Smartpack Features

for Solar Solutions

An in-depth look at the

Smartpack Features

Ver 5.0

7th May 15
SMARTPACK FEATURES FOR SOLAR

This presentation is an in-depth view of the new features

added to Smartpack for supporting :

Telecom Off-grid Solar Hybrid solutions

It is recommended to edit this document if you plan to use it for

external presentations

Corporate Product Management

SOLAR PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Interactive menu

SHOW ALL

Overview

Gen-set Optimisation

Battery Current limitation

Start-up Delay

Energy Logging
SMARTPACK FEATURES FOR SOLAR

OVERVIEW
 Overview
SMARTPACK FUNCTIONS
Smartpack can monitor and control the following system elements
via CAN bus

Battery Mains
I/O Monitor Individual Loads
String Monitor monitor

Rectifiers ~ Mains

Batteries Generator
External
Solar Charger alarms
 Overview
REMOTE SITE COMMUNICATION
Smartpack has several remote site communication options

Smartnode

Ethernet Customer Protocol

External Alarms Modem support

 Overview
HYBRID SOLAR SITE example

Solar
Load
Battery
Monitoring*
Solar

Batteries

 Same modular philosophy as for AC/DC

 Common Smartpack control system

CAN bus
Smartpack
 Galvanic isolation between panels and
~ Remote
telecom equipment improves immunity to
Mains I/O* Unit
Monitoring* lightning transients

 HE technology, 96% efficiency

Gen set
 Maximum Power Point Tracking utilizes
close to 100% of available solar power
*optional
Fuel tank
 Overview
FLATPACK2 POWER CORE

> Standard FP2 PR shelf is used

to mount the Solar chargers

> Solar PR can be mounted

directly below the standard FP2
power core

> Latest version Smartpack is

required to support all new solar Figure shown is a 8kW system with std 2kW rectifiers
with a 6kW solar charger capcaity
hybrid features
Up to 10 kg (excl. Power modules)
Overview
SMARTPACK – MAIN FEATURES

Main features added for generator/hybrid sites

> Generator Optimisation (cyclic charging)

> Reduced charge current limitation when running gen-sets

> Startup delay of rectifiers

> Energy logging

Overview
REQUIRED PRODUCT VERSIONS

To use the features covered in this presentation, you

need the following :

> Smartpack 242100.11x HW v2.x

- Energy log feature depend on the additional flash memory in HW v2.x

> Smartpack FW 402073.009 v3.04

- Standard Generator functionality in this FW, can run also on SP HWv1.x

> PowerSuite v3.1

Note : Start-up delay is currently only supported by std Fp2

- FW Secondary v1.13 (48V Std.) or newer
- “HE” firmware will be updated shortly
- Solar Charger module is based on “HE” rectifier module firmware
SMARTPACK FEATURES FOR SOLAR

OVERVIEW

GENERATOR OPTIMISATION
 Generator Optimisation
GEN-SET OPERATING EFFICIENCY

Typically, Gen-sets have Gen-sets operate with

poor efficiency when greater efficiency when
powering a small load under higher loads

Gen-sets are not made to operate at low loads for long periods, so in addition to poor
performance, the generators will break-down more often
 Generator Optimisation
ISSUES WITH “ALWAYS ON”

Load

Batteries

If the gen-set is run “24/7” , they will typically :

Float voltage over time
x power a small load, thus being very
inefficient per litre of diesel

x add considerable Opex cost due to more

frequent re-supply, maintenance, repair
and replacement

x Have a greater negative environmental

impact
 Generator Optimisation
SOLUTION CONCEPT
Once batteries are sufficiently charged
Load
Gen-Set
On / Off

Batteries

By periodically running the load on batteries,

Float voltage over time
you can :

 power a larger load, thus the genset will be

more efficient per litre of diesel

 Considerably reduce Opex cost due to

less frequent re-supply, maintenance,
repair and replacement
Battery Discharging Battery Charging
 Have less of an impact on the environment
Generator Optimisation
BUT KEEP IN MIND …

Although a considerable amount of Opex can be saved

by using this “Gen-set optimization” feature, if the
Gen-Set does not re-start, the site back up time will
only be what is left in the batteries and what can be
provided by other power feeds (eg Solar, Wind etc).
Generator Optimisation
SMARTPACK CONTROL FUNCTIONS
The following lists the control functions built into
Smartpack to control this feature :

> Battery discharge and recharge levels

> Fixed “safety” start trigger - Low battery bank voltage

> Time- based control

> Optional: Lower charge current limit set point than from
mains

> Optional: Feedback signal from generator to digital input

Generator Optimisation
BATTERY CAPACITY MONITORS

> Battery Total Cap. Is “State of

Health” (“SOH”)
• battery Ah capacity per string and
number of strings
• reduces if result of battery test is
lower than 100%

> BatteryRemCap is ”State of

Charge” (SOC)
• Based on BatteryTotalCap value
• Updates in real-time (between 0 and
Battery Total Cap) based on
charge/discharge current readings

> BatteryUsedCap is ”Depth of

Discharge” (DOD)
Generator Optimisation
SETTING UP SMARTPACK – Step 1

Open “System Configuration –> Smartpack globals” tab

> Set “Generator” to “Standard”

• Advanced is for a specific
customer

Optional

> Change System Capacity

scale

Press Apply or OK to save changes

Generator Optimisation
SETTING UP SMARTPACK – Step 2

Generator Node will be displayed after PowerSuite re-connects

> When you open the

node, “Generator ->
Status” will be
displayed by default

> See “Powersuite Help”

for more details about
each alarm/status item
 Generator Optimisation
SETTING UP SMARTPACK – Step 3

Open “Alarm Overview -> Outputs” tab

> Create a new ”Alarm
Group”
• (≥ #8 in Smartpack or ≥ #4 in
Compack )
• Example “DG run signal”
• Create 2 Alarm groups if cycling
between 2 generators

> Select the output relay that

will be triggered by the
input from the Gen Set
Press Apply or OK to save changes
 Generator Optimisation
SETTING UP SMARTPACK – Step 4a
Open “Generator -> Configuration” tab

> Set Long charge time [h]

• Used by monthly generator run time
and LV safety run time
• Used by any other latched monitor in
system (symmetry etc.) if same alarm
group is activated

> Set Stop delay [min]

• Used by all stop triggers, for ”top up”
charging

> Set Digital input number

• if Generator feed-back signal is
configured
 Generator Optimisation
SETTING UP SMARTPACK – Step 4b

> If required, enable boost

charging during charging

> Set Mains delay [min]

• Used to avoid starting the generator on
a short Mains outage

Note : Short successive outages will

still affect the Discharged Capacity
value even if the Generator delay
timer value is not reached
 Generator Optimisation
SETTING UP SMARTPACK – Step 4c

> Select Alarm group/s (as

configured in step 3)
• Two outputs can be used for cycling
between dual generators

> If required, enable test mode

• Factory-level only function
 Generator Optimisation
SETTING UP SMARTPACK – Step 4d

Press Apply or OK to save changes

> If required, enable “Capacity

Controlled” function

> Then set Start and Stop

battery capacity limits

> If required, enable and set the

“Generator stop current limit”
[A]
• Will stop the generator if the total battery
charge current drops below this value.
 Generator Optimisation
SETTING UP SMARTPACK – Step 4e
If required, open “Daily setup” tab Press Apply or OK to save changes

> Enable “Daily Generator start”

function

> Configure daily start/stop

times

> If required, select which

Alarm group should be
triggered
 Generator Optimisation
SETTING UP SMARTPACK – Step 4f
If required, open “Monthly setup” tab Press Apply or OK to save changes

> Enable “Monthly Generator

start” function

> Configure start time

• Runs for value specified in Long charge
time (step 4a)

> Configure which day/s to start

on

> If required, select which Alarm

group should be triggered
SMARTPACK FEATURES FOR SOLAR

OVERVIEW

GENERATOR OPTIMISATION

REDUCED BATTERY CHARGING

Reduced Battery Charging
FEATURE CONCEPT
This feature is typically used if the gen-set can not power the load
and charge the batteries normally (eg C10).

> A maximum battery charge

Float voltage over time (mins)
value is set to ensure the AC
source can provide sufficient Normal
charging
power to the load

> The battery charge current is

Batt Current
regulated by reducing the float Limited

voltage, thus reducing the

voltage potential between the
float and battery voltages
Reduced Battery Charging
TRIGGER WHEN GEN-SET IS RUNNING : Step 1
To trigger the “Generator battery current limit” option :

> Connect the generator signal cable to

a digital input

> Open the respective “ProgInput”

> Configure std alarm fields

> Set the “Event” as “Battery Current

Limit”

> Select Alarm group, if input should

trigger an Output relay
Reduced Battery Charging
TRIGGER WHEN GEN-SET IS RUNNING : Step 2
Open “Battery -> Configuration tab -> Current Limitation” tab

> Set the generator feed

current limit value

• Main and Generator current

limit are both enabled by the
one check box.

• Thus, remember to set the

Mains value accordingly
also
SMARTPACK FEATURES FOR SOLAR

OVERVIEW

GENERATOR OPTIMISATION

REDUCED BATTERY CHARGING

START UP DELAY
Start Up Delay
RECTIFIER WALK-IN

Rectifier ”walk-in” is a voltage ramp-up from 44Vdc to

default output voltage (Factory default : 53.5Vdc)

Float voltage over time (sec)

2 available options :
Output V

44V DC
Short (5 secs)

Long: (60 secs)

0V DC
0 5 30 60
Start Up Delay
RECTIFIER WALK-IN : SET UP
Open “Rectifiers -> Configuration” tab

> Set walk in time to

“Long” ( = 60 secs)

> The corresponding

current walk-in time will
be approx 5-10 seconds.

> These values are

sufficient to limit any
load transient caused by
the generator.
Start Up Delay
FEATURE CONCEPT

Additional delay can be add to the rectifier ”walk-in” characteristic.

> Delay starts when AC

is reported ok
Float voltage over time (mins)

> Includes option to Output V

only apply delay if AC 44V DC Rectifier

Delayed start
is from a Gen-set walk-in

> Once configured, 0V DC

0 1m 2m 3m
values are stored in
rectifier EEPROM as Graph example shows a 2 minute delayed start
up in addition to the “long” rectifier walk-in
a “fail-safe” feature
Start Up Delay
AC FROM GEN-SET : SET UP
If the delayed start up should only be applied when the AC is supplied
from a Gen-set :

> Connect the generator signal cable to

a digital input

> Open the respective “ProgInput”

> Configure std alarm fields

> Set the “Event” as “Generator”

> Select Alarm group, if input should

trigger an Output relay
Start Up Delay
DELAY START UP : SET UP
If required, select “start up delay” tab

> Set “startup delay” time

(mins)
• default is “0”

> Enable Generator

dependant delay
• Only if you have a digital
input signal from the
generator set up
• If not checked, delay
value will always be
applied on start up
SMARTPACK FEATURES FOR SOLAR

OVERVIEW

GENERATOR OPTIMISATION

REDUCED BATTERY CHARGING

START UP DELAY

ENERGY LOGGING
Energy logging
CONCEPT

> Logging of generated and consumed

energy

> 3 separate consumption categories

(displayed simultaneously)

• Column 1 : Hourly reading [Wh]

• Column 2 : Daily reading [kWh]
• Column 3 : Weekly [kWh]

> Records and displays the last 52

readings for each category (top reading is
the most recent).

> Totals update on the hour/Midnight/Sunday respectively)

 Energy Logging
DATA SOURCES
Data can be sourced from various system inputs via CAN bus

Rectifier Solar Charger

Total AC Power Solar Power

Battery
Monitoring *

Rectifier
Load
(+ Generator
Monitoring *
digital input)

Generator Power Load/Batt usage

* Current are also recorded from directly connected shunts

 Energy Logging
DATA ANALYSIS AND TRENDS
> Energy log details
 Hours
• The data can be extracted for further analysis
 Days
Energy supply/consumption per nodetype the last 52 hours  Weeks
1000

Energy supply/consumption per nodetype the last 52 days

804
801

790
787
787
9

779
773
771

766

767
765
761

762
800

745
Energy supply/consumption per nodetype the last 52 weeks
8

608
60
600

525
55

491
484
481

481
481
477

478
474
7
473

54
470

471
459
53

449
374 436
52 52 52 363404

339 394
335 393

387

324 377
323 376
319361

359

359
400

356

357
50

345
343

343

331
329
327

324
325
Energy [Wh]

310
307

308

307
306
305
304

304

306
305
304

306
Battery
303
302

303
302
301
300
299

301
300
300
299

299
298
297

298

297

297
295

296

295

294
293
291

291
Load
251

Rectifier

178
5
Energy [kWh]

200
148

40 Battery
106

106
Load
62

Rectifier
56
54

54
54
54
4
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
Energy [kWh]

0
Battery
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
30 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 Load
-44

-44
3 Rectifier

-200
-189

-188
2
20
-299
-298
-297

-299
-297
-301
-300

-301
-300
-300
-303
-302

-303
-302
-306
-305
-304

-306
-305
-304

-306
-307

-308

-307
-400 1
hour
10
10
10
0
5
11

13

15

17

19

21

23

25

27

29

31

33

35

37

39

41

43

45

47

49

51
1

2
1 day
0 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000
0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
w eek
 End of Presentation

THE GREENEST POWER

IN THE INDUSTRY
For further information on Smartpack features for Solar
Hybrid sites, use the PowerSuite in-built Help function

For more details on deploying sites with Gen-sets or

Renewable Energy power, contact your nearest Green team
support person