We are currently working on research of PV-based microgrids energy management algorithms. Our facilities include a microgrid with PV panels, PV, grid, wind and and load emulators, batteries (mostly lead-acid) as well as two bidirectional converters with poor user-based external controllability.
We had a look on Victron products to evaluate the possibility to purchase one bidirectional converter depending on their external controllability. In the following we include the grid architecture we are working on as well as a short list of the variables we want to measure/control.
The AC microgrid is composed by two groups of PV generators, the connection to the Utility Grid, an Energy Storage System (composed of a Bidirectional Converter and a Battery Bank) and two types of load demands (Critical and Non-Critical: CL and NCL). PV field 1 with the Utility Grid and the Non-critical loads are connected to the AC input of the Bidirectional Converter and the PV field 2 with the Critical loads are connected to the Bidirectional Converter AC output.
An external Energy Management System should be able to read and write registers in the Bidirectional converter.
WRITE:
. Power exchange between the Bidirectional converter and the Utility Grid through the AC in port (PBC_ACin)
. Battery Bank absorption time
. Change/discharge or Charge ONLY mode
READ:
. Battery SOC
. Absorption charge flag
All these settings should be modified using a suitable communication protocol via the bidirectional inverter serial port facility.
Is there any Victron bidirectional converter fitting these requirements?
