EU projects

Project title:

Research into methods of improving the quality of the LV distribution grid in the area of higher-harmonic current and power-factor compensation

Grant awarded:

EUR 149,352 (European Regional Development Fund)

Project duration:

January 2013 – November 2015

Status:

completed

Beneficiary:

VONSCH spol. s r.o., Budovateľská 13, 977 03 Brezno, Slovakia

Place of implementation:

Brezno, Brezno district, Banská Bystrica self-governing region

Provider:

Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic

Intermediate body:

Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency

Call code:

KaHR-13SP-1001

ITMS:

25110320054

Cooperation and partnerships:

not applicable

This project was implemented with support from the European Regional Development Fund under the Operational Programme Competitiveness and Economic Growth. “Investment in your future”

Project objectives

• Research into methods ensuring the required quality of the LV grid at the user's site.
• Optimisation of the power-stage architecture of compensation devices.
• Research into manufacturing higher-value-added products based on domestic raw materials, intermediates and waste, using the available regional workforce and subcontracting from regional suppliers.

Main project activities

• Analysis of the state of the art and proposal of possible research directions in the field.
• Development of new methods for higher-harmonic current compensation.
• Development of new methods for reactive power compensation.
• Topology of the power schematics of compensation devices.
• Modelling of control units using DSP or FPGA signal processors.

Project results

VONSCH spol. s r.o. as the beneficiary met both measurable indicators:

1. Registration of intellectual property protection other than a patent

Application filed on 14 December 2014, PUV 163-2014 — evidenced by the entry in the register of the Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic. Published on 7 January 2016 in Bulletin No. 01/2016.

2. Placing two new and improved (innovated) products on the market

Industrial research into modern control methods aimed at improving LV distribution grid quality was closely tied to research and modelling of the optimal architecture of modern active compensation devices. The results have been and will be applied in several VONSCH products (UNIFREM, QUATROFREM, FOTO CONTROL 3f and others). The project not only led to the innovation of existing products but contributed significantly to the creation and market launch of three new products — exceeding the measurable indicator of two new products.

• SRVS 10/230AC
  An electronic continuous regulator acting as an active single-phase reactive power compensator. By controlling the voltage amplitude across the compensation elements it continuously compensates single-phase reactive power. It allows any linear RLC loads or their combinations to be used to achieve the required active and reactive power characteristics, and helps cover medium- and long-term power outages.
• GSE CONTROL 3f 400
  The Peak Energy Generator (inverter) is a family of modern three-phase VONSCH inverters used to cover peak demand, for example the quarter-hour maximum, and as a parallel backup source (UPS) for a 400 V three-phase supply system. Typical features include high efficiency, fast start-up, fast response to load steps, reactive power compensation of loads with an adjustable range from 0.8 capacitive to 0.8 inductive, and active higher-harmonic current compensation. The device keeps current harmonic distortion minimal even when the grid voltage is significantly distorted. When grid-connected, these inverters allow rapid disconnection through active grid-loss detection.
• Single-phase inverters FOTO CONTROL 1f with accessories
  The grant significantly supported the research and development of the FOTO CONTROL 1f single-phase inverters, intended not only for photovoltaic applications. They are available in two voltage versions: FOTO CONTROL 1f 230/375 DC and FOTO CONTROL 1f 230/48 DC. They include a range of compensation functions that minimise current THD (approximately 1 % at nominal power and resistive load) and regulate reactive power across a cos φ range from -0.8 capacitive to -0.8 inductive, compensating various load types with high reactive power consumption. They also feature active anti-islanding through higher-harmonic injection, guaranteeing safe disconnection from the grid within 100 ms of a grid outage. FOTO CONTROL 1f inverters serve as a building block for both simple and highly complex single-phase and three-phase photovoltaic systems.
  The knowledge gained through the grant was also applied to the accessories:
  • RM GRID MONITOR — module for measuring phase current and voltage at the node
  • RM SYNC — module for synchronising single-phase and three-phase inverters
  • RM WEB — module for remote monitoring and visualisation