Sweden
Background
Sailing under the flag of Sweden, Fox Luna is an oil tanker built in 2008.
After Fox Luna’s previous passive filters exploded (a not uncommon issue when it comes to marine power electronics), Comsys was contacted to make a recommendation for retrofitting a harmonic mitigation solution for the vessel.
Challenge
As with most vessels, onboard space (and especially space available for an installation) is a valuable commodity. With the very small size of Fox Luna, Comsys faced the added challenge of providing an effective solution in tight quarters.
Additionally, as Fox Luna is bound to strict THD (total harmonic distortion) regulations, the solution installed must therefore unquestionably ensure that Fox Luna would meet the tight international THD demands set by DNV (Det Norske Veritas).
Solution
In typical marine applications, Comsys would normally recommend dual compensation, one on the port- and one on the starboard side, operating as master and slave to ensure redundancy. But with space being an issue onboard this smaller vessel, Comsys recommended a single ADF P300 unit – able to mitigate up to 2.5MW of power all on its own.
Aside from the power compensation capabilities, the compact and modular structure of ADF offered Fox Luna a much more simplified and streamlined retrofit. An alternative solution would have not have fit in the space available in the existing engine room and would have created a much more challenging installation.
Result
It’s now all smooth sailing for Fox Luna. Not only was ADF able to reduce the ship’s THD by 50%, it is the only solution in the world offering ADF Power Tuning SensorLess Control, commonly known as voltage control. By connecting to the incoming cable and measuring the voltage, ADF technology immediately monitors and compensates accordingly.
SensorLess Control only looks at the voltage in the grid – so you don’t need any CTs (current transformers) because there is no need to monitor current. With no CTs needed, Fox Luna reduces their upfront cost, has more flexibility when it comes to where and how to install the ADF unit, and reduces the overall hassle of installation and compensation. Additionally, by directly assessing voltage, monitoring is simpler and much more efficient for the customer.
Compensation Capability
With Fox Luna running at 90% of maximum load/capacity, the ADF P300 is compensating 155A, only 55% of the possible utilization.
