Skip to main content

Photovoltaik / PV with generator sets - Knowledgebase / easYgen-3000XT / application - Power Generation

Photovoltaik / PV with generator sets

Authors list

As an upfront information, there are two video trainings available for photovoltaik / PV support in a network with generator sets:

easYgen Training: Solar Diesel:

https://easygen.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/easYgen_6.7.mp4


Webinar recording:
https://wss.woodward.com/manuals/Support/Webinar_Recordings/easYgen-3000XT_v2.15/Webinar_easYgenXT%20Software%20Version%202.15-0.mp4



Connecting existing or new Gensets with superimposed PV-DIESEL CONTROLLER via Woodward’s easYgen3000XT and/or Woodward’s MFR 300


Introduction

Conventional Power Generation in rural regions with weak grids or on islands is often based on Power Stations (reciprocating engines) fired by fossil fuels. Beside the required maintenance for these types of Gensets, the dominating cost factor is the fuel itself. The logistics in rural regions/islands also increase the local fuel price. Independent Power Producer aim to get rid of this continuously increasing cost factor and are therefore highly interested in any kind of reduction potential.

As before described applications can often be found in the Sunbelt region, PV power is considered as an appropriate source to offer grid support for lowest cost. But in order to grant stable grid conditions, island grids require some additional considerations as:

  • Providing sufficient spinning reserve for load jumps

  • Providing sufficient over-current capacity to trigger fuses and secure installation in the event of short circuits

  • Operating Genset at its optimal operating point and avoid increasing wear due under-load

  • Providing common control functions for more than single Genset as

    • Load dependent Start/Stop

    • Automatic synchronizing to bus-bar

    • Predictive maintenance of Genset

    • Managing automatic load share of Gensets

    • Leveling utilization of Gensets (operating hours)


Woodward with its partners in conventional Power Generation and in systems and solutions in Photovoltaic have developed a System to extend Genset installations with PV-Power in order to reduce fuel consumption and according OPEX-cost. By using PV as “negative load”, amortization times for the required PV-Plant extension of 3-4 years are achievable. Given that PV plants are designed for a lifetime of at least 20 years, investors can run such Hybrid systems with highest profitability. The trend of dropping PV-cost and increasing fuel cost is an additional factor and reduces risk for operators and investors.



easYgen3000XT

(software version 2.15 and higher)

The ‘easYgen’ is a Genset Controller which manages the control of the single Genset as well as the control of up to 32 Gensets working on the same bus bar. Thus it accommodates common control functions as 

o    Load dependent Start/Stop

o    Automatic synchronizing to bus-bar

o    Predictive maintenance of Genset

o    Managing automatic load share of Gensets

o    Leveling utilization of Gensets (operating hours)

The Gensets are linked via the CAN bus line and operate in a multi master mode. The data on this CAN bus are arranged as below.

CAN-Bus-Address

Detail

Data Type

Unit

Easygen[x].GenRealLoadInW

Generator Real Load in W

DINT

W

Easygen[x].GenReactLoadInVar

Generator Reactive Load in var

DINT

var

Easygen[x].GenRealLoadInProm

Generator Real Load per mill

DINT

Per mill

Easygen[x].GenReactLoadInProm

Generator Reactive Load per mill

DINT

Per mill

Easygen[x].GenRatRealPower

Generator Rated Real Power in kW

DINT

kW

Easygen[x].GenRatReactPower

Generator Rated Reactive Power in kvar

DINT

kvar

Easygen[x].OperMode

Operation Mode

INT (0…3)


Easygen[x].EngineState

Engine State

INT (0…11)


Easygen[x].RealLoadContrState

Real Load Control State

INT (0…11)


Easygen[x].ReactLoadContrState

Reactive Load Control State

INT (0…11)


Easygen[x].GenVoltFreqOk

Generator Voltage and Frequency ok

BOOL


Easygen[x].BbVoltFreqOk

Busbar Voltage and Frequency ok

BOOL


Easygen[x].MainsVoltFreqOk

Mains Voltage and Frequency ok

BOOL


Easygen[x].FourthSysVoltFreqOk

System Voltage and Frequency ok

BOOL


Easygen[x].BusbarxDead

Busbar 1 is dead

BOOL


Easygen[x].Busbar2Dead

Busbar 2 is dead

BOOL


Easygen[x].LoadSharOn

Load Sharing switched on

BOOL


Easygen[x].ReactLoadSharOn

Reactive Load Sharing switched on

BOOL


Easygen[x].GcbClosed

GCB is closed

BOOL


Easygen[x].McbClosed

MCB is closed

BOOL


Easygen[x].GenGroupCbClosed

Gen Group Breaker is closed

BOOL


Easygen[x].DeadBusDeterm

Dead Bus Determination

BOOL


Easygen[x].MainsSetTimeAct

Mains Settling Time is active

BOOL


Easygen[x].ShutdownAlarmAct

Shutdown Alarm is active

BOOL


Easygen[x].RunHours

Running Hours

BOOL


Easygen[x].AlarmClassA

Alarm Class A occured

BOOL


Easygen[x].AlarmClassB

Alarm Class B occured

BOOL


Easygen[x].AlarmClassC

Alarm Class C occured

BOOL


Easygen[x].AlarmClassD

Alarm Class D occured

BOOL


Easygen[x].AlarmClassE

Alarm Class E occured

BOOL


Easygen[x].AlarmClassF

Alarm Class F occured

BOOL


Easygen[x].AlarmClassWarn

Alarm Class Warning occured

BOOL




MULTI FUNCTION RELAY MFR 300

Alternative to the MFR300, could an Modbus protocol provide these measurements.

The ‘MFR 300’ can be integrated in the system to measure Voltage/Frequency in order to sense the load flow in a meshed grid with its characteristic values for active/reactive power and according power factor for each phase. The ‘MFR 300’ is used in the PV-Diesel application to either measure the values for PV power generation or to detect values for the load. The ‘MFR 300’ is connected to the superimposed ‘DER PV-DIESEL CONTROLLER’ via the CAN bus line according to description below.

CAN-Bus-Address

Detail

Data Type

Unit

MFR300Pdo3[x].Frequency

Frequency in Hz

REAL

Hz

MFR300Pdo3[x].TotalActPower

Total active power in W

REAL

W

MFR300Pdo3[x].TotalReactPower

Total Reactive Power in var

REAL

var

MFR300Pdo3[x].GenRatRealPower

Generator Rated Real Power in kW

REAL

kW

MFR300Pdo3[x].GenRatReactPower

Generator Rated Reactive Power in kvar

REAL

kvar

MFR300Pdo3[x].PowerFactorL1

Power Factor L1

REAL


MFR300Pdo3[x].VoltageL1L2

Voltage L1-L2 in V

REAL

V

MFR300Pdo3[x].PowerFactorL2

Power Factor L2

REAL


MFR300Pdo3[x].VoltageL2L3

Voltage L2-L3 in V

REAL

V

MFR300Pdo3[x].PowerFactorL3

Power Factor L3

REAL


MFR300Pdo3[x].VoltageL3L1

Voltage L3-L1 in V

REAL

V

MFR300Pdo3[x].CurrentL1

Current L1 in A

REAL

A

MFR300Pdo3[x].CurrentL2

Current L2 in A

REAL

A

MFR300Pdo3[x].CurrentL3

Current L3 in A

REAL

A


Visualization

Detail

Data Type

Range

CobidArrayMfr[x].CobidNoPdo3

Cobid number of PDO3

INT

1380-1429

CobidArrayMfr[x].Mode

Reading Mode of MFR300

INT

1380-1429


Explanation: x= 1…32