The Singapore Engineer December 2017

THE MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, SINGAPORE

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER

www.ies.org.sg

December 2017 | MCI (P) 003/03/2017

COVER STORY: THE POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR THE DOWNTOWN LINE

PLUS

RAILWAY & TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING: Fire Safety Provisions in the Downtown Line MRT System ENERGY ENGINEERING: Modelling the market impact of ba ery storage in Asia Pacific electricity markets INFOCOMM TECHNOLOGY: Top three WiFi trends that will con nue to shape the technology landscape in 2018

CONTENTS FEATURES

COVER STORY 20 The Power Supply System for the Downtown Line The AC High Voltage System and the Trac on Power Supply System, that make up the electrical infrastructure are briefly described.

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RAILWAY & TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING 24 Fire Safety Provisions in the Downtown Line MRT System They cover both sta ons and tunnels.

28 The use of electric vehicles to expand in European city Gothenburg, in Sweden, will become more appealing for people.

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ENVIRONMENT & WATER ENGINEERING 34 Flood protec on across Singapore being increased through extensive drainage enhancement Work has been completed in several places and will con nue.

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President Er. Edwin Khew Chief Editor T Bhaskaran t_b_n8@yahoo.com Chief Execu ve Alvin Charm alvin.charm@iesnet.org.sg

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Publica ons Manager Desmond Teo desmond@iesnet.org.sg Assistant Publica ons Manager Fenda Ngo fenda.ngo@iesnet.org.sg

Editorial Panel Er. Chong Kee Sen Dr Chandra Segaran Dr Ang Keng Been Mr Kenneth Cheong Mr Gary Ong Dr Victor Sim

Publica ons Execu ve Queek Jiayu jiayu@iesnet.org.sg

Media Representa ve Mul Nine Corpora on Pte Ltd sales@mul 9.com.sg

Design & layout by 2EZ Asia Pte Ltd Cover designed by Irin Kuah Cover images by Land Transport Authority Published by The Ins tu on of Engineers, Singapore 70 Bukit Tinggi Road, Singapore 289758 Tel: 6469 5000 I Fax: 6467 1108 Printed in Singapore

www.ies.org.sg

ENVIRONMENT & WATER ENGINEERING 35 PUB seeks views in se ng standards in water efficiency Ini a ves will include industry consulta ons and sharing of industrial water solu ons.

ENERGY ENGINEERING

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36 Modelling the market impact of ba ery storage in Asia Pacific electricity markets The results of simula ons and analysis across markets in three countries are provided.

INFOCOMM TECHNOLOGY 44 Top three WiFi trends that will con nue to shape the technology landscape in 2018 Their impact on organisa ons will be significant.

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REGULAR SECTIONS 04 12 46 48

INDUSTRY NEWS EVENTS IES UPDATE VIEWPOINT

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The Singapore Engineer is published monthly by The Ins tu on of Engineers, Singapore (IES). The publica on is distributed free-of-charge to IES members and affiliates. Views expressed in this publica on do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or IES. All rights reserved.

No part of this magazine shall be reproduced, mechanically or electronically, without the prior consent of IES. Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy of the content at press me, IES will not be liable for any discrepancies. Unsolicited contribu ons are welcome but their inclusion in the magazine is at the discre on of the Editor.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ST ENGINEERING REPORTS HIGHER PROFITS IN 3Q2017 VS 3Q2016 ST Engineering has announced higher year-on-year profits for its third quarter ending 30 September 2017.

The overall Group revenue of SGD 1.62 billion for this period came in with a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of SGD 162.9 million, up 53 per cent from last year, and higher net profits of SGD 128.4 million, up 67 per cent. The higher profits were largely due to the absence of a SGD 61.1 million one-off charge incurred in 3Q 2016 for its Specialty Vehicle business in China.

For ST Aerospace, its revenue grew eight per cent to SGD 608 million, with a PBT of SGD 66.3 million (up 1.7 per cent). Revenue for ST Electronics grew six per cent to SGD 495 million, with a PBT of SGD 55.6 million (up 5.3 per cent).

Aerospace for MRO and cabin retrofit services, while ST Electronics clinched nearly SGD 585 million worth of contracts in transporta on, satellite and broadband communica ons, advanced electronics and info-comm technology solu ons.

ST Land Systems secured orders for its 40mm muni ons as well as for its Road Construc on Equipment and Specialty Vehicles from customers in Asia, La n and North America.

ST Marine undertook various ship repair projects in its US and Singapore yards and recently formed a concession company with Tuas Power to design, build and operate Singapore’s fi h desalina on plant on Jurong Island.

ST Land Systems saw a 5.4 per cent decrease in revenue to SGD 331 million and its PBT was SGD 15.1 million. For ST Marine, revenue fell 22 per cent to SGD 164 million. Its year-on-year PBT was SGD 21.1 million (down 45 per cent).

Lastly, ST Engineering’s corporate venture capital unit made its first investment, taking a stake in US cyber security provider Janus Technologies. This culminated in the launch of the Black Computer L100, an industry-first hardware-based cyber security solu on, was launched.

About SGD 1.1 billion worth of contracts were secured this quarter: Nearly SGD 530 million was secured by ST

The full report can be viewed at h p://www.stengg.com/ en/investor-rela ons/financial-results-and-webcasts/

MANITOWOC’S GROUNDBREAKING CRANES PRESENTED TO SOUTHEAST ASIAN CUSTOMERS Crane manufacturer Manitowoc staged promo onal events in Thailand and Malaysia to celebrate the region’s first arrivals of the Hup 32-27 from the Potain range of self-erec ng cranes.

In Thailand, Manitowoc held an event together with SB Siam, the exclusive dealer for Potain cranes in the country.

It took place at the local offices of construc on company Chris ani & Nielsen, which purchased Thailand’s first Hup 32-27. Around 40 guests were in a endance.

Having debuted in mid-2016, the agile Hup 32-27 has a maximum capacity of 4 tonnes and a one-tonne capacity at its jib end of 32 m. However, the machine’s biggest selling point is its versa lity, its telescopic mast capable of adjus ng height, reach and angle, gran ng a wide variety of op ons for applica on.

Meanwhile in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Potain dealer IFT organised an open house and demonstra on of the Potain Hup 32-27, with live commentary provided by Mr JeanPierre Zaffiro and Mr Remi Deporte, Manitowoc’s global product directors for self-erec ng cranes and tower crane mechanisms respec vely.

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About 200 guests were present at the Potain Hup 32-27 demo in Malaysia. Photo: Manitowoc

The Hup 32-27 on display in Malaysia was purchased by long-standing Potain customer, Selangor-based HAB Construc on, who valued its aerial capabili es, its speed, ease of use and transportability.

The Hup 32-27 will be working for the next 12 months on the new DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in I-City, Selangor. It will hoist formwork and rebar and help with concre ng.

For more informa on, visit h p://manitowoccranes.com.

INDUSTRY NEWS

SEMBCORP EMERGES A WINNING BIDDER AGAIN

IN INDIA’S SECOND WIND POWER AUCTION Sembcorp has secured the bid for another project in India’s wind power market. Its renewable energy business, Sembcorp Green Infra, was awarded a 250-megawa project in the country’s second na onwide wind power tender. This makes Sembcorp the u lity player which has won the largest combined capacity in India’s two na onal wind power tenders so far.

Sembcorp Green Infra Limited received the official le er of award for the project, following the close of the tender conducted by the Solar Energy Corpora on of India (SECI) on behalf of the Government of India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The project is expected to be developed in phases and targeted to be fully commissioned by the first half of 2019.

Upon the project’s comple on, its en re power output will be sold to SECI under a 25-year long-term power purchase agreement. The project will be connected to India’s Central Transmis-

sion U lity and supply power to mul ple states, helping them to meet their renewable energy requirement.

Mr Sunil Gupta, Managing Director and CEO of Sembcorp Green Infra, said, “Greater transparency and o ake creditworthiness gives established long term players like Sembcorp an advantage. Combined with declining equipment prices, this has allowed us to provide clean power at lower tariffs.”

This new project will expand Sembcorp’s presence in India’s power market. The company has over 4,000 megawa s of power capacity in opera on and under development in the country, comprising both thermal and renewable energy assets.

In addi on, the project also strengthens Sembcorp’s global renewable energy business, which it has been ac vely growing as part of a balanced por olio. The company has wind, solar and biomass energy as well as energy-from-waste projects in Singapore, China, India and the UK.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

MOT AND CAAS CALL FOR PROPOSAL TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS FOR INNOVATIVE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT USE The Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Civil Avia on Authority of Singapore (CAAS) have jointly issued a Call-for-Proposal (CFP) to develop systems and technologies to enable the innova ve use of unmanned aircra systems (UAS) in Singapore’s densely-populated urban environment without compromising safety.

opera onal challenges with higher risks to people and property. Yet, the technology’s poten al to transform the way we work and live is undeniable. This is a good opportunity for us to work closely with industry players to explore the possibili es and test-bed the solu ons robustly,” said CAAS director-general Kevin Shum.

Proposals are invited for the development of naviga on capabili es, sense-and-avoid technologies, as well as fleet management and UAS Traffic Management soluons, among others.

MOT and CAAS will co-fund the development and trials of up to $1.5 million per proposal, or up to 50 per cent of the total qualified project costs, whichever is lower, for each successful proposal. Applicants re required to develop working prototypes and are encouraged to iden fy and partner end-users so as to take into considera on its commercial viability.

The authori es believe that these capabili es and technologies can enable beyond-visual-line-of-sight opera ons, which can be more cost-effec ve as they help enhance produc vity of current processes.

“UAS opera ons in urban environments like ours pose

The closing date for submission is 5 January 2018.

More informa on on the CFP can be found at h ps://www.caas.gov.sg/uas-cfp

LARGEST HDB SOLAR LEASING TENDER LAUNCHED

UNDER SOLARNOVA PROGRAMME The Housing & Development Board (HDB) has called the largest solar leasing tender to date, aggrega ng mul -agency demand for the installa on of solar panels across 848 HDB blocks and 27 government sites.

This is the third tender to be launched under the SolarNova programme, led jointly by HDB and the Economic Development Board (EDB). With this tender, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems of 50 megawa -peak (MWp) will be installed, 25 per cent greater than the 40 MWp systems installed during the previous two tenders. More HDB blocks have also been iden fied for solar panel installaon this me round.

of rolling out 220MWp of solar panels across 5,500 HDB blocks by 2020.”

Based on the current solar leasing business model, HDB and other par cipa ng organisa ons does not need to fund any por on of the upfront cost for such solar projects. The user par es managing the respec ve HDB blocks and government buildings will enter into a power purchase agreement with the private sector developer to pay for the solar power consumed, at a preferen al rate that will not go beyond the prevailing electricity tariff rate.

A total of eight agencies will par cipate in this tender: HDB, MHA, MOE, NEA, BCA, ITE, the Na onal Heritage Board and Sport Singapore. The tender process will close on 31 January 2018, with installa on expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2020.

HDB’s Chief Execu ve Officer, Dr Cheong Koon Hean said, “To allow government agencies to leverage HDB’s economies of scale, we have aggregated the demand across agencies under the SolarNova programme, jointly with EDB. This has helped to spur solar adopon across the whole-of-government. With this third SolarNova tender, we are on track to achieve our goal

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HDB is on track to achieve the goal of rolling out 220MWp of solar panels across 5,500 HDB blocks by 2020. Photo: HDB

INDUSTRY NEWS

SPEEDY COLLISION DETECTOR COULD MAKE

ROBOTS BETTER HUMAN ASSISTANTS Electrical engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a faster collision detec on algorithm that uses machine learning to help robots avoid moving objects and weave through complex, rapidly changing environments in real me. The algorithm, dubbed “Fastron”, runs up to 8 mes faster than exis ng collision detec on algorithms.

The team, led by Assistant Professor Michael Yip, envisions that Fastron will be broadly useful for robots that operate in environments where they must be able to work with moving objects and people fluidly. One applica on they are exploring in par cular is robot-assisted surgeries, in which a robo c arm would autonomously perform assis ve tasks without ge ng in the way of surgeon-controlled arms or the pa ent’s organs.

Other uses include home robots with assisted living applica ons, as well as for computer graphics for the gaming and movie industry, where collision checking is o en a bo leneck for most algorithms.

A problem with exis ng collision detec on algorithms is that they are very computa on-heavy. They spend a lot of

me specifying all the points in a given space and performing collision checks on every single point to determine whether two bodies are intersec ng at any given me.

To lighten the computa onal load, Prof Yip and his team developed a minimalis c approach to collision detec on, using an algorithm that uses machine learning strategies which are tradi onally used to classify objects - to classify collisions versus non-collisions in dynamic environments.

An important feature of Fastron is that it updates its classifica on boundaries very quickly to accommodate for moving scenes, something that has been challenging for the machine learning community in general to do.

Because Fastron’s models are more simplis c, the researchers set its collision checks to be more conserva ve. This ensures that the robot can be fine-tuned for sensi ve environments like surgery, or for robots that work at home for assisted living.

The team has so far demonstrated the algorithm in computer simula ons on robots and obstacles. Moving forward, the team is working to further improve the speed and accuracy of the algorithm.

GERMAN RESEARCHERS DEVELOP 3D PRINTED SECURITY FEATURE AGAINST COUNTERFEITING Researchers from the Karlsruhe Ins tute of Technology (KIT) in Germany, in collabora on with op cal systems manufacturer ZEISS, have discovered a new way to improve counterfeit protec on using 3D-printed microstructures instead of exis ng 2D features like holograms.

The new security feature has a side length of about 100 μm and are barely visible with the eye or a conven onal microscope. For their produc on and applica on, Professor Mar n Wegener and his team have developed an innova ve method that covers all processes from microstructure fabrica on to the readout of informa on.

The microstructures consist of a 3D cross-grid scaffold and dots that fluoresce in different colours and can be arranged variably in three dimensions within this grid. To produce and print such microstructures, the experts use a rapid and precise laser lithography device developed by Nanoscribe, a spinoff of KIT. It enables the highly-precise manufacture of voluminous structures of a few millimetres’ edge length or of micro-structured surfaces of several square cen metres.

The special 3D printer produces the structures layer by layer from non-fluorescent and two fluorescent photo-

Counterfeits and product piracy can be prevented by security features, such as printed 3D microstructures, on products or packagings. (Photo: Frederik Mayer for KIT)

resists. A laser beam very precisely passes certain points of the liquid photoresist. The material is exposed and hardened at the focus point of the laser beam. The resulting filigree structure is then embedded in a transparent polymer in order to protect it against damage.

The new process can be extended easily and is extremely versa le. The 3D features may be applied as an embedded foil in security tags to protect pharmaceu cals, car spare parts, or mobile accumulators against counterfei ng. They may also be integrated into the transparent windows of bank notes.

Special readout instruments that can detect the fluorescent 3D structures will be used for authen ca on.

The team’s research results have been published in the journal Advanced Materials Technologies.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

NEW INDUSTRY WIDE CERTIFICATION

FOR BUS TECHNICIANS nological advancements, and standardising the industry benchmarks for bus technician proficiency.

It is expected to kick in by mid-2018, at which point bus technicians can be cer fied under three industry-recognised competency levels.

The joint cer fica on by IES and LTA will be awarded upon the individual passing an assessment test of his or her proficiencies and understanding of key bus systems.

Elec ve cer ficates in specialised areas will also be offered.

Representatives from LTA, the bus operators, and industry stakeholders pose for a photo after signing the MoU.

To upli professionalism and build a sustainable pool of technical professionals for the public bus industry, LTA has commi ed to work with the public bus operators and industry stakeholders to introduce a new cer fica on for bus technicians.

An MoU was signed in late September between the agency, public bus operators and four industry stakeholders: the Employment and Employability Ins tute, IES, ITE, and the Na onal Transport Workers’ Union.

The new cer fica on will be recognised across the industry and its framework will address industry needs, for example, by preparing the workforce for emerging tech-

Besides this, two other ini a ves, which will take place in the same meframe, were also announced. Firstly, automo ve and bus engineers will soon be able to gain recogni on and external valida on through the Singapore Chartered Engineer registra on programme administered by IES. The Singapore Bus Academy and ITE will also work with public bus operators to develop a bridging course for graduates from relevant disciplines interested to embark on a career as a bus technician.

“IES will play an ac ve role in this MoU to advance and validate technical competencies of technicians to drive con nued growth in the public bus sector … We are also commi ed to raise the professional standing of engineers and technicians to support manpower reten on and a rac on,” said IES President Er. Edwin Khew.

INDUSTRY DISRUPTING PROCESS FOR ASSEMBLING SIM CARDS LAUNCHED Singapore-based smart card innovator NovoFlex has launched the Secure Authen cable Iden fica on Laminates (sAiL), a patented, groundbreaking new process that redefines how integrated circuit (IC) chips will be embedded into SIM cards currently used in the telecommunica ons sector. Novoflex is partnering with smart card manufacturer Eastcompeace in India and CIPTA in Indonesia to implement the IC chip in SIM cards issued by major mobile operators in those countries.

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all process steps, this new technology leads to significant savings for card manufacturers. As the process is compa ble with exis ng card manufacturing machines, sAiL can be immediately integrated into current smartcard assembly processes.

The flexible form factor of sAiL, which comes as a thin plas c foil, allows it to be integrated into a range of everyday objects.

This removes two major steps from the SIM card manufacturing process – module packaging and module embedding.

The process has been successfully patented in 20 countries, with more countries pending, and has already garnered interest from major SIM card vendors across the globe. While ini al demand for sAiL is expected from the telecommunica ons sector, NovoFlex is already working with key industry players to apply similar technology to banking cards and is confident that its usage will expand to transporta on and Internet of Things (IoT) in the near future.

Combined with fact that the process requires less gold across

For more informa on, visit www.novoflex.com.sg.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

SINGAPORE’S FIRST LONG SPAN WIND TURBINE ENTERS SERVICE The new turbine is part of NTU’s Renewable Energy Integra on Demonstrator – Singapore (REIDS) ini a ve being built at Semakau Landfill. Under this ini a ve, several hybrid microgrids will be developed in the coming years, producing enough energy to power 100 four-room HDB flats for a whole year.

Along with the wind turbine, each hybrid microgrid will integrate with various renewable energy sources u lising solar, dal, diesel, and power-to-gas technologies.

Photo: NTU

NTU, together with French mul na onal electric u lity company ENGIE, have jointly deployed Singapore’s first long-span wind turbine at Semakau Landfill. The turbine is one of several to be installed in the na on’s drive towards sustainable energy solu ons.

At 14 storeys high, it comes with three 10.5 m long-span rotor blades that produces an electrical output ra ng of 100 kilowa s, enough to power 45 four-room HDB units a year.

It is also sensi ve enough to generate power even with wind speeds as low as 3 metres per second, up to a maximum of 20 metres per second.

Each microgrid is expected to produce stable and consistent power in the half-megawa range, suitable for small islands, isolated residen al areas, and emergency power supplies. These microgrids will eventually occupy over 64,000 square metres of land, or about nine soccer fields.

Managed by NTU’s Energy Research Ins tute (ERI@N), the REIDS ini a ve is expected to a ract $20 million worth of projects over the next four years, in addi on to the ini al $10 million investment in infrastructure at Semakau.

REIDS will pave the way for similar technologies to be developed and exported to serve the need for interconnected urban microgrids and remote communi es in Southeast Asia and beyond

JOINT SP GROUP SIT EFFORT TO BUILD

ZERO EMISSION URBAN MICROGRID SP Group and the Singapore Ins tute of Technology (SIT) have announced a partnership to build a mul -energy urban microgrid at the university’s upcoming Punggol campus.

Both par es signed a MoU at the Singapore Interna onal Energy Week in October, witnessed by Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Sim Ann. The unique microgrid network, designed for tropical climates, will be emission-free and can integrate gas, electricity and thermal energy into a unified smart energy network, in addi on to incorpora ng solar energy and energy storage technologies.

It can operate independently from the na onal grid in mes of emergency. Insights from the collabora on will also help develop innova ve solu ons to meet Singapore’s future needs.

Addi onally, work on the microgrid will facilitate future R&D in smart energy networks, and will provide SIT students a plat-

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form to gain first-hand experience in honing their engineering skills and exper se.

For example, its Electrical Power Engineering students, and those from other engineering and informa on security programmes will be able to par cipate in the design and implementa on of the microgrid.

Professor Tan Thiam Soon, President of SIT, said, “We are pleased to work with SP Group on the full campus size microgrid as we develop the latest technologies to secure our energy future. Other than supplying power … (it) will also serve as a living experimental lab to support the research, development and test-bedding of distributed energy systems and cyber-security solu ons, which will benefit the whole of Singapore.”

SIT’s campus, together with the microgrid, is expected to be completed some me in 2023. The microgrid is projected to help the university save energy and eliminate carbon emissions equivalent to that from nearly 2,000 vehicles yearly.

INDUSTRY NEWS

SIEMENS OPENS NEW ENERGY FOCUSED

MINDSPHERE APPLICATION CENTER IN BERLIN Siemens is ‘making digital real’ with the opening of its latest energy services facility in Berlin, Germany, which will be a new MindSphere Applica on Center for Power Genera on Services.

Siemens designed the new centre so that energy customers, so ware engineers and Siemens engineering experts could come together in one place to explore the customer value offered by the company’s broad por olio of digital services tools and soluons. The open concept encourages collabora on and creates an environment conducive to innova on and new ideas. It also boasts the latest digital technology to showcase Siemens’ digital offerings in a visual and hands-on way, such as a Digital Power Plant running on MindSphere.

With this new centre, Siemens is se ng the stage for even more co-crea on, directly with its energy customers. This includes new applica ons and digital solu ons that can lead to improved opera ons and performance.

“The digital solu ons of tomorrow will be developed in direct collabora on with our energy customers. And our MindSphere Applica on Centers provide the right se ng for co-crea ng innova ve digital solu ons tailored to our customers’ needs”, said Tim Holt, CEO, Siemens Power Genera on Services, at the recent opening of the MindSphere Applica on Center in Berlin.

Siemens’ approach to crea ng MindSphere Applica on Centers

Tim Holt, CEO, Siemens Power Generation Services, marks the opening of the MindSphere Application Center for Power Generation Services in Berlin.

is to establish facili es in mul ple loca ons around the world, strategically placed near customers, so that opportuni es for co-crea on and collabora on are readily available close by.

Along with the Berlin digital centre, the company will open addi onal facili es in the future, with similar centres opening in Orlando, Florida, USA, and in Shanghai, China, in the next few months.

AUSTRALIA SINGAPORE CABLE PROJECT PASSES HALFWAY MARK Vocus Communica ons (Vocus) recently announced that building work on the Australia Singapore Cable (ASC) has crossed a number of cri cal milestones including passing the halfway point.

The Vocus-owned project, worth USD 170 m, provides an important link between Australia and two of Asia’s strongest economies - Indonesia and Singapore.

“Once complete, the ASC will provide greater connec vity, bandwidth and reliability for business and consumers, building on Vocus’ 21,000 km fibre network. We are very pleased with the rate of progress being made on the project”, said Geoff Horth, CEO, Vocus Group.

“There is a lot of ac vity that goes on with the civil engineering works and the manufacturing, before we send a ship to pick up the cable. The main cable laying starts in February 2018 and will con nue throughout March. We will perform the final splice in April, enabling the commissioning to begin. That will take place in May and June, giving us a ready-for-service date soon a er”, added Luke Mackinnon, Head of Vocus Interna onal.

The manufacturing work on the ASC is nearing comple on.

The cable is being made in Calais, France, by Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN). The company is also finishing work on the repeaters at a factory in Greenwich, UK, on the other side of the channel. Once the cable and repeaters are ready, ASN will assemble them at the Calais site.

The components will be loaded on a ship and brought to Singapore. The scheduled arrival date is either late December or early January. At this point, a third of the cable and repeaters will be offloaded at Singapore. The Ile de Re cable laying ship will pick them up in January and start laying in February.

The other two-thirds of the assembled cable will be transferred from ship-to-ship in January, near Christmas Island. From there, a second cable laying vessel, the Ile de Batz, will lay the cable as it travels south from Christmas Island to Perth, Australia. The Ile de Re will start in Singapore and head south to Christmas Island.

Two ships will be used because the two legs of the journey will use different cable laying techniques. From Singapore to Christmas Island, the cable will be buried up to 4 m below the seabed using a 40-tonne plough. This is far slower than the usual cable laying technique. The ship can move only a few hundred metres per hour.

While it is unusual to bury a submarine cable here, it is necessary because the Java Sea is shallow and sees a high volume of traffic.

The situa on is quite different on the ASC leg between Christmas Island and Perth. The southern cable sec on passes through a deep ocean. Here the cable is simply laid on the sea bed. The boat laying this sec on can move far quicker, covering kilometres in an hour.

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EVENTS

SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 2018 WILL HIGHLIGHT TRANSFORMATION OF THE AVIATION INDUSTRY Singapore Airshow 2018 will be held from 6 to 11 February 2018 at Changi Exhibi on Centre.

The biennial series of events, organised and managed by Experia Events, has established itself as a strategic platform for regulators, airlines, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and other key stakeholders to chart the industry’s growth trajectory. As Asia’s largest and one of the most important aerospace and defence events in the world, Singapore Airshow will also play a crucial role in crea ng opportuni es, driving change and shaping the future of the global avia on industry.

BUSINESS AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES Singapore Airshow serves as the key gateway to tap into the wealth of poten al opportuni es in the Asia-Pacific the world’s fastest growing region for the aerospace and defence industry.

The latest products and services in key areas like cybersecurity, unmanned avia on systems, avionics and connected aircra , predic ve maintenance, addi ve manufacturing and aircra health monitoring will be showcased by over 1,000 par cipa ng companies from some 50 countries, who have confirmed their a endance at the event.

There will also be opportuni es to network with key government and defence officials, and senior commercial execu ves, through the Airshow’s VIP Delega on Programme, and to engage with returning exhibitors, including 65 of the top global aerospace companies such as Airbus, Bell Helicopter, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Pra & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, ST Engineering, Thales and UTC Aerospace Systems.

New exhibitors include Avia on Learn, Boom Supersonic, Honda Aircra Company, LOGIC, Marposs, IHSE Asia, WEARE Group, and Wright Brothers Science and Technology Development Co Ltd.

DRIVING CHANGE Singapore Airshow’s high-level conference and co-located events offer a strategic pla orm for stakeholders from across the global avia on ecosystem to drive change.

SINGAPORE AIRSHOW AVIATION LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2018 To be held on 4 and 5 February 2018 at Pan Pacific Singapore, the Singapore Airshow Avia on Leadership Summit 2018 (SAALS 2018), focusing on the theme ‘Reimagining Avia on’s Future’, will seek to address both the challenges and opportuni es arising from the con nued demand for air travel, and provide a pla orm for civil avia on authori es, governments and airlines to discuss a sustain12

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able approach to future growth in air travel demand.

SAALS 2018 is being jointly organised by the Civil Avia on Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Experia Events, Internaonal Air Transport Associa on (IATA) and the Singapore Ministry of Transport (MOT).

SINGAPORE AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING CONFERENCE 2018 Jointly organised by the Singapore Ins tute of Aerospace Engineers (SIAE) and Air Engineering and Logis cs Department (AELD) of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), Singapore Aerospace Technology and Engineering Conference 2018 (SATEC 2018) will be held in conjuncon with Singapore Airshow 2018 and RSAF50. It is a pla orm for researchers, avia on operators and pracsing avia on engineers to present and discuss key developments and advancements in aerospace technology and engineering. In line with Singapore’s SMART Na on vision, the theme of SATEC 2018 is ‘Shaping Aerospace Through Innova on’.

A*STAR AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP FORUM To be held in conjunc on with Singapore Airshow 2018, the forum will bring together leaders and speakers from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of commercial aircra , engines and components, as well as aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) companies, to share their insights on the direc on of research & development in the aerospace industry.

BUSINESS FORUMS Back by popular demand, the Business Forums at Singapore Airshow 2018 will shine the spotlight on key challenges facing the global avia on industry, focusing on key trends like avia on cybersecurity, digital transforma on and the impact of autonomous vehicles.

Asia Business Forum To be held in partnership with ICF Interna onal, the Singapore Airshow Asia Business Forum will examine the opportuni es and challenges for MRO providers in Asia Pacific. Par cipants will have the opportunity to network with MRO experts as they share insights about the current burgeoning growth in Asia Pacific. Key interna onal aerospace buyers, government agencies and industry leaders will discuss the opportuni es, challenges, soluons and strategies in mee ng the strong demands in the MRO industry.

Avia on Cybersecurity Business Forum Cybersecurity is widely recognised as a top priority, with 95% of airlines and 96% of airports planning to invest in major programmes or R&D on cybersecurity ini a ves,

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over the next three years. The Avia on Cybersecurity Business Forum, which is co-organised by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), will focus on how the global avia on ecosystem should mi gate the growing complexity of cyber a acks and the risks resulting from the increasing integra on between airline, airport and avia on authority IT infrastructure. Prominent cybersecurity researchers and private sector experts will also share their experiences and insights on the emerging avia on cybersecurity risks.

Emerging Technologies and Innova on Business Forum The forum will be held in partnership with the Associa on of Aerospace Industries (Singapore), and co-organised

by GIFAS, the French aerospace industries associa on, to mark 2018 which has been declared the France-Singapore Year of Innova on. It will focus on Industry 4.0 which leverages digitalisa on to drive greater efficiency in the areas of Data Management and Security, Robo cs, Industrial Internet of Things, and Ar ficial Intelligence and its applicability in the various sectors of MRO / Manufacturing.

The Autonomous Revolu on: The Race is On Business Forum Co-organised with leading global management consul ng firm Oliver Wyman, this forum will highlight the progressive switchover to different transporta on modes that will result in more change in the industry in the next 10 years than in the last 60. Autonomy will blur tradional fron ers across vehicles. It will create new usages in mobility, defence & security, and supply chains. It will disrupt tradi onal value chains, generate new business models and put industry leaders at risk, as start-ups and digital giants compete with tradi onal transport companies for market share in this fast-evolving space.

SHAPING THE FUTURE To enhance the role Singapore plays as the leading avia on hub in the region and to further strengthen its avia on ecosystem, Singapore Airshow is commi ed to building a pipeline of talent to drive industry growth and ensure the industry remains future-ready. Through Singapore Airshow, key industry players and stakeholders form partnerships that can help shape the future of the industry by building talent and capabili es through ini a ves such as Educa on Day and the Singapore Airshow Aero Campus (SAAC).

EDUCATION DAY Spread over two days of activities, Education Day is designed to foster among tertiary students an interest in this multibillion dollar industry, through tours of the exhibition and aircraft displays.

SINGAPORE AIRSHOW AERO CAMPUS After a successful debut in 2016, Singapore Airshow Aero Campus (SAAC) will return in 2018 with an expanded focus, to provide a holistic platform for the aerospace and aviation industry to nurture the next generation of industry professionals.

Supported by the Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore), Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Economic Development Board, and Workforce Singapore, SAAC aims to inspire secondary school and tertiary students, as well as full-time national servicemen, to learn more about what the aviation and aerospace industry has to offer.

Participants will be able to: • Gain valuable insights from companies and educational institutions exhibiting at Singapore Airshow 2018.

• Experience the latest technologies and innovations during their exhibition tours.

• View advanced commercial and military aircraft showcased at the static display and watch the aerobatic flying performances.

WHAT’S NEXT @ SINGAPORE AIRSHOW Recognising the need to help the industry leverage emerging innovations and technologies to drive future growth, Singapore Airshow 2018 will highlight the capabilities of start-ups, through the launch of What’s Next @ Singapore Airshow.

The start-up showcase is a new initiative to support these aspiring young companies by providing them with the chance to showcase their latest innovations, as well as network with and pitch their business ideas and offerings to investors, accelerators and corporate partners at the show.

Overview of the staƟc display area at Singapore Airshow 2016 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

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ASIA POWER WEEK 2017

ATTRACTS OVER 8,500 ATTENDEES Asia Power Week Conference and Exhibi on 2017, comprising of POWER-GEN Asia 2017 and Renewable Energy World Asia 2017 was held from 19 to 21 September 2017 at BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand. The event a racted over 8,500 industry professionals from more than 75 countries.

The official launch of Asia Power Week 2017 took place at the Opening Keynote session, a ended by more than 400 par cipants. Speeches and presenta ons were made

by General Surasak Srisak, Vice Minister for Energy, Ministry of Energy, Thailand; Mr Saharath Boonpo pukdee, Deputy Governor, Renewable and New Energy, Electricity Genera ng Authority of Thailand; Mr Kenji Ando, President and CEO, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Ltd, Japan; and Mr Heru Dewanto, President Director, PT Cirebon Energi Prasarana, Indonesia.

In his keynote speech, General Surasak Srisak said, “Ministry of Energy Thailand leads the Alterna ve Energy Development Plan 2015-2036 which aims to reduce the country’s dependence on imported energy, double the renewable energy produc on capacity or increase it to 30% of total energy produc on in 2036 and cut the greenhouse gas emission by 25%. The achievement of these ambi ous goals means the related par es have to double their capaci es. It is significantly necessary for all sectors to join force in order to make this na onal effort a success. Ministry of Energy Thailand is delighted that Asia Power Week, marking its 25th anniversary today, will support Thailand’s direc on towards the future of energy sustainability under the Thailand 4.0 policy”.

(MEA), EGCO, Ratchaburi Electricity Genera ng Holding PCL, BCPG, and the Thailand Conven on and Exhibi on Bureau (TCEB)”.

Asia Power Week 2018, the next event in the annual series, will be held from 18 to 20 September 2018, at ICE, BSD City, Jakarta, Indonesia.

General Surasak Srisak, Vice Minister for Energy, Ministry of Energy, Thailand, is greeted by Mr Robert Giglio, Senior Vice President, Sumitomo SHI FW, during the VIP tour of the exhibiƟon.

The three-day event also featured a large exhibi on floor, with more than 200 exhibitors presen ng the latest technologies and solu ons.

Dr Heather Johnstone, Event Director - Asia, PennWell Corpora on, organisers of Asia Power Week, said, “We are very proud of the great successes that Asia Power Week has achieved in our 25th anniversary edi on, where we once again a racted more than 8,000 a endees from all over the world over three busy days. We are also delighted by the con nua on of our long-established coopera on with Thailand’s Ministry of Energy, and the valuable support from Thai organisa ons such as the Electricity Genera ng Authority of Thailand (EGAT), Department of Alterna ve Energy & Efficiency (DEDE), Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO), the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), Metropolitan Electricity Authority 14

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The exhibiƟon presented the products and soluƟons of more than 200 exhibitors.

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INDUSTRY 4.0 TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES INDUSTRY

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Masagos Zulkifli, giving his welcome address at the inaugural CleanEnviro Summit Singapore Catalyst 2017.

From leŌ to right, moderator Prof Seeram Ramakrishna, Vice-President (Research Strategy), NaƟonal University of Singapore, together with CleanEnviro Summit Singapore Catalyst 2017 ‘In ConversaƟon’ speakers Dr Kamil Agi, President, CEO, SensorComm Technologies Inc, USA and Dr Marcus Gover, CEO, WRAP, UK.

Organised by the Na onal Environment Agency (NEA) and held on 4 and 5 October 2017, as a ‘by invita on’ only event, CleanEnviro Summit Singapore Catalyst 2017 (CESS Catalyst 2017) addressed the theme ‘Industry 4.0 Circular Economy and Environment Perspec ves’.

A ended by more than 150 par cipants from 17 countries, including leaders as well as technology and service providers in the environmental services industry, CESS Catalyst 2017 was opened by Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.

The delibera ons at CESS Catalyst 2017 serves as a leadup to NEA’s CleanEnviro Summit Singapore 2018 (CESS 2018).

In his opening speech, Mr Masagos emphasised the need for a relook at the linear ‘take, use and dispose’ economic model which generates large amounts of waste and pollutes the environment. Instead, through adop ng circular economy strategies such as recycling, remanufacturing and refurbishing, resources can con nue to be kept in use, thereby reducing waste genera on and energy demand. Mr Masagos also noted that we are currently in the era of the fourth industrial revolu on or Industry 4.0, characterised by an en rely new coming together of computers and automa on, where cyber-physical systems operate autonomously.

“Smart infrastructure, more efficient waste-to-energy systems, and technology to improve produc vity are just some of the benefits that Industry 4.0 can bring to the environmental services sector. The value of Industry 4.0 is derived from the integra on of automa on, data analy cs, manufacturing and products in a way that delivers unique compe ve advantages and unlocks new business and opera ng models. We should explore opportuni es to embrace Industry 4.0 in the environment sector”, said Mr Masagos.

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INSIGHTFUL SESSIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS A highlight of CESS Catalyst 2017 was the ‘In-Conversa on’ session, moderated by Prof Seeram Ramakrishna, Vice-President (Research Strategy), Na onal University of Singapore, and which included Dr Kamil Agi, President, CEO, SensorComm Technologies Inc, USA and Dr Marcus Gover, CEO, WRAP, UK. The speakers shared their insights on the Industry 4.0 revolu on and its impact on today’s businesses.

The discussions covered the poten al benefits of the Industry 4.0 revolu on which are wide-ranging and extend to various stakeholders across the value chain. The sessions explored how business models across the environmental services industry can be reinvented through the integra on of automa on, data, analy cs, manufacturing and products. It was also emphasised that resources that can be sustainably exploited will play a bigger role in the circular economy and contribute to a liveable environment for all.

The par cipants at CESS Catalyst 2017 were also given insights into innova ve technology solu ons during the Technology Exchange Programme. Technology providers were given a pla orm to highlight their capabili es and catalyse more opportuni es for collabora on.

“By placing a strong focus on Industry 4.0 at our first CleanEnviro Summit Singapore Catalyst, we want to drive home the need for businesses in the environmental service industry to con nually incorporate new innova ve processes including integra ng smart and intui ve technologies, especially in the face of increasingly complex challenges brought about by rapid urbanisa on”, said Mr Dalson Chung, Managing Director, CESS.

CALL FOR POLLUTION MONITORING SOLUTIONS At CESS Catalyst 2017, NEA and SPRING Singapore jointly launched an innova on call, under the Gov-PACT ini ave, to further improve Singapore’s current pollu on

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monitoring systems. The innova on call seeks proposals to address two pollu on control problem statements ‘Remote Real- me Low-cost Sensor-based System for Monitoring of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Par culate Ma er (PM) emissions from Diesel Vehicles’, as well as ‘Odour Monitoring and Source Tracing of Odour Incidents caused by Industries’. The innova on call is targeted at Singapore-registered companies, Ins tutes of Higher Learning and Research Ins tutes.

Gov-PACT One of the recommenda ons from the Commi ee on the Future Economy (CFE) is for the Government to use lead demand more systema cally to support the development of promising industries, par cularly where this supports Singapore’s strategic na onal needs. Under Gov-PACT, agencies may embark on projects to obtain novel solu ons which may be more manpower-lean, achieve cost savings, achieve quality improvements or meet new opera onal requirements. SPRING Singapore will work with the partner procuring agencies to cra

suitable problem statements and find suitable SME partners for the projects. SPRING Singapore will also provide grant support directly to the local SMEs and startups who are selected by the procuring agencies, at various stages of product and solu on development.

CLEANENVIRO SUMMIT SINGAPORE 2018 The biennial CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESS) is a global networking pla orm for thought leaders, senior government officials and policy makers, regulators and industry captains. To be held from 8 to 12 July 2018, CESS 2018, the fourth edi on of the event, while addressing the theme ‘Transforming Tomorrow’s Ci es with Clean Environment Solu ons’, will deep-dive into five streams - Waste Management, Cleaning, Sustainable Energy, Pest Management, and Pollu on Control. In-depth discussions and the sharing of global best prac ces will be facilitated through ac vi es such as the Clean Environment Conven on and high level plenaries, Clean Environment Regulators Roundtable, and business forums.

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ADVERTORIAL

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ADVERTORIAL

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COVER STORY

THE POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR

THE DOWNTOWN LINE

by Mr Chia Song Khoon, Mr Vengadasalam Ramasamy, Er. Hadi Wijaya, Dr Samuel Chan and Er. Melvyn Thong, Land Transport Authority, Singapore The Downtown Line (DTL) is a driverless, fully automated, underground Mass Rapid Transit line.

Covering a route length of approximately 42 km, it also accommodates 34 stations and two depots. This article briefly describes the AC High Voltage System and the Traction Power Supply System, that make up the electrical infrastructure for DTL. INTRODUCTION

THE POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM

DTL was designed to be built in four phases. DTL1, covering a distance of approximately 4.3 km, from Chinatown to Bugis, and including six sta ons, opened on 22 December 2013. DTL2, interspersed with 12 sta ons, runs from Bukit Panjang to Rochor, over a distance of approximately 16.6 km. It was opened on 27 December 2015.

DTL3, which has 16 sta ons, traversing a distance of approximately 21 km, from Fort Canning to Expo, opened on 21 October 2017. A 2.2 km extension from Expo to Sungei Bedok will be completed by 2024.

The Power Supply System provides the electrical infrastructure for the reliable distribu on of power to move the electric trains as well as to power the various systems and services within the sta ons, tunnels and depots.

The Power Supply System includes the AC High Voltage System and the Trac on Power Supply System.

The DTL map

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AC High Voltage System DTL is served by three 66 kV intake substa ons, strategically located along the DTL railway alignment. Loca ng

COVER STORY

the intake substa ons was challenging, due to scarcity of land and the need to be in close proximity to the alignment. The concept of an integrated approach for loca ng the substa ons was explored and the substa ons were accordingly located at Gali Batu Depot, Halifax Road, and in the vicinity of Expo Sta on. The Halifax Road Electrical Substa on and the Expo Electrical Substa on will also serve the Thomson - East Coast Line.

To further minimise the land intake, the Expo Substa on is located underground (directly on top of the ‘cut and cover’ tunnel) with above-ground structures limited to only ven la on sha s. This allows the sterilised land above the ‘cut and cover’ tunnel to be fully u lised and also results in savings in the overall construc on cost of the substa on.

The network is designed for a single con ngency failure, such that in the event of any single outage of the cables or 22 kV switchgear, there will be no disrup ons to the power supply system in the rail transit network.

The Division of Power Points (DPP) took into considera on the power load flow within the 22 kV network. In the event of an intake substa on outage, the DPP algorithm allows power restora on through the backup 66 kV intake substa on.

Each transit passenger sta on is provided with two 22/0.4 kV service transformers, for 400 V and 230 V u lisa on within the sta on and tunnels. The capacity of the

Each 66 kV intake substa on, comprising two feeders of 66 kV connected to SP PowerGrid, is stepped down to 22 kV, via two 75 MVA, 66/22 kV oil-immersed intake power transformers for 22 kV distribu on along the line. The intake power transformers are operated in parallel and the capacity selected for 100% redundancy, such that the outage of one intake power transformer, due to a fault or prolonged maintenance condi ons, will not disrupt the 22 kV distribu on network.

The 22 kV distribu on network is operated in a closed ring configura on, with each sta on interconnected by 22 kV power cables routed through the railway tunnels.

75 MVA intake transformer

66 kV switchgear

22 kV switchgear 22

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22/0.4 kV service transformer

COVER STORY

service transformers is selected, based on the electrical load demand. The service transformers are also 100% redundant, such that one service transformer will be able to provide power to the sta on, if the other transformer develops a fault or has to undergo maintenance.

Unit protec on is provided for the 22 kV switchgear and 22 kV cables, through the use of busbar protec on and pilot wire protec on, respec vely. The protec on scheme includes the use of overcurrent and earth fault as back-up protec on. As the network operates in a closed loop system in which faults can be fed from both ends, the back-up protec on is implemented through direc onal overcurrent protec on that is sensi ve to the direc on of the flow of the fault current, to limit the extent of network outage in the event that the unit protec on fails.

Trac on Power Supply System The Trac on Power Supply System network for the mainline is implemented through the use of rec fier systems, comprising three-winding rec fier transformers and recfiers. The rec fier systems are housed in Trac on Power Substa ons (TPSS) located at selected transit passenger sta ons along the line, to distribute trac on power to the trains.

‘shor ng’ the running rail to earth. During the ‘shor ng’ of the running rail to earth, the FIS will also analyse the ground current to iden fy the fault loca on. Such an innova ve 2-in-1 system, which has been successfully implemented for the DTL, is the first such applica on to be adopted in a metro anywhere in the world.

CONCLUSION The Power Supply System is an essen al infrastructure in an electrified railway system. In DTL, the Power Supply System has achieved its intended purpose of being a safe, reliable and cost-effec ve system.

REFERENCES [1] ‘Design Considera ons for Power Supply System for Downtown Line’, World Urban Transit Conference 2010.

[2] ‘An Integrated Design Approach for Power Supply Intake Scheme in Circle Line’, IEEE PowerCon 2004.

The rec fier systems for DTL u lise two 12-pulse recfiers connected in parallel to achieve 24-pulse rec fica on, in order to reduce the harmonics generated in the DC trac on network. The capacity of the rec fier systems is selected to ensure there is no degrada on in train opera on under the worst case condi on of single TPSS outage at AW3 (4 pax/m2) train loading and 90 sec headway.

The inverter systems are strategically located along the line, to recover the excess regenera ve energy from the braking of trains. The recovered energy is then channelled back into the 22 kV network and u lised by the sta on’s mechanical & electrical service loads. The inverter systems also improve the voltage regula on along the line and have added intangible benefits in terms of reducing the wear and tear of the electric train’s brake shoes, as a result of regenera ve braking.

RecƟfier panel

Unlike the protec on system for an AC network, the Tracon Power Supply System network protec on needs to consider the dynamic nature of the network, due to the accelera on and decelera on of the electric trains. For DTL, the Trac on Power Supply Protec on System comprises rate of rise (di/dt), overcurrent, voltage detec on, frame leakage protec on and touch voltage protec on.

Conven onally, the touch voltage protec on device (in the form of a 64 P relay) is used to monitor the voltage between the running rail and earth. The device will trip the supply if voltage is detected to exceed the pre-set level. For DTL, this device has been replaced by a combined Voltage Limi ng Device and Fault Iden fica on System (VLD-FIS). The intent is to improve the system availability, by allowing train opera on to con nue even when the touch voltage has reached its pre-set level, by

750 V DC switchgear THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

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FIRE SAFETY PROVISIONS IN THE

DOWNTOWN LINE MRT SYSTEM

by Dr Cheong M K, Er. Lim L W, Er. Hadi Wijaya, Dr Samuel Chan and Mr Leong K W, Land Transport Authority, Singapore The Downtown Line (DTL) is Singapore’s longest underground MRT line. It has two depots, 34 sta ons and 42 km of tunnels connec ng the northern corridor of Singapore to the downtown area and then running through the eastern part of Singapore. All sta ons are provided with Pla orm Screen Doors (PSDs) to separate the pla orms from the trackside, in order to reduce air exchange between sta ons and tunnels. Each train has three cars, together making up a total length of about 70 m. This ar cle highlights the salient fire safety provisions in the DTL sta ons and tunnels.

The fire safety provisions, which include ac ve and passive systems in sta ons and tunnels, are designed to comply with the Code of Prac ce for Fire Precau ons in Rapid Transit Systems [1] [formerly, the Standard for Fire Safety in Rapid Transit Systems (SFSRTS)]. The Code of Prac ce was reviewed by a commi ee comprising personnel from the Singapore Civil Defence Force; Land Transport Authority; Singapore Ins tute of Architects; Ins tu on of Engineers, Singapore; and Associa on of Consul ng Engineers Singapore.

There are two types of fire safety provisions in the staons and tunnels, ie the passive fire protec on system and the ac ve fire protec on system. In addi on, the sta ons and tunnels are constructed of non-combus ble materials, and cables used are either of the fire-retardant or fire-resistant type. They are also made of halogen-free materials and possess low smoke emission proper es.

FIRE SAFETY PROVISIONS IN STATIONS Passive fire protec on systems in sta ons include escape / exit facili es such as open stairs/escalators, exit staircases, doors and signage, to enable the rapid evacua on of occupants. Other passive protec on systems include structural element protec on, fire compartmenta on, access for fire-figh ng and rescue opera ons, and external fire engine access roads and accessways. In terms of fire compartmenta on, the sta on is generally divided into three parts, viz public areas, ancillary areas and commercial areas. Public areas, which include the concourse and pla orm, have a fire separa on of at least two hours from the ancillary areas.

Commercial areas are constructed such that they have a fire resistance of one to two hours. Fire-rated doors, wall, floors and shu ers are used to compartmentalise the sta on, in order to prevent the spread of fire, so that occupants have sufficient me to escape safely.

The major ac ve fire protec on systems in the sta ons are fire detec on and ex nguishing systems, smoke purging systems, and emergency ligh ng and power supply systems (Figure 1).

Each sta on is equipped with a fire detec on system to de24

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tect fires and alert the occupants in the sta on on the need to evacuate. The main alarm panel is located in the firemen stairs. When a fire is detected, a fire alarm signal will be sent to the Passenger Service Centre (PSC) and Opera on Control Centre (OCC) to inform the staff in the sta on and OCC of the fire incident so that they can mobilise firefighting assistance. Portable ex nguishers and hose reels are also provided in the concourse for first-aid firefigh ng.

The sta ons are sprinkler-protected except for the public areas, PSC, electrical plant rooms and tunnel ven la on fan rooms. Rooms housing cri cal electronic equipment, such as signalling equipment, communica on / integrated supervisory control system and UPS, are protected by a gaseous fire suppression system.

A dry mains system, with landing valves on every floor of the sta on and breeching inlet at ground level, is provided for fire fighters to deliver water to all floors and fight the fire. When there is a power outage, the emergency ligh ng system will provide the minimum illumina on for the occupants to evacuate safely and the secondary power supply source will support the fire safety equipment.

Smoke purging systems are provided in the sta on public areas and service corridors. To reduce the number of equipment, the Under Pla orm Exhaust Fans (UPEFs) double up as Smoke Exhaust Fans (SEFs) for the public area. Air-condi oning ducts serving the sta on public concourse and pla orm are also u lised as smoke purging ducts. When a fire is detected in the public area, the air handling units will shut down and UPEFs will switchover to the smoke purging mode, to extract the smoke. In the opera on of the UPEFs, the smoke purging mode will have higher priority compared to the under pla orm exhaust mode [2].

FIRE SAFETY PROVISIONS IN TUNNELS Major passive fire safety provisions in the tunnels are mid-tunnel exit staircases, cross-passageways between adjacent tunnels, the Illuminated Tunnel Evacua on Signage System (ITESS) and the Cross Passage Evacua on Signage System (XPESS), to facilitate orderly and speedy evacua on of passengers a er detrainment.

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Figure 1: Features of the acƟve fire protecƟon system in the staƟons.

The Tunnel Ven la on System (TVS), tunnel dry mains, motorised trolleys, emergency ligh ng and power supply systems are the major ac ve fire safety provisions in tunnels.

In the event of a fire on a train travelling in the tunnel, the affected train will con nue its journey, if possible, to the next sta on where evacua on and rescue opera ons are easier to conduct, than having to perform the evacua on and rescue opera on in the tunnel. When the affected train is at the sta on, the Tunnel Ven la on Fans (TVFs) will be ac vated to extract the smoke from the affected trackway (Figure 2). This will cause fresh air to be inducted from the sta on entrances and open PSDs, providing a tenable environment along the evacua on route in the sta on for the passengers escaping from the affected train.

Figure 2: StaƟon trackway fire.

In case the train on fire stalls in the tunnel, the passengers will have to disembark in the tunnel and move towards the point of safety, which could be a sta on, mid-tunnel exit staircase or cross-passageway (Figure 3). The TVFs will be operated in the ‘push-pull’ configura on, to prevent backlayering of smoke and maintain a tenable environment along the egress path.

For tunnel sec ons with large crossover openings, tunnel booster fans are provided to augment the TVFs, in order to control the airflow (Figure 4).

Other than opera ng the TVS, it is necessary to halt the other trains in adjacent tunnel sec ons, cut-off the tracon power supply, and switch on the emergency tunnel ligh ng system, ITESS and XPESS, before commencement of passenger evacua on (Figure 5).

Figure 3: Tunnel fire.

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The tunnels are equipped with a dry mains system, with landing valves located along the tunnel, at intervals not exceeding 60 m [1]. At the ground level are breeching inlets to allow the fire fighters to pump water to the affected tunnel sec on [3].

Motorised trolleys are provided at each sta on and at the mid-tunnel exit staircases and tunnel portals, to allow firefighters to be deployed quickly to the loca on of the fire in the affected train (Figure 5). The motorised trolleys can also be used to evacuate casual es from the affected tunnel.

Should there be disrup on to the normal power supply during a fire incident in the tunnel, the emergency power supply will support the fire safety equipment, and emergency ligh ng will maintain the minimum illumina on level in the tunnel for evacua on.

CONCLUSION This ar cle provides an overview of the fire safety provisions in the DTL. The safety of passengers and staff of the MRT system is of paramount importance. In the event of a fire, it is cri cal to ensure both the passive and ac ve fire protec on systems are working properly.

This is achieved through a combina on of sta on/tunnel design, train opera on procedures, proper maintenance, firefigh ng and rescue strategy.

REFERENCES [1] Code of Prac ce for Fire Precau ons in Rapid Transit Systems, 2017 Edi on, Singapore Civil Defence Force.

[2] Environmental Control System Engineering Standards (Systems), March 2015, Land Transport Authority.

[3] Fire Protec on System Engineering Standards (Systems), March 2015, Land Transport Authority.

Figure 4: Tunnel fire at crossover.

Figure 5: Signage and firefighƟng features for tunnels.

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THE USE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO EXPAND IN EUROPEAN CITY Gothenburg, in Sweden, will become more appealing for people.

Route 55 stretches between Lindholmen and Chalmers in Gothenburg, Sweden, and is served by three all-electric concept buses and seven electric hybrids from Volvo.

The Swedish city of Gothenburg has a strong automotive industry and is the Nordic region’s logistics hub.

One benefit is that the city gets involved early in testing next-generation technology. The results obtained and the lessons learnt, together with its partners in ElectriCity, will guide the urban planning in Gothenburg.

The quiet vehicles of tomorrow, that emit no exhaust gases will make the city even more appealing for people.

ElectriCity ElectriCity is a joint partnership bringing together the research fraternity, industry and society, allowing new solu ons for tomorrow’s sustainable city transport to be developed, demonstrated and evaluated.

The partners involved in the partnership are Volvo Group, the Västra Götaland Region, Väs rafik, the City of Gothenburg, Chalmers University of Technology, the Swedish Energy Agency, Johanneberg Science Park, Lindholmen Science Park, Göteborg Energi, Älvstranden Utveckling, Ericsson, Keolis, Akademiska Hus and Chalmersfas gheter.

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New electric bus route Since 2013, ElectriCity has been tes ng and developing new solu ons.

On 15 June 2015, a new bus service started on route 55, between the two campuses of Chalmers University of Technology, at Johanneberg and Lindholmen. Of the total of ten buses running on this route, three are all-electric and the remaining seven are Volvo electric hybrids.

The three demo buses run on renewable electricity and are extremely energy-efficient, quiet and en rely emission-free. On board the buses, passengers have free access to the latest technology. The bus stop at Teknikgatan, in Lindholmen, is indoors. The electric hybrid buses are powered by electricity for about 70 % of the route.

According to the original plan, the tests were scheduled to end in 2018, but now the trial is being extended with addional vehicles and the test period will con nue to 2020.

The electric buses The electric buses that operate on route 55 are concept vehicles that Volvo Buses developed, to test and evaluate

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new environmentally op mised technology and various solu ons that can boost the appeal of public transport.

They are quiet, exhaust emission-free and about 80% more energy-efficient than a conven onal diesel-powered bus.

These electric buses run exclusively on renewable electricity obtained from wind power and hydro power, which results in an extremely small carbon footprint.

They are equipped with electric motors powered by lithium-ion ba eries. Whenever a bus slows down, the resul ng ‘engine-braking’ effect generates electricity that is used to charge the ba eries, thereby u lising power that would otherwise be wasted. Recharging also takes place via the mains electricity grid at the two end stops, at Sven Hul ns plats (Chalmers) and Teknikgatan (Lindholmen). Recharging takes about six minutes and is more than sufficient for the en re route.

The equipment needed for charging, storing the energy and propelling the electric buses is based on the technology used for Volvo’s hybrid buses, 3000 of which have been built to-date.

Research areas When an all-electric bus moves in the urban environment, stops and recharges indoors, new situa ons arise that are of considerable interest to the research fraternity, including how pedestrians and other vulnerable road users are affected by a bus that moves almost silently, and how passengers perceive and use the new solu ons that come with the new bus service. Indoor bus stops are an en rely new phenomenon and raise ques ons such as how the indoor climate can be maintained, considering that buses are coming and leaving all the me, and how the electric supply system should be built.

Prototype buses on route 16 When the Volvo Ocean Race comes to Gothenburg in June 2018, two electrically powered ar culated buses will showcase the latest developments, as they operate between city mall Nordstan and Frihamnen. These two prototype buses will then run on route 16, which will be equipped with charging infrastructure and bus stop facili es for electrified high-capacity traffic. Among other ini a ves, new charging sta ons will be built at Eriksbergstorget and Sahlgrenska Hospital.

Open interface for charging The charging sta ons on route 55 are based on the open OppCharge interface, which means they can be used by electrified buses from different manufacturers.

Mee ng passenger needs The need for a pleasant environment and prac cal func ons on board, for the benefit of passengers, has impacted the design of the electric buses, in several ways. For instance, all entry and exit takes place quickly and conveniently via an extra-wide door opening in the middle of the bus. Here too, there is a large open space with a low and flat floor to make things easy for passengers with child buggies or wheelchairs.

The interior is bright and airy. The white, arched roof panel creates an aura of space and features background ligh ng to give a warm and invi ng feel. The colour scheme is dominated by matching shades of green. The seats are upholstered in jacquard-pa erned wool fabric.

The bus is equipped with WiFi and power sockets for passengers who want to surf or charge their mobile phones, as well as displays for informa on and news.

The need for a pleasant environment and pracƟcal funcƟons on board has impacted the design of the buses.

Altogether, the aim is to ensure that passengers have a comfortable ride.

Demo arena for new products and services As part of ElectriCity, a pla orm has been created for the development and tes ng of services and products that can contribute to more a rac ve public transport. These include new bus stop solu ons, traffic management systems and safety concepts, as well as systems for energy supply and energy storage. Also, new business models for sustainable mobility in the city will be tested. The objec ve is that it should be possible to scale up these systems and use them outside the demo arena.

Charging of a bus at an indoor bus stop.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

29

RAILWAY & TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING

ABB TO SUPPLY TWO 450 KW FAST CHARGERS FOR ELECTRIC BUSES IN GOTHENBURG ABB has recently announced a project with Volvo Buses and Göteborg Energi to bring its 450 kW Opportunity Charging (OppCharge) system to the city of Gothenburg.

Due for delivery in spring 2018, two fast chargers will be installed at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Eriksberg Square, on route 16 of the city’s bus network, along which two prototype electric, ar culated, high capacity buses from Volvo will operate. The buses will first showcase the latest developments during the Volvo Ocean Race, to be staged in Gothenburg, in June 2018. Route 16 will be equipped with charging infrastructure and bus stop facili es for electrified high-capacity traffic.

Göteborg Energi West Sweden’s leading energy company Göteborg Energi specialises in electricity, district hea ng and electricity networks, gas, cooling, energy services and city fibre. The company is working towards a sustainable Gothenburg society by, among other things, a smarter, more sustainable housing pro-gramme and the reduc on of CO2 emissions in the city.

With this order, ABB will supply the complete 450 kW OppCharge system, enabling the quick and efficient charging of high passenger capacity electric buses in Gothenburg.

The chargers are part of the ABB Ability por olio of digital solu ons, featuring cloud connec vity that allows for remote diagnosis and management, thereby ensuring reliable and efficient infrastructure for bus passengers.

ABB has provided charging solu ons as part of its drive to promote sustainable mobility, since 2010, and has sold more than 6,000 cloud connected DC fast-chargers around the world for passenger cars and commercial vehicles.

ABB has installed OppCharge systems, enabling many electric buses to be charged. Systems have been installed in Canada, Luxembourg, Sweden, United Kingdom, France and Belgium during the past year.

OppCharge is an open interface for the automated charging of both single and double deck electric buses, which can be u lised by any manufacturer, using a pantograph on the infrastructure to connect the bus to the charging point.

ABB will supply the complete 450 kW OppCharge system for charging electric buses in Gothenburg.

VOLVO BUSES HAS RECEIVED AN ORDER FROM SINGAPORE FOR 50 VOLVO HYBRID BUSES Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded Volvo Buses an order for 50 Volvo 7900 Hybrids in con nua on of its efforts to build a more environment-friendly public bus fleet.

Each bus will be powered by a diesel engine and by a ba ery. The buses will be rolled out gradually for service by the second half of 2018.

With these buses, not only can commuters expect quieter and smoother rides, bus captains can also enjoy a more comfortable working environment.

LTA will work with industry partners to help upgrade bus professionals through the Singapore Bus Academy, to prepare them for these changes.

Compared to a diesel bus, the Volvo 7900 Hybrid is said to use 30% less fuel and produces just half the nitrogen oxides and par cle emissions. It therefore has a lower impact on the climate.

In total, Volvo Buses has now sold more than 3,000 hybrids worldwide.

30

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

A Volvo 7900 Hybrid bus

ADVERTORIAL

GROOMING TALENTS FOR THE CONNECTED WORLD Zheng Jianxin, Dan Chia Wei Ming Faculty members, Singapore Institute of Technology We are living in a digital age and digital technology is transforming every aspect of our life. The number of devices connected to the internet is growing to near 50 billion, a widely cited figure, by 2020. The amount of data is being generated at an unprecedented rate – “Every two days now we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003”, a popular quote from Google then-CEO Eric Schmidt. In this connected world, telematics is playing an increasingly important role.

The elements that make up telematics are relatively simple — real-time location of a mobile asset, real-time operating data from sensors on that asset, and a two-way wireless communications network that allows real-time exchange of data with central information systems which will process the data into useful information. For a long time, telematics has been closely linked to transportation and automotive industries. With the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) and the growing trend towards digitalisation in recent years, it is becoming more widely accepted that telematics can also be applied to broader fields such as manufacturing, building management and healthcare sectors.

Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) has launched the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Telematics (Intelligent Transportation Systems Engineering) in September 2016 with an annual intake of 60 students. The programme is the first of its kind in Singapore with specialisation in intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and automotive engineering. It is a multi-disciplinary programme with the fusion of electrical and electronics engineering, information technology and ITS domain knowledge. Its curriculum has been developed with support from organisations such as LTA, ST Electronics, NCS and Continental Automotive Singapore Pte Ltd. Keeping in mind that the main goal of this degree programme is to produce industry-ready graduates, SIT has been working closely with the industry, with Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) signed with Continental Automotive Singapore, TUM

Company visit to Infineon in August 2017 32

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

Asia, National Instruments and collaborative agreement with Rhode & Schwarz. The ITS industry is gaining traction in the new era of connectivity and this growing sector is a unique space for Singapore with the recent onset of Smart Nation and urban mobility initiatives. Ranging from automotive, intelligent systems to transport management, these are the focus areas where SIT students will develop their system-level competencies.

To integrate the SIT education with real-world industry examples, the faculty members, backed by veterans in the domain of ITS and automotive, drive the curriculum towards a practical approach and learning through real products in the market. Students will be able to immerse themselves in different initiatives as part of the curriculum, namely: 1) an innovation initiative - Trend Antenna - together with Continental; 2) an instrumentation display product as part of their laboratory experiment; and 3) hands-on opportunity to experience autonomous vehicles in SIT. These are the exciting time students can look forward to while developing their competencies for the next generation of telematics and ITS. The first batch of Telematics students will embark on the Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP) from May 2018, a flagship programme of SIT in which they will be exposed to MNCs, SMEs, and start-ups to gain practical work experience.

Hands-on experiment at RF Electronics Lab

ENVIRONMENT & WATER ENGINEERING

FLOOD PROTECTION ACROSS SINGAPORE BEING INCREASED THROUGH EXTENSIVE DRAINAGE ENHANCEMENT Work has been completed in several places and will continue.

PUB, Singapore’s Na onal Water Agency has completed drainage improvement works at 325 loca ons since 2012 to increase the capaci es of the country’s drains and canals. Today, drains and canals at another 75 loca ons are undergoing expansion. PUB also plans to upgrade drains and canals at 16 loca ons in 2018.

Major canals which have been upgraded, since 2012, include Rochor Canal (between Jalan Besar and Crawford Street), Alexandra Canal (between Zion Road and Kim Seng Road), Geylang River (between Guillemard Road and Dunman Road), Bukit Timah Canal (between Maple Avenue and Jalan Kampong Chantek) and Siglap Canal (between ECP and the sea).

Improvement works have also been completed at outlet drains such as Farnborough Road Outlet Drain and Pioneer Sector Outlet Drain, as well as roadside drains in various areas such as Jalan Boon Lay (near Interna onal Road), Chai Chee Lane, and Lower Delta Road/Jalan Bukit Merah.

Expansion of Singapore’s first massive drainage scheme The Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal was built in 1972 as part of the Bukit Timah Flood Allevia on Scheme, an important and complex undertaking by the Government then, to divert water away from the Bukit Timah Canal to Sungei Ulu Pandan near Clemen , in order to alleviate flooding in the Bukit Timah area.

The expansion of the 3.2 km diversion canal, which runs from Bukit Timah Road near Maple Avenue to Clemen Road, is being carried out in three phases. When the en re diversion canal is completed, by the end of 2018, it will enhance flood protec on for the upper Bukit Timah catchment which includes areas such as Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Beauty World Plaza, Bukit Timah Shopping Centre and Sime Darby Centre.

This con nual drainage improvement is part of PUB’s strategy to enhance Singapore’s ability to cope with higher-intensity storms. To this end, the Government has invested some SGD 1.2 billion on drainage improvement works since 2011. In the next two to three years, the Government plans to spend some SGD 500 million to upgrade more drains.

Holis c approach to stormwater management PUB adopts a holis c stormwater management approach, known as the ‘Source-Pathway-Receptor’ approach, to introduce flexibility and adaptability into Singapore’s drainage system.

Upgrading works at Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal will help improve flood protecƟon for the upper Bukit Timah catchment.

This approach goes beyond drainage upgrading (ie through ‘Pathway’ solu ons) to also manage stormwater where it falls (ie through ‘Source’ solu ons such as on-site deten on tanks in buildings) and at the areas into which floodwaters may flow (ie through ‘Receptor’ solu ons such as flood barriers, minimum crest and pla orm levels).

“With climate change, we expect more intense storms to occur more frequently in Singapore. PUB will con nue to implement ‘Pathway’ measures by deepening and widening drains. However, due to compe ng demands for land use, there is a limit to this measure. A more sustainable approach is a collec ve effort involving developers to put in ‘source’ and ‘receptor’ measures to slow down runoff into public drains and to protect developments from floods”, said Mr Ridzuan Ismail, PUB’s Director of Catchment and Waterways.

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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

As part of the Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal expansion, two new tunnels were created to supplement two exisƟng tunnels under Military Hill. Picture shows a new tunnel (leŌ) and an exisƟng tunnel (right).

ENVIRONMENT & WATER ENGINEERING

Ongoing drainage improvement works PUB’s ongoing drainage improvement works at 75 loca ons, including the Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal, are expected to be completed over the next two to three years.

Some of the other major works include: • Sungei Pandan Kechil (a 600 m sec on between AYE and West Coast Road and a 850 m sec on between West Coast Road and the sea).

• Bedok Canal (a 1.2 km sec on between Upper Changi Road East and Bedok Junc on and a 300 m sec on between ECP and the sea).

• Kallang River (a 1.8 km sec on between Bishan Road and Braddell Road).

The Stamford Diversion Canal and Stamford Deten on Tank will alleviate flooding in the Stamford Canal catchment which covers the Orchard Road shopping belt.

The Stamford Diversion Canal comprises box drains at Grange/Tanglin Road and off Kim Seng Road, and twin tunnels under Grange Road. The first of the twin tunnels has been completed, while the second tunnel will be completed by December 2017. A last segment of the open-cut sec on at the junc on of Irwell Bank and River Valley Road is in progress. The en re Stamford Diversion Canal will be completed by 3Q 2018.

The Stamford Deten on Tank project is substan ally completed. PUB will be tes ng the pumps in December 2017. This project will be completed by 2Q 2018 when the inlet pipe is connected to the tank.

“These drainage projects will reduce flood risks but in more extreme storms, floods may s ll occur. We will do our best to update the public of flood situa ons through various channels such as the PUB Facebook page and Twi er, as well as our mobile app MyWaters”, said Mr Ridzuan.

PUB SEEKS VIEWS IN SETTING STANDARDS IN WATER EFFICIENCY Initiatives will include industry consultations and sharing of industrial water solutions PUB has announced that it is seeking views from the industry for the development of benchmarks and best prac ces in water efficiency for the building sector.

Since 2015, large water users that consume 60,000 m3 of water or more in the preceding year have to submit their Water Efficiency Management Plans (WEMP) to PUB annually. The plans include informa on on areas of water use. With this informa on, users can study their usage pa erns and make necessary proposals to improve water efficiency.

A Water Efficiency Index (WEI) was computed as part of the submissions, and recommended water-efficiency benchmarks for the building sector (office, hotel and retail buildings) were developed. The lower the WEI, the more water efficient the premise is. For industries that reuse water, the recycling rates within their sector are computed.

In addi on, PUB has put together a publica on, the ‘Best Prac ce Guide for Water Efficiency - Buildings’, and is seeking comments from the industry so that it can be further refined as a resource for the industry. The final version of the publica on will be ready in 2018. Water efficiency benchmarks will also be developed for other sectors progressively, where applicable.

To help companies be er manage water for cooling needs, which takes up 25% of consump on by large wa-

ter users, PUB has also published a Technical Reference for Water Conserva on in Cooling Towers. This provides developers, building owners and managing agents with guidelines and best prac ces on good cooling tower management, and proper opera on and maintenance of related equipment in their premises.

Companies whose WEI fall within the top 10th percenle (ie most water efficient or having the lowest WEI) or have the highest recycling rates will receive the Water Efficiency Awards. Presented by PUB, the biennial Water Efficiency Awards have evolved from previous years’ Water Efficiency Buildings (Gold & Silver) Awards, and recognise the most water-efficient offices, retail outlets, hotels, wafer fabrica on plants, refineries, schools, junior colleges and estates.

This year, 27 organisa ons across seven sectors received the Water Efficiency Award from Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, for their outstanding efforts in using water efficiently in their opera ons.

Further, recycling by large industries is currently at 20%, and there is a need to increase this for sustainable water supply and management. PUB has been ac vely working with large water users, providing support to companies who wish to implement their own industrial water soluons projects and improve their water stewardship.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

35

ENERGY ENGINEERING

MODELLING THE MARKET IMPACT OF BATTERY STORAGE IN ASIA PACIFIC ELECTRICITY MARKETS

by Mr Richard Bowmaker, Robinson Bowmaker Paul, Wellington, New Zealand How will widespread introduc on of storage technology affect genera on assets? The complexi es of wholesale energy markets can lead to non-obvious outcomes.

In this ar cle, we present the results of simula ons to forecast the wholesale market impact of ba ery storage on several classes of conven onal genera on, in terms of market prices received, market dispatch, and hence revenue. We present the results of this analysis across in three different Asia-Pacific markets (Australia’s NEM, the Philippines WESM and Singapore’s NEMS), each with different market fundamentals and storage quan ty scenarios. From this, we draw out key risks and opportuni es for energy market investors in the region.

We find that in markets experiencing vola le market prices, a large ba ery storage facility can significantly reduce market prices. In such situa ons, there is a net transfer of wealth from generators to consumers and ba ery owners. However, the magnitude of a specific generator’s loss is very dependent on factors such as the type of generator and its loca on in a constrained transmission network. This is a poten al loss that generators should plan to mi gate. Possible hedges include inves ng in storage projects and baseload genera on.

In a market that is free of transmission constraints, genera on shortages and vola le market prices, the impact of ba ery storage on wholesale energy market outcomes is likely to be minimal, and energy price arbitrage alone will not provide sufficient return on capital outlay.

INTRODUCTION Recent years have seen significant penetra on of renewable genera on in many markets. This has been driven by a combina on of rapidly decreasing costs, environmental concerns and government policy. The intermittency of most renewable sources places greater demand on conven onal thermal peaking generators to compensate and help maintain grid stability.

Energy storage technologies support the integra on of renewable genera on onto the grid, and provide support for the transmission and distribu on systems. The cost of grid-scale and end-user energy storage is decreasing rapidly, along a similar trajectory to the recent history of renewable genera on. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect significant penetra on of storage technology in the grid in the future. This could occur both as grid-scale storage, and aggregated end-user (eg domes c) storage. This can be expected to occur within the economic life me of genera on assets that are currently being planned, and could well happen within the life me of assets that are currently in service.

How will widespread introduc on of storage technology affect genera on assets? The complex interac ons between storage and intermi ent renewables, mul ple types of conven onal genera on, transmission con36

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

straints and ancillary service requirements can lead to non-obvious energy market outcomes.

In this ar cle, we present the results of simula ons to forecast the energy market impact of storage on several classes of conven onal genera on, in terms of market prices received, market dispatch, and hence revenue and profitability. We present the results of this analysis for three Asia-Pacific markets, each with different market fundamentals and storage quan ty scenarios. From this, we draw out key risks and opportuni es for energy market investors in the region.

SIMULATION METHODOLOGY To quan fy the impact of grid-scale storage, we have used a simula on model of the target markets to forecast the market outcomes under scenarios with and without the addi onal storage.

The model used is WEMSIM (Wholesale Electricity Market Simula on), a proprietary model used by Robinson Bowmaker Paul (RBP) to provide market analysis to support power market transac ons and reforms. WEMSIM simulates the dispatch of thermal and renewable generators in a nodal wholesale market environment, given forecast demand and fuel prices, and subject to transmission system constraints and genera on plant characteris cs.

ENERGY ENGINEERING

As a result, plant dispatch, nodal prices and d other market outcomes can be simulated under storage- and no-storage scenarios, and the results compared to determine the impact of the storage.

For this study, we are simula ng a single representapresentave year for each scenario.

SIMULATIONS SIMULATION 1: THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GRID-CONNECTED BATTERY STORAGE PROJECT Introduc on Our first simula on focusses on the South Australia region of Australia’s Na onal Electricity Market (NEM). The NEM covers Australia’s eastern states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia (SA).

Results Table 1 presents summary results from this simula on on SA-wide outcomes.

These results show that:

SA is par cularly prone to vola lity and periods iods of high pricing, and last year suffered an extensive system blackout. This has been blamed in part on the large arge quan ty of intermi ent renewable genera on, par cularly wind, that has entered the market in recent years. s. This is exacerbated by the constrained interconnecc ons with the rest of the NEM system. One of the SA Government’s responses has been to issue a tender for the supply of 100 MW of grid-connected ba ery storage (h p://www. renewablessa.sa.gov.au/news/south-australian-grid-connected-ba ery-storage-project). The tender received over 90 proposals in the first round, demonstra ng the significant commercial interest in implemen ng grid ba ery storage.

• The presence of the ba ery storage facility reduces me-weighted average prices (ie a simple average of prices across the year) by AUD 2.83/MWh, or a 3.5% reduc on on the no-ba ery scenario price.

• Similarly, the load-weighted average price is reduced

by AUD 6.05/MWh, or 5.9%. This figure is larger because the price reduc ons are greater at mes of peak load.

One response to the tender proposes a total of 600 MWh storage capacity with 200 MW maximum output.

The proponent has indicated that this project would go ahead regardless of whether it wins the tender, and has already secured land. We have chosen to simulate a system of this capacity as an example of the scale of facility likely to enter the SA system.

• These price reductions result in a net saving of AUD 87 m in wholesale energy cost for SA electricity consumers.

• Conversely, SA generators lose AUD 127 m in wholesale market revenue.

• The ba ery facility makes AUD 41 m in wholesale market revenue through the arbitrage in market prices.

The SA region is interconnected with, and is part of the wider NEM market, so this simula on involves modelling the en re NEM market. The results presented below focus on the SA region, though we have included some out-of-state coal-fired genera on in results for illustra ve purposes.

Result

In summary, these results show a significant transfer of wealth from generators to consumers and the owner of the ba ery storage facility.

No Ba ery

Ba ery

Time-weighted average price (AUD/MWh)

$80.01

$77.17

-$2.83

-3.5%

Load-weighted average price (AUD/MWh)

$102.16

$96.11

-$6.05

-5.9%

Total consumer cost (MM AUD)

$1,447.0

$1,359.6

-$87.33

-6.0%

Total generator market revenue (MM AUD)

$1,406.4

$1,279.1

-$127.36

-9.1%

0

$40.93

$40.93

Ba ery market revenue (MM AUD)

Difference

Table 1: South Australia summary results.

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ENERGY ENGINEERING

Figure 1 compares the price dura on curve for the SA region with and without the ba ery storage facility. This shows the expected general pa ern of reduced prices at peak mes while the ba ery is discharging and increased prices at off-peak mes while the ba ery is charging.

However, this is not universally true. There are some mes when the ba ery scenario price is higher than the non-ba ery scenario price even though prices are above average. The main reason for this is that the ba ery does not have the capacity to op mise over the en re year.

Its charge-discharge cycle is measured in hours up to a day. As a result, there will be mes when it is op mal to charge at above-average prices to be able to prevent even higher prices or unserved energy shortly a erwards.

Genera on Type

No Ba ery

Ba ery

Gas Turbine

93.6

55.9

-37.68

-40.3%

Wind

5167.3

5190.3

23.05

0.4%

CCGT

987.7

598.7

-389.02

-39.4%

Black Coal ST

2582.3

2713.6

131.25

5.1%

Gas ST

1930.1

1566.6

-363.54

-18.8%

Difference

Table 2: SA generaƟon results (GWh).

Genera on Type

No Ba ery

Ba ery

Gas Turbine

143,212

110,956

-32,255

-22.5%

Wind

415,688

400,121

-15,567

-3.7%

CCGT

162,493

104,918

-57,574

-35.4%

Black Coal ST

270,153

294,325

24,172

8.9%

Gas ST

414,876

327,812

-87,064

-21.0%

Difference

Table 3: SA market revenue results (Million AUD).

Figure 1: South Australia price duraƟon curve comparison.

Figure 2 shows the impact of the ba ery on an average daily genera on profile. The storage facility causes an increase in genera on during the off-peak periods when it is charging its ba eries, and a decrease in genera on during peak periods when it is supplying energy to the grid.

These results show that: • As expected, the u lisa on of gas turbine peakers is significantly reduced, as the ba ery takes over their roles in mee ng rapid changes in demand.

• Less expected is the reduc on in u lisa on of mid-merit gas-fired combined-cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) and stream turbines (STs). This is due to the ba ery enabling be er use of the interconnectors to bring in lower priced out-of-state genera on.

• Wind generators see a small improvement in u lisaon as the ba eries enable be er integra on and reduce curtailment.

• Baseload coal-fired genera on (from out of state) sees a small increase in u lisa on as it provides the generaon to charge the ba eries.

• Overall, there is a reduc on of genera on from within the state of SA due to the be er u lisa on of the interconnectors.

• Gas-fired peakers, CCGTs and STs all see significant reduc ons in market revenue with their reduced u lisa on and overall lower market prices.

Figure 2: Average daily generaƟon profile.

Table 2 and Table 3 provide the GWh genera on and market revenue results of this simula on for the main classes of genera on capacity in SA. 38

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

• Despite their slightly higher u lisa on, wind generators see a drop in revenue due to the overall lower market prices.

• Coal generators see an increase in revenue due to the increased load and higher prices when the ba eries are charging.

ENERGY ENGINEERING

Conclusion The commissioning of a large ba ery storage facility in a market with vola le prices such as SA can significantly reduce market prices. While it is expected that peaking plant would see a drop in dispatch and revenue, our modelling shows that mid-merit plant can also be negavely affected. Baseload plant, however, will experience a rise in u lisa on and off-peak prices that can more than offset the overall lower market prices.

Overall, these results represent a transfer of wealth from generators to consumers and the owners of the ba ery storage projects. Given that the SA government is ac vely tendering for storage capacity, generators need to plan to offset this poten al loss. Inves ng in ba ery storage projects is one possible hedge against this poten al loss.

SIMULATION 2: GRID STORAGE IN THE PHILIPPINES’ VISAYAS GRID Introduc on The Visayas region of the Philippines is an archipelago of islands to the south of Luzon. It is connected to the main grid of Luzon via a series of subsea interconnectors. The limited capacity of these interconnectors and a deficit of genera on capacity in the region has led to high and vola le prices, and unserved energy.

The conven onal solu on to this problem would be to encourage addi onal thermal genera on build, with the associated pollu on/emissions and fuel costs, or the rela vely expensive op on of upgrading the Visayas grid.

Table 4 presents summary results from this simula on for generators and consumers in Cebu. These results show that:

Another op on would be to install grid-connected ba ery storage in the Visayas. This would improve the reliability of supply and lower peak prices by making be er use of the exis ng genera on capacity, and reduce the reliance on supply from Luzon. Several such projects have been proposed, but none have yet come to frui on.

• The presence of the ba ery storage facility reduces me-weighted average prices by USD 68.77/MWh, or a 34% reduc on on the no-ba ery scenario price, by reducing the prevalence of high prices driven by genera on shortages and reducing the use of high-priced peaker generators.

For this simula on, we have assumed a 300 MWh / 100 MW storage facility, located in the central Visayas island of Cebu. This does not represent a par cular project, but indicates the capacity required to make a significant impact. The base scenario assumes a load and generaon capacity situa on in which significant load shedding is occurring (0.18% of total demand).

Result

• Similarly, the load-weighted average price is reduced

by USD 56.56/MWh, or 31%. Note that load-weighted average prices are lower than me-weighted prices in this simula on, as high prices are largely driven by planned outages of genera on plant (rather than peak loads), which are scheduled to occur during low loads.

No Ba ery

Ba ery

Time-weighted average price (USD/MWh)

$112.89

$103.60

-$9.29

-8.2%

Load-weighted average price (USD/MWh)

$120.45

$108.88

-$11.57

-9.6%

Load shedding (% of total demand)

0.18%

0.06%

-0.12%

-66.7%

Total Consumer cost (MM USD)

$772.93

$698.66

-$74.27

-9.6%

Total generator market revenue (MM USD)

$524.55

$489.72

-$34.83

-6.6%

0

$34.23

$34.23

Ba ery market revenue (MM USD)

Difference

Table 4: Cebu summary results.

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ENERGY ENGINEERING

• Load shedding is cut by two thirds.

• These price reduc ons result in a net saving of USD 74 m in wholesale energy cost for Cebu electricity consumers.

Genera on Type

• Conversely, Cebu generators lose USD 35 m in wholesale market revenue.

• The ba ery facility makes USD 34 m in wholesale market revenue through the arbitrage in market prices.

Again, these results show a significant transfer of wealth from generators to consumers and the owner of the ba ery storage facility.

Figure 3 compares the price dura on curve of the main Cebu market node with and without the ba ery storage facility. This shows the expected reduc on in prices during peak periods when the ba ery is discharging, and higher prices during off-peak periods when the ba ery is charging. This is the expected outcome.

No Ba ery

Ba ery

Biomass

20,805.6

20,786.0

-19.6

-0.1%

Coal (Low Grade)

199,010.0

178,390.1

-20,619.9

-10.4%

Coal

375,603.4

366,377.4

-9,226.0

-2.5%

Diesel

57,199.1

30,957.3

-26,241.8

-45.9%

Geothermal

145,876.4

145,731.2

-145.2

-0.1%

Hydro

14,950.8

13,892.7

-1,058.2

-7.1%

Solar

3,506.5

3,502.0

-4.5

-0.1%

Wind

10,443.8

10,432.5

-11.3

-0.1%

Difference

Table 6: Visayas market revenue results (Million USD).

These results show that:

Figure 3: Cebu price duraƟon curve comparison.

Table 5 and Table 6 provide the GWh genera on and market revenue results of this simula on for the types of genera on capacity in the Visayas region.

Genera on Type

No Ba ery

Ba ery

408.8

408.8

0.0

0.0

Coal (Low Grade)

1,593.6

1,582.6

-11.0

-0.7%

Coal

4,559.5

4,627.4

67.9

1.5%

203.5

133.8

-69.6

-34.2%

2,404.3

2,406.7

2.4

0.1%

Hydro

177.4

177.4

0.0

0.0%

Solar

69.0

69.0

0.0

0.0%

Wind

211.9

211.9

0.0

0.0%

Biomass

Diesel Geothermal

Table 5: Visayas generaƟon results (GWh).

40

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

Difference

• The only class of generator that has its u lisa on significantly reduced by the ba ery is the diesel-fired peakers, which are the highest-priced generators in the region.

• Coal-fired generators, which provide the baseload genera on in the region, see an increase in genera on as they charge the ba eries in off-peak periods.

• Overall, genera on in the region is reduced slightly, as the ba ery enables be er use of the interconnector with Luzon.

• There is a significant reduction in revenue for thermal and hydro generators due to the lowered market prices.

• Diesel peakers take an extra reduc on in revenue as their dispatch is reduced in addi on to the lower market prices.

• Biomass, Geothermal, Solar and Wind do not see significant reduc ons in revenue, as they are located at market nodes that are insulated from the reduced prices by transmission constraints.

Conclusion Regions experiencing load shedding, high prices and grid constraints may well consider ba ery storage as an alterna ve to inves ng in addi onal genera on or transmis-

ENERGY ENGINEERING

sion upgrades. These results show that ba ery storage can be an effec ve alterna ve.

As for the SA simulation, there is a net transfer of wealth from generators to consumers and battery owners. However, in a constrained transmission network, the magnitude of a generator’s loss is very dependent on factors such as the type of generator and its location.

SIMULATION 3: SOLAR PV AND GRID STORAGE IN THE SINGAPORE NEMS Introduc on The following simulation serves as a counterpoint to the above scenarios. The Singapore market is characterised by very flat pricing and no significant transmission constraints. This is the result of an excess of capacity, consisting largely of very similar gas-fired CCGTs. A significant capacity of older steam turbine and gas turbine facilities are also held in reserve. As such, the case for grid-scale storage is not as strong as the previous two scenarios.

In 2014, the Singapore government announced the inten on to raise the adop on of solar power to 350 MW by 2020. As of the first quarter of 2017, Singapore has 99 MW of grid-connected solar PV systems.

While the grid could likely cope with this quan ty of intermi ent genera on without the addi on of storage, adding storage would be in line with Singapore’s history of extremely risk averse development of the power system. Indeed, the Energy Market Authority has launched a pilot programme for the introduc on of grid storage.

For this simula on, we have assumed a 600 MWh / 200 MW ba ery storage facility, located centrally on the 230 kV grid. This does not represent any specific project, but is representa ve of a large grid-scale project. The 350 MW of solar capacity is present in both scenarios.

Results Table 7 provides the Singapore-wide summary results from this simula on. These results show that:

Result

No Ba ery

Ba ery

Time-weighted average price (SGD/MWh)

140.02

139.99

-$0.03

-0.02%

Load-weighted average price (SGD/MWh)

139.98

139.96

-$0.02

-0.01%

Total Consumer cost (MM SGD)

7,828.87

7,827.56

-$1.30

-0.02%

Total generator market revenue (MM SGD)

7,943.49

7,942.64

-$0.85

-0.01%

Ba ery market revenue (MM SGD)

0

$1.05

$1.05

Difference

Table 7: Singapore summary results.

• There is negligible impact on market prices.

• There is also negligible impact on total consumer energy cost or overall generator revenue.

• The ba ery storage facility makes just over SGD 1 million from market price arbitrage. This would, by itself, be a poor return on an SGD 300-500 million investment.

The facility would need to get its primary income by providing reserve and system support services.

Figure 4 compares the price dura on curve of the Singapore market price with and without the ba ery storage facility. This again shows that the storage facility has very li le impact on market prices, due to the already very flat shape of the exis ng price curve.

Figure 4: Singapore price duraƟon curve comparison.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

41

ENERGY ENGINEERING

Table 8 and Table 9 provide the GWh genera on and market revenue results of this simula on for each type of genera on capacity in Singapore.

Genera on Type

No Ba ery

Ba ery

CCGT

55,935.9

55,938.9

3.0

OCGT

0.0

0.0

0.0

ST

692.8

690.1

-2.7

-0.39%

Solar

689.8

689.8

0.0

0.00%

Other

61.6

61.5

-0.1

-0.16%

Difference 0.01%

Table 8: Singapore generaƟon results (GWh).

Genera on Type

No Ba ery

Ba ery

CCGT

7,742.9

7,741.5

-1.4

OCGT

0.0

0.0

0.0

ST

95.7

95.3

-0.4

-0.42%

Solar

96.1

96.1

0.0

0.0%

Other

8.8

8.8

0.0

0.0%

Difference -0.02%

Table 9: Singapore market revenue results (SGD Million).

As expected, the differences between the no-ba ery and ba ery scenarios are minor: • There is a small shi of genera on from the Steam Turbines (STs), which are se ng the peak market prices, to the CCGTs, which will be providing the genera on to charge the ba eries.

• Each class of genera on sees a drop in revenue due to the slightly lower market prices, but in all cases the drop is less than 1%.

Conclusion In a market that is free of transmission constraints, genera on shortages and vola le market prices, such as Singapore, the impact of ba ery storage on wholesale energy market outcomes is likely to be minimal.

42

a large ba ery storage facility can significantly reduce market prices. It is a given that peaking plant would see a drop in dispatch and revenue, however mid-merit plant can also be nega vely affected. Whether baseload plant will experience increased u lisa on and off-peak prices to offset the overall lower market prices depends on the dynamics of the par cular market.

In such situa ons, there is a net transfer of wealth from generators to ba ery owners, and a larger one from generators to consumers. The magnitude of a generator’s loss is very dependent on factors such as the type of generator and its loca on in a constrained transmission network. This is a poten al loss that generators should plan to mi gate. Possible hedges against this loss include inves ng in storage projects and baseload genera on.

In a market that is free of transmission constraints, genera on shortages and vola le market prices, the impact of ba ery storage on wholesale energy market outcomes is likely to be minimal.

DISCLAIMER THE PAPER ON WHICH THIS ARTICLE IS BASED HAS BEEN PREPARED ON THE BASIS OF OUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND INFORMATION WHICH IS AVAILABLE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY IS GIVEN AS TO THE ACHIEVABILITY OR REASONABLENESS OF FUTURE PROJECTIONS OR THE ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING THEM, TARGETS, VALUATIONS, OPINIONS, PROSPECTS OR RETURNS, IF ANY, WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED BY ANYONE SEEKING TO RELY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. THIS REPORT HAS BEEN PREPARED USING WEMSIM © PA KNOWLEDGE LIMITED, USED UNDER LICENCE

BY ROBINSON BOWMAKER PAUL LIMITED. PA KNOWLEDGE LIMITED AND THE PA GROUP MAKE NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION AND ACCEPT NO LIABILITY IN RESPECT OF THIS REPORT.

(This arƟcle is based on a paper authored by Mr Richard Bowmaker, Robinson Bowmaker Paul, Wellington, New Zealand, and presented at Asia Power Week Conference and ExhibiƟon 2017.

The paper won a Best Paper Award.

CONCLUSIONS

Asia Power Week Conference and ExhibiƟon 2017, comprising POWER-GEN Asia 2017 and Renewable Energy World Asia 2017, was held from 19 to 21 September 2017 at BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand.

In markets experiencing vola le market prices (whether as the result of genera on shortages, constrained grids, or a peaky demand curve and diverse genera on fleet),

Organised by PennWell CorporaƟon, Asia Power Week is the industry’s premier regional conference and exhibiƟon dedicated to the power generaƟon, renewable and alternaƟve energy industries).

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

INFOCOMM TECHNOLOGY

TOP THREE WIFI TRENDS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE TECHNOLOGY LANDSCAPE IN 2018

by Mr Vasudevan Venkatakrishnan, Director of Business Development, Ruckus Networks Asia Pacific Their implica ons on organisa ons will be significant.

Unlimited data plans Unlimited data gained trac on in the early years of the modern smartphone era, as service providers rushed to capitalise on the demand for smartphones, only to begin introducing data caps as exis ng networks began to buckle under the strain of all the demand for 3G connec vity. Fast forward a few years later, carriers have put newer infrastructure in place, and are much be er equipped to deliver faster mobile connec vity, resul ng in the return of unlimited data plans.

In Malaysia, for example, mobile operator upstart Webe offers a no-contract postpaid plan with unlimited data, voice and text star ng from just MYR 79 monthly.

However, with increasing demand for high-bandwidth content-driven services like Ne lix and Spo fy the world over, data traffic growth through the next few years will be astonishing. In Asia Pacific, the growth in data consump on is forecast to be between 30% to 60% per annum, between 2015 and 2020, driven by a number of factors including rich content, big data analy cs, smart ci es, social media and growing broadband penetra on in the region.

And the ever-growing appe te for data is par cularly acute in ASEAN, as the region is the fastest growing Internet market in the world, with its online popula on expanding by 124,000 new users every day. This is also the es mated growth rate in the next five years.

With increasing data genera on and consump on, especially in growth markets such as Indonesia, cellular networks might not be able to cope with the insa able appe te for data, especially with unlimited data plans back on the table. This makes the use of WiFi technologies one of the best op ons to deliver on end-user broadband needs while le ng operators effec vely manage both capital and opera ng expenditure by ghtly integra ng both LTE and WiFi for a more seamless user experience.

Closer to home, the popula on of ASEAN is predicted to increase from 633 million people in 2015 to 741 million people in 2035. In the same vein, its ageing popula on is expected to nearly double over the next two decades, from 7.7% in 2015 to 15.5% in 2035. To address the region’s Mr Vasudevan Venkatakrishnan burgeoning popula on, rapid urbanisa on and ageing popula on, it is no surprise that the infrastructure investments es mated for Southeast Asian countries, between 2010 and 2020, are a staggering USD 600 billion.

Evidently, ensuring that the ci es here will be able to accommodate the influx of new residents and evolving demographics, while ensuring sustainable and enhanced quality of life in the urban environments, is becoming more vital than before. To tackle the major challenges that urbanisa on brings, smart ci es have been built from the ground up to embrace connec vity. Everything from buildings to street lights are connected to each other and to the Internet, via WiFi. For older ci es, WiFi technologies can be used to replace fixed lines and copper cables, enabling the popula on to get and stay connected, whatever their device or loca on.

This is especially per nent as public spaces are o en subject to regula ons that restrict cellular coverage indoors, paving the way for WiFi to be op mal in highly frequented public spaces such as shopping malls and airports.

Smarter Ci es

In Singapore, the Land Transport Authority rolled out WiFi connec vity on the island state’s numerous Mass Rapid Transit(MRT) sta ons with the Wireless@SG program. WiFi connec vity lets commuters enjoy an always-connected journey, essen al for those who check email or social media during the commute. WiFi hotspot placement also plays a role in crowd management strategy, encouraging crowd displacement to areas with be er connec vity. More importantly, data collected from the hotspots enables richer insights into crowd behaviour to improve public transport service delivery.

The United Na ons es mated that in 2016, 1.7 billion people, or 23% of the world popula on lived in a city

In Malaysia, Sabah’s capital city, Kota Kinabalu, recently launched KK City WiFi, Malaysia’s first free and first

By having a high-quality managed WiFi service to augment mobile networks, service providers can ensure quality of service is maintained, which posi vely affects customer reten on. In turn, costs are kept in check, as customer acquisi on costs tend to be high.

44

with at least 1 million inhabitants. By 2030, that number is projected to rise to 27%.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

INFOCOMM TECHNOLOGY

seamless WiFi enabled city ini a ve. This programme is a crucial step in Sabah’s ambi on to become the na on’s digital hub, and it is expected to help boost the city’s tourism, grow its digital economy and provide a pla orm for future e-government ini a ves.

Urban connec vity also helps with data crowdsourcing to provide ci zens access to informa on that would be otherwise hard to obtain. For example, the city of Jakarta crowdsources social media data to help track floods and other natural disasters via the PetaBencana online service.

With smart ci es, technology can play a role in helping build be er communi es and empower social transforma on through be er efficiency, and in ways that adapt to residents’ needs. Whether in ma ers such as public transporta on systems, ci zen services or even issues of sustainability, smart city technologies provide meaningful solu ons to the challenges of ageing civic infrastructure and urban planning decisions that were not made with a long-term view.

For countries and its ci es in Southeast Asia, reaping the benefits of a connected economy will require robust communica ons networks that deliver reliable connecvity to the millions of connected devices and sensors that keep our lives and ci es running.

The maturing Internet of Things Businesses and governments in Asia are paying more and more a en on to the Internet of Things (IoT). According to a recent IDC report on IoT readiness, the IoT market for Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APeJ) will see growth from USD 335.6 billion in 2016, to USD 565.5 billion in 2020.

Without a doubt, IoT devices will con nue to grow and play an increasingly larger role in our lives and work environment. They will also track an ever-growing spectrum of data, ranging from health to loca on to transac onal records. Evidently, many IoT devices do and will con nue to carry sensi ve data and they need to be securely onboarded and connected.

However, securing IoT is and will con nue to be a challenge, because of the lack of secure mechanisms available for onboarding and off-boarding. Added to that is the fact that IoT devices need to maintain separate network policies not just against user client devices but against themselves due to many device types and applica ons in play.

Although these IoT challenges can be addressed, the real issue is how to solve them at scale.

The best op on for addressing scale is cer ficate-based WiFi security. This type of IoT onboarding allows manufacturers to easily enable secure IoT devices in days or weeks rather than months. Once IoT devices are secured in this manner, the next step is to be er enable IT managers in the enterprises that are deploying these IoT devices to control and manage network privileges. This will vastly simplify the adop on of secure IoT devices at scale.

to apply customised and appropriate policies for every discrete connec on on the network. This will result in mission-cri cal devices being treated as priority in a hierarchy of permissions that can be tailored to suit the unique demands of different enterprises and organisa ons.

NI announces MAC layer support for Its 802.11 Applica on Framework NI recently announced MAC layer support for its LabVIEW Communica ons 802.11 Applica on Framework.

Wireless researchers can take advantage of the new mul user MAC layer enhancements to the 802.11 Applica on Framework to go beyond the PHY layer to address complex network-level problems that must be solved to make the 5G vision a reality.

5G brings the promise of unseen services and a broad range of use cases such as powering autonomous vehicles, smart factories and eHospitals. While many of these applica ons will be delivered over cellular links, many will also be served by private networks based on WiFi, which will make 5G a combina on of both licensed and unlicensed wireless protocols.

There are many challenges that wireless researchers must address when working towards a more op mal delivery of joint WiFi and 5G cellular services. One is the ability of 5G network slicing to seamlessly deliver end-to-end orchestra on across different radio access technologies. Wireless researchers can pair the 802.11 Applica on Framework with NI so ware defined radio hardware to rapidly conduct network-level, real- me, over-the-air prototyping experiments for a wide range of WiFi and 5G MAC/PHY research.

The 802.11 Applica on Framework also supports up to 80 MHz of real- me bandwidth and full bi-direc onal communica ons and includes MAC layer features such as CSMA/CA, RTS, CTS, NAV and retransmission. Because the MAC layer is implemented on an FPGA, the 802.11 Applica on Framework meets the strict ming requirements of the 802.11 specifica on to form a complete real- me solu on. According to NI, with these new capabili es, users can take advantage of the 802.11 Applica on Framework out of the box to conduct a wide range of WiFi experiments and seamlessly integrate custom signal processing algorithms and MAC layer protocols in a frac on of the me compared to other approaches.

LabVIEW CommunicaƟons 802.11 ApplicaƟon Framework

The ideal onboarding technology has the capability to apply specific policies to specific devices and enable the same network to differen ate between different users and devices. Ul mately, what it should achieve is the capability THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

45

IES UPDATE

ENGAGING FUTURE ENGINEERING TALENT

REPUBLIC POLYTECHNIC Republic Polytechnic (RP) held its annual Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (DEEE) Industry Day 2017 on 21 September 2017. It was a ended by some 150 third-year DEEE students. IES was invited to speak at the event due to its strong support of the student chapter in RP as well as other engineering ini a ves.

Ms Low Pei Qi from the Membership Department was on hand to share with students about IES and its membership benefits. RP’s Dr Yang Hong, who is also part of the IES Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering Technical Commi ee (EECETC), facilitated the exchange.

It was definitely an excellent opportunity to meet and engage with these aspiring engineers, and we hope they will con nue to strive and make great contribu ons to the na on in me to come.

ICYMI: RECENT IES TECHNICAL COMMITTEE EVENTS 7 October 2017 – Laser Technology and Applica ons on Precision Engineering, Inspec on, Monitoring, Maintenance, Cleaning and Smart Transport This talk was organised by the EECETC. It was a ended by about 40 par cipants. The applica on of laser and lidar technology in engineering was discussed, and some prototypes were put through their paces as well.

26 October 2017 – A Quick Introduc on to Deep Learning The seminar was put together by the EECETC and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

Dr June Tay and Dr Bheema Lokesh, programme heads for Mul media, Technology and Design and Electronics Engineering at SUSS respec vely, presented their papers on deep learning to the 30-odd STEM professionals in a endance.

46

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

IES UPDATE

STRENGTHENING SIGNALLING CAPABILITY

TO ENHANCE RAIL RELIABILITY

LTA Deputy CE (Infrastructure & Development) Chua Chong Kheng (standing, leŌ) and SGRA Chairman Professor Cham Tao Soon look on as IRSE President Peter Symons (leŌ) and IES President Er. Edwin Khew sign the MOU.

For the first me ever, the biannual signalling conference, Automa on, Signalling, Performance, Equipment, Control, Communica ons, (ASPECT) was held outside of the United Kingdom. ASPECT Singapore 2017, jointly organised by the Ins tu on of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) and IES, took place from 27 November to 1 December. It was supported by LTA and the Singapore Rail Academy (SGRA).

During the five-day conference, a total of 49 speakers delivered lectures and presented papers that drove discussion on a broad range of topics, from the performance and op misa on of metro technologies and systems, professional development of engineers, signalling elements and asset management.

Over 240 delegates from 24 countries gathered to discuss and review the challenges they faced in improving train system capacity and reliability, such as those associated with upgrading to the Communica ons-Based Train Control (CBTC) system. They also discussed the role of engineers and efforts to iden fy and intensify training and development opportuni es for the future.

LTA’s Deputy Chief Execu ve (Infrastructure & Development), Mr Chua Chong Kheng said: “The cross-sharing of technological evolu on and opera onal best prac ces in ensuring signalling reliability at the ASPECT conference will help play a role in improving rail reliability and performance. It will also help bring Singapore closer towards its vision of having 75 per cent of all peak hour journeys made on public transport.”

IRSE and IES also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to foster the development of training and educa on courses in the fields of train control and communica ons. The partners will work together to produce joint publica ons which include best prac ces, and will also collaborate to explore the adop on of IRSE Licensing, a system of formal competency assessment for railway signal engineers.

“IES is excited and privileged to enter into a collabora ve partnership with IRSE. It will strengthen our efforts in advancing the capability of Singapore’s railway and transporta on sector to meet changing needs.

“The MOU will dovetail with the Chartered Engineer (Singapore) Registry for Railway & Transporta on Engineering championed by IES to validate professional experience, exper se and prac sing competence of engineers in this field. It will help both ins tu ons be er serve the needs of our members and realise our common goal of harnessing engineering to build safer, more efficient and sustainable rail networks for the public,” said Er. Edwin Khew, President of IES. The conference included visits to SMRT’s Kim Chuan and Bishan Depots, as well as to SBS Transit’s Gali Batu Depot. At these visits, delegates learnt about the North-South and East-West Lines’ transition to the CBTC system, as well as the signalling system used on the Downtown Line.

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER December 2017

47

VIEWPOINT

DIGITALISATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE TWO MAJOR SUBJECTS THAT NEED ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS Among the most pressing challenges for engineers, in the immediate future, is the impact of digitalisa on, with its obvious benefits as well as its disrup ve character and the risks that come with it, whilst their energies and innova ve capabili es con nue to be directed at mi ga ng the effects of Climate Change through improved sustainability and resilience.

In order to embrace the era of digitalisa on, variously termed as the Fourth Industrial Revolu on or Industry 4.0, the Government has made available a slew of grants, for retraining exis ng workers, the introduc on of relevant new training programmes, and for the purchase of technology and equipment.

On their part, leading technology companies and management consultants are addressing these developments by se ng up digitalisa on hubs and ‘factories of the future’ where technology crea on, customisa on and transfer can take place, in a collabora ve manner, for the benefit of all categories of organisa ons, ranging from large companies to small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

However, there are risks that come with the increased connec vity. In par cular, cybera acks have become a frightening reality. The predic on is that, globally, there will be more of this in 2018, emphasising, therefore, the need to develop and install technologies for greater cybersecurity.

An area where digitalisa on is expected to have a significant impact is transporta on. A good example is the transforma ve role that it has had on taxi-hailing services.

MRT services in Singapore have, in the course of the year, demonstrated both the advantages of digitalisa on, in terms of being able to provide seamless travel across the country especially with the opening of the Downtown Line in late October, and the problems caused by a endant, hopefully temporary, technical glitches.

Terminal 4 (T4) at Changi Airport, which was opened in end-October, exemplifies the extensive use of technology, including facial recogni on so ware, thereby giving depar ng passengers the ability to perform end-to-end Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST).

Another major topic, that was discussed during the year, is the need to adopt sustainable development goals, in order combat Climate Change.

According to a provisional statement from the World Meteorological Organiza on (WMO), based on the data available for the period January to September 2017, it is very likely that 2017 will emerge as one of the three ho est years on record. The year also recorded the occurrence of many hurricanes, floods, heatwaves and drought. Long-term indicators of Climate Change, such as increasing carbon dioxide concentra ons, sea level rise and ocean acidifica on, show that Climate Changes will con nue. The WMO statement was released at the United Na ons Climate Change Conference in Bonn, held from 6 to 17 November.

At the conference, Singapore reiterated its commitment to the effec ve implementa on of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Whilst already having placed considerable emphasis on sustainable development, the country has stated it will do more and has designated Year 2018 as the Year of Climate Ac on.

As we move into 2018, engineers will will have to join other professionals and stakeholders to find solu ons to these and other challenges.

Editor ‘The Singapore Engineer’

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