Power Efficiency Comparison of Electrical Protection Concepts for AC and DC Grid Operation in an Industrial Robot Application

Gutwald B, Römer P, Liu H, Barth M, Reichenstein T, Franke J (2025)

Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Conference contribution

Publication year: 2025

Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

Conference Proceedings Title: 2024 IEEE 3rd Industrial Electronics Society Annual On-Line Conference (ONCON)

Event location: Beijing

ISBN: 979-8-3315-4032-6

DOI: 10.1109/ONCON62778.2024.10931741

Abstract

In the context of energy savings, industrial direct current (DC) grids are currently a hot topic of discussion. Their strengths include resource savings and the simplified grid integration of DC-based generators such as photovoltaics and storage systems. The selection of electrical components in a functioning protection concept is seen as a challenge. Initial comparative measurements of system efficiency have been carried out on a few initial test systems or simulations. Due to the complexity of the design and the effort involved in measuring, the influences of the protective devices and concepts are often left out of these analyses. The aim of this publication, however, is to supplement an existing efficiency comparison between DC and alternating current (AC) operation of a robot with the influences of the switching and protection concepts. For this purpose, the individual operating equipment for the control-compliant grid integration of an AC grid and of an earthed (DC-TN) and an unearthed (DC-IT) grid were measured in terms of losses. The DC IT grid is less efficient than the DC TN grid, but offers greater protection against electric shock and greater reliability. Load-dependent and load-independent losses exist in all grid types, which generate an exponential loss characteristic with an exponential curve and an offset. In relation to an industrial handling process in electrical engineering, the load-independent losses have a significantly greater effect than the load-dependent losses. With larger currents, the load-dependent component becomes more important. In total, between 0.96 % and 4.8 % of the total power requirement in the application example is accounted for by the switching and protective devices. Despite lower losses due to protective devices in AC operation, more than 10 % less energy is required in the DC grid.

Authors with CRIS profile

How to cite

APA:

Gutwald, B., Römer, P., Liu, H., Barth, M., Reichenstein, T., & Franke, J. (2025). Power Efficiency Comparison of Electrical Protection Concepts for AC and DC Grid Operation in an Industrial Robot Application. In 2024 IEEE 3rd Industrial Electronics Society Annual On-Line Conference (ONCON). Beijing, CN: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc..

MLA:

Gutwald, Benjamin, et al. "Power Efficiency Comparison of Electrical Protection Concepts for AC and DC Grid Operation in an Industrial Robot Application." Proceedings of the 3rd IEEE Industrial Electronics Society Annual On-Line Conference, ONCON 2024, Beijing Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2025.

BibTeX: Download