SMART-TUBE project

The general objective of this project is the development of a prototype for the induction heat treatment for the realization of tube welding that incorporates Silicon Carbide technology, notably improving the performance of existing equipment and reducing the number of elements and size required for the execution of the indicated treatment. The achievement of this objective is an appreciable element of novelty within the pipe welding sector, as there is no adhoc team that incorporated Silicon Carbide technology. Improving the performance of current equipment allows increasing productivity and competitiveness in a stagnant sector, which directly translates into a significant reduction in costs per treated volume. On the other hand, the reduction of necessary elements, to carry out the indicated treatment, in addition to entailing a reduction of the size required by the equipment, supposes an important decrease in the maintenance demanded by the facilities.

The general technical objectives of the project are:

• Conception, design, development and validation of a new power unit (input and inverter section) adhoc for the realization of tube welding treatments that incorporate Silicon Carbide technology.
• Conception, design, development and validation of heating stations that enable the realization of tube welding treatments by working at high powers and frequencies. The target heating station should have improvements that positively influence the operability of the current equipment thanks to the increased freedom of movement in the XYZ axes.
• Conception, design, development and validation of the PDM control strategy with the incorporation of synchronization algorithms based on FLL (Frequency-Locked Loop) and PLL (Phase-Locked Loop) that avoid the loss of generating synchronism of unwanted stops of the installation.

Project summary

The scope of the project has focused on the development of the following technologies:

• Development of a power generator between 1000 and 1200 kW with Silicon Carbide transistors.
• Development of synchronization algorithms based on FLL (Frequency-Locked Loop) and PLL (Phase-Locked Loop) digital for the prediction of the amplitude and phase of the high frequency current in PDM control strategies.
• Development of low loss high frequency current transformers.

 

This project has been co-funded by CDTI, and the European Union through the Operational Programme Smart Growth ERDF 2014-2020. The reference number of the project is EXP 00097283 / IDI-20180166..

Fund: IDI-20180166

Budget:
764.565 €

Duration:
01/01/2018 – 31/12/2018

Project Location:
GH ELECTROTERMIA, S.A.U.