ABB Medium-voltage Digital Switchgear

Customer Support Guide

Customer Needs

Customers with projects that involve medium-voltage power distribution design and layout are often faced with a limited budget, limited space and a tight time schedule.
Customers may have run several rounds of optimization with existing equipment: defining the voltage levels and performing load-flow analysis, the short-circuit calculation,
the current transformer calculation and the protection coordination, optimizing everything down to specifying the most efficient vacuum interrupter bottle rating. However,
last-minute changes in projects like these can force additional rounds of review and optimization, or can lead to change orders, additional costs and more delays.

Solution

ABB Medium-voltage Digital Switchgear is a solution that can encompass last minute load changes. It’s a one-size-fits-all solution where adjustments on configuration
settings can more easily be done even at later stages of the project, with a faster delivery time, one that saves space in the eHouse or substation building and that’s safer and
greener than the usual equipment. It’s based on current and voltage sensors that replace traditional instrument transformers, and on the full utilization of IEC 61850 GOOSE.
Additionally, condition monitoring options such as temperature sensors and circuit breaker monitoring help to reduce total cost of ownership.

Faster Delivery Times Accurate Sensors Saves Space and Cost Increased Safety More Sustainable and Efficient

MV Digital Switchgear is a solution with a MV Digital Switchgear meets the usual The customer saves space and cost with Sensors help to increase MV Digital MV Digital Switchgear is greener and has
30% quicker delivery time due to shorter protection functions and measuring MV Digital Switchgear, which eliminates Switchgear reliability and safety. higher efficiency compared to the usual
design and assembly times. requirements: both sensors’ accuracies is the need for separate busbar voltage equipment.
class 0.5. measuring panels. • Current and voltage sensors work
• The long lead items in any switchgear with mV signals on their secondary During manufacturing and transport:
project are the current transformers The current sensor: • Cost savings are typically in the range side, so they’re safer compared to • MV Digital Switchgear uses less
that are typically made-to-order based • Is based on the Rogowski-coil of up to 5% instrument transformer terminals, in material, which results in reduced
on the specific current transformer principle • The footprint space savings are case of accidental contact weight and hence reduced CO2
requirements: their primary-to- • Has a linear slope throughout the typically in the range of 5–10% • Voltage sensors aren’t subject to emissions
secondary ratio, their core type and whole operating range ferro-resonance that can cause failure
burden Due to reduction in energy losses there is and explosion During operation:
The voltage sensor: also savings on energy costs • Current sensors have no risk of open • Sensors have fewer heat losses than
• Current and voltage sensors are • Is based on the resistive divider circuit wiring instrument transformers, resulting in
basically one-size-fits-all, off-the- • Is embedded inside bushings that • Cost of energy consumption over 30 higher energy efficiency and power
shelf, standard items that unlock the hold the busbars in place, eliminating years can be reduced from 840 USD to Moreover: cost savings
quicker switchgear delivery time the need for separate busbar voltage 5 cents (based on a specific example, • Temperature and other condition • For example, energy consumption
measuring panels see Cost calculator here) monitoring further increase safety over 30 years can be reduced from
levels due to constant monitoring and 7,54 MWh
alarming in advance to 44 Wh
 Customers may have queries about using MV Digital Switchgear. You will need to respond to these queries and point to solutions for any issues.

Customer Question Response

ABB has supported MV Digital Switchgear for more than seven years. It’s already installed and operating in more than 30
countries. MV Digital Switchgear is based on well-known and matured technologies, combined in a smart way to unlock all
“Is this new technology?” the advantages:
Technology
“Would we be the first to install and use this solution?”
(1) Current and voltage sensors replacing traditional instrument transformers
(2) The full utilization of IEC 61850 GOOSE including Sampled Measured Value sharing that replaces traditional wiring

Without current transformers, you’ll no longer have to perform polarity testing, secondary winding resistance testing,
Testing & secondary circuit insulation resistance testing, or magnetization curves testing. All you need is an Omicron, for example, to
“How do I test, commission and then run MV Digital Switchgear in the field?” perform the sensor tests and the primary injection testing as usual.
commissioning
“How is it different from conventional instrument or current transformers?
in the field With sensors, you won’t have to worry about isolating or shortening the secondary contacts anymore, which can be a
safety hazard if done wrongly on conventional instrument transformers.

We can add the transformer differential protection and, for utility metering, accuracy class 0.2 current cores as well as the
Existing “Can we match existing upstream transformer differential protection cores?” accuracy class 0.2 voltage transformers in the incomers. Then we can use current and voltage sensors throughout the rest
upstream “What about utility handover metering with higher accuracy on our side?”
of the line-up, as well as in all of your downstream substations, including your transformer, motor and line differential
transformers applications.

The current sensor is based on the Rogowski-coil principle, which has a linear slope throughout the whole operating range
“But what about last-minute load changes?” — so you can feed a load with 80A or another part of the system with 1100A, with the same switchgear hardware, only by
Load changes ‘What happens if some motor sizes increase and additional load needs to be changing the relay’s pickup settings.

connected?” And if the load changes, just reconfigure.

Saving on operational costs has two aspects: one is monitoring the switchgear conditions to understand its utilization,
and the second is related to understanding the equipment’s mechanical and electrical health through condition monitoring
and data analysis with asset management solutions.
Maintenance Most utilization data for this is already available through control and protection devices like our Relion relays. The relays
“How does MV Digital Switchgear affect operational costs?”
and operational monitor the circuit breaker operation, its load current, its opening and closing time, and many more features that help to
costs “Do we need to do regular maintenance?” determine maintenance needs.

We can also add, for example, temperature sensors that continuously and more accurately monitor the condition of critical
joints, making your manual thermography redundant. Saving features are unlocked by our ABB Ability™ Energy and Asset
Manager, which enables easy and remote cloud-powered access from anywhere, anytime.

You can also get in touch with the Operations team at [email protected]