-form. Due to the progress in the last 10-15 years in the field of power electronics (low-cost high voltage and large current IGBTs) and high performance DSP controllers the DC solution become again more efficient comparing to the AC solution [6, 7]. They are expected to have a greater impact in the near future [8]. Great steps have been made with the new concept of DC shipboard power distributions [9] as integrated Power Electronic Building Blocks (PEBBs).

Laboratory set-up and measurement data

In this paper we present results from modeling the equipment in a measurement laboratory at our university, which is intended to be supplied from a DC network able to function as an isolated system. The generation units are: a fuel cell system 1.2 kW; a solar panel installation (30 kW max) and a storage unit (battery modules 2kW). Figure 1 shows the minimal configuration of the supply as integrated together with dc/dc converters in a dc system with nominal voltage to be determined as a consequence of simulation studies, and a DSpace-based designed voltage controller.

Fig. 1: DC supply system configuration In figure 2 is presented the overall configuration of the loads within the laboratory where the supply voltage is considered stabilized at the rated value. The distance between the location of the generation units and the laboratory is 120m and the cable length corresponding to the loads is depicted in figure 2. The total (active) power of the modeled loads is 2468 W (468 W as computers with a constant power characteristic [10] and 2 kW as linear resistive load, i.e. the heater in figure 2).

Fig. 2: Laboratory configuration as a DC load

In order to study the stedy-state behaviour of the configuratiom in figure 2, first the numerical models had to be devoped for all the components of the network, as they are designed only for AC supply. In order to further investigated the charactersitics for DC conditions, a complete set of measurments was performed for the following modules: a) Fluorescent lamp, 8W (FL) b) Compact flouorescent lamp, 9W, Philips (CFL_9) c) Compact flouorescent lamp, 18W, Philips (CFL_18) d) Compact flouorescent lamp, 15W, unknown producer (CFL_15x); e) Tungsten lamp, 100W, OSRAM (TL_100); f) Tungsten lamp, 60W, OSRAM (TL_60); g) Display (CRT); h) Computer supply (S_PC); i) Resitive load, 2 kW (R); j) Universal motor, 110 W (UM); The measurement set-up (Figure 3) was comprising: two digital multimeters (Fluke 45; Hewlett Packard 34401A); two power analyzers (Yokogawa 2533; Fluke 454); one illuminicence meter Mitek MK5330. Figure 4 presents a comparative results for illuminance of the compact fluorescent lamp, for both supplying cases (AC and DC), increasing the voltage from the minimum value at which the lamp started to glow to a maximum of 300 V (peak voltage in AC case) and then decreasing the voltage in order to highlight possible hysteresis effect.

a) Fig. 3: Measurement set-up for the compact fluorescent lamp

b)

Fig. 4: Illuminance of the CFL_18 lamp when supplied with DC voltage (a); AC voltage (b);

The total accuracy of the measuement channels was 2% and each point on the charcatrdistics in figure 5 was obtaned after repeatig ten times the measurements and performing a minimal pre-processing of the acquired data. In the next I(U) charactersitics of the lamps, the first point corresponds to the lower DC voltage at which the lamps started to glow.

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

Fig. 5: I(U) characteristics for DC supply of a fluorescent lamp (a), three compact fluorescent lamps (b-c-d), an incandescent lamp (TL_100) and a universal motor (UM_110).

Mathematical models and results

As we intend to analyze different interactions between the loads, the static converters and the electrical generation sources for different power flow conditions, a mathematical description of the models in terms of steady-state current variation as a function of the PCC voltage was needed. Based on the measurement set, I(U) characteristics of the loads were derived using least square approximations with a tolerance compatible with the measurement chain accuracy (2%), as in table 1.

Table I: Derived I(U) polynomial functions for DC supply of the loads Load type
CFL_9 CFL_18

Polynomial degree of the function I(U)

3 10

Maximum Coefficients vector admissible error [%]

2 2 [3.29e-22 -5.68e-09 6.06e-01] [2.05e-09 -1.20e-06 2.15e-04 1.68e-02]

-5.14e-19 3.51e-16 -1.38e-13 3.44e-11 6.24e-07 -4.50e-05 2.02e-03 -5.07e-02

CFL_15x 3 CRT S_PC 4 3

2 1 7

[4.76e-09 -2.82e-06 [4.54e-11 -6.77e-08 [-1.35e-08

4.67e-04

3.09e-02]

3.96e-05 -1.13e-02 1.58e+00] 1.59e-05 -6.38e-03 1.12e+00]

Using data from table1, simulations on the proposed arrangements were performed in Matlab with

Simulink, using the diagram in figure 6, for different supplying voltage profiles.

Fig. 6: Simulation schematics in Matlab with Simulink. A first concern is related to the DC network capability to stand for voltage variations as a consequence of either voltage sag propagations from the main distribution network (in case of an either uni- or bidirectional interconnection between the two networks) or an improper control of the power flow within the DC network (in case of island-mode operation). Figure 7 shows the supply voltage (at laboratory level) and the total current of the lamps group, for two different profiles chosen at the generation PCC. The second profile is highlighting the possible 50 Hz modulation of the direct voltage, when interconnecting operation mode is considered.

a)

b)
Fig. 7: Voltage and current absorbed by the lamps group for two voltage profiles, a simulated multiple voltage sag event (a) and a 50Hz superimposed voltage variation (b).

As it can be seen, the inrush currents generated by the connected workstations will cause a voltage droop for tens of milliseconds. According to ITIC curves [11], the voltage sags of such duration and amplitude should not result in malfunction of the devices.

Conclusion
Some of the appliances and laboratory equipment normally accepting AC supply voltage can be directly connected to a DC supply. In his paper I-U characteristics of such equipment was derived from measurements performed with no modification of the tested devices and operation modes were analyzed. Direct Dc supply can offer several advantages, among them: the reduce cost of the solution, due to the elimination of ac/dc converters and harmonic losses produced by static converters embedded in the most of the LV equipment nowadays. DC supply can eliminate the need of active filtering, reduce space and solve EMI problems.

References
[1] The Galvin Electricity Initiative, Task 5 Developing Functional Requirements for the Perfect Power System, March 2006, available at http://www.galvinpower.org/

[2] Renewables 2004, International Conference on Renewable Energies, Bonn, June 2004 [3] Per Karlson: DC Distributed Power Systems Analysis, Design and Control for a Renewable Energy System, PhD Thesis, 2002; [4] Mihaela M. Albu, R. Magureanu, 2005: Emerging distribution grids for optimal use of dispersed generation based on renewable energies, in Proc. of the "Sustainability for Humanity, Environment in the Extended Connection Field of Science - Economy - Policy" Int. Workshop, Timisoara, 23-24 February 2005, pp. 207-211. [5] MIT Technology Review, collection 2004-2005 [6] Daniel Nilsson, Ambra Sannino, Efficiency analysis of low and medium voltage dc distribution system, 2004 IEEE Power Engineering Society general meeting (Denver CO, 6-10 June 2004); [7] Ambra Sannino, Giovanna Postiglione, Math H.J. Bollen, Feasibility of a DC Network for Commercial Facilities, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, Vol. 42, Issue 6, 2006; [8] Y. Ito, Y. Zhongqing, H. Akagi: DC Micro-grid Based Distribution Power Generation System, in Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference, IPEMC 2004., Volume 3, 2004, pp: 1740 1745; [9] G.S. Thandi, R. Zhang, K. Xing, F.C. Lee, Modeling, Control and Stability Analysis of a PEBB based DC DPS, Transaction on Power Delivery, Vol. 14, No.2, and April 1999; [10] Daniel Nilsson, Ambra Sannino, Load Modelling for Steady-State and Transient Analysis of Low Voltage dc Systems, 2004 IEEE industry applications conference (39th IAS annual meeting), Seattle, October 2004; [11] IEEE Std 1100-1999 "IEEE Recommended Practice for power and Grounding Electronic Equipment", IEEE Press, 1999.