News

Newsletter | H2/2021

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U N B O X I N G   F L O W B O X 

COMPANY NEWSLETTER | JUNE 2021 

 

COMPANY NEWS  

COOPERATION WITH BRNO UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (VUT) 

FLOWBOX participates in a project of VUT FEKT students on the integration of technology, automation and control.  The subject of the project is the development of a KNX demonstration panel equipped with devices from a number of members of the KNX CZ association. By using the FLOWBOX platform they will achieve remote visualization of in-building electrical components. Additionally, FLOWBOX jointly with VUT, applied for the two research projects (digital twin of DSO network elements and readiness for EPBD (EU) 2018/844).

 

UPDATED PRODUCT PACKAGE CODES

To reflect the latest development of the FLOWBOX proposition we updated two codes of our SW product packages:

BMS > BDS: to differentiate and emphasize that FLOWBOX is much more than a BMS (Building Management System) we updated product package code to BDS (Building Digitalization Solution). The FLOWBOX BDS interconnects with non-BMS systems to offer, for example, dynamic parking, demand flexibility, boost ESG performance or add tenant community application (solution FLOW). The FLOWBOX can make buildings more responsive/efficient, and environmentally responsible.

MOG > MOT: The solutions for the transportation sector, such as the autonomous real-time edge data acquisition and diagnostics for the rolling stock were added to the MOG (Mining, Oil & Gas) vertical segment. Therefore, the SW package was renamed to MOT (Mining, Oil&Gas and Transportation).

In June 2021, the new codes will be propagated in the price books and marketing materials (presentations, case studies, etc.).

 

FLOWBOX RECEIVED, IT PRODUCT OF THE YEAR AWARD

The AXIOM platform, based on FLOWBOX, won award IT Product of the year.

The “IT Product of the year” competition is organized by Computerworld’s editorial staff to support products with features that significantly differentiate competing products of the same category. The evaluation emphasizes the positive difference from the competition and the benefit for the customer, innovative products and products with interesting functional improvements, effective simplified operation or product with exceptionally favourable price.

FLOWBOX has a strategic partnership with Axians and Omexom (members of the Vinci Group) to promote the AXIOM platform where the FLOWBOX is a cornerstone element of the solution.

 

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

SPACEFLOW

FLOWBOX has entered into a cooperation agreement with SPACEFLOW (spaceflow.io). The aim is to combine the products of both companies into a unique solution covering the integration and management of building technology equipment (FLOWBOX) and community applications for building users (SPACEFLOW).  In the future, building owners and managers will be able to share technical information about the building, its consumption and usage with users, and use SPACEFLOW’s reservation and payment systems to book services for building tenants and visitors (e.g. electric car charging, parking, etc.). The next step will be the possibility to control the building by the user according to his priorities (setting the environment, lighting, light scenes, shading, etc.). The interconnection will also make it possible to cover tenants’ requirements for job sharing.  The combination of the products will thus create a unique concept that, in addition to its many technological advantages, will also have a sustainability effect. We anticipate that by combining optimal use of technology and resources with a change in user behaviour, we will achieve up to 20% savings in energy consumption while extending the lifetime of the technology.

 

AKU-BAT CZ

FLOWBOX became a member of the Association for Energy Accumulation, AKU-BAT CZ, a strong entity that really makes a difference in promoting energy storage and flexibility aggregation technologies as a fully accepted part of the energy networks. FLOWBOX aims to be actively engaged in promotion of required legislation, to play the role in demand response, aggregation management, resource and consumption management.

 

NEW DIGITALIZATION PROJECTS

Selected projects in Q2/2021:

  • Delivery of the advanced AMM solution for the local DSO combining smart metering with dynamic tarrifs and reserved energy management. A dedicated IoT network was deployed and ENE3000 software package delivered demand flexibility. The DSO can manage demand response using dynamic tarrifs.
  • The MAN3000 industrial installation to manage reserved energy with total 9MW of connected power consumption.
  • The MAN1000 Installation for real-time monitoring of the 700 parameters of the single 2MW cogeneration unit. Export in a dedicated format for the processing by the external system.
  • Two EMV3000 installations for dynamic EV-charging for the Smart City and DSO clients.
  • The first pilot implementation of the FLOW solution (FLOWBOX + Spaceflow) for the office building in city Pilsen. The FLOW consist of the BDS3000 software package of FLOWBOX and Spaceflow community application for the 360° building oversight and improved ESG performance.

 

SOFTWARE UPDATES & RELEASES

Actual SW release: 3.19.3
Release notes are available in partner info portal:  Changelog 3.19 – Technical Documentation – FLOWBOX

 

FLOWBOX NEW OPTIONAL HARDWARE

To move intelligence to the edge, FLOWBOX is introducing a family of the alliance edge gateways with embedded suite of the FLOWBOX edge microservices. This can bring a more cost-efficient, simplified design, and an improved resiliency via edge computing. More information is available in partner info portal: Flowbox hardware – Technical Documentation – FLOWBOX

 

FLOWBOX Alliance Edge Gateway FBX3100

  • Powerful Cortex-A7 CPU
  • Embedded Flowbox Edge Microservices
  • Two Ethernet interfaces
  • RS485 interface
  • MODBUS master
  • BACNET IP master
  • OMRON or other type of ASCII protocol communication
  • OCPP server for smart charging management
  • MQTT communication
  • Generous memory
  • DIN Rail mounting

Flowbox Alliance Edge Gateway FBX3100 act as a controller that assure autonomous real-time read/write communication between and peripherals such as sensors, appliances or technologies and Flowbox IID platform (FBX5000/FBX6000 series). Typical use is reading, writing and transferring meter data of monitored devices or systems to a digital twin.

Gateway supports master communication within MODBUS RTU (RS485), MODBUS TCP and BACNET IP networks. It also provides communication based on ASCI/RS845 protocol with for instance security or access control systems or OCPP protocol communication for e-vehicles smart charging management.

 

FLOWBOX Alliance Edge Gateway FBX3500

FBX3500 is integrated on PLC Tecomat FOXTROT2 CP-2000

       

  • Modular programmable logic controller
  • Embedded Flowbox Edge Microservices
  • Two Ethernet interfaces
  • Four multipurpose inputs
  • Three binary inputs for 230 V AC
  • Two separate relay outputs
  • Optional battery backup
  • 2 bus interfaces for complex I/O modules or communication gateways enhancements (CIB, TCL2)
  • PROCOMS/REST API communication
  • MQTT communication

Flowbox Alliance Edge Gateway FBX3500 acts as integrated communication and control engine on Foxtrot2 series CP-2000 Tecomat PLC that assure real-time read/write communication between dedicated MaR systems (measurement and regulation) controlled by autonomous Tecomat PLC program and Flowbox IID platform (FBX5000/FBX6000 series).

This combination provides very straightforward integration to umbrella controlled environment, such as to Flowbox Building Management System or Flowbox Smart City platform.

Embedded Flowbox Edge Microservices SW over Tecomat CP-2000 HW enhance application capabilities about high number of the additional features and functionalities in various business segments (see www.flowbox.com) and delivers E2E solution to the end-customers.

 

FLOWBOX Data Acquisition Unit | Data Logger FBX700

  • Universal data logger
  • Built in 2G/3G/LTE modem
  • Flowbox Edge Microservices
  • Possible GPS position tracking
  • RS232/485 interface
  • MODBUS, ASCII, NMEA, SDI communication
  • HTTPS/MQTT communication
  • 3x DI (Digital Inputs)
  • 5x AI (Analog Input)
  • 1x DO (Open collector)

FBX700 is a universal data logger – data acquisition unit that store, log and push data towards Flowbox server over LTE network.

FBX700 is a small, ultra low power, cost effective data logger with built-in 2G, 3G or 4G cellular modem.

This small data logger is further provided with an internal temperature sensor, 8GB micro SD card and a 2FF SIM card slot.

The data logger is available with several power provisions e.g. a 3.6 Volt Lithium battery, 8..28V DC input or integrated solar panel with 3 x AA NiMH charger.

The data logger can acquire physical signals by 2 current loop inputs, 2 voltage inputs, 1 potentiometer input and 3 digital inputs.

The data logger is provided with one serial port to capture measurements from ASCII, MODBUS, NMEA or SDI-12 compatible sensors.

External sensors can be powered by the data logger itself, to prevent them to consume power while the data logger is a sleep.

Up to 8 mathematical channels are available to calculate meaningful engineering values derived from sensor input values (e.g. to calculate dissolved oxygen in saline water).

Supports up to 8 aggregation channels (e.g. to record 2 or 10 minute wind speed averages sampled at 1Hz).