ABB AG - EPDS
Ultra-Fast Earthing SwitchUFES – active internal arc protection
Arc fault
Protection concepts
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Principle
Components
Differentiation of protection concepts
Portfolio
Benefit
Slide 2
Agenda
Fault characteristics
Internal arc faults
Slide 3
An arc arises when at least part of the current passes through a dielectric, usually air
Maximum peak power up to 40 MW
Arc plasma temperature up to five times the surface temperature of the sun (20,000°C)
Light intensity more than 2,000 times that of normal office light
0 100 150 200 700 800 900 1000
Energy kA2s
Time/ms
0.2 s: Steel fire
0.15 s: Copper fire
0.1 s: Cable fire
Causes for arc formation
Internal arc faults
Slide 4
Work in a wrong cubicle
Operation of a wrong isolator
Forgetting to ground the working area
Forgetting to test the presence of voltage in the working area
Installation errors
Faults in equipment and false operation of equipment
Ageing of insulation and mechanical wear
Overvoltage, Overheating
Bad cable terminations and loose busbar joints
Corrosion
Moisture, dirt
Foreign objects (e.g. tools) or small animals in the switchgear
Human-related errors Technical causes Environmental causes
Impacts
Internal arc faults
Slide 5
Rapid pressure rise
Heavy injuries of the personnel possible
for switchgear systems without internal arc
classification
Heavy damages possible inside of the switchgear,
for the integrated devices and for the building
Burning andvaporization of metal
and insulation material
Release ofmaterial fragments
and hot gases
Rapid temperature rise(up to 20,000°C)
Impacts
Internal arc faults
Slide 6
Circuit-breaker compartment Cable connection compartment Substation
Arc fault
Protection concepts
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Principle
Components
Differentiation of protection concepts
Portfolio
Benefit
Slide 7
Agenda
Medium Voltage Switchgear with passive protection
Protection concepts
Slide 8
Passive arc protection with pressure relief duct
→ Relief into external areas
Passive arc protection with Top Chimney
→ Relief into switchgear room
Active arc shutdown
Protection concepts
Slide 9
Fast arc detection using light and current criteria
Adjustable thresholds
Min. time to arc shutdown ~ 60…80 ms(REA time + switching time CB + arcing time CB)
Example: ABB REA SystemFast arc
detection relay
Detection element
Active arc extinction
Protection concepts
Slide 10
Fast arc detection using light and current criteria
Adjustable thresholds
Ultra-fast extinction using primary switching elements
Max. time for arc extinction ~ 4 ms after detection!
Example: Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch
Fast arc detection
relay
Primary switching element
Detection
element
Short-circuit
earthing bar
Arc fault
Protection concepts
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Principle
Components
Differentiation of protection concepts
Portfolio
Benefit
Slide 11
Agenda
The basis for effective protection
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch
Slide 12
3 UFES primary switching elements
– Ultra-fast initiation of a 3-phase short-circuit earthing afterdetection of a fault by the electronic
– Elimination of the arc by resulting breakdown of the internalarc voltage
UFES electronics
– Fast and reliable electronics devices for the detection of arc faults or simply as interface to external arc detection systems (e.g. ABB REA)
– Tripping of the UFES PSEElectronic detection and tripping unit type QRU1
Primary switching elements type U1
Electronic tripping unit type QRU100
Sequence of tripping operation
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch
Slide 13
Ultra-fast reaction time
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch
Slide 14
Effective limitation of damage requires fastest intervention
Extinction time of the Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch:< 4 ms after fault detection
Effective limitation of damage
i(t)
tTC + ≤ 4 ms
Time [ms]
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Short-circuit current Ik
DC component
Arcing time with UFES
Final clearing by upstream circuit-breaker – 80 ms + time x
Reaching time for tripping criteria
UFES electronic type QRU1
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch
Slide 15
– Electronic detection and tripping unit
– 9 optical inputs for light detection
– 3 current inputs for monitoring of the instantaneous current value
– Up to 5 x 30 additional optical inputs with ABB arc guard type TVOC-2
– Completely in fast analogue technology
– Fast fault localization by use of single lens sensors
– Self monitoring
– Testing mode for functional check
– Simple DIP-switch configuration
Features
Lens sensor for optical detection
Electronic detection and tripping unit type QRU1
ABB arc guard type TVOC-2
UFES electronic type QRU100
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch
Slide 16
– Electronic tripping unit
– Ideal for extension of ABB arc protection system type REA
– 2 Optolink inputs for connection of the REA101 relay
– 2 high-speed inputs (HSI) for connection of external arc detection systems
– Self monitoring including the Optolink connection to theREA system
– Logical combination of the external detection units by useof DIP-switches
– Testing mode for functional check
– Functions in combination with REA: optical detection with line or lens sensors; overcurrent detection; selective protection; CB failure protection
Features
Electronic tripping unit type QRU100
Combinable arc protection by ABB UFES + REA
Primary switching element
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch
Slide 17
– Vacuum interrupter and operatingsystem integrated in one compact unit
– Fast and reliable micro gas generator operating mechanism
– Fast switching time of ~ 1.5 ms
– Easy handling
– Low-maintenance
– Flexible installation
Primary switching element type U1Epoxy insulator
Fixed contact
Ceramic insulator
Moving contact pin
Rupture joint
Piston
Cylinder
Moving contact system
Micro gas generator
Switching principle
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch
Slide 18
Position after trippingService position
Drive
Vacuum interrupter
Current flow after tripping
Moving direction
Arc fault
Protection concepts
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Principle
Components
Differentiation of protection concepts
Portfolio
Benefit
Slide 19
Agenda
Reduced arc energy
Differentiation of protection concepts
Slide 20
Conventional protection device
– Fault detection by standard relay
– Clearing of the arc fault current by the upstream circuit-breaker
Fast-acting protection relay with supplementary equipment
– Fast fault detection by special protection relay
– Clearing of the arc fault current by the upstream circuit-breaker
Ultra Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
– Fast fault detection by UFES electronic or REA system
– Ultra-fast extinction of an internal arc by switching of the UFES primary switching element type U1
– Final clearing of the fault current by the upstream circuit-breaker
Comparison
Reduced arc energy
Differentiation of protection concepts
* Constant arc voltage & fault current for the complete fault time Uarc · Ik · t = Warc (linear function)Slide 21
3. Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
– Drastic reduction of thermal damage
– Drastically reduced pressure rise
– No consequences to be expected!
2. Fast protection relay
– Limited consequences for equipment and personnel (depending on switchgear design)
1. Conventional protection device
– Dramatic consequences possible
– Fire/Explosion hazard, heavy injuries of personnel (depending on switchgear design)
1 10 100 1000
WLiBo [kVAs]*
3
2
1
Time [ms]
Copper fire
Cable fire
Steel fire
Reduced pressure rise in the SWG
Differentiation of protection concepts
Slide 22
1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Time [ms]
Ov
erp
res
su
re [
ba
r]
tTC + ≤ 4 ms
Exemplary pressure curve, with and without UFES, in a compartment of an air insulated medium voltage switchgear, for an internal arc fault current of 130 kA (peak) / 50 kA (rms)
tTC
Pressure rise without UFES
Pressure rise with UFES
Reaching time for tripping criteria
Internal arc test with and without UFES
Differentiation of protection concepts
Slide 23
Busbar compartment after internal arc impact (50 kA / 100 ms)
Busbar compartment after internal arc impact
Point of fault initiation in the busbarcompartment
Without active UFES protection With active UFES protection With active UFES protection
Reduced pressure rise in the SWG room
Differentiation of protection concepts
Slide 24
– Object: metal-clad switchgear, 800 panel width
– Fault: 3-phase, 40 kArms
– Fault location: cable connection compartment
– Free available room volume: 50 m³, 100 m³, 200 m³
– Pressure relief flap (room): 1 m²
Simulation
Type of wall Permissible room pressure [mbar / m²]
Brick wall 3–10
Reinforced brick wall 30
Precast concrete 50
Cast-in-place concrete >70
Concrete room cells 130
* Present simulation is for illustration use only! It does not substitute a pressure calculation based on the real environmental facts!
Installation room without UFES
Arcing time t [ms]
Pre
ss
ure
dif
fere
nc
e ∆
pe
x[m
ba
r]
0 20 40 60 800
5
10
15
20
25
3050 m3
100 m3
200 m3
Installation room with UFES
Arcing time t [ms]
10 15 20 250
50
1
2
3
50 m3
200 m3
Arc fault
Protection concepts
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Principle
Components
Differentiation of protection concepts
Portfolio
Benefit
Slide 25
Agenda
Applicable for highest requirements
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Slide 26
Maximum rated voltage:Ur = 40.5 kV → Ik = 40 kA (3s)
Maximum rated short-time withstand current for medium voltage:Ik = 50 kA (3s), 63 kA (1s) → Ur = 17.5 kV
Maximum rated short-time withstand current for low voltage:Ik = 100 kA (0.5s) → Ur = 1.4 kV
UFES primary switching element
Available as… loose components
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Slide 27
UFES-Kit-1 as OEM product, consisting of UFES-Kit-100 as OEM product, consisting of
1 set (3 off) tripping cables (10 m) with special
plug for PSE
Electronic tripping unit type QRU100
3 primary switching elements (PSE)
1 set (3 off) tripping cables (10 m) with special
plug for PSE
Electronic detection and tripping unit type QRU1
3 primary switching elements (PSE)
+ + + +
Available as… ABB Service retrofit solution
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Slide 28
Service-Box Draw-out technology
(Illustration:Side-mounted)
Available for… ABB switchgear (AIS)
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Slide 29
UFES in UniGear – Top-Box installation UFES in UniGear – installation in cable compartment
Available for… ABB dry type transformer
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Slide 30
ABB RESIBLOC with UFES protection
Certified protection
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Slide 31
The registered trademark “VdS” is a well-known quality sealfor products and services, which has its origin in the umbrella organization of the German insurance industry
Certification available since Feb 2015
One of the worldwide leading companies, offering technical services for the testing and certifying of components for maritime application
Approval for offshore and marine application of UFES – available since Nov 2011
VdS Schadenverhütung DNV – GL
Certified protection
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Slide 32
The UL certification mark, as one of the most known quality symbols for products, represents proven conformity with the technical standards and legal safety regulations in the US and Canada
UL “Recognized Component” certification available since January 2016
UL – Underwriters Laboratories
Arc fault
Protection concepts
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Principle
Components
Differentiation of protection concepts
Portfolio
Benefit
Slide 33
Agenda
Minimizing of the hazardous impacts of an internal arc fault
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Slide 34
Major effects:
– Rapid temperature and pressure rise
Secondary effects:
– Strong optical and acoustic load for persons
– Release of hot toxic gases
Unbeatable advantages
Ultra-Fast Earthing Switch type UFES
Slide 35
Greatly increased operator safety for personnel working at the switchgear or in the direct vicinity
Drastic reduction of downtimes by lowering the impacts of an internal arc fault to an insignificant minimum
Means → Greatly increased system and process availability
Drastic reduction of repair costs by avoidance of heavy damages inside of the switchgear,of the equipment and of the direct environment
Reduction of pressure relief measures by application of active arc protection concepts