» Installed Systems
The DEMOCRAT project demonstrator is presently installed in a provisional site within the industrial facilities of Efacec, in Maia, Portugal. As of August 2019, the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is already installed, with a 3-phase connection to the LV grid. The 15 kV grid connection will be implemented at the final demonstrator site, yet under construction.

The solution comprises two containerised components: the Battery Block housing the battery system and the PCS Block housing the power conversion system.

The Battery Block is presently equipped with Lithium-ion (Li+) batteries from Pylontech, with an installed capacity of 2x109 kWh. The Battery Block can accommodate up to 9x109 kWh of the same batteries, although other Li+ technologies and different batteries could be integrated as well.

The PCS Block is equipped with a 250 kVA battery inverter. It is equipped with two transformers, providing grid interface at LV and MV level, respectively 400 V and 15 kV. Moreover, the PCS Block is also equipped with MV switchgear and LV switchboards, besides the control cabinet.  
View of the Battery Block and PCS Block View of the Battery Block
   
Another perspective of Battery Block and PCS Block Detail of the PCS Block
   
The PCS Block houses three main compartments:
- MV cells for grid interconnection, comprising:
    - Circuit breaker cell, equipped with protection relay
    - Voltage transformer cell for voltage signal acquisition, equipped with a MV energy metering device
    - Switch-disconnector cell, equipped with a quality measurement device (qualimeter)
  - Step-up (MV/LV) and decoupling (LV/LV) transformers
  - LV switchboards, UPS, battery inverter and control cabinet
The following components belong to the PCS Block, which refer to the MV cells and the step-up transformer.
15 kV switchgear equipment
of the PCS Block
15 kV / 400 V step-up transformer
of the PCS Block
The following components belong to the PCS Block, which refer to the battery inverter, the UPS and control cabinet, as well as to an AC switchboard.
250 kVA battery inverter UPS and control cabinet AC switchboard (detail)
The Battery Block houses the battery system within a same compartment. The major components are:
- Battery racks, comprising:
  - Master Battery Management System (MBMS) and LAN switch,
  - Power DC switchboard,
  - Air conditioning,
  - Fire detection and fire extinction,
The following components belong to the Battery Block, which refer to the battery racks and the DC switchboard.
218 kWh Li+ batteries DC switchboard