* protects substations in utility and process industry power distribution networks

 * uniquely-fast messaging boosts busbar protection speed to maximise safety and minimise damage and downtime

 

ABB introduces a new high-speed substation busbar protection system for utility and industrial power systems. The busbar protection application is based on the company's novel REF615 feeder protection relay with native support for the IEC 61850 standard “Communication networks and systems in substations” and its GOOSE services. This smart grid-enabled relay offers a platform to advance the performance, reliability and cost effectiveness of the power systems of tomorrow and beyond.

 

The new 615 series protection relays offer native support for the IEC 61850 substation automation standard also including horizontal GOOSE (Generic Object Oriented Substation Event) messaging. Compared with traditional hard-wired inter-relay signalling, relay-to-relay communication over a switched Ethernet LAN (Local Area Network) offers an advanced and versatile platform for protecting the smart power systems of tomorrow. Fast software-based configuration, continuous supervision of the integrity of the protection and communication system, and inherent flexibility for reconfiguration and upgrades are among the distinctive features of the new protection system approach enabled by the full implementation of the IEC 61850 standard.

Busbar protection in small and medium-sized electrical distribution substations is usually based on reverse interlocking. In the event of a short circuit on an outgoing feeder, the overcurrent relays of the outgoing feeders block the operation of the overcurrent relays on the incoming feeders. These interlocking signals are hardwired. Such signal paths involve the use of auxiliary relays, adding delay onto the operating time of the protection. Further, there is no simple way of continuously supervising the hardwired signal paths to secure the operability of the protection system.

In the novel busbar protection concept introduced by ABB, the relay-to-relay wiring is replaced by a station-wide Ethernet LAN. The inter-relay blocking signals are transferred as GOOSE messages, providing unprecedented new levels of protection speed and operational reliability. Apart from a standard Ethernet LAN, no extra hardware or signal wiring is needed between the substation's switchgear cubicles.

By eliminating hardware-related delays, the fault clearing time of a busbar short circuit is in practice limited just by the speed of the circuit breaker. The operational reliability of the protection system is monitored by continuous supervision of the communication channel and the validity of the transmitted data. In mission-critical applications, redundant communications can be employed to assure the operability and availability of the entire substation protection system.

Besides native IEC 61850 support including GOOSE services, the REF615 feeder protection relay offers short-circuit, time overcurrent and thermal overload protection. It also features directional and non-directional earth-fault protection, sensitive earth-fault protection (SEF) and sophisticated transient-measuring earth-fault protection including detection of intermittent earth-faults in cable networks. Further, the relay possesses three-pole auto-reclose capability and basic circuit-breaker control functionality. Optionally, the relay can be enhanced with a three-channel arc-fault protection unit. /ins


Caption 1:

High-speed busbar protection system based on ABB's new feeder protection relays communicating over a station-wide Ethernet LAN using GOOSE services. © 2008 ABB

Caption 2:

ABB's new feeder protection relay with native support for the IEC 61850 substation communication standard including the standard's GOOSE services. © 2008 ABB


For additional information, contact:

AFRICA REGIONAL

Carola Kojonen
ABB Oy, Distribution Automation
E-mail: carola.kojonen@fi.abb.com


AUSTRALIA

Mr. Vinay Harakh
Sales Applications Engineer
ABB Australia Pty Limited
Bapaume Road

2170 Moorebank, NSW
Australia

Phone: +61(0)2 98210249
Telefax: +61(0)2 96022454
E-Mail: vinay.harakh@au.abb.com


BAHRAIN

Mr. Khaled Rajab Qudsi
Power Technology Manager
ABB Technologies W.L.L.

Bldg 175, Road 4304, Block 343, Mina Sulman,
Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain

Phone: + 973 17810649
Telefax: + 973 17 725332
E-Mail: khaled.qudsi@bh.abb.com


INDIA

Mr. Umesh Bharadwaj
Vice President & Business Head - DA Products
ABB India
ABB Ltd,

Maneja, Vadodara -390013, INDIA

Phone: +91 265 2604380 / 6505708,
Mobile +91 9724332967
Telefax: +91 265 2638922
E-Mail: umesh.bharadwaj@in.abb.com


INTERNATIONAL

Kristiina Vikström
ABB Oy Distribution Automation

P.O.Box 699
FI - 65101 VAASA

Telephone: + 358 (0)50 3344137
Telefax: + 358 (0)10 2241094
E-mail: kristiina.vikstrom@fi.abb.com


NEW ZEALAND

Mr. Brent Rees
Marketing and Sales Manager
ABB Limited

83 Grafton Road
1001 Auckland
New Zealand

Phone: +64 9 362 1201
Telefax : +64 9 362 1292
E-Mail: brent.rees@nz.abb.com

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