Fault Assistance Centre
David Talbot & Chris Armstrong
24-25 September 2014
1
Agenda
Introduction
Fault overview
Solution and case
studies
Questions and
answers
2
Connecting the North West
£8 billion of network assets
5 million
2.4 million
25 terawatt
3
Introduction
Early location and repair of faults before they become
permanent, avoids loss of customer supply
The FAC enables early intervention to reduce the impact of
cable faults on the LV underground network
Together with latest techniques and equipment the FAC will
prevent many faults from becoming permanent
4
Fault progression
Transitory
Irregular
voltage dips
Intermittent
Irregular fuse
operations
Persistent
Repetitive
fuse
operations
Permanent
Open circuit
or welded
short circuit
Impact on customers
5
Probability of further fault activity
Probability
Insulation
cooling
Minutes
Hours
Moisture
absorption
Days
Weeks
6
Frequency of faults
6
5
Time
elapsed
between
faults
4
3
2
1
0
1
2
3
4
5
Number of Events
7
Faults showing distance from substation
Fault A
Fault C
Fault D
Fault B
8
What does it cost our business?
Impact of transient faults on CIs and CMLs
Greater than
3 events
Greater than
5 events
If 3rd and 4th trip can be
reclosed within 3 minutes
35% of CIs
and 31% of
CMLs
19% of CIs
and 16% of
CMLs
£700,000 saving
£1.4 million lost revenue
Improved customer
satisfaction
Incentive revenue
9
LV transient faults over a year
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
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Transient Events
10
LV fault management - REZAP
Can be installed on LV
boards - indoor substations
Controlled, reset and
monitored remotely via
Gateway
Multiple-shot auto-recloser
Single phase impedance
based fault location
11
LV fault management – Modular REZAP
Multiple-shot auto-recloser
Can be installed in LV cabinets –
outdoor substations
Controlled, reset and monitored
remotely via Gateway
Single phase impedance based
fault location
12
LV fault management – Bidoyng (smart)
Single-shot auto-recloser
Can be installed in most pillars and
cabinets – outdoor substations
Monitored via Gateway
3 phase impedance based fault
location
13
WEEZAP
World leading LV vacuum circuit
breaker
Advanced measurement and
protection capability
Safe LV interconnection, live
monitoring and control
Improves supply reliability and
restoration through fault
management and detection
14
TP22/23 fault location equipment
Fault disturbance recorder with
communications
Multiple TDRs for transient
faults
Single TDR for permanent faults
Travelling wave using two units
15
TP22/23 fault location equipment
16
Exploiting the potential of LV devices
Devices are
widely used to
reduce CI and
CML figures
Further
benefits can be
obtained from
the data they
provide
Analysis of data
is a specialised
subject
area/training
issue
Only key
‘champions’
can perform
this analysis
Solution: Kelvatek’s Fault Assistance Centre (FAC) that will actively monitor the
equipment installed on ENW’s LV network – trial under IFI
17
Business case
Actively monitors equipment installed on LV network
Faster fault location and repair
Fault
Assistance
Centre
business
benefits
Identification of 2nd and 3rd faults on the network
Observation of fault ‘pecking’
Identifies circuits with overloading problems
Identifies areas with poor health
Helps us understand how best to use the LV kit
18
FAC process flow
Transient identified
Fault location from
Kelvatek to
Electricity NW
Electricity NW fit
REZAP/Bidoyng/
TP22/23
Confirm location
Details sent to
Kelvatec FAC
Repair fault
19
Fault found - Radcliffe
Details sent
to Kelvatek
FAC
Fault location
returned of
146 metres
Next rupture
confirmed
with sniffer
(two metres
out)
Fault
repaired in
four days of
fitting
REZAP
20
Fault found – Radcliffe
21
Fault found - Radcliffe
22
Fault found - Radcliffe
23
Melting Bidoyngs
24
Melting Bidoyngs – winter 2013/14
Red phase
fuse
blowing in
outdoor
cabinet
Bidoyngs
fitted on all
three
phases
Received
2000
primary
fuse
ruptured /
fuse
replaced
messages
Visited site,
found
Bidoyng
had
‘melted’
Conclusion
Load related transient – 550 Amps
25
New Street – first fault
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New Street – first fault
27
New Street – second fault
28
New Street – second fault
29
Multiple faults
Overlaid first fault
Second fault
developed several
months later
Second fault never
taken fuses
Will this fault ever
develop into a
transient ?
How does a
DNO deal with
these faults
?
Targeted
asset
management
!
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Summary
• LV transient faults
difficult to find
• Faults progress to
permanent state
needing lengthy repair
time
• Faster fault location and
repair
• Identifies circuits with
overloading problems
• Improves customer service
• Saves money
• Expensive and time
consuming to repair
permanent faults
• Impact on customer
satisfaction
Challenge
Benefit
Impact
Solution
• FAC exploits potential of
existing LV fault devices
• Actively monitors the
equipment installed
• Data supplied to
determine fault location
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QUESTIONS
ANSWERS
&
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Want to know more?
e
futurenetworks@enwl.co.uk
www.enwl.co.uk/thefuture
0800 195 4141
@ElecNW_News
linkedin.com/company/electricity-north-west
facebook.com/ElectricityNorthWest
youtube.com/ElectricityNorthWest
Thank you for your time and attention
33