The professors at Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai have come out with a new technology to supply uninterrupted 48 volts direct current from March for a few homes in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.
The project is the brainchild of IIT-M director Prof Bhaskar Ramamurthi and electrical engineering professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala who have joined hands with electricity boards of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala to implement the project on a pilot basis. Once successful, this pilot could be extended to the rest of the country.
According to Prof Jhunjhunwala, a member of the Prime Minister’s Science Advisory Council the power distribution company would install a dedicated 48V low-power direct current (DC) line from sub-station to houses. The current would flow through a separate meter to power three lights, two fans and a mobile charger. Brushless fans and light emitting diode (LED) lights that can work on direct current will be powered using this DC power.
Uninterrupted direct current is a system which guarantees uninterrupted power supply from the grid even during black-out situations.
To make the project functional, a second power-line at 48V DC will be installed at homes to provide limited, but uninterrupted power to homes. When demand exceeds supply, the Discom instead of cutting power in some localities will get the sub-stations in these localities to continue to supply power, although only a small fraction and at a different voltage.