Connectors for Clean Air.

The CONNEX pluggable connection system from PFISTERER has been successfully certified by Siemens Energy for use in 420 kV Clean Air switchgears. PFISTERER is the first manufacturer to be certified for this application and is thus making an important contribution to environmentally friendly energy transmission.

Clean Air is an environmentally friendly, non-polluting insulating medium as an alternative to the well-known insulating gas sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). Clean Air consists solely of natural components of ambient air, such as oxygen and nitrogen. The use of Clean Air is intended to help minimise the environmental effects of electrical switchgears. PFISTERER’s Connex product family is the first pluggable connection technology for switchgear to be certified by Siemens Energy for 420 kV Clean Air applications. The socket forming the interface with the switchgear successfully passed the dielectric type test with Clean Air according to IEC 62271-203. The design of the socket was tested under increased pressure conditions, amongst other things.

“If electric power is generated in an environmentally friendly way, transmission and distribution must follow suit. Because our technology is used at the interfaces, it plays an important part in this. The successful testing confirms its reliability for Clean Air, which is an important step towards climate-friendly energy transmission”, said Alejandro Escobin, Head of Product Management HV Cable Accessories at PFISTERER. 

Key Account Manager, Norbert Fink added: “The pluggability of the CONNEX system allows it to be installed quickly and easily, with a minimal space requirement and maximum flexibility. We are delighted that this technology will in future be contributing even more to improving sustainability.”

---

@Siemens_Energy @PresseBox #Pfisterer #PAuto

Optimized solution for switchgear manufacturers and electrical planners

Siemens Smart Infrastructure and Eplan have signed a strategic partnership to strengthen collaboration in the area of software solutions for the industry and infrastructure market segments. As part of this agreement, Siemens’ Electrical Products business unit will join the Eplan Partner Network as a strategic partner. The objective is to coordinate the products of both companies in a more targeted manner in order to offer optimized solutions for switchgear manufacturers and electrical planners.

Sebastian Seitz, CEO of Eplan, and Andreas Matthé, CEO of Electrical Products at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, signed the agreement on September 26, 2022.

“The overall goal of our collaboration is to create a plug-and-play structure for electrical planners. We want to open our tools bidirectionally for both sides and thus simplify and accelerate workflows,” said Andreas Matthé, CEO Siemens Electrical Products. 

Sebastian Seitz of Eplan has also emphasized the benefits for joint customers: “In switchgear construction, we can use Eplan Pro Panel to optimize processes and automate them to a greater extent. In addition, we will more specifically address the growing area of power distribution and work with Siemens to create end-to-end solutions for integrative, more efficient workflows.”

The industry segment comprises offerings and products for control panel building, while the infrastructure segment includes switchgear construction for power distribution. In the industry market segment, Siemens and Eplan will intensify the excellent cooperation that has existed for many years, for example, to provide Eplan data across all configured Siemens products. For the infrastructure market, Eplan and Siemens have decided to jointly optimize and automate customer processes, for instance in the Sivacon and Alpha environment (power distribution systems) by integrating Simaris (planning tools) and the Eplan platform.

Both parties will contribute their expertise to the benefit of their joint customers to enable more efficient workflows in switchgear construction and power distribution.

Eplan offers engineering software and services in the fields of electrical engineering, automation, and mechatronics. The company develops one of the world's leading software solutions for machine, switchgear, and control panel builders. In addition, it helps customers simplify challenging engineering processes.

Siemens’ Electrical Products offers products for a safe and efficient electrical infrastructure at the low-voltage level in buildings and industrial environments, including safety and control products, measuring and monitoring devices, switches, and sockets. Furthermore, the business unit’s portfolio includes communication-enabled software tools that can be used to connect power distribution products to building and industrial automation, as well as to open cloud-based IoT systems.

@EPLAN_global @SiemensInfra @mepaxIntPR #PAuto

e-Fair!

The EPLAN Virtual Fair is taking place for the seventh time running – this time in the run up to the Hannover Messe on 4 & 5 May 2022.

Collaboration is everything | How can people collaborate better, work together more efficiently and remain competitive in the ecosystem of industrial automation? This year’s 2022 Eplan Virtual Fair gets to the bottom of these questions. Partner keynote presentations by ABB, Phoenix Contact and Rittal, live talks by Eplan and Rockwell Automation, best practices, country-specific webcasts, and software demonstrations provide deep insights into practical applications and what’s in store for engineering on the technology side of things.

Which trends will distinguish the engineering of the future? How has Eplan aligned its solutions and services for the coming challenges its customers will be facing? These and many other questions will be addressed by the experts from solutions provider Eplan over two full days and several time zones. 

Haluk Menderes

Eplan partners including ABB, Beckhoff, Phoenix Contact and Rockwell Automation will also be sharing their concepts and best practices with attendees during the event. “We’re very pleased that this year’s Eplan Virtual Fair will be focusing entirely on collaboration in engineering,” says Eplan Managing Director Haluk Menderes. “Collaboration between stakeholders in the ecosystem, not to mention between Eplan and its customers, is everything – and we’re happy to be bringing it to an international stage.”

The workflow sets the tone in engineering
Timothy J. McCain, who’s responsible for the Digital Partner Program at Rockwell Automation, will be presenting practical insights into the ecosystem of industrial automation from the point of view of a global player.
Vice President Industrial Cabinet Solutions Dr Andreas Schreiber at Phoenix Contact will be demonstrating the potential that standardised, AML-based workflows hold in “Smart Engineering and Production.”
The partner keynote presentation by ABB will be focusing on electrical engineering using Eplan and ABB e-Configure; those interested can look forward to seeing how just a few clicks gets configuration started in a talk by ABB Global Data Center Segment Manager Aleksandar Grbic.

Collaboration is everything
Other Eplan customers will be sharing their best practices with attendees: President Brenden Fritz of Automation Drive Systems in Omaha, Nebraska, will be taking attendees on a journey to digital prototyping – using the augmented reality features in eView Free AR, he will show how his company utilises its potential in control cabinet manufacturing.
BEB Solutions CEO Jens Brinkmann will be sharing completely new avenues in 3D cabling using Eplan Harness proD. Additional companies that participate in the Eplan Partner Network will have their own presentation areas in the virtual space and will also be available to answer questions in chat.

Eplan Austria, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Hungary, as well as Brazil and Canada, will be holding live session in those countries’ national languages and will be available for questions in chat. As in years previous, inspiring industry topics from the automotive, energy, building technology and process industry sectors will round off the numerous live talks.

The better the communication, the more successful the project On day one there will be seven different live demonstrations on software topics and experts will be giving practical insights into the innovations of the Eplan Platform. The conference programme will also be taking a look at the manifold opportunities the Eplan Cloud offers and also examine the potential efficiency gains of the integrated value chain in panel building and control cabinet manufacturing. A live (video) chat will offer participants the possibility to network in virtual space, and there will be lots more fun on the agenda with a prize draw.

Those interested can register free of charge here.

@EPLAN_global @mepaxIntPR #Pauto #Automation

Highest-level component data.

By implementing a new data standard, software solutions provider Eplan contributes to further simplifying control and switchgear construction. The new standard increases the quality of article and device data in Eplan Data Portal, a web service offering product catalogues from numerous component manufacturers. Several thousand data sets – for instance from Rittal, leading provider of enclosure systems and IT infrastructure – are already available at this premium level, and additional well-known component manufacturers are working on providing data in line with this new standard.

When control cabinets or switchgear systems are being designed in 3D, wire lengths automatically calculated, or mounting panels processed by machines, standardised component data are required. These data are also the foundation for the digital twin, which is becoming increasingly indispensable in the product life cycle. The new Eplan Data Standard defines the type of component data required to automate and simplify processes in (pre)planning, engineering, manufacturing and maintenance. Users of Eplan’s engineering software solutions benefit from a significant increase in quality in Eplan Data Portal, which gives them direct online access to the product catalogues from numerous component manufacturers.

Currently, Eplan Data Portal has more than 239.000 users and offers data of more than 913.00 products from 286 manufacturers. All of the software solutions embedded in the Eplan Platform can access this web service. The simple transfer of the available component data into Eplan documentation is via drag and drop, which reduces the effort required in design and increases the quality of machine and plant documentation. Manufacturers are also being optimally supported – the Data Creation Tool based on eCl@ss Advanced offers them an import option that significantly simplifies data provision.

First data in the new standard already available
Several thousand updated component data, with a focus on manufacturing integration, are already available in the new Eplan Data Standard. This includes, for instance, a schematic macro, a 3D file and connection diagrams for typical electrical components. Rittal – sister company of Eplan in the Friedhelm Loh Group – is one of the pioneers in this and has already integrated initial data for control and switchgear systems as the standardisation of such systems is one of the central USPs of the company.

Renowned component manufacturers including ABB, IFM, LAPP, Phoenix Contact, Puls, SEW-Eurodrive, Siemens, Schneider Electric, Wago, Weidmüller, Wieland and others are already implementing the standard – they all recognised the need for comprehensive, standardised data early on. The optimised, standardised data sets can be used to create complete bills of materials or to reliably calculate the weight of the control cabinet using defined weight specifications as just two examples.

A practical example
Around five hundred connections must be laid for the control technology in an average control cabinet – all with different colours, cross-sections and wire processing. Preparing and wiring all of the connections manually requires an average of four minutes per wire, which takes too long to keep up with the competition. Modern production methods get prefabricated wires from machines, saving the effort and time required for manually cutting to length and assembly. But how does the machine know which individual connections exist? The answer lies in the digital twin of the control cabinet, in which all the components were selected in engineering, presented with their characteristics in the schematics and subsequently assembled in the control cabinet in 3D. The connection points and designations for the components are already described in the 3D layout. Using this component data, the electrical designer can output the colors, lengths and wiring targets for the connections with a mouse click and transfer them to the processing machine.

#PAuto @EPLAN_Germany @Rittal @PresseBox

Robust switchgear passes tests!

Many of the switchgear series from the .steute "Extreme" range are suitable for use in damp, wet or even saltwater environments. Corresponding corrosion tests, for example the saltspray test to DIN EN ISO 9227, control the quality of such devices and make them comparable to others regarding these features.

But how do the switching devices perform in practice? How are they really affected by intermittent waves or underwater fouling, for example? These are crucial questions for steute because the steute "Extreme" switches are often used in maritime applications – on ships, on oil rigs, in quayside anchoring systems, or at seaport container terminals.

In order to find answers to these questions, steute commissioned the Fraunhofer IFAM (Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials) in Bremen (D) to conduct a 1-year exposure test at its site on the small German island of Helgoland. The test procedure was as follows: several samples from each selected "Extreme" switchgear series – including position switches, foot switches and pull wire switches – were fastened to the exposed South mole, where the North Sea waves splashed them for one year. Some of the devices were installed in the tidal range, meaning that they were sometimes submerged and sometimes not. Any potential limitations of the devices in moving saltwater would thus be revealed. Where would fouling be evident, and would it affect the functional capacity of the switches?

These are ambient conditions which switching devices are hardly ever exposed to in practice. Dipl.-Ing. Rainer Lumme, steute Product Manager "Extreme": "The objective of these tests was to expose the switchgear to conditions so extreme that they went beyond all tests required by the approval bodies, allowing us to better understand any possible weak points."

These threshold tests have now been completed. The final IFAM report is not yet available, but the appearance of the switching devices after one year of exposure to saltwater and spray, as well as some initial tests at steute of their functional capacity, have revealed the following: in all the different series, the devices are saltwater-resistant and still completely functional 12 months on. Even the labels and the laser-inscribed lettering are still legible. The pre-treated and powder-coated housings, for example of the foot switches, presented in a very good condition, and the "inner workings", such as switching inserts, plungers and pedal axes, are also free of corrosion. This is testament to the high quality of both the surface coatings and the sealing.

steute will evaluate the IFAM test results in detail as soon as they are available, and will use them for further optimization of existing switchgear series, as well as the development of new "Extreme" devices. Rainer Lumme: "We now have the confirmation we needed that the plastics we use for our housings and actuators are unrestrictedly suited to Extreme requirements. We shall therefore intensify our efforts to replace metal with plastic – also in our more heavy-duty devices."

#.stuete #Marine @FraunhoferIFAM

50 years underground substations.

Gas-insulated switchgear transformed power grid possibilities and continues to enable grids and smart cities

Fifty years ago, ABB (then BBC) installed the first GIS in an underground substation in the heart of Zurich (CH),  enhancing the city’s power supply, conserving space and starting a revolution that continues to shape the way power is transmitted and distributed.

GIS is a compact, metal encapsulated switchgear that uses pressurized insulating gas, enabling safe operations in confined spaces while significantly reducing equipment size. This revolutionary technology was a key enabler for urbanization. Occupying only 10 percent of the space of an AIS substation, it allows substations to be built within cities to supply safe and reliable power. Substations are no longer taking up acres of open spaces but can hide within buildings, underground or on rooftops.

Prior to the advent of GIS, air-insulated switchgear (AIS) was the norm, using air as the insulation medium. This meant more exposure to the elements of nature and required more space and safety considerations. With GIS, a substation the size of a football field can be shrunk to a tennis court, allowing cities to preserve valuable space and maintain urban aesthetics.

“Pioneering GIS technology in the 1960s was a ground breaking milestone in our constant quest for innovation”, said Giandomenico Rivetti, head of ABB’s High Voltage Products business unit, within the company’s Power Grids division. “50 years of continued innovation has enabled a stronger, smarter and greener grid, bringing reliable supply of electricity to hundreds of cities and millions of people around the world.“

Over the last five decades, having installed more than 30,000 bays worldwide, ABB has continued to innovate and make significant advances in this technology, including higher transmission capacity with ever reducing footprint, digitalization and eco-efficiency. Voltage levels have gone up from 72.5 to 1,200 kilovolts (kV) to secure greater power transmission with minimal losses. 1.2 million volts is the highest alternating current (AC) level in the world – like a giant switch capable of switching on and of the average annual consumption of a country like Switzerland and facilitating transmission of power across 2,000 kilometers

@abb, #POwer

Demonstrating a greater perspective.

Technology manufacturer welcome visitors to view their extensive range of low voltage assemblies

Boulting Technology has built a new demonstration area for its extensive range of low voltage switchboards. Based at their Warrington (GB) site, the new area is an extension to its existing workshop.

Created to demonstrate its extensive range of low voltage assemblies and switchboards, both existing and potential clients of Boulting Technology can now view the extensive range of equipment that the company supplies. The new equipment ranges from small 400Amp distribution boards to 6300Amp, up to 100kA fault rated, low voltage switchboards.

The new demonstration area has been designed to offer visitors a full view of the inside of the switchboards with the demonstration assemblies having their outer panels replaced with Perspex. This allows the client to gain an insight into the design of the assembly to comply with the BS EN 61439 standard and also the assembly’s innovative non forced heat dissipation capability.

“Initially, these switchboards were part of a testing process we conducted in collaboration with ABB,” explained Ian McWha, key account manager at Boulting Technology. “Many of our existing customers are unaware of the work we do beyond a standard MCC, so the ability to view the Boulting Power Centre range of low voltage switchboards showcases our broad spectrum of products manufactured here in the U.K.

“It’s beneficial for customers to be able to spend time in the demonstration area to gain valuable knowledge of the switchboards. Knowledge that would be difficult to gain from drawings and the outside view of the assembly. So far, visitors have been very impressed with the area, specifically with the attention to detail that is involved in the copper busbars and supports and the heat dissipation techniques.”

Since opening in September 2015, the demonstration area has welcomed a number of existing and potential customers to view the low voltage switchboards and assemblies. Visits can be arranged by contacting the Boulting Technology team.

@BoultingTech #PAuto 

Tiny wireless switches!

The outstanding feature of .steute's new RF 13 wireless switchgear series is immediately obvious: they are extremely compact in their design. In figures: with housing dimensions of just 49 x 40 x 21 mm, they are the smallest self-sufficient wireless switches for industrial applications currently on the market.

And – what cannot be seen – they are also characterised by a switching performance to match that of any microswitch.

They can be integrated just as easily and flexibly into steute Wireless systems as our larger series. Like them, the RF 13 is also equipped with an electrodynamic energy generator. This miniaturised generator converts the kinetic energy produced by actuating the switch into electrical energy, which is then used to transmit the signal. This means that the switch is able to work self-sufficiently. It needs neither batteries nor an external power supply, i.e. no cables.

Another thing which makes it so flexible to incorporate is the fact that it is compatible with all actuators in the .steute range. Finally, its miniaturised design makes the RF 13 perfectly suited to applications for wireless switches in places where they really make sense because space is so tight – e.g. for position monitoring in or on moving systems such as tools, feeders and handling systems.

Power centre brings BS EN 61439 peace of mind!

Boulting Technology has launched a new range of low voltage (LV) switchboards. The new Boulting Power Centre (BPC) series offers users BS EN 61439 compliance - a mandatory requirement from 1 November 2014.

BS EN 61439 has been developed to simplify and clarify the means by which the performance of applicable products and assemblies, including switchgear, can be verified against the requirements of the standards. It completely replaces BS EN 60439-1, which will be withdrawn on November 1, 2014. 

In the new standard, some established definitions and practices have been radically revised and new methods of verification have been added. Whilst it retains critical safety-related technical performance requirements, the methods by which performance can be verified have variously been extended, simplified and made more accessible.

LV switchboards distribute electricity within a user’s premises. A mains supply from the grid is subdivided to feed electrically powered equipment, allowing disconnection and protection of assets as required.

The BPC range meets the requirement for higher fault ratings typically found in both commercial, including data centres, hospitals and offices, as well as industrial applications.

The range is available in 100kA, 80kA, 50kA and 25kA specifications, each one offering simple integration and high levels of reliability thanks to their innovative design. Busbar ratings for the 100kA unit are 100kA for one second, with current ratings from 6300A to 2500A, and for the 80kA, current ratings from 1600A to 4000A. This allows flexibility with switchboard layout at the initial design stage.

The LV switchboards are naturally ventilated instead of  forced ventilated, providing greater reliability whilst helping to reduce energy costs.  The specially designed heat dissipation system provides inherent reliability ensuring users achieve maximum availability.

Furthermore, this method of ventilation reduces the footprint by ten to twenty per cent, meaning that even the BPC100  model can be implemented without compromising on space. This provides companies with ample space to grow should their need increase, negating costly plant room extensions further down the line. 

"Here at Boulting Technology we offer turnkey solutions as well as custom design, build, installation and commissioning service," explained managing director, Gordon Mullis. "This enables us to deliver designs optimised for maximum cost efficiency without compromising quality or performance.

"In addition to cost and efficiency, we understand that our customers worry about meeting the latest safety standards and so the new LV switchboard range is already compliant to the stringent BS EN 61439 standard, ensuring that companies are meeting the requirement today."

The Boulting Power Centre series utilises the latest range of ABB low voltage switchgear products including the new innovative SACE Emax 2 range of ACBs (Air Circuit Breakers). These are designed to provide intelligent management of power supplies and energy use. This enables power consumption to be reduced, helping businesses to meet energy reduction targets and maximise efficiency.

Continuing professional development in datacentres switchgear assy!

Rittal Ltd has launched three new accredited seminars to support customers in their Continuing Professional Development (CPD). The seminars have been reviewed and assessed by the Chartered Institute of Building Engineers (CIBSE), to ensure the technical content is of a high standard and offers valuable CPD to delegates. All attendees will receive a certificate as evidence of their participation.

The seminars, which are free of charge, take the form of short informative presentations, a workshop and are as follows:

Building a Data Centre in the Perfect Storm:
Covering aspects of complete relocation of a Data Centre, including refurbishment and regeneration, this CPD seminar takes the form of a real life case study of Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC). Connecting 130,000 users across 700 buildings and 60,000 computers the case study looks at how NCC delivered a new state of the art data centre and coping with the perfect brain storm of migration and updating whilst maintaining essential IT services.

Aimed at all levels of mechanical engineers, facilities managers, estate managers, electrical engineers and IT managers, this course can be presented at consultant and contractors offices or at Rittal’s specialist Data Centre location in Enfield (GB).

An Introduction to the Application of IEC 61439:
Designed to give a brief introduction to the IEC 61439 (the new switchgear and controlgear assembly producti-on standard), this seminar looks at how it should be applied to the design and manufacture of low voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies.

Incorporating four key parts: enclosures, climate control, busbar and the devices, the standard looks at assem-blies as a total system and not as individual components and how they react together and perform under test conditions.

Aimed at all levels of expertise within engineering departments, courses can be either presented at consultant or contractors offices or at Rittal’s Head Office showroom and demonstration centre in South Yorkshire, Rittal’s offices in Livingston or, alternatively, at Rittal’s production factory in Plymouth (GB).

Data Centre Energy Efficiency:
Looking at different strategies that can be implemented and the potential gains and compromises that could occur, this seminar covers a broad spectrum of techno-logies and processes including Data Networks, Data Centres, Computer Rooms, Heating and Ventilation as well as IT infrastructure and Building Management.

Aimed at all levels of mechanical engineers, facilities managers, estates managers, electrical engineers and IT managers, this CPD course can either be presented at consultants and contractors offices or at Rittal’s specialist Data Centre location in Enfield.

Breakthrough in switchgear technology with eco-efficient insulation gas!

A a significant breakthrough in switchgear technology, has been achieved by ABB, with the development of a solution that deploys a new insulation gas mixture as a substitute for sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

Sulphur Hexafluoride

This alternate gas mixture has similar insulation properties as SF6 gas now used in switchgear, but can substantially lower environmental impact due to its extremely low global warming potential. ABB’s gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) with the new gas mixture has the potential to lower carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by up to 50 percent through the lifecycle of the equipment, compared to its predecessor with the same rating.

“This is a significant achievement and can pave the way for more eco-efficient switchgear in the years ahead,” said Bernhard Jucker, Head of ABB’s Power Products division. “It will enable our customers to lower environmental impact and is very much in line with ABB’s ongoing commitment to technology and innovation to enable power and productivity for a better world.”

For decades, SF6 gas has been used extensively in the electrical industry for dielectric insulation and current interruption due to its physical properties. Pressurized SF6 gas aids the safe and reliable operation of gas-insulated switchgear because it has a much higher dielectric strength than other insulation media, making it possible to significantly reduce the size of switchgear installations and enable installation in areas where space is at a premium. However, SF6 is a known greenhouse gas and moreover, its lifecycle management requires careful handling for utility and industrial users. The cost of managing it in a compliant manner can also be substantial, particularly when decommissioning aging substations.

The new technology will be deployed for the first time at a substation located in Oerlikon, Zürich (CH), as a pilot installation for the leading utility, ewz. In addition to the 170 kilovolt (kV) high-voltage GIS, ABB will also install medium voltage GIS with the new gas mixture.

In a power system, switchgear is used to control, protect and isolate electrical equipment to boost the reliability of the electrical supply. With GIS technology, key components including contacts and conductors are protected with insulating gas. Compactness, reliability and robustness make it a preferred solution in urban areas and other places where space is a constraint or in harsh environmental conditions.

Wireless receiver with TCP/IP-interface!

For the integration of wireless switchgear in Ethernet networks

As wireless technology spreads through industrial automation, possible connections to superordinate communication networks are also on the increase. One example of this is the .steute TCP/IP receiver.

This bidirectional gateway enables switchgear from the steute Wireless range to be connected to terminals which communicate via the universal Internet/Ethernet protocol TCP/IP. It can receive and pass on signals from up to 40 sensors.

The interface corresponds to the IEEE 802.3 standard, with a transmission rate of 100/10 Mbit/s. Configuration of the wireless Ethernet gateway takes place via a web-based interface which supports both initial operation and diagnosis. The gateway is linked using a RJ45 connector.

The TCP/IP receiver is available in three versions: for the sWave 868 and sWave 915 wireless technologies developed by steute especially for industry, as well as for the EnOcean standard which is frequently found in the context of building automation. It is also well suited to use in combination with all the switches, sensors and push-buttons in the steute Wireless range.

Robustly designed safety switchgear for explosive atmospheres!

Conditions like mechanical safety and explosion protection mean that two comprehensive sets of normative guidelines have to be taken into account at once. The standards which switching devices used to monitor the positioning of guard doors on machines in Ex-zones have to meet are correspondingly complex.

For such applications, the steute business field Extreme has a wide range of electromechanical and non-contact safety switchgear. Their electromechanical product range has just been expanded to include new variants of the Ex AZ 16 safety switch with separate actuator which, in its basic design (without explosion protection), has already become a true “classic” for machine safety.

The Ex-variant has the same dimensions as the original version, so that the switches are 1:1 compatible for assembly purposes. The “Extreme” device also fulfils the same familiar high standards of reliability and durability.

In order to meet the demands of explosion protection, a separate terminal box is stipulated for the cable connection; the Ex AZ 16 is optionally available with customised cable lengths. Users have the choice between versions with two or three contacts; a new addition to our range is the switching insert variant with two NCC and one NOC. Available versions also include manoeuvrable actuators which are useful for guard doors with a tight angle of aperture.

In accordance with ATEX and IECEx, the Ex AZ 16 is approved for use in gas Ex-zones 1 and 21. Approvals in accordance with other national explosion protection stipulations, including Russia, China, Brazil and Canada, have also been applied for, while a special version for dust Ex-zone 22 is already available.

Faster assembly and logistics for switchgear

Until now, the assembly of sheet steel enclosure base/plinths was a fairly time-consuming process. The new Flex-Block base/plinth system developed by Rittal can speed this up considerably.

Switchgear assemblers can enjoy significant time and money savings by using Rittal‘s new user-friendly Flex-Block base/plinth system, featuring enhanced, fast, more efficient, tool-free assembly of individual components and logistical processes.

Rittal’s new base/plinth system comprises of four identical corner modules and covers made of plastic, plus symmetrical sheet steel side trim panels. The modular design and increased assembly space allow the four corner pieces, which support the entire weight of the enclosure, to be quickly and easily fitted underneath the enclosure. Once the enclosure is configured, the trim panels are simply clipped into position on the base/plinth with just a few actions.

Designed for loads of up to 15,000 N, the robust, 100 mm high plastic corner modules additionally have hexagonal slots to accommodate adaptor sleeves for stacking 200 mm high base/plinths. Levelling feet or twin castors are also accommodated. The system accesso-ries permit tool-free baying of the base/plinth, and may be configured individually for each enclosure panel, for example with cable clamp rails.

Rittal’s new Flex-Block base/plinth system can combine for all sizes in the TS, SE 8 and CM enclosure series, the TP console systems, and the PC case systems. Rittal additionally offer widths in 300 mm for the LCP Liquid Cooling Package climate controlled enclosure.

In stock, the new Rittal Flex-Block quick-assembly system is offered alongside the existing range with sheet steel base/plinths.

Hot data on the Arctic Circle!

ABB has won an order worth about $11 million from Facebook's subsidiary Pinnacle Sweden, to power its first server facility outside the United States.

They will build two high- and medium-voltage air- and gas-insulated switchgear substations that will supply power to a datacenter being built in Luleå, a coastal town in northern Sweden. The data center will be the largest of its kind in Europe.

“The substations are designed to handle the high electricity demand of such facilities” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB's Power Systems division. “They will provide reliable and quality power supply to the server buildings.”

The construction of Facebook's datacenter will be carried out in three phases. The facility will consist of three server buildings with a total area of 84,000 square meters, equivalent to 11 full-sized soccer fields. The first building is scheduled to become operational in December 2012, and will have a substantial need for electrical energy to power and cool its servers.

Located near the Arctic Circle, Luleå’s cold climate is well suited for the natural cooling of server buildings. This, along with a stable supply of clean energy from renewable sources as well as reliable
communications and electricity networks, paved the way for the choice of Luleå as a location for its new center, making it a European node for Facebook’s data traffic.

ABB will also install substation automation systems compliant with the global IEC 61850 standard and equipped with the latest protection and control products. The installed capacity of the substations will exceed the city’s normal consumption on cold winter days.

• See article "The best cooling solutions," Frost & Sullivan on cooling Data Centres 15/12/2011

New radio standard with longer-range wireless connection

RF 95 LR SW868 and RF 95 RS SW ULR SW868
equipped with the new radio module

The steute business field "Wireless" is continuing to expand the number of possible industrial applications for its innovative "energy harvesting" radio technology. steute is introducing a new radio standard which, has the advantage of a longer-range wireless connection. This makes it possible to operate wireless switchgear at ranges of up to 700m outdoors, without an energy supply. The radio protocol uses the 868 MHz waveband, or 915 MHz in the North American version. The 915 MHz version is certified in accordance with FCC and IC; CSA/UL certification is in preparation.

Users have the choice between two variants. The self-sufficient devices contain a radio circuit board which transmits confirmation of a previously received signal when a radio signal is transmitted. This facilitates – albeit delayed – bidirectional communication. The second variant is contained in our battery-based wireless devices. It confirms an "acknowledge" signal immediately upon receipt, can transmit a repeat signal if required and is also able to "ask" the receiver unit whether or not a signal has arrived. This guarantees the transmission certainty required, even in sensitive applications.

The position switches from their 95 series, available with two different ranges. With a stub antenna in "shark fin" design, long-range (LR) applications up to 500 m are possible. Alternatively, an ultra-long-range (ULR) antenna is also available, permitting ranges of up to 800m outdoors. The different variants (self-sufficient/battery-based and LR/ULR) can be combined at will. This means an expansion to the modular range of steute radio switchgear. And users can be sure that other types of wireless switchgear will also be available with the new radio standard in the future.

A few months ago an electrodynamic energy generator with a considerably longer lifespan (over a million switching cycles) and a far higher switching frequency (up to 1,800 switching cycles per hour) than previously available components was also marketed.

PXI Matrices

Pickering Interfaces is expanding its range of 6U PXI matrices with the introduction of the 45-541 and 45-542 high density matrices.

The 45-541 is a reed relay matrix occupying one slot of a 6U PXI chassis which provides a 132x8 matrix that supports 0.5A switching and up to 10W hot switch capacity. User connections are provided through easy to use 50 way D Type connectors. The module includes BIRST (Built-In-Relay-Self-Test) capability that allows functional checks on all the reed relays to be conducted without the use of supporting test equipment.

The 45-542 is an electro-mechanical relay (EMR) based matrix occupying just one slot of a 6U PXI chassis supporting a 132x8 matrix with 1A, 60W switching capacity. It is user pin compatible with the 45-541.

The new modules each provide the highest density single slot solutions available in the 6U PXI format and are ideal for those users who have selected the increased board area that 6U offers over 3U PXI, when compared to their previous generation VXI/VME modular platforms. Providing a solutions based on the faster operating speed of reed relays and of the higher capacity EMR’s gives users a choice of pin compatible switching solutions.

Busbar improvement

Design Improvements for Rittal’s RiLine60 Busbar Technology

Easier assembly of busbar systems will save time and money using Rittal’s RiLine60 busbar technology for the construction of low-voltage switchgear. Design improvements to the busbar supports mean that the integrated step mechanisms for adapting to the flat bar cross-section can now be locked using pins. Engineers have the flexibly to insert flat copper bars retained in a holder from the front, or slide them in from the side.

Further improvements relate to assembly and the cable entry of busbar connection adaptors. Creating holes by simply knocking out perforations permits the simple, tool-free introduction of round conductors and laminated copper bars. The specially incorporated anti-slip guard also guarantees that the OM (One Move) component adapter holds securely in any position. Installation on 4-pole busbar systems is ensured by adjusting the adapter section.

Low-voltage switchgear!

Rittal has significantly expanded the flexibility and modularity of Ri4Power. Combining Ri4Power low-voltage switchgear with designs 1 and 2-4 to form a single system technology, Ri4Power Form 1-4, allows switchgear manufacturers to fabricate every known form of internal subdivision from one single set of modules. Units for very different needs and applications can be made with one and the same component.

Switchgear manufacturers now have access to three busbar systems for the different performance categories of one single low-voltage switchgear system. RiLine60, as a compact busbar system with component and connection adaptors, offers a solution for up to 1600 A for power distribution at the lower distribution level. Maxi-PLS provides a compact busbar system of 1000-4000 A that cuts installation time and Flat-PLS is a rugged busbar system for currents up to 5500 A, based on flat copper bars, meeting maximum requirements with its high short-circuit resistance.

Benefits for the plant manufacturer is that article selection is made much simpler by the combinations of versions 1 and 2-4 and because of the unified busbar position, the same system structures can always be used for the various configurations.

It is also possible to plan and configure the various combinations quickly and easily, with the aid of Rittal's Power Engineering software Version 5.0. With the assistance of the integrated assembly planning tool, individual assembly plans can be drawn up for each enclosure field. From these, the switchgear manufacturer can assign the different components quickly and perform assembly smoothly.

Rittal Ri4Power represents a uniform system solution for low-voltage switchgear of up to 5500 A in versions 1-4, based on the Rittal TS 8 "Top Enclosure" system.