1. business and industrial
2. energy
3. electricity

1|12
The customer newsletter
of ABB Power Products
and Power Systems
ffwd
Delivering a power boost for London Underground
EAC wins five-year contract extension from National Grid 04
IEC 61850 project delivered for Teesside offshore wind farm 08
High Speed 1 project enters test phase 11
Hybrid HVDC breakers 12
Introducing Symphony Plus 16
New generation recloser 22
Oil reclamation prolongs active life for transformers 26
Power quality issues put to bed 28
Data centre power 30
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.
07
ffwd
Stephen Trotter
New indoor high
voltage substation
24
Substation upgrade
for the ‘Chapel in
the Valley’
33
Supporting Macmillan
Cancer Support
1|12
Dear reader,
Welcome to the first issue of our customer
newsletter for 2012. As you can read in our
newspages, the new year got off to a flying
start for ABB with the exciting news that our
Electricity Alliance Central (EAC) contract with
National Grid has been extended for a further
five years. You can also find out more about
our EAC projects in the article on page 14.
Another important development is the
opening of our new office in East Kilbride that
will provide the ideal platform for supporting
power infrastructure projects in Scotland. We
are also pleased to welcome our new intake
of apprentices who represent our very real
commitment to the development and training
vital to support not only ABB’s future growth,
but also a healthy economy.
Simply reading through these pages
describing major projects and ground
breaking technology, such as the HVDC
hybrid breaker, the true depth and breadth of
ABB’s capabilities emerge. They provide a
solid foundation for our ambitious growth
plans as we look forward to building the
advanced ‘smart’ power networks essential
for the UK to make the best possible use of its
new renewable energy resources.
As always, we would be delighted to
receive any feedback on the subjects covered
in this issue, or suggestions for future issues.
Please get in touch – we would love to hear
from you.
In June, we would also be very pleased
to see you at the RenewableUK Global
Offshore Wind 2012 Conference & Exhibition
in London, where ABB is proud to be the
core sponsor.
Stephen Trotter
Division Head of ABB Power Systems UK
ffwd 1/12 • 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
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18
Delivering the balance
of power
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
4
News on major contracts and
developments in ABB
8
IEC 61850 project for Teesside offshore
wind farm
10
11
12
14
16
24
24
18
Jon Downs outlines a new approach to
smaller substation projects
20
Creating a new Bulk Supply Point
22
New generation GridShield recloser
26
Reclaiming transformer oil
28
Power quality issues put to bed for
Paragon Print & Packaging
30
Data centre power
32
PASS M00
33
Supporting Macmillan
34
GBS platform technology for DolWin2
35
Where to meet ABB this year
High Speed 1 power quality project
Introducing the Hybrid HVDC breaker
Leigh Turley reports on ABB’s experience of
working in National Grid’s substation alliance
New Symphony Plus distributed control system
Substation upgrade for ‘The Chapel in the Valley’
New connection for SITA
Delivering the balance of power
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 3
News
News
New Head of Regulatory Affairs
and Technology for the UK
We are delighted to report that Colin Green has joined ABB in the new role of Head
of Regulatory Affairs and Technology for the UK.
Electricity Alliance Central wins
five-year substation contract
extension from National Grid
The New Year got off to a flying with the news that National Grid’s Electricity Alliance
Central (EAC), a consortium of ABB, Morgan Sindall and Atkins, has been awarded
a five-year contract extension to deliver major enhancements to the UK’s electrical
transmission infrastructure.
These enhancements will primarily
involve the design, construction and
commissioning of 400 kV, 275 kV and
132 kV transmission substations.
During the contract extension, which
runs until 2017, individual contracts will
continue to be awarded based upon
safety performance, cost, on time
delivery performance, project scope and
geographical considerations. It is therefore
not possible to place a total value on the
contract extension.
The EAC was established in 2006 as
one of National Grid’s preferred Alliance
partners for substation development and
4
construction projects. It operates in National
Grid’s Central region, comprising the
Midlands, Greater Manchester and
Liverpool. This original award was part of a
programme worth up to £2.8 billion to
upgrade and develop the electricity
transmission network across England
and Wales.
Stuart Grattage, Head of Engineering for
ABB Power Systems in the UK, said:
“National Grid’s decision to extend the
Alliance contract confirms the success of
our innovative approach where all four
participants work together as a true
partnership. This makes the best use of our
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
individual competencies and shares risk and
reward to create an effective team which
safely and efficiently delivers complex
substation projects, on time and on budget.”
Most recently, the EAC has been working
on one of the largest ever substation
projects undertaken in the UK, creating a
replacement 400 kV substation at Deeside.
Not only will this new substation play a
vital role in the reinforcement of the high
voltage transmission infrastructure in
northwest England, it will also pave the way
for the connection of a new high-voltage
direct current (HVDC) power link which is
under construction.
Colin has come to ABB after over 15 years
experience with the UK energy regulator,
where he was most recently Head of
Offshore Transmission Policy at the Office of
Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem). His
appointment expands the skills and
expertise that ABB can offer in the UK
power sector.
Colin’s main role is to support ABB in
building on its market leading position as a
supplier of advanced power transmission
and distribution solutions that are missioncritical to the future development of the UK’s
energy infrastructure. This will include
developing and extending ABB’s high level
relationships with key government policy
makers, industry bodies and customers to
promote the technical and economic
advantages of ABB’s world-leading power
systems technologies. Thanks to his wealth
of experience in the power transmission
industry, Colin is especially well placed to
promote, for example, the business case for
using ABB’s high-voltage direct current
(HVDC) technology to create the enhanced
infrastructure essential for the effective
integration of offshore wind power within
the UK grid.
Speaking about his new role, Colin said
“This is a great opportunity that enables me
to apply my knowledge, skill and experience
to support the growth of ABB’s UK
business. It is an exciting time to work in the
UK power sector with the growth of
renewable generation, the development
of smarter networks and the drive
towards more efficient production and use
of energy.
ABB is a company with a fantastic
culture and tradition and I am looking
forward to adding value to ABB and
its customers.”
“The UK energy market faces some key
technical and economic challenges over the
next few years” commented Stephen
Trotter, Head of ABB's Power Systems
Division in the UK. “Colin's appointment will
ensure that we can work pro-actively with
the various stakeholders – utilities,
developers, governmental and non
governmental organisations and financial
institutions, understanding the business and
regulatory environment and ensuring that
the market is aware of the value and
solutions ABB can provide across a range
of technologies – HVDC, energy storage,
smartgrids, network protection and control,
software, offshore wind, power generation,
energy efficiency, rail electrification and
tidal/marine.”
Colin Green
‘You’re hired’ - new apprentice class of 2011
In October 2011 we were pleased to say
‘you’re hired’ to the latest class of talented
youngsters to join our successful ABB
Power Systems apprentice scheme. We
received a record number of applications
for our 2011 apprentice programme
and the applicants faced a tough
selection process.
The new apprentices are now hard at
work, both at our offices in Stone,
Staffordshire and studying at NewcastleUnder-Lyme College. At the same time we
are already starting the process for this
year’s apprentice intake.
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 5
News
News
Power export cable for Humber
Gateway offshore wind farm
ABB has won a major order
from E.ON UK, to supply the
power export cables for
Humber Gateway offshore
wind farm.
The contract includes 2 x 14 km circuits of
132 kV 3-core AC submarine cable, with
integrated fibre optics and accessories, that
will connect Humber Gateway, one of the
UK’s largest offshore wind farms, to the
mainland grid.
When completed, in spring 2015,
Humber Gateway will consist of a 73 turbine
array that will generate up to 219 MW of
electricity, enough energy to power up to
170,000 homes. The wind farm will be
located 8 km off the East Yorkshire coast,
just north of the mouth of the river Humber.
The cable will be manufactured by ABB’s
factory in Karlskrona, Sweden, with delivery
scheduled during the summer of 2013.
New indoor high voltage substation
completed for Northern Powergrid
East Kilbride office established
ABB’s new office in East Kilbride now
provides a local hub in Scotland for our
Power Systems division. This effective local
presence will enable customers in Scotland
to access ABB’s state-of-the-art solutions to
support the major investments they are
making to expand and upgrade Scotland’s
electricity transmission, distribution and
renewable energy systems.
The office, at the Technology Centre on
the Scottish Enterprise Technology Park in
East Kilbride, will be the base for a number
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of new ABB roles working on the full project
delivery – from inception, tendering and
design through to commissioning and
handover – of the many multi-million pound
schemes crucial to upgrade and enhance
Scotland’s high-voltage power transmission
and distribution infrastructure to integrate
the country’s fast-increasing level of
renewable energy generation.
The positions created initially in ABB’s
East Kilbride office will require considerable
additional labour market resource and
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
support, both directly from ABB and within
our wider supply chain, to be based on
construction sites throughout Scotland.
Although this is the first ABB Power Systems
office in Scotland, ABB already has an
established and thriving business in
Aberdeen, serving mainly the oil and gas
industries, as well as service personnel
located throughout Scotland. ABB is also a
major investor in Aquamarine Power, a wave
energy technology company with head
offices in Edinburgh.
ABB has handed over Northern Powergrid’s new 132 kV indoor GIS (gas insulated
switchgear) substation at Tynemouth following the successful on-time completion
of a turnkey design and build project.
The project has reinforced grid reliability and
ensured security of supply for the major
population centre served by the Tynemouth
substation by replacing outdoor AIS (air
insulated switchgear) equipment that was
nearing the end of its service life. The use of
ABB’s state-of-the-art compact ELK GIS
equipment enabled the new substation to be
built indoors, within a purpose-designed
building that occupies around one quarter of
the space required by the old substation.
Reinforcing our UK sales operation
We are pleased to announce that David Hughes, who was a wealth of experience in ABB’s UK operations, has been appointed
as our new Head of Front End Sales (FES) UK. He takes over the role from Richard Oulton who has moved to ABB’s High-Voltage
Marketing & Sales function in Zurich.
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 7
Network Management
Network Management
delivery. In fact, the whole process from
design, engineering, building the panels,
carrying out the FAT (factory acceptance
test) and shipping them to site was
accomplished in just three months.”
Flexible open system architecture
The adoption by ABB of the IEC 61850
standard offers significant technical
advantages through its flexible open system
architecture. These include a standardized
model of the IEDs and their data and
communication services, full interoperability
between electrical devices from different
vendors, reduced cabling and effective
future-proofing of the infrastructure by
making it easy to extend and update as
needs change.
The protection and control system for
Warrenby substation is based on IEDs
from ABB’s Relion® family of equipment
developed specifically to implement the
core values of the IEC 61850 standard. They
include Relion RET 650, RET 630 and
RET 615 transformer protection and
control devices. As an example of the
ease of integration with third-party
equipment, the scheme incorporates an
AVC (automatic voltage control) device
supplied by another manufacturer.
One of the key technical challenges
solved by ABB in designing the system
was to ensure that it meet the needs of the
engineering recommendation G59, that sets
out the standards required for the
connection of a generating plant to the
distribution systems of a licensed
Distribution Network Operator (DNO).
Rigorous FAT
The rigorous FAT for the Warrenby
panels was carried out at ABB’s unique
automated System Verification Simulator
(SVS) based at Stone, Staffordshire. Rather
than carrying out manual switching of
equipment to simulate the operation of
substation plant, the SVS is able to
duplicate the whole substation within
the test laboratory. It runs automated,
self-monitoring test sequences to provide a
high level of rigour and repeatability as well
as a full audit trail.
“Teesside Offshore Wind Farm is a vital
reference project that confirms ABB’s
capability to deliver IEC 61850 substation
projects” concludes Andy Osiecki. “It is
proof positive that this key new development
in substation design is now making the
transition from the laboratory to practical
real-world applications.”
IEC 61850 substation protection
and control scheme delivered for
Teesside Offshore Wind Farm
ABB has delivered a state-of-the-art substation protection and control system,
based on the IEC 61850 international standard for substation automation, for EDF
Energy Renewables’ Teesside Offshore Wind Farm.
The project for Warrenby substation,
the wind farm’s onshore connection
constructed by Morrison Utility Services, is
a significant development as ABB’s first UK
implementation of the global IEC 61850
standard that represents a major step
forward in simplifying the integration of
intelligent electronic devices (IEDs).
The offshore wind farm at Redcar,
Teesside consists of 27 turbines producing
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power exported by 33 kV subsea cables to
Warrenby, where it will be stepped up by two
grid transformers to 66 kV so it can be fed
into the regional and national grids via the
Northern Powergrid network.
Complete protection and control system
Morrison Utility Services, the UK’s leading
utility service provider, awarded ABB the
contract to provide the complete protection
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
and control system for Warrenby substation.
According to Andy Osiecki, ABB’s General
Manager for Power System Network
Management, “the Teesside Offshore Wind
Farm project has been a significant
challenge, working not only with a new
customer, but also a whole new technical
approach that effectively required us to start
from a blank sheet of paper, and also
combined with the need to ensure fast-track
Safety by design features include special feet to improve cabinet
stability during assembly.
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 9
Substations
Rail
High Speed 1 power quality
project enters test phase
The start of on-line testing is a critical milestone in ABB’s project to
design, manufacture and install state-of-the-art capacitive compensation
systems for High Speed 1.
Flexibility is the key for smaller
substation projects
Jon Downs, General Manager Utility Substations, explains how ABB has replaced
the old ‘one size fits all’ approach with a new philosophy tailored to meet the needs
of smaller substation projects.
ABB is well known for its superb long term
track record in delivering major multi-million
pound turnkey substation projects, such as
Connah’s Quay – one of Europe’s largest
substations – which you can read about in
the other pages of this newsletter. What is
perhaps not so well appreciated is that we
are equally adept at working on smaller
value projects such as the delivery of
individual packages.
Listening
That is why over the past year or so we have
spent a lot of time talking to our customers
and importantly listening to exactly what
they need in terms of delivery models and
processes when we work with them on
lower level contracts. A clear picture
emerged that a ‘one size fits all’ service
simply isn’t appropriate. What is needed is a
totally flexible, tailored service that can
deliver the ideal response for each project.
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An important change is reflected in the
adoption of multi-functional roles. This
means that the project manager might also
be the design engineer and then follow on
to be the site manager. While making these
changes, the over-riding concern is of
course to maintain the outstanding levels of
health and safety performance, on time
delivery and quality demonstrated on our
larger projects. In essence, the aim is to
deliver ‘big project’ performance for our
small project customers in a model that
meets their needs.
Encouraging results
We rolled out this new approach in 2011
and the results have been extremely
encouraging, both in terms of winning orders
and in the feedback from customers on our
tender submissions. The approach to small
projects is continuing to evolve as we create
a new team with the specific skill sets
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
aligned to the needs of this market,
especially in terms of flexibility, adaptability
and speed of response.
Upgrades and extensions
Typical utility substation projects that the
team is focusing on include upgrades
and extensions, such as circuit breaker
replacements, as well as system
integration or installation of equipment.
In fact, we anticipate that the need for
modification and extension of substations
is set to increase significantly as they
have to adapt to the increasing
demands of renewable energy sources in
the UK grid.
Overall, the message is that ABB now
has the flexibility to support any size of
substation project from £100k to £100
million. And for what some may describe as
a small project we still aim to deliver big
project performance and quality.
This involves running real trains – a Eurostar
and an Hitachi Class 395 – on a
representative section of the network to
confirm the capability of the ABB equipment
to prevent voltage drop issues on the
traction power catenary supply.
The 68 mile (109 km) High Speed
1 route, from the Central London terminal at
St Pancras International to the Channel
Tunnel at Dover, is used by Eurostar trains
operating the international high speed routes
between London, Paris and Brussels as well
as high speed domestic trains that
provide a commuter service between
London and Kent.
The High Speed route is supplied with
power on the 2 x 25 kV principle using
autotransformers. Its nominal line voltage is
therefore 25 kV. There are, however, some
sections of the line where it can drop as low
as 17.5 kV, causing a reduction in overall
system performance as well as spurious
tripping of the network protection and
control systems.
Voltage drop
The cause of the voltage drop is
the inherent design of the isolation
transformers (used to isolate between
High Speed 1’s AC traction power
supply and the adjacent Network Rail DC
traction power supply), located in
substations along the line. This is because
they require large magnetising currents
and
therefore
demand
substantial
inductive reactive power, which results in a
drop in the voltage supply as seen by the
train’s catenary.
A number of studies commissioned by
High Speed 1, including a detailed
investigation by ABB’s power quality expert
team based in Sweden, confirmed that a
reduction in the reactive power demand
from the isolation transformers will improve
system performance. ABB was then
awarded a major contract to design,
develop, manufacture and install a turnkey
capacitive compensation solution that will
effectively cancel out the inductive power
demand of the transformer, and hence
reduce the voltage drop.
Harmonic filters
The ABB solution for High Speed 1 is based
on harmonic band pass filters with a rated
output of 1512 kVAr, each comprising a
6.4 MVAr capacitor bank and a 303 mH
inductor. This equipment installation also
includes associated protection and control
equipment and a switch-disconnector that
enables it to be isolated from the network for
maintenance and repair.
A total of 17 capacitive compensation
filters have been installed at nine AC/DC
compounds at strategic positions along
the line.
“The strength of ABB’s technical solution
is of course vital to the success of the
High Speed 1 project. However, our overall
detailed, consistent and consultative
approach to the stakeholder management
of all the parties involved during the
construction and installation phases while
working alongside a live operating railway
network is just as important,” said Seamus
O’Neill, ABB Power Systems Operations
Manager for Rail. “For example, we worked
very closely with the High Speed 1 and
Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) System
Review Panel, who are responsible for the
introduction of all new assets, to ensure that
our project met their stringent technical and
operational needs.”
“Furthermore, during the equipment
delivery and construction phase the ABB
team worked very closely with High Speed
1’s own stakeholder management team to
support their efforts in liaising with local
authorities and residents to minimize any
potential disruption.”
Live tests
The ABB capacitive compensation filters
have already passed comprehensive
factory acceptance tests (FATs) and
pre-commissioning testing with flying
colours. Now, in the live test phase, trains
are being run between two selected points
on the High Speed 1 route to validate the
design and prove their capability, ready for
all nine sites to be put into full operation
later in 2012.
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 11
HVDC
HVDC
Hybrid HVDC breakers – a vital
breakthrough for Europe’s DC grid
Peter Jones, Engineering Manager Grid Systems for ABB UK, explains why the
recent announcement of ABB’s Hybrid HVDC breaker concept is a crucial
development in plans to create large DC grids.
As you can see from the other stories in this
newsletter, High-Voltage Direct Current
(HVDC) technology is 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. However, as the number
of these point-to-point HVDC connections
increases, it is becoming apparent that it
would be beneficial to connect them
the
through
than
rather
directly,
broader AC grid, as they are currently.
This is creating interest in plans for
HVDC supergrids.
The creation of an HVDC supergrid is a
considerable technical advance on single
route and multi-terminal HVDC schemes.
Multi-terminal HVDC installations have taps
along the DC line, however a true DC grid is
meshed and provides multiple power flow
paths between two points, and might have
single or multiple DC voltage levels. The
advantages of DC networks are in flexibility
and security, in addition to numerous capital
and operating cost incentives. Indeed, many
of the reasons for developing meshed AC
grids at the beginning of 20th century apply
now for enhancing HVDC into DC
transmission grids.
Hybrid HVDC breaker
For smaller regional grids, multi-terminal
HVDC technology is available and ready to
go now. However, in developing large interregional DC grids we need to achieve the
same levels of reliability and performance as
AC grids. This has not been possible until
now, due to the lack of a suitable DC
breaker for isolation of a faulted line or unit.
In fact, the relatively low impedance in the
DC grid means that, should a short-circuit
fault occur, the fault penetration is much
faster and deeper than in an AC grid. Fast
and reliable HVDC breakers, capable of
clearing a fault within a few milliseconds, are
therefore required to avoid a collapse of the
common DC voltage.
The existing mechanical HVDC breakers,
capable of interrupting DC currents within
several tens of milliseconds, are too slow to
fulfill the requirement of a reliable DC grid.
Furthermore, they are complex devices
passive
additional
include
which
components to create the resonance circuit
required to generate current zero crossing
for successful breaking of the current once
the contacts open.
Semiconductor-based DC breakers can
easily overcome the limitations in operation
speed but generate large transfer losses.
ABB has now taken the advantages of
mechanical and semiconductor designs and
combined them in a prototype hybrid
breaker that offers both fast operation and
reduced transfer losses.
ABB is also addressing a number of
other technical issues relating to multiterminal grids including:
• Power flow control
• Automatic network restoration
• DC/DC converters for connecting
different regional systems.
Fenno-Skan 2 commissioned
ABB has successfully commissioned the
Fenno-Skan 2 HVDC power link between
Finland and Sweden, a cable-based
that
system
transmission
power
enables the exchange of an additional
800 MW of power between the two
countries, mitigating transmission bottlenecks in the region. The Fenno-Skan link is
owned and operated by Fingrid and
Svenska Kraftnät.
The installation includes two converter
stations, one situated in Rauma, on the
Finnish side, and the other in Finnböle, in
Sweden. The control system of the original
link will also be upgraded. The newly
commissioned link will run in parallel with
Fenno-Skan 1, delivered by ABB in 1989
providing a bipolar link to enhance the
capacity for power trading and improve the
security of supply in the region.
Valhall offshore platform power
link completed
ABB has successfully commissioned an
HVDC Light link that enables onshore power
from Norway’s mainland grid to supply BP’s
Valhall multi-platform complex in the North
Sea. The new link allows BP to substitute
the use of offshore gas turbines to generate
electric power thereby eliminating up to
300,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions a year - equivalent to the annual
emissions of around 125,000 modern
European cars.
The installation includes one converter
station onshore connected by an HVDC
submarine cable to a second converter on
the platform, about 294 km offshore. It
allows 78 MW of power to be supplied from
the mainland to run the field facilities,
including a new production and living
quarter platform.
Hybrid HVDC breaker
Hybrid DC Breaker
Fast Disconnector
Auxiliary DC Breaker
Current Limiting
Reactor
Residual
DC Current
Breaker
Main DC Breaker
Fenno-Skan 2 Swedish HVDC station
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FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 13
Design engineering
Design engineering
required to supply backup power for
substations by 40%. This saves fuel,
reduces CO2 emissions and provides a
smaller installation footprint. We have
also been able to eliminate the need
for a 48 V DC battery system completely,
reducing infrastructure and equipment
costs as well as commissioning and
maintenance costs.
Connecting Carrington Power Station
Design engineering drives Alliance success
Leigh Turley, ABB engineering manager, explains how design engineering is making
a significant impact on the delivery of high profile substation projects by National
Grid’s Electricity Alliance Central (EAC).
As well as being ABB engineering manager,
I am also the detailed design manager for
National Grid’s Electricity Alliance Central
(EAC), a consortium of ABB, Morgan Sindall
and Atkins, working on high profile
substation projects such as Carrington,
Cleve Hill and Connah’s Quay.
In the nearly two years I have been in this
role I have focused on introducing methods
that can help improve our engineering
performance, including reducing project
delivery times, lowering costs and improving
quality through increased standardisation
and repeatability.
Working across the diverse organizations
in the Alliance has presented a major
logistical challenge. However, we have all
pulled together to create a single delivery
team, learning from each other and building
on our individual strengths. Above
everything else, our success is based on
effective communication. One example of
this is the creation of a design standards
handbook that has been made available on
National Grid’s Livelink system to share
ideas and best practice relating to the
design of primary and secondary plant and
civil engineering.
I believe it is vital to keep building and
developing our engineering team to ensure
that we have the resource in place as our
substation business continues to develop.
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We are committed to developing people
through training, for example we have
recently helped one of our layout engineers
to make the step up to become an
application engineer. Thinking ahead, we
have a very active graduate training
programme while we have just boosted our
intake of apprentices and they will add real
value to the business in four years time.
To supplement our resources we are
also working very closely with the ABB
team in Chennai who are now providing
excellent electrical engineering support for
primary layouts and protection and control
system design.
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
Design for safety
‘Design for safety’ is a theme that runs
through all our engineering activities. One
area where some simple thinking ahead has
made a tangible impact is in improving
access to gas insulated switchgear (GIS)
buildings with access ramps that make it
easier to move test equipment in and out,
as well as reducing manual handling.
Lighting has also been brought down to a
lower level to eliminate hazardous dark
areas, and we are also using reliable low
maintenance lighting.
Attention to design has enabled us
to reduce the size of diesel generators
GIS installation at Carrington
Lean build approach for Carrington
Carrington Substation is a very high profile
project in which the EAC has built a new 7
bay 400 kV GIS substation that will enable
the connection to the transmission system
of the new CCGT power station that is being
built by Carrington Power Limited in Greater
Manchester. This project was used to
pioneer a lean building approach that has
enabled us to reduce the amount of ‘wet
trades’ required on site, such as concreting,
brick laying and plastering.
An important innovation was the use
of prefabricated relay rooms (PRRs).
This enabled all the protection and
control equipment to be assembled and
tested into a series of containers in the
controlled environment of our Stone
facility. The containers were then
transported
to
site
and
lowered
onto basic concrete foundations, making
the installation and commissioning
process very fast and simple. Not only
does reducing the time we have people
working on site save on project costs, it also
reduces risk.
All that was then needed for the building
itself was a basic weathershield to protect
the site equipment.
Cleve Hill to connect the world’s largest
offshore wind farm
The lessons learned at Carrington were
applied in the construction of a new 400 kV
substation at Cleve Hill, near Faversham,
Kent. This will form a key element of the up
to 1,000 MW London Array – which will be
the world’s largest offshore wind farm when
it starts operation in 2012.
The Cleve Hill scheme required the
construction of a five-bay 400 kV GIS indoor
substation and associated infrastructure on
a greenfield site. The location of the
substation, which is cut into the side of
Cleve Hill, means that it is subject to strict
planning constraints with regard to its design
and size, and the project required careful
design and planning in order to gain
approval from the local authority.
Deeside – ABB’s largest ever substation
project
The jewel in the crown for the EAC is the
construction of a replacement for National
Grid’s 400 kV Deeside substation – the
largest ever UK substation project that ABB
has been involved in. The new substation,
scheduled for completion in 2018, will play a
vital role in the reinforcement of the highvoltage transmission infrastructure in
northwest England, and pave the way
for the connection of new high-voltage
direct current (HVDC) power links under
construction.
The project scope includes the
construction of a new 24-bay GIS substation
and the supply of key products like
switchgear and high voltage cabling, as well
as the integration of three 400/132 kV
240 MVA grid transformers and the
refurbishment of an existing unit. Not
only is the project technically challenging,
it also requires effective liaison with
multiple stakeholders such as National
Grid, International Power, SP Manweb
and EON.
One team, one goal
Within the EAC we have worked extremely
hard to integrate all the various different
types of engineers into a single delivery
team. The hard work clearly paid off, as
feedback from the tutors at the IET Power
Academy following a recent training exercise
was that they couldn’t tell which people
belonged to the individual Alliance partners,
since they all presented as one team with
one clear goal. And this teamwork has
brought its own reward with the recent
announcement that National Grid has
extended the EAC contract for a further
five years.
Cleve Hill Substation site (Copyright London Array Limited)
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 15
Power generation software
Power generation software
integrating data from all plant areas and
systems, including turbine control,
electrical balance of plant and remote
SCADA systems. Through its open
architecture, Symphony Plus seamlessly
consolidates and rationalizes plant data to
improve operator response to changing
conditions, so improving plant safety
and uptime.
Transforms data into actionable
business decisions
Information is the key to successful
business performance. In Symphony
Plus Operations, historical, process and
business data is collected from across
the plant and stored securely. Transforming
data
into
meaningful
information,
Symphony Plus Operations presents
pertinent, easy-to-understand information
in intuitive desktop displays to all levels of
the organization.
Symphony Plus in tune with
current and future power
generation needs
Unified engineering workbench
Short time to production is the measure of
engineering efficiency, Symphony Plus
Engineering provides a world-class
integrated
engineering
environment,
with the functionality required to
engineer, configure, administrate, secure,
commission and maintain any Symphony
Plus component.
Single control and I/O platform
Symphony Plus provides total plant
automation from a single control and I/O
platform that encompasses dedicated
interface modules and devices for all
turbine types, OEMs and sizes, as
well as an unparalleled selection of
combustion instruments.
Electrical and device integration
Symphony Plus provides process and
electrical control from a single platform.
Using open standard protocols like IEC
61850 and Modbus TCP, Symphony Plus
integrates electrical devices with process
control and plant operations. It provides
full integration of just about every type of
device, and enables the monitoring and
management of all plant assets at all levels
of the plant.
System security
ABB understands the need to maintain a
secure, reliable control environment while
expending minimal time and effort. In
addition to the many security features of
Symphony Plus, ABB actively participates
in several major control system security
standards committees. The guidance
provided by these committees is
designed to increase the integrity and
confidentiality of all system functions
and help prevent unauthorized control
system access.
System 800xA
ABB will continue to deliver and support
800xA, our mainstream offering for the
process industries (and its specific add-ons
for power generation) when and where
it is required.
The launch of Symphony Plus, the latest generation of our Symphony family of
distributed control systems, continues ABB’s tradition of delivering power generation
software that helps drive plant productivity and energy-efficiency, as well as
enhanced operational security, plant safety and lower total cost of ownership.
Commenting on the launch, Franz-Josef
Mengede, head of ABB’s power generation
business, said, “With the launch of
Symphony Plus, we are taking the
Symphony success story to the next level,
ushering in a new era of total plant
automation that is simple, scalable,
seamless and secure.
“With Symphony Plus, we help balance
performance objectives like asset availability,
operational reliability and production
efficiency with business goals like asset life
extension, carbon reduction and regulatory
compliance – providing plant owners with an
essential tool for achieving sustainable and
profitable growth.”
16
Total plant automation
Symphony Plus meets a broad spectrum of
plant configurations and applications,
especially in the power and water industries.
It is flexible and scalable; designed to serve
the needs of everything from small,
serverless applications to large multisystem, multi-server architectures.
Symphony Plus supports the seamless
integration of field devices, process
and
turbine
automation
systems,
electrical and Supervisory Control and
Data Acquisition (SCADA) solutions, as
well as business and maintenance
systems. It provides users with a secure,
reliable control environment and built-in
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
security features that prevent unauthorized
system access.
Since its introduction over 30 years ago,
the Symphony family has gone through
several evolutionary changes. Through
ABB’s ‘evolution without obsolescence’
lifecycle policy, each generation of the family
builds on and enhances its predecessors,
while protecting the customer’s previous
control system investments. There are now
more than 6,000 Symphony systems
installed worldwide, making it one of the
widest deployed process automation
systems in the world.
Symphony Plus provides users with a
comprehensive view of the plant by
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 17
EBoP
EBoP
ensure the best performance and quality of
engineering workmanship and deliveries.
Through innovative electrical power
applications, we help utilities to build and
maintain reliable power systems installations
safely and efficiently, providing cost-effective
solutions that guarantee results.
ABB has supplied turnkey EBoP
solutions to a wide variety of projects
worldwide, resulting in these benefits:
• Integrated solution
• Reduced project risk
• Optimization of the complete system
• Improved plant efficiency
• Pre-tested plant configurations
• Reduced overall project cost
• Reduced number of interfaces
• Consistent technology approach
and spares strategy
• Improved project delivery
• Reduced commissioning time and cost
• Complete system approach to meet
compliance and local regulations
• Common platform that minimizes the
required investment in hardware spares,
reduces training needs and eliminates
the need for serial interfaces.
Blackburn Meadows biomass energy project
EBoP – delivering the
balance of power
Tony Rooney, Head of ABB’s UK Power Generation business, outlines our
comprehensive service for electrical balance of plant (EBoP) projects.
ABB has the capability, experience and inhouse technologies to deliver turnkey EBoP
systems and plant packages tailored to a
wide variety of applications (new build and
retrofit), especially gas-fired combined-cycle
power plants, coal-fired boiler power plants
and hydro-electric plants, while our
comprehensive portfolio extends to
embrace renewable applications particularly
18
energy from waste and biomass, as
well as industrial-sized turbine and
boiler power schemes."
Our EBoP service covers every electrical
control and instrumentation system and
component in the power plant, apart from
the generator and turbine. This includes a
broad portfolio of products and solutions
that provide a single source of supply for
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
both new build and refurbishments
projects, from high voltage down to the low
voltage level.
ABB takes responsibility for the complete
engineering, supply, manufacture, delivery to
site, installation, commissioning, testing and
quality of the EBoP package. Direct control
over
all
engineering
and
project
management functions enables ABB to
HV electrical contract for Blackburn
Meadows biomass energy project
At the end of 2011, ABB made an important
breakthrough within the UK’s biomass
sector by securing a major contract with
E.ON to supply the HV installation for a
biomass-fired renewable energy plant under
construction at Blackburn Meadows,
near Sheffield.
The £120 million renewable energy plant
will be set near the site of the old Tinsley
Towers, adjacent to Meadowhall, and when
operational (in mid-2014) will generate up
to 30 MW, enough to power 40,000 homes,
by converting recycled waste wood
into electricity.
As part of the turnkey EBoP solution
for the Blackburn Meadows power
plant, ABB will be responsible for the
design, manufacture, supply, installation
and commissioning of a fully complete
HV installation associated with the safe
and reliable delivery of electrical power
generated by the steam into the local
grid. Key products to be supplied
include an 11/33 kV 40 MVA Generator
Step Up (GSU) transformer and Station
Auxiliary transformers, 33 kV GIS
switchboard and the associated protection
and control equipment including the
site SCADA system that will interface with
DCS systems.
Turnkey EBoP solution for Didcot OCGT
ABB’s momentum in UK EBoP projects
continued in early 2012 with the award of a
major contract by RWE npower to supply a
turnkey electrical balance of plant (EBoP)
solution for the repowering of the Open
Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) plant at Didcot
Power Station in Oxfordshire.
The Didcot OCGT plant, comprising four
diesel fired turbines with a total capacity
of 100 MW, is designed specifically for
peaking operation. During periods of
high demand, it offers a flexible,
reliable and fast-responding source of
additional capacity to provide support for the
National Grid. In the repowering project the
OCGT plant’s electrical control and
protection systems are being upgraded to
the very latest operational standards.
ABB’s turnkey EBoP solution for the
Didcot OCGT power plant includes the
design, engineering, supply, installation and
commissioning of all the equipment and civil
engineering required to control the electrical
power generated by the gas turbines and
to deliver it safely and reliability into the
local grid. Key systems to be supplied
include an 11 kV substation based on
ABB’s UniGear ZS1 switchgear fitted with
VD4-G Generator Circuit Breakers, auxiliary
transformers, and the protection and control
equipment including the control system
that will interface with the DCS at Didcot B
CCGT station.
UniGear ZS1 switchgear
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 19
Project delivery
Project delivery
Two grid transformers have now been installed at the BSP
New BSP substation
will provide essential
power boost for
London Underground
The current major project to create a new Bulk Supply Point (BSP) for London
Underground (LU) provides a perfect example of ABB’s capability to deliver a
complete design, project management and construction service for rail substation
projects. This capability that not only includes all the electrical equipment, but also
cabling and the very substantial civil works required to create a new substation
building within an extremely restricted footprint.
20
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
Transport for London (TfL) has a number of
existing 132 kV BSPs that supply power for
LU. This additional BSP is now needed to
increase the available power to support
the full operation of new air-conditioned
rolling stock that, since 2010, is being
phased in on the sub-surface (SSL) lines –
the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City
and Metropolitan.
The BSP’s desired 120 MW capacity
dictated that it should be located relatively
close to a grid supply point. It also had
to be located close to the LU infrastructure
in order for the necessary cable
connections to be made between it
and the existing distribution system. The
most appropriate site for the new BSP
substation was identified adjacent to an
underground station.
Restricted site
The new BSP is designed to take electricity
from a nearby National Grid 400/132 kV
substation (constructed by ABB in 2004)
and step it down through transformation
(132/22/11kV) to feed into the LU power
supply system. In the past there were
houses and shops on the site, but they have
been long since demolished and most
recently, the site was used as a car park.
The major challenge for ABB has been in
working within this restricted site, hemmed
in on all sides with an operating railway
close by, to create a large, modern
substation building.
The project commenced in 2009, and
ABB has focused on the excavation and civil
works to create a new cable and switchgear
basements and multi-level reinforced
concrete building. The scale of this exercise
is illustrated by the need to remove 11,000
cubic metres of spoil materials – some 2,300
lorry loads. Extensive deep piling has also
been carried out to create the foundations.
This level of civils work in a busy area of
London has called for a very detailed
approach to logistics and communications,
not only with contractors and travel
authorities but also in ensuring minimal
disruption for the local community.
Electrical equipment
Following completion of the civil
works, ABB moved on to install the
electrical equipment. This includes: three
22/11 kV 25 MVA coupling transformers;
two 132/22 kV 120 MVA grid transformers;
a 35 panel 22 kV switchboard featuring
ZX2 GIS (gas insulated switchgear);
a 27 panel 11 kV switchboard featuring
UniGear AIS (air insulated switchgear);
LV switchgear; two 11 kV earthing / auxiliary
transformers; ventilation system and
associated mechanical systems; 110 V
batteries and charger.
A major project milestone was the
successful delivery and installation of the two
grid transformers, each weighing 97 tonnes,
completed over two weekends at the end of
2011. Transporting the transformers into the
centre of London and manoeuvring them
into position was a highly complex logistical
exercise requiring months of planning with
ABB’s transportation partner ALE (Abnormal
Load Engineering) to develop the optimum
installation methodology.
Stakeholder management
Equally important was detailed attention to
stakeholder management. This involved
working in close liaison with the local
council, police and residents to identify the
best route, arrange the necessary road
closures, traffic diversions, suspension of
parking spaces, removal of traffic lights and
signs to enable the two massive loads to
reach the site with minimum disruption.
The substation is also being provided
with new SCADA RTU (remote terminal
units) for the 11 kV and 22 kV switchgear.
Extensive fibre optic cabling will be installed
to provide the communication path between
the BSP, other substations and the LU
control centres.
In its first large scale cabling exercise for
LU, ABB is also carrying out cabling works
associated with the BSP including around
55 km of 22 k and 11 kV XLPE cable
installed in tunnels and ducts.
The new BSP project is
scheduled for completion
in the summer of 2012.
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 21
Medium voltage
Medium voltage
provides advanced time synchronization
capabilities that eliminate the inaccuracy
issues related to the time stamping of
disturbances and other events.
RER620 relay – part of ABB’s new
Relion® family of IEDs
The GridShield recloser is controlled by
the RER620 relay, which is part of ABB’s
new generation Relion® family of intelligent
electronic devices (IEDs). The RER620
provides
extensive
protection
and
automation capabilities based on full
native implementation of the core values of
the IEC 61850 standard. In addition to IEC
61850, the relay also supports the industry
standard DNP3.0, IEC 60870-5-101, IEC
60870-5-104 and Modbus® protocols
ensuring easy incorporation within existing
systems with the flexibility to migrate easily
to IEC 61850.
New generation recloser is ready for
current and future grid challenges
ABB’s new GridShield® outdoor vacuum recloser for 15 kV and 27 kV feeder and
substation applications has been developed to meet the growing need for increased
automation in electricity distribution networks, higher service reliability and lower
network maintenance and management costs.
The GridShield recloser enhances grid
reliability and efficiency by providing an
automatic response to system disturbances.
Reclosers combine a circuit-breaking
function with the ability to restore the power
automatically and quickly, so that temporary
faults are less likely to result in prolonged
power outages for utility customers.
22
The GridShield recloser is intended for
use on distribution feeders or in substations,
and incorporates a number of design
features aimed at maximising long-term
reliability
and
minimising
routine
maintenance needs.
The GridShield recloser has also been
designed to meet the challenges of
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
enhanced grid automation. It offers the
capability to perform as recloser, breaker,
automated switch or sectionalizer, or even
to connect distributed generation to
the grid or to communicate GOOSE
(Generic Object Oriented Substation
Event) messaging utilizing the IEC 61850
data model.
When integrated with ABB’s COM600
station automation device, the RER620 can
be used to perform network-level control
and system management functions. In
applications using smart peer-to-peer
GOOSE communications, the RER620
delivers enhanced fault detection, isolation
and restoration schemes, re-routing loads
while maintaining protection coordination to
provide power for the healthy portion of the
feeder swiftly and effectively.
High impedance fault detection – sensing
a downed conductor – is one of the
advanced integral protection features
of the GridShield recloser and RER620
combination. The GridShield recloser also
New generation insulation material and
other important features
The use of hydrophobic cycloaliphatic
epoxy (HCEP) as insulation material
reduces the likelihood of flashovers and
insulator erosion.
The creepage performance of these
HCEP insulators is the best in the industry,
and far exceeds the requirements of ANSI
standards. In addition, it exceeds IEC Level
IV requirements for equipment operating in
polluted environments.
The magnetic actuators and vacuum
interrupters are rated at 10,000 full-load
operations. The actuators require no routine
lubrication, maintenance or adjustments;
and the bi-stable technology means no
power is required to maintain an open or
closed position.
No electronics are housed in the
interruption compartment, reducing unit
down time and eliminating the costs of line
switching when servicing the unit controls.
Single or triple-phase applications
Because there are three independent
actuators fitted in the cabinet, the GridShield
recloser can be used in single or triple-phase
tripping applications. The single phase
tripping capability reduces the number of
momentary interruptions caused by one
phase to ground temporary faults.
Why use reclosers?
A recloser is a protection device for
electrical distribution networks. It
combines a circuit breaker that trips
if an overcurrent is detected (indicating
a short circuit somewhere in a section of
the network), with an electronicallycontrolled reclosing function that
automatically restores power to the
affected line if the fault clears itself
quickly – which usually happens around
80 percent of the time.
There is a double incentive for
electricity distribution companies to
deploy reclosers in their networks. The
first is that reclosers prevent transient
short circuits from triggering prolonged
power outages. This results in better
supply continuity to customers. The
second benefit is that reclosers restore
power automatically, without requiring an
engineering site visit.
A transient short circuit is the type
of event that can be caused, for
example, when a branch of a tree
momentarily touches overhead cables
as it falls to the ground. Reclosers
handle this type of event much better
than circuit breakers. Typically, power
would be restored to customers in a
matter of a few seconds or less. Only if
the cause of the short circuit has not
cleared itself would the recloser keep
the breaker open until the cause is
manually cleared.
Reclosers like the new ABB
Gridshield also have electronic control
equipment with multiple network
interfaces, so the reclosers can be
integrated into a wider network
automation strategy. However, even with
a fast-acting recloser installed in
a feeder network, a transient short
circuit will still cause a momentary
interruption to customer supplies. But
this is much preferable to a power
outage that lasts until a maintenance
team can get to the breaker site to
restore power.
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 23
Circuit breaker replacement
Grid connection
Substation upgrade for the
‘Chapel in the Valley’
ABB has been awarded a contract by RWE npower renewables to upgrade the
substation serving Cym Dyli, within the Snowdonia National Park, one of Britain’s
oldest hydroelectric power stations which started generation in 1906.
attention to detail to obtain the requisite
planning permission for the work to be
carried out. Second, the valley location
makes access difficult. When it was built,
three traction engines were needed to
help mule and horse teams haul heavy
machinery and other supplies the eight
miles over the Llanberis pass from the
Reliability, safety and security
The substation equipment from the 1989
rebuild is now nearing the end of its service
life. ABB is therefore upgrading the
substation with the latest switchgear and
circuit breaker technology to ensure the
optimum reliability, safety and security of
supply. The existing site circuit breaker will
be modified to meet the latest standards
while a new second circuit breaker will
installed in the form of ABB’s well proven
VD4 vacuum circuit breaker fitted in a
UniGear air insulated switchgear (AIS) panel.
Other work will include the installation of
earthing transformers and the modification
of the protection and control circuits with
new current and voltage transformers with
metering capability.
Listed building
The Cwm Dyli project represents two
specific challenges relating to its age and
location. First, the Listed building (which is
known locally as the ‘Chapel in the Valley’
due to its design) has required significant
24
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
railway station. This time ABB is relying on
four-wheel-drive vehicles.
In order to avoid working through the
winter, the ABB site team carried out the
preparatory civil works in Autumn 2011.
They will return in Spring 2012 to carry out
the installation and commissioning of the
electrical equipment.
SITA UK is the latest in ABB’s global series of waste to energy projects shown here
Fast-track grid connection for
extension to SITA UK’s Teesside
Energy from Waste plant
ABB has been awarded a major contract by SITA UK, part of the SUEZ
ENVIRONNEMENT group, to provide a fast-track grid connection for the extension
of its Energy from Waste plant currently under construction at Billingham, Teesside.
Courtesy of Norman Childs Photography
The project, featuring ABB’s state-of-the-art
UniGear primary MV switchgear, includes
the modification of the site’s single existing
33 kV circuit breaker and the installation of
an additional second circuit breaker to
ensure fail-safe operation.
Construction of Cwm Dyli commenced in
1906 to supply power for Wales’ then
prosperous slate industry. It also produced
electricity for the first ever transatlantic
transmission station set up by Marconi in
1912, near the village of Waenfawr,
Caernarfon. Water for the site comes
predominantly from the Llydaw lake some
320 metres above the site high on the
slopes of Mount Snowdon and travels to the
powerhouse through a two kilometre long
pipeline. The site was rebuilt in 1989 , when
the original Pelton wheel turbines were
replaced by a single Francis turbine capable
of producing 9.8 MW of green energy.
The new connection, comprising a 66 kV
site substation together with a 1.5 km
underground cable, will enable SITA UK to
feed an additional 21 MW of power into the
local grid via Northern Powergrid’s Tees
North substation.
SITA UK specialises in the controlled
incineration of residual waste, which cannot
be recycled or composted, to recover
renewable energy in the form of electricity.
The site at Haverton Hill Road, Billingham
currently
has
three
Energy
from
Waste lines that process around
390,000 tons of household and commercial
waste a year to generate just over
29 MW. The site is now being extended
with the construction of the North East
Energy Recovery Centre (NEERC), which
will add two further processing lines
capable of handling an additional
256,000 tons of waste a year to generate a
further 21 MW.
ABB is providing a complete grid
connection solution for SITA UK’s two new
processing lines covering the design,
manufacture, installation and commissioning
of a new 66 kV substation, including
switchgear and protection and control
systems, and the underground cable
link to the local Northern Powergrid
substation. The project is being carried
out on a fast-track basis to ensure that the
grid connection is in place ready for the
plant’s planned start-up in 2013.
“This latest contract for SITA follows
the success of the similar grid
connection project we carried out for the
site’s third processing line that came
on-line in 2009”, said Richard Holliday,
ABB UK General Manager – T&D
Infrastructure & Grid Integrated Solutions.
“It is a perfect example of ABB’s
proven capability as an Independent
Connection Provider (ICP), as an ever
increasing number of developers are now
coming to us to help solve their utility
connection issues by providing a
project-focused single interface to drive
down costs, improve cash flow, speed up
the programme and reduce the overall
project risk.”
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 25
Service
Service
Acids form as a result of oil degradation due
to oxidation, indicating that the transformer
oil is ageing. Corrosive sulphur is also well
known as a significant cause of premature
transformer failure as it reacts with copper
components to form highly conductive
copper sulphide that deposits on windings
and the paper insulation, causing a
breakdown of insulating properties and
resulting in shorting, arcing and even fires.
Deeside Power Station, which opened in
1994, is a 515 MW CCGT (combined cycle
gas turbine) power station owned by
International Power GDF Suez and sited by
the river Dee in Flintshire, North Wales. It has
three GSU transformers (two for each of the
gas turbines and one for the steam turbine)
that step-up the voltage produced by the
generator units to the 400 kV required by the
UK transmission system.
Oil tests carried out as part of a general
maintenance programme had indicated
increasing levels of acidity and the presence
of corrosive sulphur. The oil in each of the
three transformers had previously been
passivated using 7 litres (100 ppm) of
Irgamet 39. Subsequent tests showed an
unexpectedly high consumption of the
passivator so Deeside Power asked ABB’s
specialist UK transformer repair and
maintenance team to take further samples
and recommend remedial measures. These
new tests confirmed that the oil was in a
condition where it needed reconditioning or
replacement. The main aim was to remove
the acidity and sulphur that were reducing
the DP (Degree of Polymerization) value of
the paper insulation, which is an important
indicator of its remaining service life.
It was decided to use ABB’s unique online oil reclamation service to reclaim the oil
rather than replacing it with new. This
process enabled the acidity and sulphur to
be removed over a period of time with the
transformers remaining energized, so the
power station could continue to operate at
full capacity without the need for an outage.
Mobile oil reclamation rig
The reclamation process, in which the oil is
circulated continuously through ABB’s
mobile oil reclamation rig, housed in a
40 foot trailer, took around 10 weeks for
each transformer due to the large volume of
oil to be processed – a 190 MVA GSU
transformer, such as the units at Deeside
Power, holds 70,000 litres. The progress of
the reclamation process was monitored by
checking the colour of the oil as it changed
from a dark brown to a light straw colour. At
this point the oil was sampled for laboratory
testing to confirm the successful removal of
acids and corrosive sulphur.
Reclamation is superior to an
oil change
Initially, it might appear that carrying out a
complete change of the transformer oil
would be a faster and more efficient
method of eliminating the by-products
of oil degradation. However, extensive
laboratory and field tests carried out
by ABB have shown this offers only a short
term benefit as the new oil soon becomes
contaminated by the residual oil in the
tank and the insulation. So, while the
reclamation process is longer and slower,
it provides a permanent long-term solution
that restores the properties of the oil to
very near those of new oil by removing
acids, sludge and other degrading
products like corrosive sulphur. This also has
a beneficial effect on the ageing of the
paper insulation.
Taking an oil sample from a transformer
Oil reclamation service
prolongs active life for transformers
ABB’s state-of-the-art on-line oil reclamation service has helped Deeside
Power Station to ensure the reliability and long service life of its three vital
GSU (generator step-up) transformers by removing high levels of acidity
and harmful corrosive sulphur from their insulating oil.
26
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
The oil is circulated through the mobile rig
Laboratory testing
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 27
Power quality
Power quality issues put to bed
for Paragon Print & Packaging
ABB’s specialist power quality service has enabled Paragon Print & Packaging, the
UK market leaders in food packaging for the fresh and chilled food sector, to solve
potential plant reliability and efficiency issues at three of its key printing facilities in
the east of England. ABB’s Advance power factor correction (PFC) systems have
been installed at the Paragon sites in Spalding and Wisbech, while a PQFI active
harmonic filter has been installed at Boston.
28
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
Power quality
Spalding – detuned PFC equipment
addresses harmonic current issues
The project commenced when CV Electrical,
the contractor responsible for maintaining
Paragon’s electrical infrastructure, called in
ABB to investigate an issue with frequent
nuisance tripping of the main incoming
supply protective device at the Spalding site.
Paragon had already taken an important
step in maintaining the site’s power quality
by installing a series of capacitor banks to
ensure that the power factor on the 415 V
network was held at the acceptable industry
standard level of 0.95 lag. However, it was
found that the harmonic currents present on
the network were causing the five capacitor
banks (5 x 50 kVAr) to degrade prematurely.
Not only was this reducing the operating
efficiency of the capacitors, during peak load
periods it was causing the main incoming
breaker to trip – a major concern for a site
where the reliability and availability of the
production lines are core to its business.
It was actually Paragon’s investment in
the state-of-the-art printing technology
required to maintain its position as the UK’s
largest manufacturer of self-adhesive food
labels that was contributing to the problem.
This is because advanced printing
equipment utilises variable speed drives
(VSDs) that are a notorious source of
network harmonics.
ABB’s detailed investigation established
that the total harmonic distortion (THD) on
the network was above the recommended
levels stipulated in Energy Networks
Association Engineering Recommendation
G5/4-1 – Stage 2 Table 12 ‘Planning levels
for harmonic current distortion and
connection of non-linear equipment to
transmission systems and distribution
networks in the UK’. If this issue, together
with possible system resonance, was not
addressed then the output of the existing
capacitors would continue to degrade over
a period of time, reducing the power factor
and allowing the site’s peak demand to
increase, with the possibility of further main
incomer tripping occurring.
The recommendation was to remove the
existing capacitors completely and replace
them with a 250 kVAr Advance automatic
capacitor assembly fitted with detuning
reactors to mitigate the damaging effects of
the harmonics. A year on from the
installation, the Spalding site is operating
efficiently with no reported tripping incidents.
Boston – harmonic filtration solution
Following the success of the Spalding
project, ABB was asked to investigate
Paragon’s Boston site. It was found that
again the harmonic distortion on the network
was outside the G5/4-1 recommendation.
ABB was able to offer the ideal solution in
the form of its new generation PQF (power
quality filter) family of active filters. They
operate by continuously monitoring the
current in real time to determine what
harmonics are present and then injecting
harmonic currents into the network with
exactly the opposite phase to the
components that are to be filtered. The two
harmonics effectively cancel each other out
so that the feeding transformer sees a clean
sine wave.
A 450 A PQFI unit designed specifically
for heavy industrial loads was installed and
harmonic distortion assessments carried out
following its commissioning confirmed that
the harmonics are now limited to well below
the G5/4-1 requirement.
Wisbech – PFC solution
At Wisbech, ABB was asked to help
improve the site’s power factor (PF).
PF is essentially a measure of how
effectively electrical power is being used.
Ideally it would be 1 (unity), and the
closer to this figure it actually is then the
more effectively electrical power is being
used and vice versa. The investigations
found that the PF of 0.845 lag was
well below acceptable industry standard
levels, which usually call for a PF of
0.95 or better. In fact, a site PF lower than
0.95 can now result in penalty charges
being imposed by the local electricity
supply company.
To rectify the situation, ABB installed
sophisticated power factor correction
(PFC) equipment in the form of its
Advance
400
automatic
capacitor
equipment comprising a total bank of
300 kVAr, complete with a detuning
reactor to eliminate any issues with
network harmonics.
PQFI filters
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 29
Data centres
Data centres
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Low voltage switchboards MNS system
iPDUs (Power Distribution Units)
Active filters
Power factor correction
Network communication
Air-insulated medium voltage switchboards
Dry-type transformers
The ABB strategy for Data Centres is to provide the technology and services
required to build reliable and efficient solutions that meet the client’s requirements.
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i-bis EIB/KNX
Network communication
Delivering energy efficient data centre
power from incomer to server
The developers and operators of today’s new-generation data centres make major
demands on their power network infrastructure. Downtime due to loss of power
simply cannot be contemplated, so operators insist on total reliability and availability.
ABB has responded by developing a unique comprehensive approach that covers
every need from the incoming supply through to the server racks. This includes all
the AC and DC systems, automation and services required to deliver reliable and
efficient solutions for a diverse range of data centre installations.
30
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
iPDUs (Power Distribution Units)
Rack power panel
Power measurement
Network communication
– EFF1 high efficiency motors
– Inverter
– Network communication
Rather than dealing with separate suppliers
for individual project elements, a data
centre developer can work with ABB to
meet all its power requirements from a single
source. This saves both time and money. It
also has the advantage that all ABB
equipment is guaranteed to work together
seamlessly, ensuring fast-track installation
and commissioning.
ABB’s scope of supply goes well beyond
grid connection, medium-voltage (MV) and
low-voltage (LV) switchboards, power
distribution units, protection relays and
transformers. It also offers variable speed
drives (VSDs), motors and power quality
equipment. This all comes with the
installation, maintenance and 24/7 service
support of a major global organization.
Grid Connection:
As an Independent Connection Provider
(ICP) registered under the Lloyds NERS
scheme, ABB can offer a turnkey solution for
contestable utility connections at all voltages
to include the integration of Air Insulated
Switchgear (AIS), Gas Insulated Switchgear
(GIS) and Hybrid solutions. ABB offers a
complete one-stop shop package for the
electrical distribution in data centres. ABB
can also provide ‘Rapid Build Substations’
that enable customers to have a grid
connection in the minimum time.
Medium voltage switchgear
ABB offers the full spectrum of both AIS and
GIS switchgear. With the growth in size of
data centres the full load current and fault
levels can increase dramatically. ABB has
the product range to cater for these and all
data centre applications.
An important element in ABB’s range is
the UniGear 500 R Fixed Circuit Breaker
panel, which is currently the most compact
air-insulated MV switchboard on the market.
A further advantage of the UniGear 500 R
is that it coordinates perfectly with the
well-proven UniGear ZS1 portfolio. So, for
example, it is possible to specify on the
same busbar: a UniGear with withdrawable
incomer; fixed circuit breaker outgoing; and
additional starter switchgear.
Relion range of relays
ABB has developed its Relion family of
IEDs (intelligent electronic devices) to
unleash the full potential of the IEC 61850
standard for communication, Power
monitoring and interoperability of substation
automation equipment. This new family
includes the Relion 615 relay that provides
absolutely selective protection, making it
ideally suited to data centre protection and
control applications.
DC power leads the way for data centre
energy efficiency
Data centres consume around 1.5% of the
entire world’s electric power. Given the
tremendous growth that the industry
continues to experience, energy efficiency
has become a top priority.
DC (direct current) powered data centres
are now being adopted across the industry
largely due to their cost advantage in terms
of both initial investment (less equipment)
and operating costs (greater efficiency). But
significant energy efficiency gains can also
be made in a variety of areas such as:
• HVAC efficiency – variable speed drives
and high efficiency motors can cut
HVAC costs by as much as 50%
• Facility efficiency – Electrical power
distribution design can reduce energy
wasted in the facility by up to 30%
compared to conventional designs
• Personnel efficiencies – instrumentation
can be configured from a central control
area, eliminating the need for engineers
to physically adjust the device
• Utility rates and billing – with the right
monitoring and control capability, data
centre operators can take advantage of
time-of-use rates and demand response
programs to lower electricity costs.
ABB’s data
centre portfolio:
• Grid connection solutions at all
utility voltage levels
• AC and DC power solutions
• HV, MV and LV switchgear
• Transformers
• Motor control centres (including
variable speed drives)
• Power distribution units (PDUs)
• Rack power panels
• Protection relays
• Power quality solutions
• SCADA systems
• Electrical power monitoring and
remote supervision
• UPS systems
• Data centre information
management (DCIM)
• 24/7 service support
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 31
Switchgear
Corporate Social Responsibility
PASS M00 is perfect for wind farm
HV internal collection grids
ABB’s PASS series of hybrid switchgear modules combines the advantages of
traditional air-insulated switchgear (AIS) and advanced SF6 gas-insulated switchgear
(GIS) technologies. The newest addition to the family is the PASS M00 range of
multifunctional modules that cover voltages between 72.5 kV and 100 kV and
breaking currents up to 40 kA.
PASS M00 is a combination of well proven
standard components including: circuit
breaker, a spring operating mechanism,
current transformer and an innovative new
concept for the combined disconnecting
and earthing function. This five-position
disconnector, which is integrated in the main
chamber, enables the following functions:
• Line disconnection
• Busbar disconnection
• Earthing of the line through the
circuit breaker
• Earthing of the busbar through
the chamber
The multifunctional PASS M00 module
can also integrate current and voltage
transformers, surge arresters and protection
and control systems. It is available for
single and double busbar configurations,
has a single and triple pole operating
mechanism option and is ideally suited
32
for use as a standard product in the
design of new modular substations or for
retrofit applications.
Wind farm applications
PASS M00 is ideally suited to high-voltage
(HV) wind farm collection grid applications
where it offers these advantages:
• Compactness due to full gas insulation
• Fast installation time (no HV test is
required on site)
• High reliability obtained through lean
design;
• Fast repair in case of faults due to
modular assembly
• Remote control provided by motor
operability;
• Easy combination with oil insulated, gas
insulated and dry power transformers.
A case study of new generation offshore
wind farms equipped with 5 MW turbines
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
revealed that the use of PASS M00 modules
in 72 kV collection grids made it possible to
fit a complete HV substation within a tower
with the following advantages:
• Reduction in the number of arrays
necessary to export the energy produced
• Reduction in the number of cables in
parallel for each feeder;
• Increase in the power capacity/current
ampacity of a single feeder;
• Reduction in the losses in subsea AC
internal grid array cables;
• Decrease in the voltage drop in the
feeder/string;
• Decrease in the short circuit value of
internal grid apparatus;
• Eliminate the need to construct an
offshore HV/MV platform substation
when offshore wind farms are close
to land
• Flexible internal configuration and
higher reliability
Supporting Macmillan Cancer Support
ABB recently celebrated its 12th year as a supporter of Macmillan Cancer Support,
during which time our UK employees have raised over £700,000 to help change the
lives of people affected by cancer.
Cancer is the toughest fight most of us will
ever have to face. But there is a team of
people who are there to support every step
of the way and that’s the Macmillan team.
They simply couldn't provide their vital
services without the people who support
them – people like you.
There are many ways that ABB staff has
got involved in the past year – some more
energetic than others! Among the more
energetic activities were two separate
climbing expeditions to conquer Kilimanjaro,
the highest mountain in Africa; a team
participated in the Great North Swim, the
UK’s biggest outdoor swimming event; and
others pounded 13 miles of Newcastle’s
streets to complete the Great North Run, the
world’s largest half marathon. Other more
gentle fund-raising activities included
the whole company participating in
Macmillan’s annual ‘Wear your Macmillan
t-shirt to work’ day.
Sharon Cottam from Macmillan Cancer
Support said of ABB’s fund-raising efforts:
“This is testament to the support from ABB
staff, raising yet another superb total in 2011
of over £28,000. I cannot thank ABB
enough. One in three of us will get cancer
and it’s the toughest fight most of us will
ever face. By joining Team Macmillan in
a fundraising event you're helping
support people and their families living
with cancer.”
Trevor Gregory, Managing Director of
ABB in the UK, said: “Our staff are
passionate about supporting such a
worthwhile cause as Macmillan Cancer
Support. Thanks to the efforts of our staff,
we are helping Macmillan to support cancer
sufferers, their friends and families. It’s both
humbling and rewarding but something ABB
is proud to be involved in.”
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 33
International Project
Events
Forthcoming events
ABB has arranged an exciting schedule of events for 2012. So please come
and see us at one of these major exhibitions and conferences.
GBS platform technology to play vital
role in DolWin2 project
The German company TenneT Offshore GmbH, has awarded a $1 billion contract to
ABB to supply an 900 MW transmission link that will connect offshore wind farms
located in the cluster DolWin (Gode Wind II wind farm, 400 MW, and other wind
farms) in the North Sea to the German grid.
34
electromagnetic fields, and compact
converter stations. It is ideal for connecting
remote wind farms to mainland networks
without distance limitations or constraints on
the grid.
ABB is responsible for system
engineering including design, supply and
installation of the offshore converter
(including the platform), sea and land
cable systems and the onshore converter
station.
The land cables will be laid underground,
thus minimizing environmental impact.
This is the third offshore wind connection
order for ABB in Germany, following the
800 MW Dolwin1 link awarded in 2010 and
previously the BorWin1 project.
FFWD 1|12 Power Products and Power Systems
Location Date
Website
DPSP (Developments in Power System Protection)
Birmingham
April 23-26
conferences.theiet.org/dpsp/
Offshore Wind Conference & Exhibition
London
June 13-14
www.renewable-uk.com/
events/global-offshorewind-2012
RWM (Resource & Waste Management)
Birmingham
September 13-16
www.rwmexhibition.com
Sponsorship sustained for IET
Innovation in Engineering Awards
Dolwin2 follows the success of the Borwin1 HVDC light project shown here
The wind farms will be connected with AC
cables to the HVDC converter station based
on an offshore platform situated in the North
Sea and further through 45 km of DC sea
cable and 90 km of land cable to the HVDC
onshore station at the grid connection point
at Dörpen-West.
The transmission system will have a total
capacity of 900 MW at ±320 kV, which
today is the world's largest offshore HVDC
system. The completed link will be capable
of supplying more than 1.5 million
households with clean wind-generated
electricity. The HVDC Light system that will
be used offers numerous environmental
benefits, such as electrical losses of less
than 1 percent per converter station, neutral
Event
A vital element in the DolWin2 project will
be ABB’s innovative, robust and scalable
GBS (Gravity based self-installing) platform
concept, developed in cooperation with a
leading player in the offshore sector to meet
the challenge of locating HVDC converter
stations in demanding offshore locations.
The new GBS design addresses key
issues such as efficient production and ease
of installation, as it requires only a minimal
level of offshore works, without the need for
a heavy-lift vessel or jack-up operations. The
design also offers complete flexibility within
challenging
installation
programmes,
as it can be installed in the waters of the
North Sea, and elsewhere, at any time
of the year.
In 2012, 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.
The ABB-sponsored Sustainability category
is the most all-encompassing of all of the
Innovation Awards. It is open to any and all
innovations in fields of engineering, science
and technology that demonstrate a
contribution to sustainability.
Entries for projects, processes, products
and initiatives are welcomed either from
individuals, small teams or 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.
In 2011, the award was won by
Ashwoods Automotive for its Hybrid Drive
System that works by taking wasted energy
from braking and decelerating and storing
it to be used to assist commercial vehicles
when required. It offers an interesting
alternative to low range, high cost
electrical vehicles.
For more information:
www.theiet.org/innovationawards
Robert Llewellyn (left) and Stuart Grattage (right) of ABB present the 2011
award to Martin Kadhim of Ashwoods Automotive
Power Products and Power Systems FFWD 1|12 35
Harnessing the power of wind?
Naturally.
Transforming the power of wind into electricity, integrating it efficiently into the grid
and maintaining network reliability are key challenges. They drive the evolution of
more flexible and intelligent power systems, aiming to balance unpredictable and
intermittent supply with demand. ABB’s HVDC Light® technology plays a central
role in enabling long-distance transmission and cross-border grid connections,
under-ground and underwater, to deliver reliable, high-quality power supplies with
minimal losses. www.abb.com/hvdc
Sponsors of RenewableUK
2012, Global Offshore Wind
Excel, London, 13-14 June
Power and productivity
for a better world™