Rail
WINTER 2007/8
FAST FORWARD WITH ABB POWER SYSTEMS & PRODUCTS
180 tonne transformer’s incredible journey page 3
Smart grids – a smart choice? page 6
Transformer health check page 8
Ideal solution for indoor primary distribution page 10
New dynamic response compensator page 11
See page 9
Bridging China’s energy gap The world’s longest power link www.abb.com/ffwd
Issue 18 Winter 2007/8
New Year. New opportunities
contents 3
The incredible journey How a 180 tonne ABB supergrid transformer was transported from Sweden to London
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Trevor Gregory ABB UK Managing Director
News UK and international news
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Smartgrids – smart choice or distant dream? Duncan Botting looks at the factors driving the development of the power grid of tomorrow
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Transformer health check ABB’s new diagnostic service identifies potential problems and keeps transformers from any manufacturer operating effectively
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The world’s longest power link A new UHVDC link will take power 2,000km, from western China to the industrial coastal area around Shanghai
10 The ideal indoor primary distribution solution ABB’s new Unigear fixed circuit breaker panel
11 New dynamic response compensator The new Dynacomp products are equipped with an advanced controller and offer a wide power range from 380V to 690V
12 Awards sustain innovation ABB has supported the IET Innovations Awards for the past three years
Read this issue online: www.abb.com/ffwd
It would appear that some elements of the modern day science community have become the modern version of the eccentrics who you used to see outside football grounds wearing boards proclaiming ‘the end of the world is nigh’ when it comes to discussing climate change. It does not have to be all doom and gloom. There are real opportunities for business, and individuals within business, to play key roles in bringing about the necessary change. No one person, business or country has the answer but we can all play our part. We have to develop the will to make the necessary changes, not only in the way we live but in the way we go about our business. Some good initiatives have started in the area of building energy efficiency into our working practices but these must be accelerated across the whole industrial and commercial landscape. Reducing waste and improving efficiency are targets that are obvious to everyone today. The good news is that the technologies are available and are commercially feasible. We are all urging our political leaders to set the tone with guidelines, targets, laws, rules and regulations. Ultimately, it will be down to you and I as individuals to deliver on these. Industry and commerce can make a difference and they can do so both immediately and in the longer term. Almost two thirds of all energy produced is consumed by industry. Consumer awareness is crucial and can provide important momentum but really the answer lies within the business community itself. Improve efficiency in this important sector in life and the UK can meet the targets that are being set for this country in the desired timescales. In the areas of technology, simple examples include ABB’s automation equipment in the form of highly efficient drives and motors that give huge reductions in industrial energy consumption, while our power offering includes technologies that eliminate waste, enable the efficient transmission of power over long distances while addressing a wide range of environmental concerns.
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Published by:
Editor:
ABB Limited Power Systems Oulton Road, Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0RS
Karen Strong
FFWD >> WINTER 2007/8
Telephone: 01785 825050 www.abb.com/uk
In this issue of FastForward we take a look at a selection of solutions that can (and already do) improve efficiency, increase productivity and save money. This has to be in all of our interests.
Transformers
The incredible journey
1 The load sqeezes under a bridge en-route. 2 Journey’s end. The transformer is lifted into position.
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In a triumph of logistics and planning, a massive new 400/66kV ABB supergrid transformer, weighing 180 tonnes, was delivered to National Grid’s 400kV Lodge Road/St John’s Wood substation. The journey by rail, sea and road, from Ludvika, Sweden to the West London site was so complex and challenging that it has been dubbed ‘the incredible journey’.
The whole enterprise is part of National Grid’s ongoing programme to reinforce the power grid serving the London area. The delivery was planned and undertaken by Abnormal Load Engineering (ALE), the heavy transportation specialist. As Tom Smith, ABB project manager explains: “Delivery of any large transformer within London is always a complex exercise with many factors to be considered. Not least, is the need to seek approval and cooperation from a host of bodies such as the police, shipping agents, the Highways Agency, Local
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Authorities and Transport for London (TFL). However, there were a number of additional factors that made this really out of the ordinary. “To start with, although stripped of all its accessories, the transformer was still very large – measuring 8.5 x 4.5 x 4.8 metres – and even using ALE’s girder frame trailer that enabled it to be carried at a very low height above the road, the clearance at two bridges on the route was marginal, at just a few centimetres. Next there was the 250 tonne combined weight of the trailer and transformer which was clearly going to be too heavy for the existing elevated roadway on the site using normal means. This required a detailed site survey to determine the maximum safe load, followed by remedial and reinforcing works on the site, as well as the use of a 14 axle rig to spread the load. Then there was the restricted nature of the substation site, in a busy urban area, that called for the 66 metre trailer and tractor combination to negotiate a tight dog-leg turn, crawling through the gates a few centimetres at a time with no margin for error.” Even after solving the significant logistic and engineering problems, and carrying out a successful dry run with a fully assembled rig, there was another challenge – the delivery took place on one of the busiest traffic weekends of the year in the capital. The British leg of the
Tour de France, Live Earth at Wembley and the British Grand Prix at Silverstone were all happening at the same time. Nevertheless, it was ‘now or never’, as otherwise major M25 roadworks would delay delivery for months.
Delivering a 180 tonne transformer to the St John’s Wood substation in West London is one of the most demanding heavy moving tasks ever undertaken by ABB
FROM RAIL TO SHIP TO ROAD
TRANS-SHIPMENT
The transformer travelled by rail from the ABB factory at Ludvika, Sweden to the port of Västerås from where it was shipped to Tilbury. Engineers met it at the docks to check that high seas had not caused any damage. From Tilbury, it was taken by road. The first leg took it to South Mimms service station on the M25. Then at midnight on Saturday it was cleared to start on its final journey into London. The route was approved by the Highways Agency, who had also temporarily removed street furniture and parked cars in strategic places. Despite careful planning, some quick thinking was needed as recent accidents had damaged the crash barriers on a crucial elevated roundabout on the North Circular Road (A406). Temporary concrete bollards, together with worries about the bridge supports forced the convoy to reverse the wrong way round a roundabout.
The convoy arrived at the substation at 3.00 am, but it took three more hours to manoeuvre the trailer on to the trans-shipment mat. A specially constructed Mega Lift then raised the transformer from its trailer before it was lowered on to an eight row SPT (self propelled transport) that moved it closer to the transformer pen. From here, the transformer was put on to Teflon skids so it could be nudged into position, aligned and jacked down on to its antivibration pads. “This was probably the most complex and demanding transformer delivery exercise ever undertaken by ABB in the UK.” says Tom Smith. “It really is a tribute to the outstanding planning, coordination, teamwork, skill and determination shown by everyone involved. Not just in ABB and ALE, but also National Grid, the police and all the various authorities.”
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News
Poultry power gets control Generating upgrade young engineers Industry is crying out for new engineers. It can be a real struggle to persuade young people that this is the career for them, and even when convinced they continue to need support once they have chosen this path. With strong support from ABB, CIGRE, the International Council for Large Electric Systems, has launched an initiative to provide the kind of support and encouragement that budding engineers need.
ABB is carrying out a major upgrade to the plant control systems at the Energy Power Resources Limited (EPRL) 38.5MW poultry litter-fuelled power station in Thetford, Norfolk. The project will provide improved control and greater energy-efficiency.
The existing Harmony control system is being upgraded to ABB’s state-of-the-art System 800xA Process Portal with a new control desk,a single large screen TFT display and the integration of other systems display data into 800xA. ABB will also supply its Power Generation Information Management system to form part of a company-wide solution for production information and reporting. This can easily be expanded in the future to provide additional optimisation facilities for all EPRL’s power plants.
ABB’s ‘Evolution’ lifecycle support strategy enables organisations to meet changing business conditions, both commercial and technical, by upgrading their existing automation systems, through a series of small, cost-effective steps. Thetford power station will be ABB’s second Evolution project for EPR, and follows the successful installation of System 800xA at the 13.5MW biomass fuelled power station in Glanford, Lincolnshire.
The idea for CIGRE’s New Generation Network (NGN) originally came from ABB UK’s managing director, Trevor Gregory, a member of the CIGRE UK Executive Committee. Trevor has committed the company to giving NGN strong support. NGN was launched a few weeks ago at a special event at the Williams F1 Conference Centre in Oxfordshire. Here, leading international engineering speakers together with young engineers talked, listened and shared ideas on the future. From now on, they will have access to wide ranging content including publications and material on e-cigre, CIGRE’s website, as well as working groups, special UK events, key contacts and a mentoring scheme. Through NGN, tomorrow’s engineers will have the support and encouragement of the best in the world.
Feeder terminal range gets approval ABB Power Systems has gained ENA acceptance for its REF541/3/5 feeder terminal range. This type-approval is managed by the Energy Networks Association and is important in obtaining product acceptance by National Grid and other leading customers in the UK electricity industry.
The REF 541, 543 and 545 feeder terminals are used in the protection, control and measurement of medium-voltage networks. 04
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They can be used with a variety of switchgear including single busbar, double busbar and duplex systems. The feeder terminals also allow a number of programmable logic control (PLC) functions to be incorporated in a single unit for substation automation. The ENA acceptance process is the most recent that the feeder units have passed and gives confidence in the functional performance of the units in a number of important test conditions.
News
INTERNATIONAL NEWS SCANDINAVIA Renewing old ties A 30-year old power link between Denmark and Sweden, across the Skagerrak Strait, has been given a new lease of life by ABB. The cables themselves are good for another 20 years or more, but the control system needed upgrading. Orders for ABB’s Mach 2 control system have been central to extending the life and performance of HVDC systems.
Full speed ahead for Alliance In late 2006, National Grid selected the Substation Alliance comprising ABB, Atkins and Morgan Est as its preferred partner for substation development and construction projects in Central England. The alliance is now in full swing, with site work well under way at a number of projects across the region, and many others at the design and planning stages.
At Frodsham, Cheshire, work continues apace on the construction of a new 400/25kV connection point for Network Rail’s West Coast Main Line power supply reinforcement programme. The stone infill works have already been completed with the importing of over 40,000 tonnes of stone.
At Lister Drive, Merseyside an existing 275/132kV substation is being upgraded by installing a fourth 240MVA SGT transformer. Extensive demolition work has been completed and base construction is nearing completion. At the same time, the protection and control scheme is being developed. Other sites also mobilised by the Substation Alliance include: Drakelow, Bushbury and Ocker Hill in Staffordshire; Kirkby, near Liverpool; West Burton and Cottam, Nottinghamshire; Enderby, Leicestershire; Kearsley, Greater Manchester; Walpole, Norfolk; Rochdale, Lancashire.
Protection and Hair-raising control conference experiences ABB is sponsor and exhibitor at the 9th International Conference on Developments in Power System Protection, which will take place in Glasgow 17-20 March 2008, and is being organised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Power Network.
The conference will provide a forum for the international engineering community to meet and exchange ideas through discussions and tutorials. Visitors will learn about recent developments and future trends in the design, application and management of power system protection and control systems. Engineers, from recent graduates and research students to senior managers and consultants, will participate. Previous conferences have attracted 200–300 delegates from over 30 countries. The conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow, which is directly opposite the Glasgow Science Centre. Find out more at http://conferences.theiet.org/dpsp/index.htm F FWD >> www.abb.com/ffwd
Around 8,000 children and their parents flocked to the latest Imagineering Fair at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry for an insight into the exciting world of modern engineering technology.
ABB engineers helped National Grid‘s Electricity Alliance run the Energy and Environment Zone which showed how energy reaches us and how we can conserve it. One of the stand’s highlights was a hair-raising experience for young and old provided by a Van de Graaff generator.
SPAIN Shining example of solar power Europe’s first large-scale solar energy plant – the 100MW Andasol 1 and 2 in the Sierra Nevada of southern Spain – is opening up a new era in renewable emissions-free power generation. ABB’s market-leading and award-winning Extended Automation System 800xA will control this innovative new process. The site will produce about 350GW of electricity per year, enough for 100,000 households. In the process it will save 345,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. ANGOLA Grid connections will save on fuel ABB has won a US$45 million contract from Angola’s Empresa Nacional de Electricidade (ENE) to connect the electricity grids in the northern and central parts of the country. This will help reduce CO2 and NOx emissions from fossil fuels by enabling more of the hydropower generated in the north to be fed into the central electrical grid. The availability of reliable, high-quality power will support economic development in the central region and create job opportunities. NAMIBIA International links A US$180 million order has been awarded to ABB by the Namibian national power utility, NamPower. A new 350kV, 300MW transmission link will connect the northeastern Caprivi region and the power network in central Namibia. It will also interconnect with the networks of Zambia, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and South Africa to create an alternative route for power imports and exports to and from neighbouring countries. The link will use ABB’s innovative and environmentally friendly HVDC Light system, a high-voltage direct current transmission technology that will stabilise the two weak networks and increase grid reliability in the region. GERMANY Rail power conversion ABB is to supply an advanced 400MW power converter system for E.ON’s new 1,100MW coal-fired power station, currently under construction in Datteln, in the Rhine-Ruhr region, to provide electricity to German railways. It will be the largest power converter system of this type ever built. INDIA Giving steel-making a boost ABB has won orders worth US$127 million to help the Indian industrial group JSW increase capacity at its steel mills. ABB will supply turnkey power and automation solutions for two power plants enabling them to generate electricity needed by the mills and sell any surplus to utilities. The installations are expected to be operational by 2009, and will help JSW increase its annual steel-making capacity from 3.8 million to 10 million tonnes by 2010.
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Smartgrids
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Smartgrids – smart choice or distant dream? Duncan Botting, ABB UK’s head of technology & business development, looks at the factors driving the development of the power grid of tomorrow. Traditionally, our power needs have been met by large, centralised generation units, with the electricity they produce transported to the end-user by very reliable transmission grids feeding into tapered distribution networks. But we now need to rethink this delivery mechanism in the light of the new drivers for change that affect the industry. These include the demand for cleaner, renewable power and the need for greater energy-efficiency.
INCREASED ENERGY-EFFICIENCY
Centralised electricity generation systems waste, on average, over 60 per cent of their energy as heat before they deliver any useful energy to the end-user. Additional losses in the transmission and distribution networks only add to the need to bring the source of the electricity closer to where it is used. This has resulted in a huge increase in demand for distributed generation solutions, such as micro-generation in homes and industry, to be linked with heating and cooling (micro-combined heat and power, CHP) that can increase total useful energyefficiency levels to over 85 per cent. LOCALLY GENERATED RENEWABLES
Locally generated renewable sources, such as wind, solar and micro-CHP, are also creating new and challenging issues, especially for distribution network operators (DNOs). For example, DNOs might have to cope with twoway power flows, with power now being exported from what used to be only a load centre. Furthermore, new environmentally clean centralised generation, such as clean coal (using carbon capture and storage techniques), nuclear and more traditional gas solutions have to be balanced with distributed generation. This requires the DNOs to look at delivering networks and services that can deal with this new paradigm. They have to consider factors such as constraint management and system balancing requirements that previously were managed at the transmission level. 06
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FROM PASSIVE TO ACTIVE In order to manage these increasing demands, distribution networks will need to be transformed from the traditional ‘passive’ design (planned for particular peak load and usage as fit-and-forget networks) to a more ‘active’ or dynamically adapting network. Features of this intelligent or ‘smartgrid’ network of the future might include: • Virtual power plants (VPPs) consisting of a large number of small generator units, in residential properties managed as one large power source – creating new players in the trading scene, known as aggregators. • The DNO managing the connection of smart ‘white goods’ in the home (such as refrigerators and freezers) to provide active/reactive load control in their local network, taking smart metering to a new level of sophistication. • Energy storage solutions to smooth capacity constraint issues.
Smartgrids
WORLDWIDE R&D
Governments worldwide are accelerating research, development and deployment projects to realise active network management. Examples include the Intelligrid Initiative led by EPRI in the USA and the SmartGrids Technology Platform sponsored by the EU leading to Framework 6 and now Framework 7 research programmes. ABB has been instrumental in leading the thinking behind this exciting new technologyintensive area and is heavily involved in developing Europe’s SmartGrids Vision, Strategic Research Agenda, Strategic Deployment Document (under preparation), and the UK Government/Regulator-chaired Horizon Scanning. We are also working on collaborative projects with our customers and leading academic institutions around the world to deliver improved products and solutions for active networks.
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PRACTICAL DEPLOYMENT
In the Spring 2007 issue of FFWD we highlighted ‘Aura-NMS’ a collaborative project between ABB, EDF Energy, Scottish Power and seven leading universities (Imperial College London, University of Strathclyde, University of Manchester, University of Bath, University of Edinburgh, Loughborough University and Durham University) to develop an automated regional active network management system based on ABB’s COM600 technology. This will also include the deployment of ABB’s latest battery storage (DynoPower) technology to determine the best use of such technology in an active network. This project will provide an important step in understanding the Smartgrid of tomorrow. It is just one example of the need for research and development projects that include the practical deployment of equipment on the power network. This approach helps to build a far greater understanding of how these complex distribution systems can be tested and integrated into ‘real’ power networks. TRANSMISSION PROJECT NETWORKS
The Aura-NMS addresses the need to make distribution power networks ‘active’. However, distribution networks are not the only frontier in the Smartgrids of tomorrow. The European Energy Policy published in the last legislative package released in September 2007 indicates the need for a common ambition for a pan-European approach to power transmission network integration. The ability to interconnect the national systems of the 27 member states in a reliable and controllable manner is recognised not only for security of supply but also for trading. As well as providing solutions for Europe’s increasing level of intermittent renewable power resources (mandated to reach a connected level of 20 per cent by 2020) the Smartgrid will also need to handle the increased interconnectivity of a panEuropean network that will probably extend into offshore networks and undersea interconnectors. F FWD >> www.abb.com/ffwd
1 Smartgrids point to a future of tightly integrated but flexible power networks. 2 ABB’s Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS). 3 Long distance HVDC Light solutions meet many of the requirements set out by European policymakers. 3
ABB’s Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) and HVDC Light solutions are able to meet many of the requirements of European policy and these proven technologies are already assisting many of our global customers at the transmission level. Standards such as IEC 61850 will also play an important part in ensuring the interoperability of equipment from different suppliers. This will facilitate the introduction of multi-vendor solutions and allow coherent development of the Smartgrid. THE NEED FOR FLEXIBILITY
Much of the equipment being deployed on power networks today will probably still be in service in 40 or 50 years. This presents a special challenge to tomorrow’s Smartgrid. If utilities are deploying inflexible products that cannot be integrated into the Smartgrid solution, this may slow down or even prevent its deployment because of insufficient functionality.
SMART THINKING NEEDED
Across Europe the replacement of end-of-life equipment that was installed during the 1950/60s is ramping up. Combine this with the new targets that governments are setting for heat and renewables, and the time for some smart thinking is upon us. Like-for-like replacement of products and solutions will not deliver the innovation required to ensure the lifeblood of the European economy – energy – is maintained. ABB is working hard with the many stakeholders involved to ensure the technology to achieve the shared Smartgrids vision is in place and ready for deployment. Smartgrids will happen, the challenge is to make them reality sooner rather than later.
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Transformers
Transformer health check Transformer failure is a time-consuming and costly problem to deal with. A new service from ABB helps identify potential problems early on and prevent them developing into something more serious and costly. ABB’s transformer diagnostic service uses state-of-the-art electronic equipment which, combined with the expertise of experienced and highly skilled test engineers, is providing utility and industrial customers with a fast, non-invasive, internal health check for power transformers rated up to 400kV. The service is designed to keep transformers from any manufacturer operating at maximum load and energy efficiency, without compromising reliability or safety. It can be applied at any stage of the asset’s life, from installation and commissioning, as part of a condition-based asset maintenance programme, and right through to diagnosing and locating a potential problem. The transformer diagnostic service uses three main techniques – Sweep Frequency Response Analysis (SFRA), Frequency Domain Spectroscopy (FDS) and winding resistance measurement.
FDS
across the winding to enable the resistance to FDS, carried out by a Pax IDAX-206 system, be calculated. This test helps to check that the The SFRA test, carried out by a Pax FRAX-101 is used to assess the integrity of a transformer’s transformer connections are correct and that system, diagnoses the condition of the insulation system by measuring its dielectric there are no severe mismatches or open circuits. transformer windings and magnetic core. It is properties as a function of performed by injecting a variable frequency frequency over the 1MHz to AC voltage to each winding and plotting the 1000MHz range. This test Keep transformers from any manufacturer responding current as a curve. Typically, these provides information about ‘finger print’ reference curves are captured either the volume of moisture and operating at maximum load and when the transformer is new or when it is presence of contaminants in energy-efficiency. the solid insulation, as well as known to be in good condition. They are then the conductivity and power used as a baseline during maintenance tests or factor of the oil. when there is a reason to suspect a problem. In the hands of ABB’s team of transformer Liam Warren of ABB’s UK power service WINDING RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT test experts, the SFRA test is an excellent way operation says: “Power transformers are The Omicron CPC 100 winding resistance of checking for movement or displacement of mission-critical for many industrial, utility and measurement equipment is used to inject a DC windings and can even locate the exact position power generation customers. Failures can result current of up to 2kV through the transformer of a fault. in lengthy downtime, with consequent loss windings and then measure the voltage drop of operating revenue, and expensive repairs. Planned maintenance is the best insurance against transformer failure and that’s where this new service comes in. It offers an efficient, costeffective way of assessing the overall condition of a transformer fleet so that areas of potential concern can be flagged and action taken well before a potential failure develops into a serious fault. “Furthermore, if a customer has a transformer that is already causing concern, our diagnostic team can establish the severity of the problem, locate the fault and provide expert advice on what action to take. For example, with regular testing it might be possible for the transformer to continue in service, while operating under a safe, reduced load, until a planned service interval is reached. ABB can then provide a comprehensive repair and refurbishment service to restore the The SFRA test’s ‘finger print’ curve provides base line data for future performance comparisons transformer to full working order.” SFRA
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HVDC
The world’s longest power link UHVDC savings over HVDC are equal to 900,000 people’s annual power consumption UHVDC transmission is a further development of HVDC, a technology pioneered by ABB more than 50 years ago. The new technology, uses thyristor valves equipped with newly developed six-inch thyristors (power semiconductors) and an advanced control system, providing the biggest capacity and efficiency leap in 20 years. The increase became possible following advances in basic research in a number of fields, including the development of new materials for outdoor insulators and advanced control systems with extremely high processing capacity.
1 A discharge flash at over 2 million volts tests the insulation gap. 2 How the converter stations will look when finished. 3 Map showing the route of the 2,000km UHVDC link, with Switzerland shown for scale.
A new 2,000km power superhighway is to be built in China using advanced ABB technology. The ultra high-voltage direct current (UHVDC) link will transmit electricity at ultra-high voltage (kV).
The 6,400MW link will take power from the Xiangjiaba hydropower plant in western China to the industrialised coastal area around Shanghai in the east. It will meet the needs of about 31 million people and is due to be completed in 2011. ABB has been awarded orders worth US$440 million by the State Grid Corporation of China and other partners. ABB TO BUILD US$440 MILLION HVDC SUPERHIGHWAY
The power rating is more than twice that of the most powerful rating in operation today and the transmission line will be the longest in the world. The UHVDC link – consisting of two substations and a power transmission system – will transmit electricity at ultra-high voltage (800kv), minimising transmission power loss. Increasing the voltage level of electrical transmission produces considerable environmental advantages, including lower electricity losses and the need for less land F FWD >> www.abb.com/ffwd
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which plays an essential role in this project, can support the economic development of some of the world’s most populous regions, while reducing environmental impact."
space compared with traditional overhead lines. UHVDC is particularly suitable for vast countries like China, where the centres that need power are often located far from the power sources.
Note: In 2005 percapita electricity consumption in China was 1,802 kilowatt-hours, according to the International Energy Agency.
This project represents a number of breakthroughs in electrical power transmission: • the 6,400MW power rating is more than twice that of the most powerful currently in use, and • at 2,000km, the transmission line will be the longest in the world Transmission losses will be less than seven per cent – significantly less than the losses from conventional 500kV HVDC transmission schemes. The savings produced by UHVDC compared with HVDC are equivalent to the annual power consumption of more than 900,000 people in China. “Ultra-high voltage transmission is a vital new technology for the efficient use of hydropower generated in remote areas,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. “ABB technology,
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Products
UniGear ZS1 Fixed Circuit Breaker panel – the ideal indoor primary distribution solution ABB’s new UniGear ZS1 Fixed Circuit Breaker panel, fitted with the Vmax/F circuit breaker, is the latest addition to the UniGear ZS1 platform of metal-clad AIS MV switch gear.
An optional integrated web server makes remote operation, via web access to a remote terminal including the latest generation of iPod, a possibility.
Together with ABB’s comprehensive range of MV switchgear, the fixed circuit breaker panel now enables ABB to offer a complete one-stop shop package for indoor primary distribution installations such as offices and data centres. A further advantage of the UniGear ZS1 fixed circuit breaker panel is that it coordinates completely with the well-proven UniGear ZS1 portfolio. So, for example, it is possible to specify on the same busbar: a UniGear with withdrawable incomer; a fixed circuit breaker outgoing; and additional starter switchgear. MAXIMUM RELIABILITY AND SAFETY
The UniGear ZS1 Fixed Circuit Breaker panel has been designed for maximum safety and reliability, with mechanical interlocks between the circuit-breaker, three-position line disconnector and cable testing device. All components can be accessed directly from the front, so there is no need for rear access for maintenance and service operations. The circuit breaker can be replaced in less than 90 minutes. COMPACT AND SPACE SAVING INSTALLATION
UniGear ZS1 Fixed Circuit Breaker panels are ideally suited to applications where space is restricted. Each panel is just 500mm wide and 1340mm deep. They can be rear wall mounted if required and are suitable for containerized substations. SIMPLICITY AND EASE OF OPERATION
Ergonomic design makes the UniGear ZS1 Fixed Circuit Breaker panel simple and easy to operate. This is further enhanced when the panel is teamed with advanced terminal equipment, such as ABB’s REF610 feeder protection relay that faciltates remote operation by the electrical network management system.
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Ergonomic design makes the UniGear ZS1 Fixed Circuit Breaker panel simple and easy to operate.
Products
New dynamic response compensator
1 Dynacomp provides smooth reactive power to solve demanding power quality problems such as encountered by these welding robots. 2 RVT-D controller. 1
ABB has launched the next generation of its well established Dynacomp dynamic response compensator. It has been developed to provide fast and smooth reactive power compensation to solve a variety of industrial network power quality problems associated with variable loads such as: low power factor, voltage sags, flicker and high harmonic levels.
The Dynacomp unit acts as an ultra-rapid and transient free capacitor bank with the reactive power step switching carried out by state-of-the-art thyristor modules. These static switches and advanced controllers give the Dynacomp range a number of key advantages over conventional contactor switched capacitor banks, including: ultra-rapid power factor compensation; reduced voltage drop and flicker; transient-free switching; very high number of switching operations; modular and compact standardized design; easy to install and extend; and advanced communications features with Modbus. The new Dynacomp products are equipped with an advanced controller and offer a wide power range for network voltages ranging from 380V to 690V. They are available in both threephase and single-phase versions and there is also a choice of detuning reactors to suit all types of application. Starting from a few hundred kvar, the new Dynacomp range is available for applications up to several Mvar, enabling it to cater for even the largest loads. Its modular design and CAN bus control make it easy to build a system with the
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necessary power rating to suit the exact load requirements using standard power units. It is also simple to extend the Dynacomp to meet the changing needs of the future. NEW GENERATION DYNACOMP – POWERFUL FEATURES, STANDARD DESIGN
In addition to reactive power compensation, the Dynacomp also partially filters harmonic currents, reducing total harmonic distortion and improving network power quality. RVT-D CONTROLLER
The new Dynacomp range features ABB’s new RVT-D controller equipped with Modbus communication which simplifies integration within an existing communication network. Dynacomp is designed to operate in open loop or closed loop control, or with external trigger, and can easily meet the reactive power needs of even the most demanding loads. A unique feature of the RVT-D controller enables compensation of the voltage drop due to the active part of the load current. This enables Dynacomp units to provide optimum flicker mitigation, even in a weak network. ABB has designed the Dynacomp range to be as environmentally friendly as possible in compliance with 2 ISO14001 certification.
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Awards
Awards sustain innovation
Trevor Gregory of ABB (left) presents the award while Johnny Ball (right) looks on.
ABB is an enthusiastic supporter of the IET Innovation in Engineering Awards. The company sponsors the Sustainability Award, one of 15 categories that attract entries from leading companies across the world.
Organised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), the 2007 awards attracted hundreds of entries from organisations keen to demonstrate their innovative credentials. The awards are supported by a range of government and academic bodies and are designed to recognise and stimulate investment in innovation and invention. The most recent awards were announced in November and presented at a ceremony in London which was hosted by TV science enthusiast Johnny Ball. The ABB-sponsored Sustainability Award was won by engineering consultant, Halcrow, for its Wave Hub innovation. The Wave Hub is an offshore electrical grid connection point for wave turbine generators. Its innovation lies in the fact that it simplifies grid connection for the many different types of turbine designs
CONTACTS More information on the stories in this issue can be found on: www.abb.com/ffwd
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Some of the winning ideas from this year’s that are being developed. It also aids their design, development and testing by providing awards include; a battery that can be recharged a single economical and easy link to the grid. via USB connections, a showpiece village that Other categories in the IET Awards include is helping set the standard for homes of the Emerging Technologies, Information future and a ‘digital plaster’ that uses wireless Technology, Product Design, Transport and technology to monitor the wearer’s vital Start Up Ventures. health signs. Johnny Ball who is probably best ABB has sponsored the sustainability known as host of TV’s ‘Think of a Number’ category for the past three years and is firmly said, “What makes a great innovator? Perhaps committed to promoting and encouraging a little eccentricity, a desire for improvement, the aims of the awards. plus vision and the determination to see it through. Innovators always ask, ‘Why can’t it be better?’. If it were not for innovation “What makes a great innovator? Perhaps a little we would still have black eccentricity, a desire for improvement, plus and white television and vision and the determination to see it mono radio. “Innovation is at the heart through. Innovators always ask, ‘Why can’t of business and wealth it be better?” Johnny Ball creation. It is right that we acknowledge those who push the boundaries of science, Information on how to enter the 2008 Awards engineering and technology and it will be can be found at: http://conferences.theiet.org exciting to see how the innovations awarded /innovation_awards/index.htm. this year make their mark in the future.” Closing date 25 July 2008. For further information about any of these subjects please visit www.abb.com/ffwd or contact us as follows: Substations HV Switchgear MV Switchgear Automation
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