Temporary Power For Battery Containers

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an_kore

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I am working on a battery energy storage project and we need to provide temporary power to battery container's HVAC. Eventually, permanent power will be from a substation through a 34.5kV-400V/230V transformer but it won't be ready by the time batteries arrive on site. Only thing that will be on site will be distribution panelboards for LV feed in the battery container's cooling unit. I am trying to figure out a way for temporary power feed but 230V requirement is a little confusing and challenging to find a generator and transformer. Any suggestions where and what equipment I can rent to provide 230V temporary power? Total requirement of all the battery containers is about 100 KVA.
 
The OP said the final voltage is 400/230, so a 480 to 240 volt transformer wouldn’t work. It would be expensive to buy a 100kva + transformer just for a temporary. Being close to Canada, I wonder if a generator could be rented with that voltage rating. (Assuming it’s three phase)
 
I found the spec sheet for container air conditioner unit and it does show voltage range of 187 to 253 but the rated voltage is 230V
 
Any thoughts on using a buck boost transformer 9.5KVA 208/230V 41.67 amps and feeding a few containers in series since each container's requirement is only 325W 1.45Amps?
 
hillbilly1 said:
The OP said the final voltage is 400/230, so a 480 to 240 volt transformer wouldn’t work. It would be expensive to buy a 100kva + transformer just for a temporary. Being close to Canada, I wonder if a generator could be rented with that voltage rating. (Assuming it’s three phase)
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Gotcha so 3ph 400Y/230-V secondary...

Manually adjust excitation of generator then?
 
If they are all single phase, then a single phase generator could be used, and just drop the voltage adjustment down to 230, not a very big drop, so it should be doable with the voltage adjustment pot.
 
hillbilly1 said:
Thought about that, but that a pretty big drop. May be possible though.
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One way to naturally get this voltage if there is no adjustability with a 480-V genset is with a variac. You would connect a variac in series with the AVR sensing terminals. Increase the variac output to 120% and that will make the AVR reduce the output by 20% to get what you need. Pretty easy to do.
 
xptpcrewx said:
One way to naturally get this voltage if there is no adjustability with a 480-V genset is with a variac. You would connect a variac in series with the AVR sensing terminals. Increase the variac output to 120% and that will make the AVR reduce the output by 20% to get what you need. Pretty easy to do.
Click to expand...
Any thoughts on using a buck boost transformer 9.5KVA 208/230V 41.67 amps and feeding a few containers in series since each container's requirement is only 325W 1.45Amps?
 
hillbilly1 said:
If they are all single phase, then a single phase generator could be used, and just drop the voltage adjustment down to 230, not a very big drop, so it should be doable with the voltage adjustment pot.
Click to expand...
Any thoughts on using a buck boost transformer 9.5KVA 208/230V 41.67 amps and feeding a few containers in series since each container's requirement is only 325W 1.45Amps?
 
an_kore said:
Any thoughts on using a buck boost transformer 9.5KVA 208/230V 41.67 amps and feeding a few containers in series since each container's requirement is only 325W 1.45Amps?
Click to expand...
A variac is a buck/boost transformer. But it wouldn't source 41.67-A. I am not sure I completely understand what you are trying to do. What is the total current you need to supply at 400Y/230-V? If its 41.67-A, then you can get a 480-V generator and variac to generate the 100-kVA at the voltage you need.
 
xptpcrewx said:
A variac is a buck/boost transformer. But it wouldn't source 41.67-A. I am not sure I completely understand what you are trying to do. What is the total current you need to supply at 400Y/230-V? If its 41.67-A, then you can get a 480-V generator and variac to generate the 100-kVA at the voltage you need.
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I need to supply power to 125 containers through 25 panelboards, each panelboard serves 5 containers. Power requirement for each container is 325W, 1.45A, 230V. I was thinking if it's possible to use a 100KVA genset, one main temporary distribution, few buck-boost (or variac) to feed panelboards and wire the panelboards to container cooling unit.
 
an_kore said:
I need to supply power to 125 containers through 25 panelboards, each panelboard serves 5 containers. Power requirement for each container is 325W, 1.45A, 230V. I was thinking if it's possible to use a 100KVA genset, one main temporary distribution, few buck-boost (or variac) to feed panelboards and wire the panelboards to container cooling unit.
Click to expand...
It would be easier/cheaper to rent the 100-kVA genset and buy one variac to bias the AVR as suggested.
 
Many (most??) Larger generators have 12 lead alternators. The excitation range is suitable for 120/208 or 277/480. If the alternator is wired for 277/480 but the excitation set for 120/208 you will get 240/416.

Perfect for apparatus with a 230V utilization voltage.

Jon
 
winnie said:
Many (most??) Larger generators have 12 lead alternators. The excitation range is suitable for 120/208 or 277/480. If the alternator is wired for 277/480 but the excitation set for 120/208 you will get 240/416.

Perfect for apparatus with a 230V utilization voltage.

Jon
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This is another good solution.
 
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xptpcrewx said:
One way to naturally get this voltage if there is no adjustability with a 480-V genset is with a variac. You would connect a variac in series with the AVR sensing terminals. Increase the variac output to 120% and that will make the AVR reduce the output by 20% to get what you need. Pretty easy to do.
Click to expand...

IF its an older generator or one where the controller is not programmed with an acceptable voltage range.
 
Todd0x1 said:
IF its an older generator or one where the controller is not programmed with an acceptable voltage range.
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Should work with any analog AVR. Not sure why it would be different for anything else. You are only modifying the feedback input.
 
I have a dumb question. This looks like a big enough job where you could just spend the $3000 and buy a transfomer. Then you have a transformer when you're done. You could likely rent a transformer but unless you only need it for a week that would probably end up costing more than buying one.
 
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