It has become clear that the power supply to industrial factory floors will increasingly be established via direct current in the future. By deviating from the previous AC supply, a higher energy efficiency and many other advantages can be achieved in an increasing number of applications that already internally rely on DC intermediate circuits. This means that companies can also reduce their CO2 emissions.
What benefits and opportunities does a DC supply system offer?
In the following text, you will find an overview of the objectives of factories supplied with direct current. Cables and wires are essential components when planning the construction of such infrastructure. We can, of course, supply you with our range of DC cables for the low-voltage range, which is perfectly tailored to industrial requirements.
LAPP has been actively involved in research projects on the topic of direct current in industry for years and joined the newly formed ODCA (Open Direct Current Alliance) in 2022 as a founding member. The ODCA is considered a successor project to DC-INDUSTRIE2. The focus is now on the benefits of supplying industrial energy grids with direct current and the necessary international standardization of existing concepts. Direct current is a promising lever to support a successful energy transition and thus an important contribution to climate and resource protection.
Large-scale involvement within the industry will speed up standardization for DC systems. Through close collaboration between users, planners, manufacturers, suppliers, research institutes, standardization organizations and associations, the hope is to accelerate the transition of the industrial power supply.
Anyone constructing a new plant today should explore the topic of power supply through direct current.
Which production plants are suitable for a DC system?
Whether it's plant and mechanical engineering, data centers, logistics or renewable energies – DC grids are making their way into many industries. We will provide you with information about the benefits of supplying plants with direct current.
Reviewing the transformation process.
What do the abbreviations AC/DC refer to? In electrical engineering, these abbreviations have always stood for the two types of current: alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC).
Most classic machines or household appliances operate using alternating current. An alternating current is a current that constantly changes its direction of flow.
An alternating voltage is generated in large power station generators (e.g. in water, coal or nuclear power stations). This is an electrical, sinusoidal voltage with periodically changing polarity. If consumers (in the grid) are connected, a sinusoidal current flows.
In addition to systems with a single-phase alternating voltage, there are also three-phase current systems. Instead of just one, there are three current-carrying conductors with 120° phase-shifted alternating voltages to be able to supply electricity to large machines and devices that require more power.
Computers, mobile phones and even LEDs work with direct current. A direct current is a current that does not change its direction of flow.
A direct current is only generated when a direct voltage is present. This is an electrical voltage which always has the same polarity.
Switching industrial production plants from alternating current to direct current offers several advantages at the same time:
The precise acceleration and braking of machines and devices using servo drives releases a lot of energy on the factory floor. This energy that is fed back can be temporarily "stored" via batteries and other storage systems. That means that unused energy is not lost, but rather can be quickly accessed at a later date if required. This increase in efficiency is also noticeable if the plant has short-term load peaks.
The required amount of energy will no longer need to be sourced from the local grid, but can be sourced from the plant's own internal storage.
In production plants, there are a variety of speed-controlled servo drives timed by frequency converters. Frequency converters always require direct current in their internal intermediate circuit. To this end, a direct voltage is temporarily generated from an alternating voltage, and is then converted into an alternating voltage with a variable frequency depending on the speed (principle: AC -> DC -> AC).
When compared to production powered by alternating current, there are far fewer points in a DC system where energy has to be converted from AC to DC or from DC to AC.
As every energy conversion generally causes conversion losses, fewer conversion points will lead to greater energy savings. For example, conversion losses between AC and DC in the single-digit percentage range could be saved depending on the application.
The DC supply has many benefits, but also various cost savings, which could allow installation expenses to be amortized over time.
Energy savings through
Resource savings through
Protection against plant downtime caused by external grid fluctuations
At LAPP, we are the global market leader in the field of cable and connection technology and are experts in the properties of cables for the low-voltage range. Our explanation will give you a brief overview of the key differences between alternating current and direct current cables:
At LAPP, we have been researching the long-term stability of insulation materials for cables and the insulation strength of conductor insulation for decades. We are now also a pioneer in the development of low-voltage cables for industrial and other DC applications.
We understand your challenges and have a high-quality, state-of-the-art portfolio geared towards direct current with the essential components for a DC grid.
You can find further valuable information about the individual products in our Online Shop.
