Floating grid systems increase operational reliability of battery storage

Many storage systems are designed and equipped with a grounded grid system as standard. An illogical choice, according to Raymond Vergouwe, commercial technical advisor at Bender Benelux speaker at the Energy Storage event. So-called floating grid systems offer numerous advantages, including higher operational reliability.

By: Dimitri Reijerman

In practice, two different grid systems are used, says Vergouwe: “A grounded grid system and a floating grid system. You can compare a grounded system with the installation at home or in the office. If an earth fault is made, an earth leakage circuit breaker will ensure that the installation is de-energized and the problem arises that all processes behind this switch stop. In industry, this can cause damage to a machine or loss of raw materials, possibly resulting in delivery problems. If a grounded system is not properly protected, the problems will become even greater. The closure could then cause heat or even fire.”

“With a floating network system, an IT network system, you monitor the whole by means of an isolation monitor with active measuring methodology. The IT system is not directly connected to an earthed connection. One of the advantages is: 'even if I have an earth fault, I can continue with the process' and schedule maintenance, says Vergouwe.

Continuity

Active insulation monitoring on floating network systems, also called IT network systems, is an invention of Dipl. -Ing. Walther Bender in 1939. Nevertheless, Vergouwe expects to make the public more aware of this thoroughly proven technology during the Energy Storage event: “In our country, thanks to the soft soil, you can easily drive a copper earth rod into the ground for grounding. Floating grid systems are used on a large scale in the producing countries around us because this is less easy there.”

Although relatively unknown, floating grid technology is already widely used in leading industries around the world. Vergouwe: “It is used, among other things, in operating rooms. That process must always continue. This also applies to power plants and companies in the oil/gas sector. Wherever critical processes are important, floating grid systems are consciously looked at for continuity.”

In the view of the technical advisor, this operational reliability can also be useful in the energy storage market, for example by applying it to containers with batteries: "A neighborhood battery can also be monitored in this way and is a typical floating grid system." says Vergouwe. “It increases business reliability. Maintenance is also much easier to plan. And higher efficiency results in a better total cost of ownership.”

According to Vergouwe, the costs for implementing floating grid systems in products such as neighborhood batteries, which use direct current, are hardly higher. “When installing an Isolation Guard, the additional costs are limited. Think of amounts between 300 and 1500 euros.”

Demo

During his lecture Raymond Vergouwe, on behalf of Bender Benelux, will further explain the various advantages of floating grid systems compared to grounded grid systems. He will give a demonstration of an electrical system in which an insulation fault is generated in a floating grid system and continuity is shown.

You can Register for a free visit to the Energy Storage event.