AMETEK Power Source Reduces Energy Consumption in Grid-Tied Inverter Testing

The MX Series programmable source may be programmed to simulate utility power variability (voltage, frequency, harmonic distortion) necessary to test the inverter's ability to source energy to the grid. In addition, the unit can dynamically test the inverter's ability to comply with the anti-islanding tests required of grid-tied distributed resources. Islanding is the term used to describe the unsafe operation of a distributed resource in the event of a loss of utility power.

“The use of the MX Series in this application can result in significant reduction of energy usage in production testing,” comments Eric Turner, AMETEK product manager for solar energy test systems. “Instead of using a load bank to dissipate the energy in the form of heat, over half of the energy is returned to the grid. And the added energy costs needed for cooling are also eliminated.”

The California Instruments MX Series is available in power levels from 15 kVA to 270 kVA. The MX Series uses a sophisticated digital signal processor-based arbitrary waveform generator and power analyzer. This integrated, multi-instrument approach effectively eliminates the need for additional equipment to create a complete AC and DC power test system. Using a large graphical LCD display, the advanced measurement and analysis capabilities can be accessed directly from the front panel without the need for remote control. IEEE-488, RS-232C, USB and Ethernet interfaces are included and Windows™ Graphical User Interface application software comes with each MX unit.