Technology Assessment and Application Guide for

ProDySC® Dynamic Sag Corrector

1021431

10283616
10283616
Technology Assessment and Application Guide for
ProDySC® Dynamic Sag Corrector
1021431

Technical Update, October 2010

EPRI Project Manager

B. Howe

ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE

3420 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, California 94304-1338 ▪ PO Box 10412, Palo Alto, California 94303-0813 ▪ USA
10283616800.313.3774 ▪ 650.855.2121 ▪ [email protected] ▪ www.epri.com
DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITIES
THIS DOCUMENT WAS PREPARED BY THE ORGANIZATION(S) NAMED BELOW AS AN ACCOUNT OF
WORK SPONSORED OR COSPONSORED BY THE ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC. (EPRI).
NEITHER EPRI, ANY MEMBER OF EPRI, ANY COSPONSOR, THE ORGANIZATION(S) BELOW, NOR ANY
PERSON ACTING ON BEHALF OF ANY OF THEM:

(A) MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, (I) WITH
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DOCUMENT OR ANY INFORMATION, APPARATUS, METHOD, PROCESS, OR SIMILAR ITEM DISCLOSED IN
THIS DOCUMENT.

THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATION PREPARED THIS REPORT:

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)

This is an EPRI Technical Update report. A Technical Update report is intended as an informal report of
continuing research, a meeting, or a topical study. It is not a final EPRI technical report.

NOTE
For further information about EPRI, call the EPRI Customer Assistance Center at 800.313.3774 or
e-mail [email protected].

Electric Power Research Institute, EPRI, and TOGETHER…SHAPING THE FUTURE OF ELECTRICITY
are registered service marks of the Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

10283616
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The following organization prepared this report:
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
3420 Hillview Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Principal Investigator
B. Vairamohan

This document describes research sponsored by EPRI.

This publication is a corporate document that should be cited in the literature in the following
manner:
Technology Assessment and Application Guide for ProDySC® Dynamic Sag Corrector. EPRI,
Palo Alto, CA: 2010. 1021431.

10283616 iii
10283616
 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
This report describes and documents the operation and the performance evaluation of the
ProDySC® dynamic sag corrector. ProDySC is a product of SoftSwitching Technologies based
out of Wisconsin. The latest version of ProDySC is capable of providing voltage ride through for
up to 5 seconds. This is a unique selling feature of this device, and it does not use batteries.

Results and Findings

The results will keep utility members updated with latest trends and developments for power
quality. This report also will provide utility members and other readers with information about
the latest technology, device characteristics, and its protection capabilities as well as its
limitations.

Challenges and Objective(s)

The objectives of this report are multifold:
• To characterize the performance of the device and verify that it meets the manufacturer’s
specifications.
• To determine the sag protection envelope of the ProDySC with industrial loads like ice-cube
relays and magnetic contactors.
• To determine if the ProDySC meets the Semi F47 standards and if it provides an extended
runtime of 5 seconds.
• To uncover any application issues that will be of value to end-users.

Applications, Values, and Use

The 480-V, 25-A ProDySC was subjected to several system compatibility tests as wells as
performance evaluation tests. The device met most of the manufacturer’s specifications and even
exceeded the SemiF47 standard. This device also has fast response time, less than 2
milliseconds, which includes sag detection and correction. The device finds its applications in
several industries, including semiconductor, food processing, automobile, paper and pulp, and
many other industries where sensitive equipment needs to be protected against voltage sags.

EPRI Perspective
EPRI’s role is to bring together members, participants, the institute's scientists and engineers,
and other leading experts to work collaboratively on solutions to the challenges of electric
power. Periodically, EPRI conducts studies and evaluations of new technologies for power
quality and system compatibility. EPRI believes that continued involvement in this work helps
bring to the forefront new issues and solutions that will eventually benefit utilities, their
customers, and the public.

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Approach
The EPRI testing team received the 480-V, 25-A, 3-phase, extended runtime ProDySC unit from
SoftSwitching Technologies for performance evaluation. The unit was prepared for
characterization tests at 50% as well as 100% of the device’s nameplate rating. Several voltage
sags of various depth and duration were injected into the device, and its response to the sags
were carefully documented. The protection envelope of the device was determined for the 2
loading conditions. The device also was subjected to tests to determine if it meets the
manufacturer’s stated specifications. Applications and limitations also were studied during the
characterization tests. All results are detailed in this report.

Keywords
Power quality
Voltage sags
Energy storage
Dynamic sag corrector
DySC
ProDySC

10283616 vi
 CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................1-1
Background ..........................................................................................................................1-1
Company Overview..............................................................................................................1-2
ProDySC Operation .............................................................................................................1-2
Features of ProDySC ...........................................................................................................1-5
Report Organization .............................................................................................................1-5

2 CHARACTERIZATION TESTS ..............................................................................................2-1

Significance of Characterization Tests.................................................................................2-1
Objective of the Tests ..........................................................................................................2-1
Test Setup............................................................................................................................2-1
Voltage Sag and Interruption Tests......................................................................................2-3
Semi F47 Tests ....................................................................................................................2-5
Inrush Current ......................................................................................................................2-6
Response Time ....................................................................................................................2-7
Voltage Swell Tests..............................................................................................................2-7
Voltage Sag Tests................................................................................................................2-8
Standby Losses and Efficiency ............................................................................................2-8
Steady State Under-Voltage and Over-Voltage Tests .........................................................2-8
Summary of Test Results.....................................................................................................2-9

3 APPLICATION ISSUES .........................................................................................................3-1

Application Issues ................................................................................................................3-1
Application Data ...................................................................................................................3-2
System Reset.................................................................................................................3-2
System Maintenance......................................................................................................3-2
Ride through Time Calculation for Interruptions.............................................................3-3
Effect of Noise on ProDySC Output ...............................................................................3-3

4 SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................4-1

A SPECIFICATIONS OF ProDySC®....................................................................................... A-1

Specifications of ProDySC .................................................................................................. A-1

B STANDARDS REQUIRED BY THE SYSTEM COMPATIBILITY TEST PROCEDURE....... B-1

C REFERENCES...................................................................................................................... C-1

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10283616
 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1-1 Actual Picture of a ProDySC Dynamic Sag Corrector with LCD Touch
Screen Control Panel .................................................................................................................................1-2
Figure 1-2 Schematics of ProDySC Operation .........................................................................................1-3
Figure 1-3 Per Phase Configuration of the ProDySC ...............................................................................1-3
Figure 1-4 Input Voltage Waveforms during Voltage Sag, Missing Voltage Injected by ProDySC
and the Corrected Output Voltage Waveforms ..........................................................................................1-4
Figure 2-1 Schematics of Test Setup........................................................................................................2-2
Figure 2-2 Actual Test Setup at EPRI’s Knoxville Laboratory ..................................................................2-2
Figure 2-3 Determining the Catalog Model Number of ProDySC .............................................................2-3
Figure 2-4 Plots Demonstrating Successful Voltage Sag Correction by ProDySC at Full Load –
Voltage Sag Down to 50% of Nominal Voltage and Duration of 5 Seconds (300 Cycles) ........................2-4
Figure 2-5 Plots Showing 3 Phase Input and Output Voltage Waveforms of an Unsuccessful
Voltage Sag Correction of ProDySC at Full Load – Voltage Sag Down to 30% of Nominal Voltage
and Duration of 1 Second (60 Cycles) .......................................................................................................2-4
Figure 2-6 Extended ProDySC Ride through Coverage at 100% Loading Conditions.............................2-5
Figure 2-7 SemiF47 Standard Overlaid on ProDySC Ride-Through Curve .............................................2-6
Figure 2-8 Post-Sag Inrush Current Waveforms during a Voltage Sag Event – Voltage Sag Down
to 30% of Nominal Voltage and Duration of 1 Second (60 Cycles) ...........................................................2-7
Figure 3-1 Input Voltage during Noisy Fault .............................................................................................3-4
Figure 3-2 Output Voltage during Noisy Fault...........................................................................................3-4

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10283616
 LIST OF TABLES
Table 2-1 Standby Losses and Efficiency of ProDySC.............................................................................2-8
Table 2-2 ProDySC Overall Performance Test Results............................................................................2-9

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10283616
1
INTRODUCTION
Background
As utility industrial customers enhance their productivity with modern electronic automation
equipment, the sensitivity of such equipment to disturbances in the power system becomes
increasingly important. While interruptions in power still occur, they are not the most common
event. Instead, the voltage sag has been identified as the most prevalent power disturbance
experienced by industrial customers. Their higher frequency of occurrence makes sags inherently
more costly than interruptions.
Voltage sag is defined as a decrease in RMS voltage magnitude lasting from 0.5 to 30 cycles.
Voltage sags are usually caused by a fault in the utility transmission or distribution system. Such
power-line faults can be caused by animals on lines, a car striking a utility pole, or lightning
strikes to power lines. Although proper maintenance, grounding, and arresters can minimize the
number of faults, faults can never be eliminated completely.
Fault-induced, short-duration voltage variations can result in costly loss of production, damaged
materials, repair and cleaning of equipment, and lost business opportunities. Recognizing these
trends and seeking to lessen or prevent such losses by customers, EPRI, in conjunction with
several utilities, has undertaken numerous power quality projects for customers in many sectors,
addressing voltage sag-related problems and implementing innovative technologies such as ride-
through and energy-storage devices. At the same time, there has been a paradigm shift
throughout industry from reliance on battery-based uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) to
non-battery-based systems to compensate for short-duration voltage variations, which has paved
the way for the development of new technologies to fill that need.
Devices that can provide ride-through for critical processes without the use of batteries for
energy storage are beginning to enjoy widespread application in industry. One such technology
that does not rely on battery storage is the Dynamic Sag Corrector® (DySC®). The DySC
device comes in various sizes for application to sensitive loads with a wide range of kVA ratings.
DySC has been available in the market since 1999 and it has been widely used by many
industries such as semi-conductor fabrication facilities, automobile and food processing to name
a few. The device can provide ride-through during sags down to 50% of nominal voltage for up
to 5 seconds with no energy storage. (For longer ride-through or deeper sags, energy storage
capacitors are available to be used in conjunction with the DySC.) Available sizes range from
0.25 kVA to 3 MVA, with several different models offered, from the “MiniDySC” to the
“MegaDySC.” This report will mainly focus on the 25A, 480V Extended Ride-through (ER)
ProDySC model of the dynamic sag corrector
ProDySC technology is a viable solution to industrial voltage-sag problems, adding to the array
of non-battery-based tools available to the power quality engineer. There are several ProDySC
devices in use around the country, so a performance track record is currently being established.

10283616 1-1
Figure 1-1
Actual Picture of a ProDySC Dynamic Sag Corrector with LCD Touch Screen Control Panel

Company Overview
A dynamic sag corrector, commonly known as DySC, was introduced to the market by
SoftSwitching Technologies (http://www.softswitch.com) in the year 1999. This company was
started by Professor Deepak Divan who was then serving as an associate director of the
WEMPEC consortium as the University of Wisconsin. DySC uses a patented voltage sag ride-
through technology without relying on batteries for storing energy. The company now provides
an array of power quality solutions to the customers such as battery-free DySC products,
I-Sense®-intelligent sensors that could zero in on the time and duration of the voltage sags and
I-Grid®-event notifications. The company is located in Middleton, Wisconsin.

ProDySC Operation
The DySC or ProDySC employs a unique method to correct voltage sags where the existing
input voltage waveform is measured and compared against a reference waveform. In case of
voltage sag event, the missing voltage in the input voltage waveform is calculated and is replaced
by the regulator and storage module. Figure 1-2 shows the simple schematics of the operation of
the ProDySC.

10283616 1-2
Figure 1-2
Schematics of ProDySC Operation

Figure 1-3 shows a detailed per phase configuration of the ProDySC. The basic principle of
operation of this patented circuit is to use a voltage doubler using the two capacitors and regulate
the output voltage using a DC to AC inverter between the capacitors and the load. The static
switch in the circuit shown in Figure 1-3 is used to isolate the load from the source during a
voltage sag event. The voltage doubling is provided using the two capacitors and diodes and the
inverter operation is provided with the two insulated gate bipolar transistors at the output. The
ProDySC is an offline device, which means that the input is directly fed to the load during
normal mode of operation. The device operates only during a power quality event; hence the
response time of the static switch plays a critical role in the protection scheme for the loads.

Figure 1-3
Per Phase Configuration of the ProDySC

10283616 1-3
Figure 1-4
Input Voltage Waveforms during Voltage Sag, Missing Voltage Injected by ProDySC and the
Corrected Output Voltage Waveforms

10283616 1-4
Figure 1-4 shows the operation of ProDySC during a voltage sag event. The figure shows the
three phase input voltage waveforms during the voltage sag, the missing voltage injected by the
ProDySC and the corrected output voltage waveforms. It can be noted from this figure that the
load will not see the voltage sag as it was effectively corrected by the ProDySC.

Features of ProDySC
The ProDySC is a three-phase power quality mitigation device that offers machine-level
protection. It is available in current ranges from 25A to 200A with input voltage ranges from
200V to 480V with the rated power varying from 9kVA to 165kVA. The “MegaDySC product
line extends from 150kVA to 3,000kVA. The following features are listed by the manufacturer in
the product specification:
• True sinusoidal reconstruction means no voltage distortion during voltage sags. Non-
sinusoidal voltage waveforms can create problems to the equipment that is protected, for
example, distorted voltage waveforms may cause heating in the electric motor winding.
• Fast sag detection and response time – this is very critical to the load protected because the
ProDySC is an offline device. The ProDySC should detect the voltage sag and respond to it
within sub cycle durations in order for the sensitive loads to be not affected by the voltage
sag event.
− Sags are corrected with a peak voltage response time of 1.5 milli-seconds or 1/10th of a
cycle, which includes the detection time.
− Typical peak voltage detection time is 1 milli-second
• The ProDySC features “Adaptive Frequency Management” and auto select of 50Hz or 60Hz
with advanced digital phase locked loop synchronization (PLL)
• The ProDySC comes with a LCD touch screen control panel which has the following
features:
− Event logging capabilities
− Operation log and details
− Graphic reporting display
− Online diagnostics
− Setup and configuration features
− Real-time status

Report Organization
The report describes in detail the operation of ProDySC, its performance characteristics and its
applications and limitations. The second chapter provides an in depth analysis of the various
characterization tests performed and the results of the tests. The third chapter provides the
applications and potential application issues of the device. The last chapter summarizes the tests
and the results of the tests.

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10283616
2
CHARACTERIZATION TESTS
Significance of Characterization Tests
The characterization tests highlight most of the common and in some cases the extreme
conditions that may occur in typical manufacturing plants such as semiconductor fabrication,
glass manufacturing, and plastics manufacturing, to name a few. The characterization tests thus
bring out the ability of the device to handle various sensitive and severe conditions in a plant.
Additionally, the characterization tests provide information that may help the customer to
evaluate the suitability of this device in a particular facility.

Objective of the Tests

The objectives of the characterization tests are multifold:
1. To characterize the performance of the device and verify that it meets the manufacturer’s
specifications
2. To find the response time of the ProDySC to correct sag voltages
3. To determine whether the ProDySC can handle large inrush currents caused by the
induction motor loads
4. To determine the sag protection envelope of the ProDySC with industrial load types like
ice-cube relays and magnetic contactors
5. To uncover any application issues that will be valuable to the end user

Test Setup
The unit that was received for evaluation was a 3-phase 3-wire 480V device with current rating
of 25A. The model number of the ProDySC was DS30025A480V3EH2000C. For the 25A
ProDySC the catalog number is determined by the sequence shown in Figure 2-3. Figure 2-1
shows the schematics of the test setup and Figure 2-2 shows the actual laboratory test setup. The
480Vac source was derived from the utility. EPRI’s 200A capacity portable sag generator was
connected in series between the ProDySC and the AC source. The load consisted of a mixture of
variable resistive load, inductive motor load and non-linear adjustable speed drive load and they
were shared equally across the three phases. EPRI’s industrial load bank (ILB) was connected
between phase A and neutral (ground). The input and output measurements were recorded on a
Nicolet Vision data acquisition system which is capable of storing transient as well as steady
state voltage and current waveforms at the rate of 1kHz to 100kHz sampling frequency.

10283616 2-1
Figure 2-1
Schematics of Test Setup

Figure 2-2
Actual Test Setup at EPRI’s Knoxville Laboratory

10283616 2-2
Figure 2-3
Determining the Catalog Model Number of ProDySC

Voltage Sag and Interruption Tests

Momentary reductions in line voltage lasting several cycles or longer may occur during power
system faults and when large loads are switched on. Voltage sags are one of the most common
and most costly power quality issues in manufacturing environments. Voltage sag is defined as a
decrease in the RMS voltage magnitude lasting from 0.5 to 30 cycles. When voltage sags are
severe enough to interrupt a manufacturing process, the common results are downtime, product
waste, and a lengthy cleanup. A momentary decrease in line voltage lasting several cycles can
cause certain electronic equipment to respond by shutting down.
During the voltage sag and interruption tests, voltage sags of various magnitude and duration
were injected to the device. The voltage sags were conducted in three different modes, namely,
phase to neutral, phase to phase and 3 phase out of which the last two are the common modes of
voltage sags experienced by industry. The ProDySC was able to protect all the voltage sag events
within its specifications. Figure 2-4 shows the three phase input and output voltage waveforms of
a successful operation of ProDySC for a voltage sag with 50% depth and duration of 300 cycles.
Below 50%, the device protects depending on the depth and duration of the voltage sag. For
example, Figure 2-5 shows an unsuccessful voltage sag correction by ProDySC for voltage sag
down to 30% of nominal and duration of 60 cycles at full load condition. It can be seen that the
output voltage tapers down after 10 cycles which indicates that the energy in the capacitor is
slowly being depleted. Figure 2-6 shows the overall sag protection curve of the 25A ProDySC at
full load conditions. As can be see from Figure 2-6, the ProDySC can protect the loads against
momentary interruptions for up to 300 milliseconds.

10283616 2-3
Figure 2-4
Plots Demonstrating Successful Voltage Sag Correction by ProDySC at Full Load – Voltage Sag
Down to 50% of Nominal Voltage and Duration of 5 Seconds (300 Cycles)

Figure 2-5
Plots Showing 3 Phase Input and Output Voltage Waveforms of an Unsuccessful Voltage Sag
Correction of ProDySC at Full Load – Voltage Sag Down to 30% of Nominal Voltage and Duration
of 1 Second (60 Cycles)

10283616 2-4
Figure 2-6
Extended ProDySC Ride through Coverage at 100% Loading Conditions

Semi F47 Tests

Semi F47 is a stringent standard required by the Semiconductor industries to protect sensitive
equipment in their facilities from voltage sags. Figure 2-7 shows the SemiF47 standard curve
used by the industry. According to this curve, a power quality mitigation device is said to have
passed the SemiF47 standard if it can protect the load from voltage sags on or above this curve.
Any event below this curve may not be protected.
The results obtained from the tests conducted at EPRI’s Knoxville laboratory indicate that the
ProDySC exceeds the SemiF47 standard and is capable of mitigating voltage sags effectively.
Figure 2-7 shows the sag-handling capabilities of the 25A, 480V, ProDySC unit operating at full
load conditions. EPRI’s Industrial Load Bank or ILB was used as one of the loads. The ILB is a
permanent fixture that allows engineers to demonstrate the voltage-sag susceptibility of typical
control components such as relays, ice-cube relays, contactors, and power supplies and to
characterize the ability of single-phase power conditioners to improve immunity of these loads. It
is used to create a real-life loading environment for power-conditioning devices that will be used
to demonstrate protection and immunity improvements. The ILB serves as an excellent test
platform for evaluating the effectiveness of various power quality mitigation devices.

10283616 2-5
In the ILB the most sensitive components are the PLC and ice-cube relays. Both of them trip
during voltage sags down to 80% of the nominal for duration as low as 1 cycle. During the
SemiF47 testing these sensitive components did not trip proving that the ProDySC is compliant
with the SemiF47 standard.

Figure 2-7
SemiF47 Standard Overlaid on ProDySC Ride-Through Curve

Inrush Current
Inrush current is a critical factor when buying any power conditioner. Typically, motor loads
have a large inrush current and the power conditioner should be able to handle these. The
ProDySC was tested for its inrush current capability during voltage sag tests and was found to be
able to handle up to at least 3 to 4 times the rated current under full load conditions. The rated
current was 49Apk and the inrush current was close to 71Apk, while the load consisted of relays,
contactors, power supplies, programmable logic controllers and adjustable speed drives. Since
ProDySC’s are typically used for machine-level protection, this test showed that the device
effectively handle the inrush current in such situations.

10283616 2-6
Figure 2-8
Post-Sag Inrush Current Waveforms during a Voltage Sag Event – Voltage Sag Down to 30% of
Nominal Voltage and Duration of 1 Second (60 Cycles)

Response Time
Response time is the time taken by the ProDySC to switch from the input supply voltage to the
corrected voltage during voltage sag conditions. This is an important issue for power
conditioners because some sensitive loads can trip before the transfer is complete (less than one
cycle). The ProDySC has a response time which is on the order of a fraction of a cycle (about
1/10th cycles) which includes both detection and correction of voltage sags, meeting the
manufacturer’s specification.

Voltage Swell Tests

The ProDySC was subjected to voltage swells of up to a maximum of 115% of the rated nominal
voltage. The voltage swell testing revealed that the ProDySC bypasses any voltage above 87% of
the nominal voltage. This implies that during momentary voltage swells the load sees the input
voltage without correction. It is found that typically equipment is more affected by voltage sags
than momentary swells, so this would not cause problems to the majority of loads protected by
the ProDySC.

10283616 2-7
Voltage Sag Tests
Automatic reclosers installed on distribution circuits protect the utility’s equipment while
providing the convenience of automatically restoring power after a fault. If a fault causes the
circuit protection to open, a recloser will attempt to reapply power. In some cases, a fault will
clear itself and power can be restored. If not, the recloser will typically make three to four
attempts before “locking out” and requiring manual intervention. These repeated operations are
often seen as successive voltage sags by many customers.

Standby Losses and Efficiency

The ProDySC is an offline device but it is connected in series to the load. Most of the time when
there are no voltage sag events the ProDySC will be in standby mode of operation and hence the
efficiency of the device and the losses are of special interest to the end-use customers. The power
consumption of the ProDySC was recorded during no load operation and full load operation.
The results are tabulated in Table 2-1. The ProDySC has high efficiency which is greater than
98%.

Table 2-1
Standby Losses and Efficiency of ProDySC

Measured Manufacturer
Load Power In Power Out
Efficiency Specification
No Load 221 Watts 0 Watts Not Applicable Not Applicable
100% Load 15750 Watts 15500 Watts 98.4% 1 > 99%

Steady State Under-Voltage and Over-Voltage Tests

Any one or possibly a combination of the following conditions can contribute to a steady-state
under voltage. One common condition is increased load on the system, whether it is a single
large load, or cumulative effects of multiple loads. A common scenario is the addition of a new
load that was not anticipated at the time of power system design. Another cause of low steady-
state input voltage is the switching off of capacitor banks, whether intentionally, or by fuses.
Malfunctioning of a voltage regulator or load tap-changing transformer can also reduce voltage
at the point of utilization for extended periods.
A temporary overvoltage can appear for several reasons including those generated by the utility
and those generated inside a customer facility. A reason for increased input voltage on the utility
system might be due to the malfunctioning of a voltage regulator or load tap-changing
transformer. Inside the consumer’s premises, power factor correction capacitors may be on-line
during light loading, thereby raising the utilization voltage.

1
EPRI measurements were done using a Nicolet Vision data acquisition system and Fluke I1000s AC
clamp-on current probes. As the accuracy of the current probe is only 1 %, the manufacturer efficiency
specification of greater than 99% is reasonable.

10283616 2-8
The ProDySC is an offline device which acts only when the RMS input voltage drops below
87% of the nominal. The input is directly applied to the load when the voltage is greater than or
equal to 87% of the nominal voltage. If the steady state RMS voltage goes below 87% then the
load is protected for up to 5 seconds, or—if the RMS voltage goes below 50%—as long as there
is stored energy in the capacitor after which the load is dropped.

Summary of Test Results

Overall, the performance evaluation tests of the ProDySC were able to identify the strength of
the device as well as its limitations. Table 2-2 summarizes the results of the tests performed. The
ProDySC was able to meet the manufacturer’s specifications in most of the aspects and in fact
exceed their Semi F47 specifications.

Table 2-2
ProDySC Overall Performance Test Results

S. No. Test Performed Load Comments

1 Response To Low Steady-State Input Voltage Since ProDySC is an offline
device and based on capacitor
energy storage, the steady state
2 Response To High Steady-State Input Voltage under voltage and over voltage
are not applicable
50% and 100%
Loads are protected for 5
3 Response To Voltage Sags And Interruptions seconds at full load with 50%
sag depth
The input is directly applied to
4 Response To Voltage Swells
the load
Efficiency is greater than 98%
5 Standby Loss And Efficiency Measurements 0%, 50% and 100%
at full load operation
Very fast response,
6 Response Time 50% and 100% approximately 1/10th cycle for
detection and correction.
The device can handle up to 3
7 Inrush Current 50% and 100%
or 4 times the rated current.
Not applicable during steady
8 Voltage Regulation Tests 50% and 100%
state operation
9 Semif47 Tests 100% Exceeds SemiF47 requirements

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10283616
3
APPLICATION ISSUES
For three-phase applications, the ProDySC is suitable for most loads. These higher-rated devices
can be applied when power conditioning is desired at the distribution panel or bus level, such as
when ride-through is needed for an entire process or tool, including the control circuits. The
transfer/response time is a critical issue for ProDySC because the device is an offline device and
it needs to respond within fraction of cycles in order to prevent the sensitive loads such as ice-
cube relays or programmable logic controllers (PLCs) from dropping.

Application Issues
• Input frequency. Early models of the MiniDySC were designed to operate at 60 Hz only.
Later models are capable of operation at 50 or 60 Hz, auto-selecting. The user need not
specify the input frequency.
• Neutral requirement. The ProDySC’s are available in either 3-wire (no neutral) or 4-wire
(neutral required) versions.
• Response time. Since control circuits often use small relays and very sensitive PLCs, care
must be taken to ensure that the response time of the ProDySC is fast enough to prevent
device dropout. Desensitizing control circuits may require reaction times as fast as ½ cycle,
or about 8 ms. Some PLCs and auxiliary relays can drop out as fast as 1 cycle; the ProDySC
specification states that the device’s detection and response time is only 2 ms, so most
devices should not experience any problems.
• Noise affecting waveform. Some sag events caused by faults outside the plant are not smooth
transitions from one voltage level to another, but can be quite noisy, with high levels of high
frequency content. In such cases, early versions of this device experienced occasional
difficulty with phase regulation, failing to correct the sag on one or more phases. The control
algorithm in the newer versions of the ProDySC has been modified to take these conditions
into account.
• Inrush current without additional ride-through module capacitors. The capacitors inherent in
the voltage doubler design require some charging current at startup. The magnitude of this
current may be on the order of a few times full load current for a few cycles. Although the
inrush current is not unusual or large, this issue may deserve attention from the application
engineer.
• Overcurrent during sag events. ProDySC models without the extra ride-through module may
draw some overcurrent from the line during the sag event. This overcurrent could be on the
order of twice the full load current and may not be a problem, but overcurrent information
should be provided by the vendor.

10283616 3-1
• Post-sag inrush current. After a sag event, there is some inrush to recharge the ProDySC
capacitors, although again the post-sag inrush current is far more significant on models with
the extra ride-through module. The value of the post-sag inrush current should be supplied by
the vendor for planning by the application engineer.
• Transfer level. As with any standby device, the ProDySC’s alternative power source must
transfer into the circuit upon detection of a sag event. The voltage level at which that happens
is known as the transfer level; the ProDySC’s sag detection circuitry issues a signal to
transfer when the line voltage falls below some predetermined threshold value for a specific
duration. This duration has an impact on transfer time, which has already been discussed.
The threshold value for transfer is usually compared to a measured value based on
continuous RMS calculations. The threshold value must be sufficiently higher than the trip
level of the protected load. Otherwise, the trip level and the transfer level may be too close
for good assurance of protection.
• Fault current at source for bypass breakers. The ProDySC can be supplied with an optional
bypass switch, either manual or automatic. This switch comes equipped with circuit breakers
at the input and output of the device. Care must be taken to ensure that these breakers can
interrupt the available short-circuit current at the source. If not, the breakers must be upsized
or some impedance inserted between the bypass switch and the source.
• Possible Interactions with lighting loads. Interactions between the ProDySC and metal halide
lighting can cause current fluctuations when the ProDySC is in the sag correction mode when
the metal halide lighting constitutes the majority of the protected load. Any other loading
tends to dampen the effect. The fluctuations are believed to be caused by minute phase-angle
changes at the inverter output from the ProDySC. It should be noted that these fluctuations
did not cause the lights to trip off, but there is a chance that the high current peaks could trip
upstream fuses. While this is not likely to be a problem for the end user, it is something the
application engineer should be aware of.

Application Data
Examples of ProDySC applications and issues are shown in this section, with waveforms for
illustration.

System Reset
The ProDySC is capable of mitigating momentary voltage sags as well as interruptions. However
during the tests it was noticed that for deeper voltage sag events the unit was unable to protect
the load for longer durations. The unit went into a reset mode and the status on the LCD display
showed the unit is restarting. During this period the load is completely disconnected from the
input even though the input voltage is available. The customer has to be made aware of this issue
even though this is not a commonly occurring event.

System Maintenance
Even though the ProDySC does not have batteries, having checked regularly for preventative
maintenance is recommended. There are three options available, monthly, 3 to 6 month check
and yearly maintenance. Even though the monthly and quarterly maintenance can be performed

10283616 3-2
by the customer, the yearly maintenance should be performed only by a SoftSwitching service
technician.

Ride through Time Calculation for Interruptions

The ProDySC cannot provide power to the loads during sustained interruption or under-voltage.
The maximum ride through that the ProDySC can provide at zero voltage up to 49% RMS is
calculated as follows:

⎛ DySC RATED ⎞⎛ 0.7 ⎞⎛ %VR ⎞

RideThroughTime = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜1 + ⎟(RATED _ OUTAGETIME ).....milliSeconds
⎝ LOAD RATED ⎠⎝ PFLOAD ⎠⎝ 50% ⎠
where,
Ride Through Time = Maximum ride through time in milliseconds
DySCRATED = DySC rated RMS nameplate current
LOADRATED = Load or measured RMS current
PFLOAD = Load power factor
%VR = Percentage Voltage Remaining (if <50% RMS)
RATED_OUTAGETIME = DySC Outage Rating: Standard (50 ms) or Extended (200 ms)

Effect of Noise on ProDySC Output

Figure 3-1 and Figure 3-2 contain plots of input and output voltage during a sag likely caused by
an arcing fault at an industrial customer site. As shown in Figure 3-2 output did not regulate
properly in the presence of the high-frequency noise. Fortunately, the customer load was not
sensitive to these variations. The manufacturer has since modified the ProDySC control
algorithm to take these conditions into account.

10283616 3-3
 INPUT - EVENT #1
Volts Amps
500 1500

400
1000
300

200
500
100

0 0

-100
-500
-200

-300
-1000
-400

-500 -1500
19:53:56.22 19:53:56.23 19:53:56.24 19:53:56.25 19:53:56.26 19:53:56.27 19:53:56.28
CHA Volts CHB Volts CHC Volts

CV Rel. trans. Norm to Hi at 06/14/00 19:53:56.239

Threshold Crossed: 400.0 V
Out Of Limit Max/Min: 403.2 V
Phase (Relative To Sync. Channel): 122 deg.
Unit A B C D ABC
V 209.8 283.3 178.6 0.5 228.2
I 137.6 143.2 108.8 0.0 389.6
Vtrans 431.0 366.9 403.2 3.0 401.2
Itrans 314.2 18.3 47.1 0.0 379.6
HZ 60.0

Figure 3-1
Input Voltage during Noisy Fault

OUPUT - EVENT #1
Volts
500

400

300

200

100

-100

-200

-300

-400

-500
19:54:07.14 19:54:07.16 19:54:07.18 19:54:07.20 19:54:07.22 19:54:07.24 19:54:07.26 19:54:07.28
CHA Volts CHB Volts CHC Volts

DV RMS Norm to Lo at 06/14/00 19:54:07.173

Threshold Crossed: 265.0 V
Unit A B C D ABC
V 260.4 283.2 179.9 179.3 245.2
I 147.1 142.3 114.1 0.0 403.5
Vtrans 435.6 374.0 418.9 374.1 410.3
Itrans 35.1 24.7 54.6 0.0 114.4
HZ 60.0

Figure 3-2
Output Voltage during Noisy Fault

10283616 3-4
4
SUMMARY
The dynamic sag corrector, or DySC, is a proven technology for use in sag mitigation.
Customers now have a new choice for improving the reliability and uptime of their processes. In
addition, the DySC technology provides power quality engineers with a new weapon in their
arsenal to fight power quality variations.
The evaluation of the ProDySC revealed new capabilities of the device. The ProDySC was
subjected to extensive tests at the EPRI’s Knoxville laboratory. The results show that the
ProDySC meets all of the specifications given by the manufacturer. In some case such as
SemiF47 capabilities, the ProDySC exceeds the specifications. The results are described in detail
in the second chapter.
The ProDySC can be configured to correct for sags only, or it can be fitted with an additional
ride-through option consisting of a capacitor bank for energy storage. The device that was tested
is an extended run time ProDySC that provides a run time of 5 seconds for voltage sags greater
than or equal to 50%. The capacitors increase the effectiveness and the number of possible
applications for the device, since with this option it can provide ride-through for interruptions as
well as sags. The maximum ride-through time that the ProDySC could provide for interruptions
is described in the third chapter.
The ProDySC joins an already thriving market full of sag mitigation devices, all of which have
similar capabilities, but there are some drawbacks associated with each technology. The other
DySC products, such as the MiniDySC and MegaDySC, compare favorably with most available
non-battery-based voltage sag-mitigating technologies, and there is an online model of the
MiniDySC available. The MiniDySC is not the lowest cost device in the single-phase low power
end of the market, but its price is comparable to conventional UPSs or dip-proofing inverters.
Pricing for ProDySC may be one of the main market advantages for this technology. At this
time, it appears that the ProDySC, for three-phase applications in the range of 9 kVA to 500
kVA, is one of the most cost-effective voltage sag mitigation technologies on the market.

10283616 4-1
10283616
A
SPECIFICATIONS OF ProDySC®
Specifications of ProDySC

10283616 A-1
10283616
B
STANDARDS REQUIRED BY THE SYSTEM
COMPATIBILITY TEST PROCEDURE
The documents listed below are standards applicable to industrial equipment including intelligent
motor controllers, programmable logic controllers, and other electronic equipment. These
include definitions, test procedures, and general considerations, as well as certain requirements
specific to the agency that developed the standard.
1. ANSI/IEEE Standard 141-1993, IEEE Recommended Practices for Electric Power
Distribution for Industrial Plants.
2. ANSI C84.1-1989, Voltage Ratings for Power Systems and Equipment.
3. IEC 61000-2-1, Part 2 – Environment, Section 1: Electromagnetic Environment for Low-
Frequency Conducted Disturbances and Signaling I Public Power Supply Systems.
4. IEC 61000-2-2, Part 2 – Environment, Section 2: Compatibility Levels for Low-
Frequency Conducted Disturbances and Signaling I Public Power Supply Systems.
5. IEC 61000-2-4, Part 2 – Environment, Section 4: Compatibility Levels in Industrial
Plants for Low-Frequency Conducted Disturbances.
6. IEC 61000-4-1, Part 4 – Testing and Measurement Techniques, Section 1: Overview of
Immunity Tests.
7. IEC 61000-4-11, Part 4 – Testing and Measurement Techniques, Section 11: Voltage
Dips, Short Interruptions, and Voltage Variations Immunity Tests.

10283616 B-1
10283616
C
REFERENCES

1. Specifying a Low-Voltage Dynamic Sag Corrector, EPRI Solutions, Palo Alto, CA: 2000.
1000800.
2. Demonstration Project for a Dynamic Sag Corrector – Operations Experience, EPRI,
Palo Alto, CA: 2002. 1006959.
3. SoftSwitching Technologies, http://www.softswitch.com.

10283616 C-1
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