ffwd
2|11
The customer newsletter of
ABB Power Products and
Power Systems
Wakefield B substation delivered ahead of schedule
News on major UK contracts 04
Power upgrade for Victoria Line 12
Building Europe’s supergrids 14
The importance of design 16
Partial discharge monitoring 20
Coping with arc flash 22
Shore-to-ship power 26
Building India’s grid 34
Power and productivity
for a better world™
Editorial
Content
Power Products are the key components to transmit and distribute electricity.
The division incorporates ABB's manufacturing network for transformers,
switchgear, circuit breakers, cables and associated equipment. It also offers all
the services needed to ensure products' performance and extend their lifespan.
Power Systems offers turnkey systems and services for power transmission and
distribution grids, and for power plants. Substations and substation automation
systems are key areas. Additional highlights include flexible alternating current
transmission systems (FACTS), high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems and
network management systems. In power generation, Power Systems offers the
instrumentation, control and electrification of power plants.
16
05
ffwd
Stephen Trotter
Substations –
Innovative approaches
Packaged substation
for Total Lindsey Oil
Refinery
20
Partial discharge
monitoring
34
Building
India’s grid
2|11
Dear reader,
Welcome to the latest edition of our new-look
customer newsletter. We had a great
response to the first issue published
earlier this year so we have kept the same
expanded format.
These are exciting times for our ABB
Power Systems and Power Products
businesses in the UK. Our growth has been
outstanding – sales are up by 30 percent in
2010 compared with the year before. As you
will see in the following pages, we are
maintaining this momentum by making major
investments in both people and facilities to
establish our UK operations as a centre of
excellence for the implementation of the very
latest in grid technologies.
Together, the articles create a very clear
impression of how ABB works hand-in-hand
with leading utilities, network operators and
industrial customers to help them develop
and maintain their vital electrical infrastructure.
I would particularly recommend the article by
Stuart Grattage, our Head of Engineering, in
which he talks about the importance of
design. From the technology perspective, the
articles on the latest developments in our
IEC61850 products are also especially
interesting. For something a little different,
take a look at the item on how shore-to-ship
power links can dramatically reduce the
carbon footprint of ships in harbour.
As always, if you have any feedback on
the subjects covered in this issue, or
suggestions for future articles, please let us
know – we would love to hear from you.
Stephen Trotter
Division Head of ABB Power Systems UK
ffwd 2/11 • the customer newsletter of ABB Power Products and Power Systems • Subscription Newsletter available as printed or electronic copy. Subscribe
online at www.abb.com/ffwd • Contact and feedback karen.strong@gb.abb.com • Publisher ABB Limited, Power Systems Division, Oulton Road, Stone,
Staffordshire ST15 0RS. Phone 01785 825050
4
News on major contracts
24
RED615 provides line differential
protection using copper pilots
8
Meet Jon Downs, General Manager
Utility Substations
26
Shore-to-ship power
28
29
eVD4
UniGear 500R
30
Introducing the new Vector
range of PFC equipment
Renewable energy
10
Wakefield B completion for CE Electric
12
Power upgrade for the Victoria Line
14
Building Europe’s supergrids
16
Stuart Grattage, Head of Engineering,
explains the importance of design
18
Biotemp – the greener option
20
Partial discharge monitoring
22
Arc flash
31
32
Working with communities and recruiting
for the future
34
Building India’s grid
35
UK events for 2011
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
3
News
News
Work begins on Stoke
Bardolph 400 kV substation
The Central Substation Alliance, a
consortium of ABB, Morgan Sindall and
Atkins Global, has started work on a major
contract to construct National Grid’s new
400 kV air insulated switchgear (AIS)
substation at Stoke Bardolph in
Nottinghamshire. The project will take
around two and a half years to complete.
The substation will provide a new
connection to National Grid’s high-voltage
network for Central Networks (East), the
local electricity distribution company.
The contract falls within the scope of the
Central Substation Alliance, which was
formed five years ago, to deliver major
enhancements to National Grid’s 400 kV
substation infrastructure.
In 2006, National Grid announced the
Central Substation Alliance as its preferred
partners for substation development and
construction projects in central England. The
companies are working within National
Grid’s record-breaking £2.5 billion, five-year,
alliance programme to upgrade and develop
the electricity transmission network across
England and Wales.
SSE’s Iver Heath substation now complete
An ABB and Balfour Beatty consortium has
just completed a turnkey project for the
design and construction of a new 66 kV
indoor gas insulated switchgear (GIS)
substation at Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire,
which is a major supply point for Scottish
and Southern Energy (SSE). Together with
the new Reading 132 kV substation,
completed earlier this year, Iver Heath plays
a vital role in SSE’s plans to reinforce its
distribution network in the south of England
to ensure security of supply and provide
additional capacity.
The new Iver Heath substation replaces
an existing outdoor air insulated switchgear
(AIS) substation, built in 1957, which was
coming to the end of its service life. The
compact design of ABB’s GIS technology
meant that the new indoor substation could
be constructed ‘offline’ within the
boundaries of the existing site. This enabled
the old station to remain in service until the
new substation was ready for the circuits to
be transferred.
Iver Heath Project
Manager Adrian Williams
4
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
Packaged substation for Total
Lindsey Oil Refinery
ABB’s fast-track modular packaged substation service has been
called in by Total Lindsey Oil Refinery (LOR) to provide a new 11 kV
substation for an ongoing programme to upgrade the power
distribution infrastructure at the site in North Lincolnshire.
Working within a tightly defined project
window, ABB will design, manufacture,
deliver and commission a complete
containerized substation, based on its
compact UniGear ZS1 medium voltage
(MV) switchgear.
LOR has embarked on a long-term
replacement programme for its existing
11 kV and 3.3 kV switchgear. A fast-track
solution was required for the replacement of
the 1A/2B 11 kV substation so that the work
could be completed within the tightly
defined window offered by the current
Turnaround and Inspection (T&I) outage.
The short timescale and space
constraints at the selected location – right in
the heart of the refinery – made it difficult to
build a new substation building, especially
to carry out the substantial civil works to
meet blast rating requirements. ABB was
able to offer an ideal alternative in the form
of a containerized substation in a blast-rated
enclosure, which requires only limited
foundations and is delivered ready to ‘plug
and play’.
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
5
News
News
UK’s first dynamic energy storage installation
In May 2011, ABB commissioned the first
DynaPeaQ® energy storage installation for
UK Power Networks at a site north of
Hemsby in Norfolk. Part of the family of
flexible alternating current transmission
systems (FACTS), DynaPeaQ® is an
innovative combination of static var
compensator (SVC) Light® technology with
a highly scalable lithium-ion battery.
As part of the solution, renewable windgenerated energy from a local wind farm will
be fed into the power network. Some of this
energy may be able to alter the energy
profile and regulate the power flow to
compensate for the intermittence of wind
power. The ABB system includes eight
stacks of 13 Saft lithium-ion battery modules
housed in a 25 square-meter building. The
modules will be continually charged and
discharged, and can store up to 200 kilowatt
hours (kWh) of electrical energy.
DynaPeaQ® technology enables dynamic
control of power in the transmission system,
improving grid voltage and stability, and
levelling out power fluctuations in the case
of renewable energy. The rated power and
storage capacity is typically about
20 megawatts (MW) for approximately
15–45 minutes, although DynaPeaQ ®
installations can be scaled up to 50 MW of
power for 60 minutes or more.
ABB has achieved a major breakthrough in the UK rail sector by
obtaining a Network Rail Principal Contractor Licence (Provisional). This
licence now enables ABB to act as a main contractor on behalf of
Network Rail to execute turnkey power supply projects across the UK.
Network Rail requires all contractors
undertaking physical works on the UK’s
mainline railway network to demonstrate
that they have effective systems in place to
manage
the
safety,
quality
and
environmental aspects of their business.
These systems are detailed within the
Principal Contractor Licence – a single
common registration, qualification and audit
process for suppliers. To obtain this licence,
ABB had to pass a rigorous two-stage audit
6
good news for our energy security, for UK
renewables and for consumers. It plugs the
UK directly into a wider European electricity
market, allowing us to import our peak
needs cheaply rather than hold expensive
plant in readiness. Renewables win as it
means surplus wind power can be easily
shared. Consumers win as a single
European market puts pressure on prices.
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
process, first with Achilles Link-up and then
with Network Rail itself.
“Obtaining this PCL opens up exciting
new opportunities for ABB to provide
complete turnkey package solutions for
Network Rail power projects, enabling
us to become involved in contracts as the
main contractor,” says Seamus O’Neill,
Operations Manager – Rail. “Historically, we
have worked with Network Rail on a number
of major power upgrade projects, but when
it came to trackside civil works such as
substation foundations, we had to work
through a licensed contractor. Now we are
able to handle all aspects of the project,
providing Network Rail with an effective and
responsive single point of contact.”
Retrofit – a new lease of
life for MV switchgear
BritNed goes live
The BritNed cable, the first electricity
connection to link the UK and the
Netherlands, went live successfully in April
2011. It marks another important step towards a single European electricity market.
The project to create a 260 km
connection between the Isle of Grain in Kent
and Maasvlakte near Rotterdam was ABB’s
largest ever high-voltage cable order. The
underwater and underground cables carry
the high-voltage direct current (HVDC)
for the system which can transmit
1,000 MW of power in both directions,
driven by supply and demand patterns and
by price differentials between the two
power markets.
BritNed was completed on time and
within the budget of £500 million. It
is a commercial, or 'non-socialized'
interconnector, and is funded and operated
independently from its joint venture
partners National Grid and TenneT's
regulated businesses.
Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for
Energy and Climate Change said: “This is
ABB obtains Principal Contractor
Licence from Network Rail
And more new cables are planned, so by
2020 we could have over 10 GW of
additional electricity flowing under the
North Sea.”
For more information on BritNed, including
a construction video, follow this link:
www.britned.com.
Laying the HVDC cable for BritNed
ABB has launched a retrofit service that
enables outdated and ageing oil or airblast
medium voltage (MV) switchgear from the
majority of UK suppliers to be upgraded to
the latest vacuum circuit breaker technology.
In many cases, the original fixed
switchgear housing will be in good condition
and can be retained. So it is possible to
extend its life by 25 years simply by
replacing the circuit breaker, making retrofit
the ideal option for mid-life upgrade projects.
The service utilizes ABB’s VD4 vacuum
circuit breaker family. Maintenance-free, and
designed for total reliability, the VD4 has a
proven global track record of trouble-free
performance over many thousands of
operations.
The total retrofit service is tailored to
meet the needs of anyone operating MV
distribution networks from 3.3 kV up to
11 kV, including utilities, DNOs and industrial
or commercial customers. The new
equipment is manufactured and tested at
the factory and delivered to site by ABB
ready for installation. This means that the
existing switchgear can be kept in operation
right up until the change-over, minimizing
potential delays and production downtime.
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
7
Question time
Question time
Question time
with Jon Downs –
General Manager Utility Substations
Jon Downs tells ffwd about his new role within ABB,
and how the Utility Substations business covers
virtually everything from a circuit breaker upgrade to
a complete turnkey project for a new 400 kV gas
insulated switchgear (GIS) substation.
ABB offers the ideal solution for all substation projects from new build to circuit-breaker replacement
What is your current role with ABB?
When did you join ABB?
In January 2011, I was appointed General Manager for Utility
Substation projects in the UK. This role was created as part of the
realignment of ABB’s Power Systems Substation business to
support the delivery of our ambitious growth plans. In this role I
am responsible for every aspect of our approach to the utility
substations market.
I joined ABB’s medium voltage (MV) switchgear business based at
Ellesmere port in August 1998, which was a great base for
understanding how ABB works and interacts with our focus
factories. Around 2000, I moved to the distribution projects team
based at Stone, where I was involved in the project management
for the design and construction of substations, particularly within a
framework agreement for CE Electric. Most recently, I spent four
years as Operations Manager, leading our National Grid Substation
Alliance programme.
How did you get into the electrical
engineering industry?
I started my working life with GEC Industrial Controls on a
National Coal Board apprentice scheme. Following a reorganization
within GEC, and a halt to their apprentice scheme, I moved to
Siemens’s MV business as a team leader on the shop-floor.
Following this, I was promoted to substation contracts engineer,
covering the UK and Middle East markets for Motor Control Centre
switchboards (MCCs) and low/medium voltage switchgear.
What would you most like to tell customers
about ABB’s utility substations business?
Innovative PASS M0 hybrid switchgear
8
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
We are committed to our total belief in safety, so that no-one should
come to harm during the design and construction of our substations.
ABB has established a great reputation for providing a
comprehensive turnkey service for large substation projects –
typically worth over £5 million. However, we are equally good, and
very cost-effective, at much smaller projects. So even if customers
are thinking about a relatively small project, such as replacing a
number of circuit-breakers, ABB can still provide the ideal solution.
How has ABB’s approach to substation
projects changed?
The key word here is ‘flexibility’. Over the past three years or so, we
have seen a dramatic change in the utility substation market. So
while there is still great demand for turnkey projects, there is also
significantly increased demand for contractors that can deliver
individual packages or even to work on a supply/commission-only
basis. ABB has adopted a much more flexible approach to meeting
these new market conditions to enable us to continue to build our
customer base. We definitely do not offer a ‘one-size fits all’ service.
Instead, we offer a tailored service to ensure that we deliver the ideal
response for each project and the customer’s specific needs.
Are there any specific examples of this
flexible approach in action?
You only need to look at the variety of projects we are
currently working on, and the different delivery models and resources
being used in each case, to witness our flexibility. The same
goes for supply chain management. We work on projects across
the UK and, where feasible, we aim to use local suppliers for things
like civil works and steelwork. Not only is this often more costeffective for our customers, as well as offering a faster response, it
is greener since less material needs to be transported up and down
the country. And of course, it helps to put money back into the
local economies.
developments in compact GIS technology that uses much less
SF6 gas, within a smaller footprint than our current offering,
making it compatible with a much wider range of projects.
We are also seeing our PASS M0 hybrid switchgear starting to
make a major impact on air insulated switchgear (AIS) substation
projects, especially where space is restricted. PASS offers the ideal
solution for fast delivery, installation and commissioning for retrofit,
extension or green-field projects.
The scope of our business covers everything from the
MV level through to 400 kV. We are now benefiting from a portfolio
of cutting-edge MV products, such as the UniGear GIS and
the ZX AIS ranges.
What really excites you about
substation projects?
First, the variety: no two substations are the same. Even if the
equipment at two sites is identical, the local construction conditions
can be very different. Second, it’s the technical challenges:
substations bring together such a wide variety of technologies –
switchgear, cabling, protection and control, communications, and
even civil construction – which need to be integrated within a single
design, and project managed and completed safely.
I also derive a great deal of satisfaction from simple upgrade
projects. On occasion, these can be very complex tasks, with short
timescales and outage durations. But we know that on completion
we will have given a new lease of life to an existing installation, which
will keep operating reliably for years to come, thanks to
ABB equipment.
Is new technology having an impact
on your business?
Yes, very much so. We rely on new technology to drive significant
changes in the way we execute projects and to keep us ahead of the
competition. For example, there are some very exciting
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
9
Project news
Project news
ABB was awarded the turnkey contract
to provide a complete design, construction
and installation service for the new
substation, featuring 14 bays of ABB
ELK-04 132kV GIS equipment. The project
also required the installation of 132 kV
cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables to
transfer existing CE Electric UK connections
into the new substation. In addition, it
required modification of the terminal towers
for the overhead lines to provide new sealing
end platforms, with modification of existing
sealing end platforms to accept the new
XLPE cables.
Project management philosophy
The project was scheduled over three years,
with hand-over due in January 2012.
However, ABB’s project management
philosophy is to seek every possible
opportunity for adopting innovative approaches that can help improve quality, drive
down costs and ensure on-time delivery or
even improve scheduled delivery. A key
element
of
successfully
delivering
substation projects is optimizing the
planned outage windows. In close
consultation with our customer and cable
contractor, ABB modified the content of
outage work and sequence, which
significantly reduced the time to final
hand-over.
Balvinder Sokhi (right) hands Wakefield B over to Simon Peacock of CE Electric UK
ABB delivers ahead of
schedule for Wakefield B
GIS substation
Innovative approaches to design and outage management enabled
the ABB project team to deliver CE Electric UK’s new Wakefield B gas
insulated switchgear (GIS) 132 kV substation 10 months ahead of
schedule. Project Manager Balvinder Sokhi explains how it was done.
In 2009, CE Electric UK, the company
responsible for distributing electricity safely
and reliably to 3.8 million customers across
north-east England, Yorkshire and northern
Lincolnshire, placed a major turnkey
contract with ABB to build the replacement
for its Wakefield B substation in Yorkshire.
10
The contract continued ABB’s longstanding relationship with CE Electric UK on
strategic substation projects that goes back
to 2003, when we built the Norton
132 kV substation near Stockton-on-Tees.
Wakefield B substation is one of three
high-profile substation contracts that
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
CE Electric UK has recently placed with ABB
– we also have project teams on site at
Cryeke Beck and Tynemouth.
GIS replaces AIS
The previous Wakefield B substation was
based on air insulated switchgear (AIS)
and, after around 50 years in service, it was
reaching its replacement age. AIS
equipment requires a great deal of site
space. This meant that a like-for-like
renewal project was impractical in terms of
both availability and cost. This was mainly
because this would have required either an
outage of many months – as the old
substation
was
demolished
and
the new one constructed on the same
site – or the purchase of additional land so
that a new substation could be built
adjacent to the old one.
The proven space-saving capability of
ABB’s GIS technology provided an
alternative that blends in with the
surrounding area. It has enabled a new
indoor substation to be constructed within
the limited free space available on the
existing site – while the old AIS substation
remained in operation. The project has
effectively condensed the new Wakefield B
GIS substation into around 25 percent of the
AIS substation’s footprint.
Transition joints and
PASS M0 switchgear
Two of the 10 cable circuits required the
creation of transition joints to connect the
new XLPE cabling to oil-filled cables. During
the cable transfer process, ABB also made
use of the new PASS M0 hybrid temporary
switchgear solution pioneered in our
Reading substation project for Scottish &
Southern Energy (SSE). The PASS M0
switchgear was connected to an existing
redundant circuit, and then used to power
up the GIS switchgear. Once all the circuits
had been transferred, the PASS M0
was removed.
The indoor substation constructed for
the new Wakefield B is a two-storey building
with the GIS equipment installed on the
first floor. This allowed for the creation of
substantial cable basement to accommodate the large bending radius required by
the XLPE cables which results from
their large conductor cross-section of
1,000 mm 2.
Wakefield delivered 10 months early
The net result of ABB’s innovative approach
to managing the project, backed by a high
level of communication and cooperation
with the customer and subcontractors, was
that Wakefield B was handed over in
March 2011, functioning exactly as required
but 10 months ahead of schedule.
Outage planning
Rather than planning individual outages
sequentially for each of the 10 circuits
to be transferred, ABB arranged to
transfer three circuits with three individual
outages in parallel. This was accomplished
twice – accounting for six circuits –
while the remaining four circuits were
transferred sequentially.
The parallel transfer of the cable circuits
called for precisely coordinated planning and
execution, as taking three circuits out of
service together transferred a significantly
increased load on to the rest of the
substation. It was therefore imperative to
complete the work on time to minimize the
duration of increased load.
To make maximum use of the outages, a
high level of preparatory work was
completed in advance. This focused on the
coupling of the cables to the tower sealing
end platforms. During the outage, all that
was then required was to install the
downleads from the towers to the cable
sealing ends, which had previously been
connected to the GIS equipment.
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
11
Rail
Rail
SVC power quality solution
The variable nature of the loads on the LU
power grid, such as trains starting and
stopping and escalators, means that it is
subjected to substantial voltage fluctuations
and harmonics. Power quality measures
play a vital role in preventing these
disturbances from reaching the public grid.
Since 2000, ABB has played an active
role in optimizing LU’s power quality
by designing, installing and commissioning
a number of SVCs and stand-alone
harmonic filters that now operate
at critical points in the 22 kV and
11 kV grids.
System studies carried out by ABB
indicated that the additional quantity
of power input provided by the new
BSP, together with the increased future
loads, would have significant power
quality implications for the LU network.
It was therefore decided to install an
additional SVC. Ideally, this would
have been located at the BSP, however
space requirements dictated that it should
be constructed at the closest suitable site,
which was another distribution substation.
The existing building was remodelled to
house a 33 Mvar SVC, designed and
manufactured by ABB’s specialist power
quality facility in Sweden. Two standalone 5.5 Mvar harmonic filters were
also installed.
Careful coordination of the various stages
was key to the smooth hand-over of the
overall Victoria Line power upgrade project.
Therefore the SVC was commissioned first,
then the BSP, and finally the new grid
transformers were brought on line to
complete the connection.
Victoria Line upgrade –
delivering quality power in quantity
The Victoria Line is one of the busiest on the London
Underground (LU), carrying more than 630,000
passengers a day, and some 183 million each year.
It is now getting even busier, thanks to a
major upgrade with new trains that offer a
smoother, more comfortable ride, more
frequent trains, a reduction in journey times,
and around 21 percent more capacity. The
new trains need more power, and to help
meet this demand, ABB has reinforced the
LU 11 kV power network by creating a new
Bulk Supply Point (BSP) and an associated
Static Var Compensator (SVC) power
quality solution.
New BSP
The new BSP, which provides an additional
90 MVA of power, was created within the
shell of an existing substation building –
including a mezzanine floor that effectively
doubled the available installation space.
12
This provided ample room for the 42 panels
of double busbar ZX2 primary gas insulated
switchgear (GIS) that has replaced the
existing switchboard. Since the new
floor is directly above the DC rectifiers,
a heavy-duty ventilation system has been
provided to ensure the effective removal of
trapped heat.
The transfer of the circuits to the new
switchboard was carried out on a phased,
rolling basis to make optimum use of the
limited outage time available. Thanks to the
extremely tight project coordination, all
26 change-overs were accomplished on
time, without a single delay.
In addition to the new switchgear and
high voltage cabling and jointing, ABB has
also supplied new protection and control
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
systems, including the installation of
REF542+ relays to communicate with the
local SCADA system and coordinated relay
solutions at the remote ends in the other
substations it connects with.
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
13
HVDC
HVDC
Building multi-terminal
HVDC supergrids
Peter Jones, Engineering Manager Grid Systems for
ABB in the UK, outlines some of the challenges and
possibilities involved in building Europe’s new high
voltage direct current (HVDC) supergrids.
HVDC links are well established in
applications such as bringing offshore wind
power to shore, supplying oil and gas
offshore platforms, interconnecting power
grids in different countries and reinforcing
existing AC grids. As the number of these
point-to-point HVDC connections increases,
it is becoming apparent that it would be
beneficial to connect them directly, rather
than through the broader AC grid, as they
are currently. This is giving rise to plans for
HVDC supergrids.
the current, and not by changing the polarity
of the DC voltage. The terminals can be
connected to different points in the same AC
network or to different AC networks. The
resulting HVDC grids can be radial, meshed,
or a combination of the two.
ABB is pioneering the development of
the UK’s multi-terminal offshore supergrid by
starting technical design work on an HVDC
Light project. This will be the first link to
incorporate a hub for the connection of
offshore wind farms – the ‘socket in the
sea’ approach.
Why an HVDC grid?
Future plans to introduce remote renewable
power resources, such as wind power in the
North Sea, solar power in North Africa and
connecting hydro power stations in the
Nordic countries, have created interest in the
possibility of an HVDC grid.
The value of an HVDC grid (offshore or
onshore) is mainly in its role as a facilitator
for power exchange and trading between
regions and power systems. As such, it can
introduce additional flexibility to power
systems. Moreover, an offshore grid will
allow the aggregation and dispatch of power
from offshore wind farms from different
regions, resulting in power generation
profiles of lower variability.
Technical challenges of HVDC grids
A reference project for constructing a
regional grid with a limited number of nodes
is already in place. The Québec–New
England project (shown right) completed in
the 1990s has clearly demonstrated the
feasibility of three-terminal HVDC systems at
2000 MW.
HVDC Light provides even better
capabilities for operating regional multiterminal systems, as the direction of power
flow is changed by changing the direction of
14
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
There are no technology gaps for
the smaller regional HVDC grids. But there
are some gaps that need to be closed to
create large inter-regional grids, including:
–
HVDC breakers
–
Power flow control
–
Automatic network restoration
–
DC/DC converters for connecting
different regional systems.
BritNed – the first step in Europe’s supergrid?
The capacity question
For HVDC supergrids to become
commercially viable, they might need to be
based on individual links of some 2 GW.
Currently, the maximum rating for a single
building block of ABB’s HVDC Light
technology at ±320 kV is 1,150 MW.
However, the technology is advancing and
ABB has recently secured a contract to
provide a monopolar 500 kV, 700 MW
HVDC Light system for the fourth HVDC link
between Norway and Denmark. In a bipolar
configuration this would be 2x700=1,400
MW. It is reasonable, therefore, to anticipate
that 2 GW HVDC Light bipolar links will be
achievable within a realistic time-frame.
The subsea cables for such supergrids
will need to operate in the region of
500 kV. To date, no cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables capable of operating at
this voltage are commercially available.
However, there have been rapid developments in XLPE cable technology for HVDC
applications in recent years and the trend
indicates that the required voltage levels will
be achieved in the near future. Mass
impregnated subsea cable at 500 kV already
exists, and several HVDC projects will be
based on this technology in the near future.
Pan-European initiative
Future transmission grids will be more
international, crossing economic zones and
national borders, and will have to be
operated and regulated by a mixture of
international bodies, as well as national
agencies and system operators.
The establishment of the ENTSO-E
(a European TSO cooperative association)
in December 2008 was a major step
towards future international cooperation and
the formation of rules and frameworks to
support future grids.
The international commitment to future
HVDC grids was further supported in
December 2009. During a European Union
Energy Council meeting, ministers from
Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany,
Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands,
Sweden and the UK signed an agreement
to develop an offshore grid in the North
and Irish Seas.
The proposed offshore grid will augment
energy security for the participating
countries while making it easier to optimize
offshore wind power production. It will also
assist the EU as a whole in meeting its
renewable energy target for 2020.
Based on the tremendous strides that
ABB has already made in developing the
current generation of HVDC, and with
current cable technology development
rates, we are confident that the residual
technology gaps will soon be closed to
make the European supergrid a reality.
Testing the
HVDC Light cable
for Eurogrid’s
interconnection
between Ireland
and the UK
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
15
Substations
Substations
functionality of disconnector, earthing switch
and circuit breaker in a single unit –
increasing substation availability and
reducing its installation footprint.
Design engineering evolves
to meet new challenges
Compact GIS single chamber
circuit breaker
Following successful completion of its IEC
test programme, a new design of
400 kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS) single
chamber circuit breaker is also being
installed at a National Grid substation in
London. This new GIS can reduce the bay
width required by 900 mm, along with a
similar reduction in height, facilitating a very
significant reduction in the size of building
required to house it.
Stuart Grattage, Head of Engineering for ABB
Power Systems in the UK, explains how the design
engineering function is evolving to meet the changing
needs of ABB’s power project customers.
I am now approaching my first anniversary
in this new role, in which I am responsible for
leading and coordinating the overall
engineering strategy for our four main local
business units – Substations, Network
Management, Grid Systems and Power
Generation. One of my main objectives has
been to bring these individual businesses
together within a multi-functional, crossdisciplinary team, to provide a single focal
point for all engineering activities.
This seamless ‘One ABB’ approach
enables us to provide a fast and effective
response to customers. It also provides an
efficient interface for the many external
bodies we work with – standards authorities,
the IET and CIGRE, the National Skills
Academy, and so on – especially when
working on the introduction of new concepts
and technologies such as smart grids and
energy storage.
All our power systems projects are
underpinned by a very strong team of
around 150 design engineers working in
groups focused on the key areas of
substations, rail, network management,
service, power generation and high voltage
direct current (HVDC). This significant design
resource is now being further reinforced by
a major recruitment plan to ensure that we
have the capacity to meet our ambitious
plans for future growth. This is especially
important as HVDC is becoming recognized
as a key enabling technology for the UK’s
offshore wind programme.
While much of our business is still
focused on meeting the relatively tightly
defined needs of utilities and distribution
network operators (DNOs), the skills
and capabilities of our designers are evolving
constantly to meet the demands of both
new technology and new approaches
to projects.
16
IEC61850
As an example, our new Relion series
of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs)
is opening up exciting new possibilities
for creating state-of-the-art network
management and protection and control
schemes, making full use of the new
IEC61850
standard
for
substation
communication.
We
are
currently
working with National Grid on a
trial installation of IEC61850-based
equipment that also features nonconventional instrument transformers –
optical current transducers rather than
copper-wound.
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
We are also working with developers
on a number of renewable energy projects
for both wind farm and industrial-scale
solar power schemes. This often calls for the
UK design team to work in close
cooperation with ABB lead centres in
other countries, such as Spain for solar
power, to provide the local expertise to
ensure that the project meets the UK’s
specific regulations for health and
safety and construction, design and
management (CDM). In effect, the UK team
takes the lead in the design interface, site
installation and commissioning aspects of
the project.
Sarah Walters and Jon Gee collaborate on the latest design challenge
Design and build consultancy
While utilities and DNOs tend to provide their
own internal construction consultancy, a
growing number of develo-pers are coming
to ABB with what is effectively a blank sheet
of paper and asking us to provide a
complete design and build consultancy
service, including additional aspects such as
power system studies. Customers are able
to come to our design team with an outline
scheme, and we design and build a turnkey
project that will make the best possible use
of the available space and ensure the
optimum return on investment.
Innovative approaches
Compared with the relatively set operating
schemes required by utilities and DNOs for
transmission and distribution installations,
projects for developers allow our design
team to be more flexible in adopting
innovative approaches. This enables them
to go right back to first principles to explore
a wide variety of potential solutions, as long
as the final scheme meets the key
requirement of being grid code compliant for
connection to the UK’s power networks.
Examples of this innovation in design
include the introduction of disconnecting
circuit breakers (DCBs) that combine the
CER transformers
Design innovation is being applied to the use
of continuously emergency rated (CER)
transformers for wind farm projects.
Historically, continuously maximum rated
(CMR) transformers have been used
because the predictability of demand made
it possible to control conventional generation
to match it. However, the generation
capabilities of wind farms are more difficult to
predict, and they rarely operate at their peak
output for long periods. This presents the
opportunity to use CER transformers, as
they are designed to allow for overloads for
short periods of time, resulting in smaller and
more cost-effective transformers. This,
combined with the use of our transformer
monitoring system (ABB TEC), allows
operators to monitor transformer conditions
and accurately predict their ageing.
The new single chamber breaker significantly reduces
the installation footprint for HV substations
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
17
Transformers
Transformers
BIOTEMP: the greener, safer,
longer-life transformer oil
corrosive at temperatures considerably
above normal operating temperatures.
Power utility companies that have used
BIOTEMP in their HV power transformers
report a number of benefits, including
reduced installation costs, and higher
transformer reliability and availability as a
result of reduced maintenance requirements.
In the longer term, they can expect
extended operational lifetime, as well as
reduced risk of fire and explosion and lower
costs related to environmental compliance.
In order to deliver more reliable, cleaner power to their customers,
many power utilities are focusing their attention on enhancing the
environmental, safety and operational performance of both new
and existing power transformers.
ABB BIOTEMP dielectric insulating fluid is
helping to meet this need through the
innovative use of renewable, biodegradable
vegetable oil to deliver high-performance
power transformer insulation.
Power transformers have evolved
significantly since their invention over a
century ago, especially in terms of size and
functionality. But one thing has remained
virtually unchanged during all this time: the
use of mineral oil as an insulating and
cooling medium. The global oil crisis of the
1970s triggered the initial search for
alternatives, and the growing desire for
environmentally-friendly solutions over
recent decades has intensified the quest to
develop new solutions.
ABB has led the way in this area with the
development of our BIOTEMP dielectric
insulating fluid – a natural ester fluid made
from renewable and biodegradable
vegetable-based oil.
In order to offer the best stability with
acceptable electrical properties BIOTEMP is
made from high-oleic oils, such as sunflower
and safflower, containing more than
75 percent mono-unsaturated fatty acids
which are much more stable when exposed
to air than oils with lower levels.
BIOTEMP offers significant environmental, fire safety and operational
advantages over mineral oil and other
alternative insulating fluids.
Environmental advantages
BIOTEMP is compatible with solid insulating
materials and is 97 percent biodegradable
within 21 days. This makes it suitable
for use both indoors and in outdoor
areas of heightened environmental and
safety sensitivity.
18
BIOTEMP is an inhibited oil and has been
approved according to both ATM D2440 –
which includes the standard test method for
oxidation stability for mineral insulating oil –
and ASTM D3487 type II, which means it
does not contain any PCBs.
BIOTEMP is verified as a biodegradable
insulating dielectric fluid by the US Federal
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental Technology Verification
(ETV) program.
While secondary containment is still
required, any spillage of BIOTEMP fluid can
be disposed of through normal means and
not treated as hazardous or toxic waste. In
addition, BIOTEMP minimizes air pollution
by producing only carbon dioxide and water
during combustion.
Fire safety advantages
BIOTEMP exhibits excellent dielectric
characteristics with high temperature
stability and flash and fire resistance of
330°C and 360°C, respectively, compared
with 145°C and 160°C for mineral oil.
BIOTEMP is listed as a ‘less flammable’
dielectric fluid by Factory Mutual (FM Global)
and is classified as a ‘less hazardous’
dielectric medium with respect to fire hazard
by Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
BIOTEMP also meets the requirements of
being a ‘fire safeguard’ as specified by
Section 15 of the National Electrical Safety
Code and of being a less-flammable liquid
as defined by the National Electrical Code,
Section 450-23.
This means that with BIOTEMPfilled transformers, active fire suppression
and barrier walls can essentially be
eliminated from the substation bay, and
spacing requirements are minimal.
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
BIOTEMP-filled transformers can be
safely installed indoors or in tighter spaces
outdoors (adjacent to buildings, walkways,
or on rooftops), typically without additional
fire safety measures. They also offer greater
risk mitigation of collateral damage from
explosion and fire, potentially reducing
insurance premiums.
Operational advantages
BIOTEMP is able to absorb more water than
alternative insulating fluids, which means it
can help to draw out retained moisture and
the moisture generated by ageing insulation
paper. This increases the life of the insulating
paper immersed in it, leading to improved
grid availability and reliability. A study
measuring the tensile strength and degree
of polymerization of various insulating fluids
and papers found that Kraft paper immersed
in BIOTEMP lasts twice as long as paper
immersed in mineral oil.
BIOTEMP-impregnated paper can
alternatively operate at an 8–10°C higher
hotspot temperature and attain the same life
expectancy as mineral oil-impregnated
paper. This improves energy-efficiency by
increasing the transformer peak load or
overload capacity.
Planned Loading Beyond Nameplate
(IEEE C57.91) can therefore be applied on
BIOTEMP-filled transformers over much
longer time periods with lower loss of lifetime
than with mineral oil-filled transformers.
BIOTEMP-filled transformers also offer
potential for continuous overload capability –
at least 10 percent continuous overload for
the same life expectancy.
BIOTEMP is not affected by reactions
with other materials used in transformer
construction, and is non-oxidizing and non-
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
19
Service
Partial discharge monitoring –
a vital tool for total asset management
ABB’s proven expertise in detecting and measuring partial discharge
(PD) activity forms an integral part of our condition-based approach to
service. It enables our customers to gain a better understanding of the
condition of their medium voltage (MV) assets – improving network
reliability and safety.
Partial discharge is an electrical discharge
or spark that bridges a small portion of the
insulation between two conducting
electrodes. It can occur at any point in the
insulation system where the electric field
strength exceeds the breakdown strength of
the local area of insulating material.
In the type of MV equipment we are
concerned with, PD typically results from
internal voids within solid insulation – such
as small air pockets created during the cast
resin manufacturing process, as well as from
the surface breakdown of insulating material
due usually to a combination of poor
materials, poor installation practice or
environmental conditions.
PD activity is a clear indication that your
asset’s insulation is deteriorating in a
progressive manner, which will eventually
result in it being unable to withstand the
electrical stress, leading to flash-over. An
analysis of MV switchgear faults carried out
by EA Technology has demonstrated that up
to 44 percent of all faults can be detected
by PD techniques, and 85 percent of all
disruptive failures are PD related.
Detecting PD
PD emits energy in three ways:
–
Electromagnetic emissions, in the
form of radio waves, light and heat
–
Acoustic emissions, in the audible
and ultrasonic ranges
–
Ozone and nitrous oxide gases.
This has provided the basis for the
development of monitoring techniques that
are not only non-invasive, but can also be
carried out while the equipment
is energized. In fact, it is vital for the voltage
to be present to create the PD
we need to detect.
20
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
Service
TEV – Transient Earth Voltage monitoring
Measuring Transient Earth Voltage (TEV) is a
highly effective way of detecting, quantifying
and locating PD resulting from internal
discharge activity. It is carried out using high
frequency probes (3 to 80 MHz).
Ultrasonics
Surface PD activity can generate acoustic
emissions in both the audible and ultrasonic
ranges. Ultrasonic detection at around
40 kHz is a valuable technique for early
detection and measurement.
The UltraTEV Plus+ advanced
handheld detector
For optimum PD detection, both TEV and
ultrasonic techniques have been combined
in EA Technology’s state of the art UltraTEV
Plus+ handheld, dual sensor detector that
forms a vital part of the toolkit carried by
ABB’s team of service engineers.
In the hands of our highly trained and
experienced operators, the UltraTEV
Plus+ facilitates detailed identification and
comparison of PD activity across multiple
substation assets. This enables them to
rapidly survey whole substations to detect
faults before they lead to failure.
PD for MV switchgear
PD monitoring is most suited to use on MV
assets from 3.3 kV to 33 kV – mainly metalclad switchboards, but also ring main units
(RMUs) and transformer cable boxes.
A ‘go’ or ‘no-go’ indication
Our service customers sometimes ask if PD
monitoring can be used to predict the time
they have left before asset failure, enabling
them to schedule preventive maintenance or
replacement activities. While this is a longterm goal of researchers in PD, currently it
cannot be used as a reliable indication of
remaining life.
As it stands, PD is a ‘go’ or ‘no-go’
indication. Thanks to ABB’s substantial
experience – built up from PD surveys on
hundreds of UK sites on many different
types of equipment and across a variety of
industries – if we detect PD above a certain
threshold, we can say with a high level of
confidence that you have a problem.
Raised PD levels could indicate that your
asset is close to failure – and we have
documented many cases where switchgear
has literally fallen apart on investigation – or
it could be an early indication of an incipient
problem. Nevertheless, PD emissions
invariably indicate that the asset needs
some form of attention.
On the other hand, if your equipment
earns a clean bill of health from a PD survey,
it could be a persuasive reason for extending
maintenance intervals, which can of course
save costs. We recommend that PD
monitoring should be performed as an
integral part of the commissioning of any
new or refurbished switchboard or
transformer cable box. This will set a
benchmark level for reference throughout
the asset’s service life.
Location, location, location
There are some installations where PD is
detected, but it has proved difficult to locate
the precise panel generating it within a large
bank of switchboards. In this case, ABB can
call on TEV location technology to pinpoint
the problem area.
TEV location uses a monitor with two
sensors to measure the ‘time-of-flight’
difference that occurs in the detection of the
emission pulse by each sensor. In a manner
similar to that used by geologists to locate
the epicentre of an earthquake, this enables
the ABB operator to home in the PD source.
The technique is accurate to around
600 mm, which is usually sufficient to identify
the panel that needs attention.
PD monitoring identified this degradation on a transformer cable
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
21
Safety systems
Safety systems
Arc flash protection:
tripping the light fantastic
Ultra-fast clearing of arc flash faults in medium voltage (MV)
switchgear panels is essential in controlling arc flash hazards.
Reducing the arcing time through faster detection is the most
practical way of reducing incident energy levels and improving
workplace safety.
ABB’s innovative REA fast arc flash
detection system uses fibre-optic sensors to
cut the typical relay operating time to less
than 2.5 ms – far faster than conventional
relay technology.
Arc flash is not a new phenomenon, but
interest and concern about the dangers
of arc flash events have increased
dramatically over recent years. This is largely
due to new guidelines and standards put
forward by the various international trade
and safety bodies such as the Institute of
Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
and the US Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA).
The reduction of arc flash incident energy
levels is a priority, and one way to do this is
to detect and trip for an arc flash event in the
shortest time possible.
22
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
REA 10_Arc Protection System
Speed and Efficiency – Long fibre principle
Protection at the speed of light
In modern protection systems, the need to
operate in a few milliseconds is typically met
by detecting the light from an arc flash and
initiating tripping action via solid-state
tripping elements. This approach is
recognized in the IEC standard 62271-200.
The intensity of light instantaneously
released by an arcing fault can be thousands
of times higher than normal ambient light,
and it is this phenomenon that is used in arc
flash detection relays to achieve faster
operating times than is possible with
conventional relaying. Optical sensors detect
the sudden increase in light intensity.
Instantaneous over-current elements are
used as fault detectors to supervise the
optical system for security.
First-generation arc flash protection,
dating from the early 1990s, uses only
single-point light receptors called ‘lens
sensors’. In this type of system, lens sensors
are typically located in each cubicle where
an arc flash might occur. Each lens sensor is
individually targeted, for more precise
location of the arc flash fault, and radially
connected to electronics via a clad fibre.
From around 2000 onwards, ABB has
been rolling out its new generation REA
series of arc flash detection relays. In
addition to the traditional lens sensors, this
system accommodates a radically different
type of light sensor: a long unclad fibre-optic
sensor that can absorb light throughout
its length.
Fibre-optic sensor benefits
There are several advantages to the REA’s
fibre-optic sensor technology. First, the
unclad fibre enables light to enter through its
exposed surface, and this propagates back
to the electronics – effectively making the
entire fibre a sensor. This dramatically
reduces the cost of installation. A single
optical fibre sensor can be as long as
60 metres, typically covering the same
protection zone at much lower cost than
lens sensors alone. Second, any concerns
about shadows from internal structures that
might block the direct exposure to an arc
flash are eliminated. Third, if the fibre sensor
is configured in a loop, the system
can provide regular self-checking of
the sensor’s integrity and continuity,
and generate an alarm if a problem
is detected.
For additional security, the REA includes
a set of conventional 1 A/5 A current
transformer inputs. These are typically
connected to the current transformers
located on the source side of the main
breakers to drive instantaneous phase and
ground over-current elements, which act as
fault detectors to supervise the optical flash
detector. They utilize peak-to-peak
waveform detectors in order to eliminate
delays associated with conventional rootmean-square (RMS) calculations.
In normal operation, both light and overcurrent must be present simultaneously for
tripping to occur. Detection of an intense
light alone will not result in a trip unless the
system is intentionally set to operate that
way (which is not recommended).
Over-current settings enable different
current threshold levels for phase and
ground fault currents. High-speed insulated
gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) are used to
provide two fully trip-rated outputs rather
than relatively slow conventional dry
contacts. The typical operating time is
less than 2.5 ms from arc detection to
trip initiation.
Over 3,500 REA systems utilizing long
fibre-optic sensor technology have been
installed in 36 countries around the world.
There have been at least two documented
cases to date where an arc flash accident
occurred in MV switchgear protected by
arc flash relays utilizing the long fibre
sensor technology.
Optical arc flash relays are ideally suited
to modern vacuum and SF6 breaker
technologies where the fault interruption
takes place inside a sealed container.
However, with proper precautions, an optical
relay may also be applied to air magnetic
breakers.
In addition to the installation of dedicated
arc flash relaying, arc flash mitigation
strategies should also include replacing
older air magnetic breakers (typical
operating time of five cycles) with modern
vacuum and SF 6 technology (typical
operating time of three cycles or less).
The REA optical arc flash relaying system
is the fastest protection currently available,
and the development of long-fibre light
sensors has made this protection practical
for both new and retrofit applications.
REA 10_Arc Protection System
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
23
Substation automation
Substation automation
Don’t drop the pilot
Tim Spearing, ABB Business Manager – Distribution
Automation, explains how advanced line differential
protection and control schemes can be implemented
using Relion RED615 IEDs communicating over existing
copper pilot wire cables.
Cost-effective upgrade
via pilot wire link
There is a general impression that in order
to use advanced substation IEDs effectively
they need to communicate over a fibre-optic
link. That is indeed what we would
recommend for a new build project.
However, we have enjoyed considerable
success in enabling RED615 units to
communicate over relatively simple copper
pilot wire connections.
This capability to reuse the existing
communications infrastructure is a most
significant development. It offers a very costeffective method of retrofitting a substation
protection and control system to the very
latest standards – without a major investment in new fibre-optic links.
The RED615 upgrade solution utilizes
RPW600 pilot wire modems to connect the
IEDs via existing pilot wire cables, with no
additional relays required to cover the
required back-up protection functionality.
It also offers a wealth of extra capabilities,
such as disturbance, fault and event
recording as well as native support for IEC
61850 communication including Generic
Object Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE)
messaging between substation devices.
The RPW600 modem features a
ruggedized design, developed specifically
for use in a substation environment and it
has fulfilled exactly the same type test
requirements as the RED615 itself. It can
support distances of up to 8 km using
0.8 mm2 twisted pair cables. Cables in
good conditions might support even
longer distances.
Using the RPW600 in combination with
the RED615 enables a pre-installation
survey to be carried out to establish the
condition and capability of the existing pilot
wire cables as the vital first step in the retrofit
project. In a current trial programme with
London Underground, we now have
RED615 units communicating over a
distance of 19 km.
GridShield recloser
incorporating the dedicated RER620 recloser IED
Line differential protection and control
equipment performs a vital role in providing
selective two-terminal protection for cable
or overhead line feeders in distribution
networks. Typical applications include:
–
Parallel feeders – looped feeder
construction or doubled feeders
–
Two interconnected feeders between
a primary substation – such as for
reserve connections or meshed
type networks
–
Distributed generation – with power
generation at the remote end of
the feeder
–
Weak grid supplying relatively long
distribution lines.
Electromechanical solutions
Traditional electromechanical protection
solutions are usually built up from many
different relays. Typically, on top of the line
differential functionality, every additional
function needs its own separate relay:
–
Circulating current pilot wire line
differential relay
–
Pilot wire supervision relay
–
Destabilizing relay
(tripping relay)
–
Two-phase overcurrent and
earth-fault relay.
24
There are a number of operational issues
with this approach, including the limited
supervision of the protection communication
link and the risk of unwanted tripping due to
disturbances in the communication link.
Furthermore, the line differential protection
function is not phase-segregated and no
substation level communication protocols
are included. There is also no capability to
record events, fault data and disturbances
for post-fault analysis, or to utilize the
communications link for additional signalling
between substations.
A key member of the Relion family is
the RED615, a phase-segregated, two-end
line differential protection and control
IED designed for utility and industrial
power systems, including radial, looped
and meshed distribution networks.
Two RED615s interconnected over a
communication link form an absolutely
selective unit protection scheme. Protection
of ring-type and meshed distribution
networks generally requires unit protection
solutions, also applied in radial networks
containing distributed power generation.
ABB’s new GridShield recloser incorporating the dedicated RER620 recloser IED
is one of the most flexible devices for auto
restoration. In addition to reliability
improvement and reduction of SAIDI
(System Average Interruption Duration
Index), SAIFI (System Average Interruption
Frequency Index) and MAIFI (Momentary
Average Interruption Frequency Index)
indices, the GridShield recloser can be used
as an automatic load break switch,
sectionalizer or recloser. This flexibility in
functionality makes the GridShield recloser
the perfect solution for a smarter grid.
Relion® RED615
The recognition that electromagnetic
devices are unable to meet the requirements
of future network protection and control
schemes for ever higher levels of reliability
and availability has driven the development
of a new generation of intelligent electronic
devices (IEDs).
We have also seen the introduction of the
new IEC 61850 standard for substation
communications, with a particular focus on
the protection and control philosophy. ABB
has embraced this standard with the
pioneering Relion® family of IEDs, which are
already having a profound impact on the
way the power transmission and distribution
industry designs, tests and commissions its
protection and control systems.
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
25
Marine
Marine
Shore-to-ship power:
cold-ironing for the modern age
Turnkey solutions
ABB addresses both onboard and port-side
requirements for shore-to-ship power, and
offers turnkey solutions for both sides of the
connection. These include system components such as frequency converters, highand medium-voltage switchgear, transformers, and control and protection systems.
In addition, ABB offers fully engineered
and integrated systems and services,
ranging from the main incoming substation
to retrofitting the vessel’s electrical system
to receive shore power.
Onshore, this requires the appropriate
supply of power, including adapting the
voltage level and frequency from the local
grid to match that of the vessel. As the
deployment of a shore-to-ship power
solution can have a significant impact on the
local grid, ABB offers system studies to
assess the overall effect. We can then
recommend solutions to upgrade and
strengthen the local grid and port
network to accommodate shore power
connections as required.
Solutions with single or multiple
frequencies, regardless of power rating, are
available for single and multiple berth
applications, container terminals and city
ports, as well as small-footprint indoor
concepts that can accommodate all
major system components.
Onboard the ship, the power solution
must be fully integrated with the vessel’s
electrical and automation system, to enable
seamless power switching between the
ship’s own generation and the shore
power supply.
Global standard
The world’s first shore-to-ship power system
was installed by ABB at the Swedish port
of Gothenburg in 2000. Since then, the
technology has been rolled out in ports
along the Pacific coast of North America as
well as in Finland, Germany, the Netherlands
and Sweden. To date, ABB has retrofitted
more than 20 vessels for shore-to-ship
power, including container ships, fuel
carriers and cruise liners.
Clearly, for shore-to-ship power systems
to be a global success, there needs to be an
internationally-agreed standard. As well as
pioneering the technology itself, ABB has
been an active participant in the standards
development process.
A standard for shore-to-ship solutions
is about to be finalized, based on a
jointly published draft from the IEC,
IEEE and ISO. With that standard in
place, port operators and ship owners
alike will have a far greater level of
confidence in making investments in
shore-to-ship power solutions.
ABB’s shore-to-ship power solutions are helping the world’s leading shipping
lines and port operators make the switch to grid power – reducing emissions
and cutting fuel bills at the same time.
As fossil fuel prices continue on their upward
spiral and environmental considerations
come to the fore, ports and ship operators
are turning to efficient alternative maritime
power solutions to keep the lights on
in harbour.
In the days when ships were coal-fired,
vessels sitting in port for any length of time
would not need any motive power, and
their iron steam engines were allowed to go
cold – supposedly the source of the term
cold-ironing.
Today’s diesel-powered ships have all
kinds of electrical equipment on board,
and auxiliary engines are left running
continuously while in port to maintain the
electrical power supply.
26
But with rising fuel costs and a pressing
need to reduce environmental impact, there
is growing interest in cold-ironing of a slightly
different kind – using the onshore electricity
grid to provide power to the ship so that
onboard diesel engines can be turned off
in port.
Environmental and financial cost
During a 10-hour stay in port, the diesel
engines of a single cruise ship burn around
20 metric tons of fuel.This produces some
60 metric tons of CO2 – equivalent to the
total annual emissions of 25 average-sized
European cars.
In addition, running diesel engines
produces SOx, NOx and particle
discharges, as well as noise and vibration –
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
a problem for those living and working
onboard and in the surrounding area.
New
international
environmental
regulations surrounding ports and coastal
waters are coming into effect to address
this issue.
The rising cost of keeping engines
running in port is also significant: in the past
year alone, the price of marine bunker fuel
has increased by 50 percent to nearly
USD700 per metric ton (June 2011).
By implementing shore-to-ship power
solutions, the shipping industry will not only
cut total fuel oil costs significantly, it will cut
in-port CO2 emissions by around half, based
on the average fuel mix for European power
generation, according to the World Port
Climate Initiative (WPCI).
ABB PCS 6000 medium voltage frequency converters are a vital element in
shore-to-ship power schemes
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
27
Medium voltage
Medium voltage
eVD4 – the pioneering smart
medium voltage circuit breaker
ABB’s new eVD4 medium voltage (MV) circuit breaker
provides a single, smart solution that integrates all the
breaking, measuring, protection, monitoring and
communications functions that previously required the
installation of several discrete items of equipment.
This single unit approach signals a
revolution in the way that primary switchgear
is designed, specified and constructed. Not
only does the eVD4 make the whole
engineering process more simple and
streamlined, it also offers total flexibility to
adapt to changing customer needs
throughout the project as well as ensuring
fast-track installation and commissioning,
ease of maintenance and long-term safety
and reliability.
The eVD4 series adds ABB’s smart
Relion® protection and control technology
and leading-edge sensor technology to the
well proven VD4 mechanically-actuated
circuit breakers. The eVD4 is delivered ready
to install in the switchgear panel, which
drastically reduces the need for wiring or
additional work, while its auxiliary circuit plug
enables it to be instantly hooked up to the
control circuit.
eVD4 circuit-breakers are available in
fixed and withdrawable versions for UniGear
ZS1 switchgear and PowerCube modules.
They cover the most common MV circuit
breaker ratings, with a nominal voltage of up
to 17.5 kV, current up to 2,500 A and a
breaking capacity of up to 40 kA.
UniGear 500R –
the primary choice for MV switchgear
The UniGear 500R range of MV primary
metal-clad air insulated switchgear (AIS) has
been developed specifically by ABB to meet
the needs of customers requiring the
simplicity, lower cost and smaller installation
footprint offered by a fixed circuit breaker
panel. At just 500 mm wide, the UniGear
500R represents a significant space saving
compared with standard switchgear panels,
especially in typical applications where
banks of 10 or more panels are installed.
The panels can be rear wall mounted
if required, and are ideal for containerized substations.
Maximum safety and reliability
The UniGear 500R panel ensures maximum
safety and reliability, with mechanical
interlocks between the circuit-breaker, threeposition 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 panel incorp-orates ABB’s
proven Vmax vacuum circuit breaker in a
special fixed version – if a problem should
arise it can be replaced in less than
90 minutes.
Based on a well proven design
The UniGear 500R has evolved from the
proven UniGear ZS1 range launched by
ABB in 2004 to provide the world’s first
‘one size fits all’ platform for primary MV
AIS systems in the 12 to 24 kV range.
It is manufactured at ABB’s focused
factory in Brno, Czech Republic which is
currently producing over 1,000 panels a
month to meet the regional demand for
UniGear equipment.
28
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
Now ENA approved for currents
up to 2,000 A
The UniGear 500R has a certificate
confirming that it meets the ENA Technical
Specification ENATS 41-36 covering
distribution switchgear up to 36 kV for use
by UK Distribution Network Operators. In its
ENA version, the UniGear 500R is rated for
voltages up to 12 kV and has just received
the approval that extends its rating for feeder
currents to cover both the 1,250 A and
2,000 A models. The UniGear 500R also
complies with the IEC 62271-200 standard
for metal-enclosed switchgear.
Flexible connectivity
UniGear 500R panels offer a high level
of flexibility to accommodate both
traditional and IEC 61850-based protection
and control solutions. In the IEC 61850enabled format, the UniGear 500R
incorporates ABB Relion® intelligent
electronic devices (IEDs), such as the
REF615 feeder protection relay, which meet
the highest Generic Object Oriented
Substation Event (GOOSE) performance
requirements for tripping applications in
distribution substations.
A wide range of applications
Over 250 UniGear 500R panels have
already been installed in a number of
UK applications that require a compact,
space-saving, low-maintenance solution,
such as data centres, wind farms,
industrial projects, hospitals and major
sporting venues.
One-stop shop for MV
distribution switchgear
An important advantage of the UniGear
500R is that it coordinates perfectly with the
complete UniGear ZS1 portfolio, enabling
ABB to offer a complete ‘one-stop shop’
approach for MV distribution switchgear.
This makes it possible to specify a UniGear
ZS1 with withdrawable incomer, a Uni-Gear
500R removable circuit breaker outgoing
and a motor control centre (MCC) on the
same busbar.
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
29
Power quality
Renewable energy
Vector in on PFC solutions
ABB’s new Vector series of automatic capacitor banks is designed to
provide the ideal power factor correction (PFC) solution for industrial and
commercial low voltage networks.
Power factor (PF) is the relationship
between the active and reactive power on
an electricity distribution network. If the
network is 100 percent efficient, the PF is 1.
All UK electricity suppliers impose a
penalty charge when PF is lower than 0.95
Equipment such as AC motors, arc
welders, furnaces, fluorescent lighting and
air conditioning can cause a poor PF.
Capacitors can provide a source of reactive
power to help increase the network’s power
factor. The key feature of the Vector series
is the state-of-the-art CLMD03 dry capacitor
technology delivered in a modular system
that is easy to install, operate and service
while ensuring exceptional reliability
and efficiency.
Powerful and compact
The Vector series is fully type-tested and
delivers the maximum possible reactive
power within the minimum footprint. Power
ranges from 25 to 400 kVar are available in
four factory-built modules, including three
ranges of free-standing, floor-mounted
cubicles (Vector 400D, Vector 300 and
Vector 200) and the Vector 100 wallmounted enclosure.
A flexible approach
for panel builders
For panel builders, the Vector series also
includes individual capacitor shelves that
enable them to integrate PFC technology as
part of their own low voltage panels.
Easy to use
Vector modules are simple and easy
to operate thanks to the multiple automatic functions provided by the integral
RVC controller. For enhanced functionality,
ABB also offers the more advanced
RVT controller.
Total service approach
ABB offers a total PFC equipment approach
that goes well beyond supplying the Vector
modules. It is able to support customers
along every step of the project, from
establishing the problem, through identifying
the solution, to installing and commissioning
the Vector equipment. ABB also offers a
comprehensive UK-wide PFC equipment
maintenance and repair service.
Solar power: a shining example
The latest order for ABB photovoltaic power plants – for a large-scale
solar power project in south-east Italy – highlights the importance of the
technology in meeting future power generation needs.
ABB has won orders worth USD33 million
from Italian renewable energy specialist
Emmeesseenne to supply three highefficiency turnkey photovoltaic power plants
near the city of Foggia in south-east Italy.
The plants are expected to be in operation
by the third quarter of 2011.
The three plants, De Nittis 1, 2 and 3, will
have a combined generating capacity of 39
MW. By substituting fossil fuel generation,
the plants will displace 33,000 tons of CO2
emissions a year, equivalent to the emissions
of about 13,000 average European cars.
Solar pioneer
ABB has been active in the solar power
industry since the 1980s, when we
developed an automation platform for the
world’s first test facility for concentrating
solar power technologies at the Plataforma
Solar de Almería (PSA) in Spain.
30
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
Since then, ABB has pioneered many
photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar
power (CSP) technologies, which have been
developed and deployed worldwide. As a
result, ABB has built up unique expertise in
how best to harness, control and store solar
energy, and efficiently convert it into reliable
electricity ready for transfer into the local
power grid.
Fast-track PV plants
ABB offers a fast-track modular concept for
turnkey PV plants, which combines a high
level of customization, rapid delivery and
system optimization technologies that
enable our plants to generate around
15 percent more energy than alternative designs.
Rapid delivery is facilitated by ABB’s wellproven concept of pre-assembled,
factory-tested EBoP modules, and by
expertise in project execution. This enables
ABB to cut weeks off conventional delivery
times, and to complete installation and
commissioning within a few months of
signing a contract.
Mr Alfredo Gonzalez, operations
manager for Gestamp Solar, explains why
the company decided to work with ABB on
five PV projects of varying capacities in Italy
and France: “ABB’s ability to provide a highperformance turnkey package and meet a
very challenging deadline was vital. Our first
project with ABB – La Robla – was a
complete success, with completion in just
five months from signing the contract to
producing power. This included a
six-week period when the winter rainfall was
so heavy that it stopped work at the site. In
effect, the delivery time was only about
three-and-a-half months, which is very fast.”
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
31
Corporate social responsibility
Corporate social responsibility
Inspiring the
engineers of tomorrow
It is well documented that the engineering sector is in the midst of a
recruitment crisis. There are simply not enough people to fill the thousands
of open positions within the industry. And the situation is only set to get
worse, with some estimates stating that more than 50,000 additional
people will be needed over the next 10 years.
While there is no single fix available, ABB is
using its leadership position to drive a
range of projects designed to address
various elements of the wider problem, in
areas such as general industry awareness
and training.
Partnering with local schools
There is no doubt that schools careers
advice has improved greatly in recent years,
but unfortunately it’s not possible to cover all
avenues and potential areas of interest.
Engineering is an industry that is generally
not well understood, despite being one
of the broadest in terms of career
opportunities available.
Having recognized the recruitment
challenge, ABB has been working with four
schools – two in Stone and two in Stoke – to
introduce Year 9 students to the world of
engineering. The project is deliberately timed
in the academic year to take place ahead of
students making their all-important GCSE
choices. If they are interested in pursuing
engineering as a potential career, they will
understand what qualifications are required.
Between 16 and 18 students are invited
to attend a day-long course at ABB’s Stone
facility. The day mainly comprises hands-on
practical activities, with an introductory
session at the beginning of the day that
covers what engineering is all about and
gives the students plenty of opportunities to
ask questions. This session also covers the
wide range of jobs available in this sector –
from financial roles, health and safety,
marketing, to project management.
From a practical perspective, students
are tasked with ‘real-life’ projects from the
conception stage, through design and
procurement, to build and deployment.
32
For example, last year students built a mini
hydro water storage plant, which used water
to make electricity. As well as the physical
creation of the plant itself, students had to
consider the design and cost elements, and
budget management, all within an overall
project plan.
Another example relates to a subject
that’s particularly topical at the moment – the
use and cost of domestic electricity. The
objective of this project was to help students
see energy as engineers see energy and
look for ways to generate power using
renewable energy – wind, water and solar –
to meet the demands of their homes. The
project also focused on the planning and
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
environmental constraints of renewable
energy, and the role that geographical
location plays when considering which
resources to utilize. Parts of Scotland are
very windy, for example, and more suited to
wind farms. In contrast, the south-east of
England enjoys more hours of sun and is
therefore more appropriate for solar-driven
energy initiatives.
These introductory days have been very
well received so far. Feedback from all the
students who’ve attended has been very
positive and, who knows, perhaps we’ve
inspired the next James Watt or Isambard
Kingdom Brunel.
ABB and STEM – delivering
additional support to schools
ABB is a key sponsor of the Government’s
science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM)-based activity within
schools. It is widely acknowledged that
these subjects are integral to the UK’s future
economic and scientific success.
The key teaching challenge around the
STEM subjects is to help young people
understand how they can lead to rich and
varied careers, engineering included.
Through its STEM sponsorship, ABB has
helped schools purchase a variety of
equipment – including robotic laser sets,
electric cars, and dust extraction systems –
for their workshops, as well as days out
driving 4x4 vehicles.
Working with the National
Skills Academy
Part of a national network, the Skills
Academy was established to help close the
process industries skills gap. The north-west
of England was chosen as one of five
regional bases, where a high concentration
of process industries’ employers is located.
Led completely by employers, the academy
is a one-stop shop for training issues,
bringing employers and training specialists
together to identify and address skills issues,
in addition to lobbying for funding at a
national level.
ABB supports and sponsors the National
Skills Academy and a number of our
employees are involved in different
sub-groups.
Special Olympics Update:
2011 World Summer Games, Athens
Special Olympics GB’s Athens adventure
ended on a high at the recent 2011
Special Olympics World Summer Games
with a bumper bag of medals and brilliant
performances all round. The final medal
tally hit 187 (72 Gold, 63 Silver and
52 Bronze).
Although it’s not possible to list all the
magnificent results achieved by the team,
GB's oldest athlete Lynn Williams, aged
54, deserves a special mention as she
returned from her first foreign competition
with a clutch of medals. The team won
medals in practically every event including
athletics, football, badminton, swimming,
gymnastics, ten-pin bowling, basketball
and sailing.
ABB has sponsored the Special
Olympics in various countries since 2001.
It is a key element of ABB’s community
work and supports the company’s
commitment to work with disadvantaged
people in areas where the company has
operations. Established in 1968, Special
Olympics is the world's largest sporting
movement for people with learning
(intellectual) disabilities. The organization
is recognized by the International Olympic
Committee and enjoys the membership of
3.25 million participating athletes in over
180 countries.
Powerlifter Nathan Fisher won gold,
silver and bronze medals
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
33
International news
Events
Forthcoming events
ABB has an exciting programme of events lined up for the second half of 2011,
so why not come and see us at one of these major exhibitions and conferences?
Record-breaking power
superhighway in India
ABB is starting work on the world’s highest-capacity ‘power
superhighway’, which will eventually supply enough electricity to
serve 90 million people in northern India.
ABB has been awarded a USD900 million
contract by Power Grid Corporation of India
Ltd (PGCIL) to deliver an Ultra High-Voltage
DC (UHVDC) transmission system, which
will supply hydropower from north-eastern
India to the city of Agra, Uttar Pradesh,
1,728 km away.
The UHVDC link will operate at 800 kV
and have a converter capacity of 8,000 MW
– which will make it the highest-capacity
UHVDC link ever built. When operating
at full capacity, the link will be able to
supply enough electricity to serve 90 million
people, based on current average
national consumption.
34
The system will also be the world’s first
UHVDC link with three converter stations.
Two sending stations will convert power
from AC to DC for transmission over a single
power line that will pass through the narrow
Siliguri Corridor and deliver electricity to the
receiving station in Agra, where it will
be converted back to AC for distribution
to customers.
This approach considerably reduces
costs compared with the alternative of
running separate power links from multiple
hydropower plants to Agra.
Under the turnkey project, ABB will
handle everything from design and
FFWD 2|11 Power Products and Power Systems
system engineering to supply, installation
and commissioning.
Ultra high-voltage transformer order
Under a separate contract, ABB will also
supply PGCIL with ultra high-voltage
transformers for the transmission utility’s
Jabalpur pooling substation, which will
receive power from the eastern Indian state
of Orissa and distribute it within the central
state of Madhya Pradesh.
The 500 MVA, 765 kV autotrans-formers
will be manufactured in India at ABB’s stateof-the-art manufacturing facility on Vadodara
and will be commissioned in mid-2013.
Event
Location Date
Website
RWM in partnership with CIWM – NEC
ABB is at this leading waste industry event to
showcase its complete range of solutions for
waste to power projects. Highlights will include
our new Symphony Plus total plant automation
system as well as ABB’s comprehensive
electrical balance of plant (eBOP) service.
Birmingham
Sept 13-15
www.rwmexhibition.com
RenewableUK 2011
Manchester
October 25-27
www.renewable-uk.com/events
Energy Storage:
A pragmatic approach – IET workshop
London
November 3
www.theiet.org.events
Global Offshore Wind 2012 – ExCel
STOP PRESS – ABB announced as core sponsor
London
June 13-14
www.renewable-uk.com/events
Still time to enter the IET
Innovation in Engineering Awards
ABB is proud to be continuing its long-term
sponsorship of the IET Innovation Awards, which
celebrate the products, technologies and processes
that lead the way in engineering innovation.
Spanning 15 categories, the Awards are
judged by engineering experts and
recognise the depth and breadth of
innovative work being carried out across all
areas of engineering and technology.
The ABB-sponsored Sustainability
category is the most all-encompassing of all
of the Innovation in Engineering Awards.
It is open to any and all innovations in
the fields of engineering, science and
technology that demonstrate a contribution
to sustainability. In 2010, the award was
won by Farnell, who in collaboration with
packaging specialist Antistat, had developed
a new environmentally-friendly alternative
to polythene static-dissipative electronic
components packaging.
Entries are welcomed for projects,
processes, products and initiatives either
or
from individuals, small teams
organisations (both engineers and non
engineers) that are both innovative in
nature and sustainable from a resource
perspective. The entry can cover an entirely
new concept or the development of an
existing process or product to provide a
sustainable approach.
There is still time to enter, as the deadline
is set at July 29. For more information:
www.theiet.org/innovation-awards
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 2|11
35