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MART
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NERGY
Finally there is another interesting recycling application in connection
with electro mobility: old batteries from electric vehicles could still be
used as stationary energy storage in the home. When the batteries are
scrapped, 15 or 10 kW/h of the original 20 still remain. Enough, for ex-
ample, to use them as stationary back-up batteries for domestic
purposes. That would be very worthwhile in any case, not least as
regards environmental protection, which is important to EBV. With
EBVChips EBV has left its home territory of distribution and together
with manufacturers and customers developed ICs and modules for var-
ious areas of use. With Hermes and Hunter, EBV has brought two
EBVChips into its range that can be used in renewable energy applications.
Developed jointly with Avago, the Hunter data converter offers an inter-
esting solution for galvanic-insulated current measurement. The integral
LVDS interface guarantees very good signal integrity in FPGA-based sys-
tems such as servo drives or power transformers. The component fits in
industrial drive technology and also in PV inverters, as well as pitch con-
trols and wing rotation for wind turbines. Hunter contains an analog
input stage with differential inputs for ±200mV, a second order
Sigma/Delta modulator, an optical isolation line and the LVDS interface.
So the module is equipped with every function necessary for measure-
ments with a dynamic range of 78dB. The appropriate filter can be
located in the related FPGA or in a processor. Fitted in an SO-16 cabinet
with direct interface for shunts, Hunter offers high DC and AC precision
over a wide temperature range. With the Falcon Eye Hunter EBVChips
can also offer a reference design suitable for evaluating the Hunter chip.
For energy-saving M-Bus communication EBV has designed its Hermes
EBVChip. This was created in cooperation with On Semiconductor and
is practically an upgrade of a tried-and-tested IC which has been on the
market for 20 years already. Fitted in the space-saving QFN-20 cabinet
the M-Bus slave transceiver meets the European standards EN 13757-2
and EN 1434-3 and supports communication speeds of up to 38,400
Baud and, depending on use, can drive up to six M-Bus loads (repeaters,
meter gateways). Hermes needs very little standby current and also
works with low bus voltages. In addition, it has performance features op-
timised for energy-saving operating modes and is therefore ideal for con-
nection to wireless modules. The M-Bus slave system is also equipped
with failsafe function and can be supplied from the bus or an external
current supply. Hermes has been in production since April 2013 and has
got off to a very good start. EBV wants to build on this in the future and
develop further EBVChips for the new energy age.
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Figure 3. Excess renewable energy can be stored in dam reservoirs.
