Reduxi strategies enable DLM execution at every level of installation, ensuring protection and flexibility while contributing to significant cost reduction.
1. Introduction
With the increasing need for multi-level DLM (dynamic load management), the Reduxi system allows as part of strategies to ensure limitation on every level of installation, i.e. to protect electrical elements of each feed from damage.
2. Multi-level DLM protection
Achieving multi-level protection depends entirely on the specific installation at the location. For each new level of feed/feeds, a tailored strategy must be defined to ensure all safety conditions for proper control are met.
2.1 Example for multi-level DLM in Reduxi system
Two examples will be presented and are most commonly used in practice.
2.1.1 Main grid Smart meter case
An example is given where schematics of two-level installation are given under:
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Diagram on a white background with two large outlined boxes. Left box labelled Level 1 contains a box Main Feed with an arrow to a box Smart meter. Right box labelled Level 2 contains three rows. A line from the Smart meter goes right to a vertical line that branches with arrows to three boxes: Feed 1, Feed 2, Feed 2 (the third box is printed as Feed 2). Each feed box is connected by a line to a box EV charger 1, then three dots, then a box EV charger N.
In this example, measurements from the Smart meter are taken at the main feed, with a single smart meter detecting and measuring the entire building's consumption. For secondary feeds at level two, measurements are obtained (calculated) directly from individual EV chargers, with the sum of power on each EV charger acting as a "virtual" Smart meter for that feed. Please note (Important!), that this approach is only valid when the feed is exclusively connected to EV chargers. Otherwise, the measurements will be inaccurate.
How to set strategies for this example:
- Firstly general strategy needs to be set, including the Smart meter and all the chargers:
In Reduxi Configurator as part of Strategies for Reduxi controller define controlled devices (EV chargers) and measurement device (smart meter):
Controlled device (all EV chargers):
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Screenshot of a wizard step in the Reduxi Configurator (light theme). Heading: Choose which devices you want to regulate. Left list, header Devices, with rows: Feed 1 - EV chargers, Feed 2 - EV chargers, Feed 3 - EV chargers (sun icons), Landis+Gyr E650 (meter icon with plus), Reduxi Meter (device icon), Schneider Electric PM51xx / PM53xx (meter icon with plus), flexoTHERM - heat pump (device icon). In the middle a grey hand icon with left and right arrows. Right list, header Regulated devices, marked with a blue rectangle frame, contains three rows, each with a three-dot menu icon: Feed 1 - EV chargers, Feed 2 - EV chargers, Feed 3 - EV chargers. Buttons: Back at the bottom left, Next at the bottom right.
Measurement device (smart meter):
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Screenshot of a wizard step in the Reduxi Configurator (light theme), step 3 Measure. Step bar with three black numbered circles: 1 Basic settings, 2 Regulate, 3 Measure. Question: Where can we get measurement data for regulation? Left list, header Devices, with rows: Feed 1 - EV chargers, Feed 2 - EV chargers, Feed 3 - EV chargers (sun icons), Landis+Gyr E650, Reduxi Meter, Schneider Electric PM51xx / PM53xx, flexoTHERM - heat pump. In the middle a grey hand icon with left and right arrows. Right list, header Measurement devices, marked with a blue rectangle frame, contains one row: Landis+Gyr E650. Buttons: Back at the bottom left, Done at the bottom right.
Set an export/import limit for the general strategy:
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Screenshot of the Reduxi Settings / Strategy page with the tab "Optimization modes" selected (spelled "Optimzation modes" in the image). Tabs: General settings, Regulated devices, Optimzation modes (selected, grey background). Table columns: Name, Event description, Export limit, Goal, Import limit, Advanced. One row: Name: Default mode; Event description: /; Export limit: 100 kW; Goal: Self-consumption (dropdown); Import limit: 50 kW; Advanced: edit icon. A green link icon is at the top right and a black plus button is below the table. A blue rectangle highlights the area over the Export limit, Goal and Import limit columns. Buttons: Back (left), Save (right). Footer text at bottom right: Pisarna - (name omitted) | PMU8-KOZF-LC5C-2JEB.
With the definition of strategy, the general case is covered and the Reduxi controller will calculate the setpoint for individual EVs respecting the main gird limitations.
- Secondly specific strategy for individual feed needs to be set:
In Reduxi Configurator as part of Strategies for Reduxi controller define controlled device (EV chargers of feed one) and measurement device (EV chargers on feed one):
Controlled device (EV chargers for feed 1):
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Screenshot of the Reduxi strategy wizard step for choosing regulated devices. Heading: "Choose which devices you want to regulate". Left panel "Devices" lists: Feed 1 - EV chargers, Feed 2 - EV chargers, Feed 3 - EV chargers (each with a sun-like icon), Landis+Gyr E650, Reduxi Meter, Schneider Electric PM51xx / PM53xx, flexoTHERM - heat pump (each with a meter-type icon). A grey hand icon with small arrows sits between the panels. Right panel "Regulated devices" contains one entry: Feed 1 - EV chargers, with a three-dot menu icon. A blue rectangle highlights the "Regulated devices" header and this entry. Buttons: Back (bottom left), Next (bottom right).
Measurement device (EV chargers for feed 1):
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Screenshot of the Reduxi strategy wizard step 3 of 3. Progress bar with circles: 1 Basic settings, 2 Regulate, 3 Measure (3 is the current step). Heading: "Where can we get measurement data for regulation?". Left panel "Devices" lists: Feed 1 - EV chargers, Feed 2 - EV chargers, Feed 3 - EV chargers (sun-like icons), Landis+Gyr E650, Reduxi Meter, Schneider Electric PM51xx / PM53xx, flexoTHERM - heat pump. A grey hand icon with small arrows sits between the panels. Right panel "Measurement devices" contains one entry: Feed 1 - EV chargers. A blue rectangle highlights the "Measurement devices" header and this entry. Buttons: Back (bottom left), Done (bottom right).
Set an export/import limit for the specific feed strategy, if needed:
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Screenshot of the Strategy page in the Reduxi Configurator (light theme). Breadcrumb: Settings / Strategy. A green link icon at the top right. Three tabs: General settings, Regulated devices (selected), Optimization modes (grey). A table with the columns Name, Event description, Export limit, Goal, Import limit, Advanced. One row: Name: Default mode; Event description: /; Export limit: 0 kW; Goal: Self-consumption (dropdown); Import limit: 50 kW; Advanced: edit icon. A black button with a plus sign is below the table at the right. A blue rectangle frame surrounds the columns Export limit, Goal and Import limit together with the tab header area above them.
The same procedure must be applied to feeds 2 and 3, resulting in a total of four defined strategies. With this, the Reduxi system will have all the necessary information to execute DLM safely. Please note that for each EV charger Reduxi controller will in real-time calculate two setpoints, derived from the individual strategy that includes the respective EV charger. Reduxi controller will always take the lower setpoint, ensuring maximal protection.
2.1.2 Lower-level Smart meters case
An example is given where schematics of two-level installation are given under:
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Diagram on a white background with two large outlined boxes. Left box labelled Level 1 contains one box Main Feed. A line from Main Feed goes right into a vertical line that branches with arrows to three boxes in the right box labelled Level 2: Smart meter 1, Smart meter 2, Smart meter 3. Each smart meter box is connected by a line to a box Feed 1, Feed 2 or Feed 3 respectively. Each feed box is connected by a line to a box EV charger 1, then three dots, then a box EV charger N.
In this example, measurements from the Smart meters are taken at lower-level feeds, with three smart meters detecting and measuring the individual feed consumption. To obtain (calculate) main feed measurements lower feeds consumtions are summed together acting as a "virtual" grid Smart meter.
How to set strategies for this example:
- Firstly general strategy needs to be set, including a "virtual" Smart meter as sum as three low-level Smart meters and all EV chargers.
In Reduxi Configurator as part of Strategies for Reduxi controller define controlled device (all EV chargers) and measurement device ("virtual " Smart meter):
Controlled device (all EV chargers):
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Screenshot of a wizard step in the Reduxi Configurator (light theme). Heading: Choose which devices you want to regulate. Left list, header Devices, with rows: Feed 1 - EV chargers, Feed 2 - EV chargers, Feed 3 - EV chargers (sun icons), Landis+Gyr E650 (meter icon with plus), Reduxi Meter (device icon), Schneider Electric PM51xx / PM53xx (meter icon with plus), flexoTHERM - heat pump (device icon). In the middle a grey hand icon with left and right arrows. Right list, header Regulated devices, marked with a blue rectangle frame, contains three rows, each with a three-dot menu icon: Feed 1 - EV chargers, Feed 2 - EV chargers, Feed 3 - EV chargers. Buttons: Back at the bottom left, Next at the bottom right.
Measurement device (virtual Smart meter):
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Screenshot of a wizard in the Reduxi Configurator (light theme). Question: Where can we get measurement data for regulation? Left list, header Devices, with rows: Feed 1 - EV chargers, Feed 2 - EV chargers, Feed 3 - EV chargers (sun icons), Landis+Gyr E650, Reduxi Meter, Schneider Electric PM51xx / PM53xx, Smart meter (Feed 1), Smart meter (Feed 2), Smart meter (Feed 3), flexoTHERM - heat pump. In the middle a grey hand icon with left and right arrows. Right list, header Measurement devices, marked with a blue rectangle frame, contains three rows: Smart meter (Feed 1), Smart meter (Feed 2), Smart meter (Feed 3). Buttons: Back at the bottom left, Done at the bottom right.
Set an export/import limit for the general strategy:
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Screenshot of the Reduxi Settings / Strategy page with the tab "Optimization modes" selected (spelled "Optimzation modes" in the image). Tabs: General settings, Regulated devices, Optimzation modes (selected, grey background). Table columns: Name, Event description, Export limit, Goal, Import limit, Advanced. One row: Name: Default mode; Event description: /; Export limit: 100 kW; Goal: Self-consumption (dropdown); Import limit: 50 kW; Advanced: edit icon. A green link icon is at the top right and a black plus button is below the table. A blue rectangle highlights the area over the Export limit, Goal and Import limit columns. Buttons: Back (left), Save (right). Footer text at bottom right: Pisarna - (name omitted) | PMU8-KOZF-LC5C-2JEB.
- Secondly, a specific strategy for individual feed needs to be set:
In Reduxi Configurator as part of Strategies for Reduxi controller define controlled devices (EV chargers of feed one) and measurement devices (EV chargers on feed one):
Controlled device (feed 1 Smart meter):
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Screenshot of the Reduxi strategy wizard step for choosing regulated devices. Heading: "Choose which devices you want to regulate". Left panel "Devices" lists: Feed 1 - EV chargers, Feed 2 - EV chargers, Feed 3 - EV chargers (each with a sun-like icon), Landis+Gyr E650, Reduxi Meter, Schneider Electric PM51xx / PM53xx, flexoTHERM - heat pump (each with a meter-type icon). A grey hand icon with small arrows sits between the panels. Right panel "Regulated devices" contains one entry: Feed 1 - EV chargers, with a three-dot menu icon. A blue rectangle highlights the "Regulated devices" header and this entry. Buttons: Back (bottom left), Next (bottom right).
Measurement device (EV chargers for feed 1):
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Screenshot of a wizard in the Reduxi Configurator (light theme), step 3 Measure. Step bar with three black numbered circles: 1 Basic settings, 2 Regulate, 3 Measure. Question: Where can we get measurement data for regulation? Left list, header Devices, with rows: Feed 1 - EV chargers (sun icon), Feed 2 - EV chargers (sun icon), Feed 3 - EV chargers (sun icon), Landis+Gyr E650 (meter icon with plus), Reduxi Meter (device icon), Schneider Electric PM51xx / PM53xx (meter icon with plus), Smart meter (Feed 1) (meter icon with plus), Smart meter (Feed 2) (meter icon with plus), Smart meter (Feed 3) (meter icon with plus), flexoTHERM - heat pump (device icon). In the middle a grey hand icon with left and right arrows. Right list, header Measurement devices, marked with a blue rectangle frame, contains one row: Smart meter (Feed 1). Buttons: Back at the bottom left, Done at the bottom right.
Set an export/import limit for the specific feed strategy, if needed:
Text description of this image
Screenshot of the Strategy page in the Reduxi Configurator (light theme). Breadcrumb: Settings / Strategy. A green link icon at the top right. Three tabs: General settings, Regulated devices (selected), Optimization modes (grey). A table with the columns Name, Event description, Export limit, Goal, Import limit, Advanced. One row: Name: Default mode; Event description: /; Export limit: 0 kW; Goal: Self-consumption (dropdown); Import limit: 50 kW; Advanced: edit icon. A black button with a plus sign is below the table at the right. A blue rectangle frame surrounds the columns Export limit, Goal and Import limit together with the tab header area above them.
The same procedure must be applied to feeds 2 and 3, resulting in a total of four defined strategies. With this, the Reduxi system will have all the necessary information to safely execute DLM. Please note that for each EV charger Reduxi controller will in real-time calculate two setpoints, derived from the individual strategy that includes the respective EV charger. Reduxi controller will always take the lower setpoint, ensuring maximal protection.
For further information, please follow the link to Reduxi Configurator.
For visualization of data obtained from the device cloud application is used: Reduxi Cloud.