VARD Electro, Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch Ink Deal

Vard Electro signed a multi-million-euro agreement with Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch to supply full DC distribution systems along with its protection devices. With the deal, Vard Electro will be able to serve its clients with design and engineering services that take advantage of DC distribution solutions.

The Switch DC-Hub is a technology for a multi-megawatt DC distribution system, designed and optimized from the start for DC distribution. The Switch DC-Hub comes with a protection device suite that is designed to secure ultrafast protection of less than 10 microseconds and ride-through, while isolating any defective part of the system.

The Switch Electronic Bus Link (EBL) provides protection on the outside by splitting onboard grids in microseconds. It isolates any faulty DC-Hub, making sure other DC-Hubs are not affected and ensuring complete DC distribution system redundancy. The Switch EBL has been DP3 tested and DNV approved.

The Switch Electronic DC Breaker (EDCB) provides protection on the inside against short-circuit faults. This ultra-rapid semiconductor-based electronic breaker is integrated inside the inverter modules. It is based on high-resolution current measurements and predictable protection to prevent any voltage drop and ensure ride-through.

The Switch Battery Short-Circuit Limiter (BSCL) restricts any short-term current from batteries, immediately blocking the short-circuit system. This allows more batteries to be connected to the electrical system and fewer DC-Hubs, making the entire system more compact and representing a significant financial saving.