German firm Vector’s vSECC [Supply Equipment Communication Controller] charge control units are versatile controllers for smart charging stations. Available in three different versions, the controllers support up to two charge points using different standards simultaneously. They are suitable for public fast chargers, compact single charge points and wallboxes.
The vSECC controller serves as a communication interface for the charging station, the vehicle, charging management software, power electronics and other peripherals. “The multitude of functional interfaces makes [our] charge control units widely applicable for fast implementation of smart charging stations,” says Vector. “The high-performance processors guarantee stable and reliable functionality.”
Vector contributes its charging expertise to various standards organizations, and actively participated in the development of the ISO 15118-20 standard. Features based on this standard, such as bidirectional charging, are now available in the vSECC controllers in addition to the vSECClib.CCS software library for vehicle communication.
The new ISO 15118-20 standard describes all currently known charging technologies, opening up the potential for bidirectional and inductive charging. Vector’s vSECC, vSECC.single and vSECC.single Board control units all include these capabilities, so they are ready for use with bidirectional-capable charging stations and vehicles.
Further optimizations in the vSECC Controllers and vSECClib.CCS library relate to “grid-friendly charging.” Dynamic Control Mode allows the charging station controller to control the power profile. This prevents the vehicle from pausing the charging process, ensuring smooth bidirectional charging.
The vSECClib.CCS also features an extension that relates to the parallelization of messages through multiplex communication. This reduces wear and tear on expensive DC contactors, and shortens response times to changes in the environment, such as for peak load shaving.
Source: Vector