03.2011.pdf

Inside this issue:

� Arresting developments� Smart meters: finding the right network� System enclosures to save energy� Computing power

FUEL CELL SYSTEM TECHNOLOGYREADY FOR FIRST INSTALLATION ACAL Energy and its development

partners have put the ground work in

place to install the world’s first

FlowCath fuel cell technology system

to be used in a practical application at

Solvay Interox, Warrington site. ACAL

Energy is a developer of fuel cell

engines based on a platinum free

cathode technology that will be a

clean and economically sensible

alternative to diesel and gasoline

generators.

The field trial system is planned for

installation in summer 2011, and will

provide back-up power for an

environmental remediation plant at

Solvay’s Warrington plant. The

installation is designed to help ACAL

Energy and its partners to understand

exactly how a back-up power system

powered by its FlowCath fuel cell

engine power module will operate in

a real application. The technology is

expected significantly to reduce the

balance of plant costs by eliminating

the need for hydration, pressurisation,

separate cooling and other

mechanical sub-systems commonly

required when using conventional

PEM fuel cells.

In the meantime, ACAL Energy is

completing the low cost design and

validation activity in its new laboratory

testing facilities, with the support of

partners including Johnson Matthey

Fuel Cells, UPS Systems, the University

of Southampton and the

Manufacturing Engineering Centre at

Cardiff University, which is essential to

meet the cost and performance

targets for a commercially viable

system.

This is the latest stage of a project

announced last year and partly

funded by the Technology Strategy

Board. Progress on the project to date

has been rapid and as a result, Solvay

Interox took the opportunity over last

summer to put in place the hydrogen

fuel supply and infrastructure ready

for installation of the back-up power

unit.

“We’re well on track for this

important next stage”, said Bob

Longman, VP Engineering at ACAL

Energy. “Our progress in the laboratory

stages has exceeded our expectations

and we are increasingly confident in

the performance of the whole

system.”

Bob McDonald, engineering

manager at Solvay Interox agrees: “We

are looking forward to supporting the

installation to supply back up power

for the remediation plant, which for

Solvay Interox is seen as an

opportunity to assess the technology

for its value as a cost effective,

sustainable back up power source“.

Switchgear 2 Surge protection Page 22 Enclosures Page 26 Design software Page 31

March 2011 Volume 244 No 3

Legrand has seen products

from its wiring devices and

cable management divisions

used extensively throughout

the newly reopened Savoy,

London.

The £220m project saw The

Savoy restored to its former

glory over three years, with its

two main design aesthetics,

Edwardian and Art Deco, being

carefully brought back to life

under the direction of world-

renowned designer Pierre Yves

Rochon. More than 1,000

craftsmen and women, artists

and artisans worked to create

interiors that were in keeping

with the original and much-

loved spirit of The Savoy, which

was established in 1889

Legrand supplied bespoke

chrome and brass roped edge

wiring devices from its Synergy

range for use in all guestrooms

and public areas, while its

Swifts cable tray and ladder

was used to carry power and

data cables through the hotel.

For the latest news, products and event information visit www.electricalreview.co.uk

SENTEC SCOOPS GREEN ENTERPRISE AWARDSentec, a smart grid specialist and

product development company, has

won the Green Enterprise Award at

the inaugural 2011 Entrepreneur

Country awards. Held at the Royal

Institution of Great Britain on 1

February, the winners were selected

by a panel of expert industry judges.

The awards were created to recognise

the success, innovation, and

achievements of UK businesses and

the leadership behind them. The

Green Enterprise Award was awarded

to Sentec following a nomination

from Greenbang editor, Dan Ilett, in

recognition of the company’s

contribution to the development of

green sector technologies.

ELECTRICALREVIEW

www.electricalreview.co.uk 03

Building energy management system (BEMS)

manufacturer Trend Controls Systems and

vocational training provider Apprenticeship

Training (ATL) have developed and are now

jointly delivering the UK’s first ever

qualification for building controls technicians.

The level 3 NVQ Diploma in Installing Building

Energy Management Systems is awarded by

EAL and endorsed by SummitSkills – the

sector skills council for the building services

engineering industry. It is the only nationally

recognised award specifically designed for

those wishing to embark on a career in BEMS

design, installation and commissioning.

The BEMS Diploma became available at the

start of this year and complies with the

regulatory arrangements laid down in the

government’s newly introduced Qualifications

& Credit Framework (QCF). Involving a

combination of on- and off-the-job training it

requires completion of a series of knowledge

and performance units. The former are done

at college and are the equivalent of the old

technical certificate element of an

apprenticeship. The performance units are

carried out in the workplace and require the

learner to demonstrate that they have the

practical skills to apply the knowledge they

have gained.

Trend’s learning and development

manager, Phil Prosser, is in no doubt about

the significance of the new BEMS Diploma:

“The previous lack of a proper qualification in

building controls has deterred people from

entering the industry, which has led to skill

shortages. Until now the only study options

available to them have been general courses

leading to technical certificates in electrical or

building services technology, parts of which

had no relevance to our sector. In contrast,

the college course element of the new

diploma has been precisely tailored to aid

subsequent workplace learning by focusing

on the underpinning knowledge required by

a BEMS engineer. This was made possible

through close cooperation between Trend

and ATL and, in particular, by ATL’s

willingness to listen to the needs of our

industry.”

The first people to gain the diploma are

likely to come from the latest group to join

Trend’s award-winning Attitude Advanced

Apprenticeship scheme. They have already

started their college studies at two of ATL’s

regional centres, where they will spend all of

the first ten weeks. Their on-the-job training

and assessment will be done either with

Trend or one of its system suppliers, with the

whole of the diploma programme completed

in around 30 months.

Wilts, the independent electricalwholesaler, has teamed up withInsurantz.com to offer its customersbusiness insurance at a discountedrate. Customers applying for a quotevia the linkwww.wilts.co.uk/insurance, canbenefit from 5% off their vehicleinsurance and 10% off theirtradesman insurance, suitable for arange of trades including one mancompanies through to largercontractors. Kevin Burns, Wilts’commercial director said: “We felt itmade good business sense to helpour customers find a low costbusiness insurance. We’ve had greatfeedback on this, it’s all aboutworking out what our customersneeds are and helping to providepeace of mind at a competitive rate.”

LONG WAIT FOR QUALIFICATION

Insurance offeredonline

03 | NEWS

10 | GOSSAGE

12 | SWITCHGEAR

18 | ENERGY EFFICIENCY

22 | SURGE PROTECTION

26 | ENCLOSURES

29 | DESIGN SOFTWARE

32 | PRODUCT WATCH

39 | CLASSIFIED

43 | BLOWN FUSE

There is no legal requirement to replace oil

filled switchgear with modern vacuum

types, the fact is,

most switchgear,

of any age, if

properly

maintained is both

safe and reliable

In a world seemingly obsessed by risk

assessment and analysis, it is ironic the

topic of surge or

overvoltage

protection seems

to be underplayed

and, at times,

misunderstood

Green IT is not only concerned with saving

energy, but involves other factors, such as

the use of non-toxic and recyclable

components.

nevertheless, the

key issue remains

saving energy,

which is unlikely to

change

ABB has won an order worth around

$180m (£112m), from utilities Statnett of

Norway and Energinet.dk of Denmark, to

supply an HVDC Light (high-voltage

direct current) converter solution to

support the interconnection of the

Norwegian and Danish power grids.The

500 kV (kilovolt) link is a new record in

transmission voltage using this

technology.

The underwater link will boost

transmission capacity between the

mainly hydroelectric-based Norwegian

system and the wind and thermal power-

based Danish system. It will enable both

networks to add more renewable energy

to their energy mix, and to use electricity

more efficiently. ABB will design, supply

and commission two 700 MW (megawatt)

converter stations based on the

company’s HVDC Light technology.

ABB WINS £112MUTILITY ORDER

NEWS/ CONTENTS

February saw the relaunch of the Call for Energy

Innovators initiative which invited inventors to

come forward with their ideas for making the

power networks more efficient.

Funding and product testing support is available

to assist innovators developing these products and

services.

The Call for Energy Innovators, led by Cheshire’s

Energy Innovation Centre, is backed by four UK

energy firms; distribution network operators CE

Electric UK, Electricity North West, ScottishPower

Energy Networks and Scottish & Southern Energy.

With rising energy demand and ambitious de-

carbonising targets, innovation has an increasingly

important role to play in enhancing the way power

is transported, monitored and stored.

The aim of the Call for Energy Innovators

initiative is to seek out technologies and processes

with the potential to revolutionise existing power

networks.

It is an opportunity for innovators to get their

ideas before the decision makers and make a real

difference to future energy provision in the UK and

beyond.

Industry expert and chairman of the Energy

Innovation Centre’s Investment Forum, Clive

Deadman, predicts this emerging market for

innovative energy related products and services will

be worth over £1bn per year in the UK alone by

2016.

The Energy Innovation Centre, launched in 2008,

is a specialist business incubator dedicated to

fostering innovation and accelerating cutting-edge

energy products to market.

Denise Massey, director of the Energy Innovation

Centre, said: “When we launched the Call for Energy

Innovators in conjunction with our industry

partners in October 2010 we saw a 50% increase in

enquiries to the Centre. As a direct result of these

enquiries we are now assisting a number of

individuals and SMEs in the development of some

exciting early stage technologies.

“The Energy Innovation Centre was created

specifically to help innovators navigate the complex

route to commercialisation and we hope the new

Call for Energy Innovators 2011 campaign will

encourage even more innovators to come forward

with their ideas for improving the energy industry.”

The Call for Energy Innovators 2011 is open to

both early stage development and existing

technologies with the potential for deployment

within the energy industry. It could even be a

technology already operational in another industry,

such as telecoms or retail.

Distribution network operators have a number of

roles including maintaining the performance and

safe condition of the networks, restoring supply

quickly should a fault occur, operating telephone

systems in relation to network faults and providing

new connections to the network.

Lawrence Fletcher, head of performance and

innovation for CE Electric UK, said: “The Call for

Energy Innovators 2011 provides the perfect

platform in which innovators or SMEs can bring

their innovations to fruition and optimise their

commercial opportunities.”

The Energy Innovation Centre offers a complete

range of services including product development,

funding assistance, business support and access to

power experts, and is committed to turning energy

saving ideas into commercial reality.

For more information about the Call for Energy

Innovators 2011 visit

www.energyinnovationcentre.com

FUNDING AND TESTING SUPPORTAVAILABLE TO INNOVATORS

04 Electrical Review March 2011

� The Electrical Contractors'

Association (ECA) has frozen its

membership fees for the coming

year. Steve Bratt, ECA Group CEO

said: “The ECA exists to help our

members and provide them with the

support they need to grow, and in

these difficult times it's not just a

case of growth, but for many,

survival. Therefore, we took the

decision not to add to our members'

financial pressures and to freeze our

membership subscriptions for 2011.

Despite keeping fees at 2010 levels,

we will continue to invest in existing

and new resources that we believe

will help members - whether that is

around tactics to improve cashflow,

contract negotiation, employee

relations, upskilling or future growth

opportunities.”

� German solar photovoltaic (PV)

manufacturer, Solarwatt AG, has

signed an installation and supply

agreement with UK-based Enexos.

Established in 2009 to serve the

emerging UK solar PV market,

Enexos will represent Solarwatt in

the large scale and middle SME

business sectors of the market, and

at the lower-end domestic and small

commercial applications through a

new distribution and installation

network currently being assembled.

IN BRIEF

NEWS

Fiera Milano this year launches E.TECH Experience, a

biennial international exhibition for the energy,

electrical systems and lighting sectors, taking place at

Fiera Milano (Rho), 16-19 November 2011.

The new event is organised in cooperation with

Federazione ANIE (Italian Federation of the

electrotechnical and electronics companies). E.TECH

Experience is an exhibition of energy-related products,

but also of services and solutions related to

generating power and bringing it into living and

working human spaces, helping us live in a

sustainable, safe, and efficient way.

“E.TECH Experience”, explains CEO. of Fiera Milano

Enrico Pazzali, “is an exhibition for the energy sector

that show innovative technology and meets the

increasingly sophisticated and complex requirements

of its end-users. This new trade fair is Fiera Milano’s

answer to the requests of the market we, and ANIE’s

Strategic Marketing Committee, discovered during the

design phase of the expo. E.TECH Experience is an

event that joins product specialisation with the

integration of the different sectors in the field. A

multi-target exhibition which addresses both the

operator interested in a single product and

those searching for system solutions.”

“I am sure this exhibition represents another

opportunity for our sector,” adds

Guidalberto Guidi, president of Confindustria ANIE.

“E.TECH Experience will give added

visibility to an important part of the Italian economy,

an industrial sector with earnings of �25bn in 2009,

and with prospects of medium term growth stronger

than the average in the manufacturing area. Our

companies are an excellent example of Made in Italy”.

E.TECH Experience is based on three major

merchandising sectors:

– Generation and distribution of electricity (E.TECH

Experience Energy);

–Components and electrical systems (E.TECH

Experience Building);

– Light sources and devices (E.TECH Experience

Lighting).

Special attention will be given to energy production

from renewable sources, a section of the exhibition

organised in collaboration with Enersolar+ e

Greenergy.

E.TECH Experience is intended to be a multi-target

event, suitable for every professional in the energy

field: including installers and maintenance staff,

system engineers and distributors. But also

construction companies, engineering and contracting

firms, architects, surveyors, large private end users

(facility managers, manufacturing industry,

communities) and public administration. For further

details visit http://www.etechexperience.com.


� Following the success of the LIF

Seminars last year Lumicom, in

collaboration with Recolight, is

again sponsoring a series of

seminars that are being organised

and presented by the Lighting

Industry Federation (LIF) on the

following subjects:

• Latest developments in

LEDS/OLEDS

• Lighting controls and systems

• Latest legislation and standards as

they affect sustainability

The free seminars will be held

throughout March in London,

Birmingham, Bradford and

Edinburgh. For more details on

times and venues visit

www.lif.co.uk.

� An advertisement feature in the

Jan/Feb issue of Electrical Review

from Wilson Power Solutions

carried the incorrect telephone

number for the company. The

correct number is 0113 271 7588.

� Due to continued escalations in

key raw materials costs, DSM

Engineering Plastics has increased

prices for its Stanyl product range

on top of 2010 price increases. DSM

will increase its prices for flame

retardant grades by €300/tonne or

$450 tonne and non flame

retardant grades by a minimum

€200/tonne or $270/tonne by 1

March 2011.

IN BRIEF

NEWS

SHOW FOR ENERGY,ELECTRICAL

SYSTEMS ANDLIGHTING SECTORS

EDITORElinore Mackay 020 8319 [email protected]

ADVERTISEMENT MANAGERNeil Coshan 020 7933 [email protected]

PRODUCTION MANAGERTania King 020 7933 [email protected]

CLASSIFIED SALES EXECUTIVEJohn Steward 020 7933 [email protected]

PAID SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIESTel: +44 (0) 1635 [email protected]

ELECTRICAL REVIEW SUBSCRIPTIONSSt John Patrick PublishersPO Box 6009, ThatchamBerkshire RG19 4QB, UK

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: UK £160.00 per year, Overseas £195.00 (EU 300.00 US$360).

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Electrical Review is published by

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PUBLISHING DIRECTORChris Cooke

PRINTING BY Pensord Press Ltd

Any article in this journal represents the opinionsof the author. This does not necessarily reflect theviews of Electrical Review or its publisher–St John Patrick Publishers

ISSN 0013-4384

All editorial contents © Saint John Patrick

Publishers Ltd 2011. Jan-Dec 2009 6,484

A trade partnership agreement between Jung

and The Wandsworth Group has recently been

put in motion.

Signed in February, the agreement gives

Wandsworth exclusive sales rights in the UK for

the ranges of wiring accessories and door

communications products manufactured by

Albrecht Jung. German-based Jung will continue

to manufacture the products and the move will

put Wandsworth’s 150-strong team behind the

drive and enable both companies to exploit the

synergies between their product ranges.

Gary Stevens, sales and marketing director at

Wandsworth, said: “There are many similarities

between the two companies, both have been

around since the beginning of the 20th century,

both are still family run businesses, both are at

the quality end of the market and are focused

on driving product development with innovative,

solutions-led ideas. By joining forces with Jung,

we instantly open up our existing range, at the

same time, we’re also adding wiring accessories

and door entry systems that match our existing

range for quality but complement it in terms of

design, enabling us to offer customers even

greater choice.”

JUNG AND WANDSWORTH GROUP JOIN FORCES WITH UK SALES RIGHTS

PEOPLEKlaxon Signals has announced theappointment of two new businessdevelopment managers. Martyn Corcoranhas been appointed business developmentmanager for Klaxon Fire and Industrial.Corcoran has over 20 years of experience inthe electronics industry, 10 of which havebeen dedicated to providing technicalknowledge to customers. With responsibilityfor all fire and industrial markets, Corcoran�sexpertise in signalling solutions will provevital in providing professional support tocustomers around the world. Clive Bould hasbeen appointed business developmentmanager for Klaxon Warning Systems.Specialising in wide-area notification andwarning systems, Bould has eight years ofexperience in project development andhealth and safety management. Commentingon his new role, Bould said: I�m lookingforward to expanding and developing

Klaxon�s presence in the wide-areanotification market as we have the products,knowledge and know-how to improve thesafety of sites in a variety of industries.

Greenwood Air Management hasappointed Ian Weakford as its newcommercial director. Weakford comes to therole with a wealth of experience in thebuilding products sector and has held seniorpositions within the Saint Gobain Group,most recently as sales director for Isover.Concentrating on the key drivers of energyefficiency, Building Regulations and G.I.P�Guaranteed Installed Performance�,Weakford will be promoting Greenwood�snext generation products and firmlypositioning them within the marketplace.

Martyn Corcoran Clive Bould Ian Weakford

NEWS


OPINION GOSSIP/GOSSAGE

Unions the true CONSERVATIVES?Hats off to Redditch Council. The Conservative-run authority wants to use surplus heat from furnaces at the local crematorium tohelp keep nearby Abbey Stadium swimming pool warm. A brilliant idea, regularly found in Scandinavia. Judging by responses inlocal papers, pretty well received too by most residents, particularly as the Council think it will reduce overall fuel expenditure by£14,000 a year.

I suppose it is inevitable it is the unions that object. Listen to Roger Mackenzie, Unison’s West Midlands regional secretary wholambastes the idea as “sick”, “insensitive” and “an insult to local residents”.

He claims it demonstrates “yet again that the Conservatives know the price of everything, and the value of nothing.” Actually, itis cynics at whom that jibe is usually made. Far from being cynical, I think this is an excellent example of sensible, lateral thinking.So there. Trust the unions to be the true conservatives.

Resisting the urge to deletePing. A press release arrives from Friends of the Earth Europe. I resist thetemptation to delete. Instead I find it makes rather an interesting point. TheEuropean Union governments have signed up four energy-related targetsfor this decade. Targets which are binding upon, and therefore changepolicy, in all 27 countries.

Three of these – on climate change, on renewable energy, on bio-fuels –are all legally binding. The fourth is on energy efficiency. It is purelyvoluntary. And, as a result, it looks as though the 27 governments willnowhere meet it: European Commission figures forecast a 9% rather thanthe 20% improvement aspired to. Even though as FoE acidly point out, ofthe four targets, meeting the energy efficiency one would be infinitely thebest for the European economy.

Into the MINISTERIAL potFor the past ten years, the Big Six electricity companies have beenrequired by the government to help domestic consumers installenergy saving measures. How they stimulate any installations tooccur is entirely up to them, says the government. The companiessimply have to show enough insulation or cfls and so on have beeninstalled. Otherwise OFGEM the regulator will levy enormous fines.

The reason for this arcane arrangement is simple. Nowhere is itspecified exactly how much needs to be spent to meet any officialtargets. Therefore the scheme is not deemed to be a tax. And sodoes not get included within the Treasury’s books. At least, up untilnow.

All this changed in last November’s Comprehensive SpendingReview. The Treasury redefined such obligations as mandatoryexpenditure. It made an estimate of what each of the Big Sixneeded to spend to persuade householders to install thesemeasures. It then declared that such obligations to be putativepublic spending.

This book-keeping alteration has significant ramifications. Notleast for energy ministers, long fed up with all the kudos going tothe electricity and gas companies. Now they think: if such schemesare henceforth going to be scored against their Department’s total,why should we not take the credit, by taking full control of anyfunds raised?

In 2013, a new scheme – called the Energy Company Obligation –will start. Ministers rather like the idea of simplifying thisObligation. The energy companies will continue to provide themoney. But this time it will all go into a pot controlled by ministers.Who will determine how it is spent. And in that way will receive allthe gratitude from the beneficiaries themselves. Who just happento be voters.

A criminal bonanzaScoffers may not take the concept of trading carbon emissionsseriously. But there is one lot of people who most certainly do. Itis the international criminal fraternity.

The European emissions trading scheme was created sevenyears ago. It was meant to achieve two policy objectives. Thesewere to get heavy industry to use electricity more efficiently. Andto get the electricity industry to reduce the carbon intensity ofits supply mix.

Given that there have been a) far too many trading permitsissued and b) most of these have been made available free andgratis, it is not surprising the number of scoffers regarding thescheme’s actual impact has continued to grow. But now a newset of sceptics can join them.

The European scheme is proving a nice little earner forindustrial companies selling on their surplus permits, usually atdiscount prices, to electricity generators. The generators thenstore these away, against two years’ time when they will have tostart actually buying their permits. Meanwhile the generatorshave been making massive profits – worth €50bn according toWWF – from increasing their prices as if they had bought all theirpermits at the highest market rates. Rather than being givenmost free, and getting the rest on heavy discount.

Now into the mix have stepped some sharp-eyed members ofthe criminal fraternity, exploiting the lax on-line securityarrangements operating in many of the 27 participatingcountries. And simply breaking into existing carbon accounts, totransfer, and then selling on the carbon credits to innocentpurchasers. As almost anybody can set up – and then close down- a carbon registry, these intermediaries are proving very difficultto catch.

At least three million credits are officially acknowledged tohave been stolen – from the large cement company Holcim, fromthe Austrian and Greek registries, from a bunch of Czechaccounts. Consequently the entire system closed down for 16days last month. The strong probability is this is just the tip ofthe iceberg.

Even if a generator or an industrial company has bought anyof these stolen permits in good faith, they are then in receipt ofstolen goods. In the UK, these will be confiscated, and returnedto the original owner.

The US House of Representatives has just passed a resolutionnot to permit the development of a nationwide carbon tradingscheme. This has been done primarily because of dubiousnessabout the science of climate change. A much better justificationmight be that the one such scheme in existence is turning into acomplete criminals’ bonanza. Green fleeces, red faces.


SAFETY, RELIABILITY or cost in any combination provide a real

incentive to evaluate existing switchgear in any application. In

spite of the fact there is no legal requirement to modernise

existing aged installations, the Health and Safety Executive, the

British Standards Institute and the Institution of Engineering and

Technology have all published documents relating to safety. By

the same token, major users of switchgear, such as the UK’s

Network Distribution Operators and the power generation

industry have also highlighted the need to modernise because

of the mission critical nature of their applications. Finally the

rising costs of maintenance and the, often, punitive penalties for

system failure have added a significant motivation

for renewal.

Dealing with safety issues first and foremost, it

must be reiterated that dangerous failures of

switchgear are rare. Unfortunately, rather like other

rare failures, such as aircraft malfunctions, the

consequences can be disastrous. Similarly, we only

consider within this article, the equipment itself

under safe and responsible operation, rather as we

would not consider human error to reflect on the

fitness for purpose of any other item of equipment.

The HSE makes clear in the introduction to its

excellent Electrical Switchgear and Safety – A

Concise Guide for Users that: In general, switchgear has a

proven record of reliability and performance. Failures are rare

but, where they occur, the results may be catastrophic. Tanks

may rupture and, with oil-filled switchgear, this can result in

burning oil and gas clouds, causing death or serious injury and

major damage to plant and buildings in the vicinity. Failures of

switchgear can also result in serious financial losses.

Having stated there is no law requiring users to replace aged

switchgear, it is a legal requirement to provide management

systems to ensure safety and minimise the risks of injury. To

comply with this obligation it is clear that switchgear must be

inspected, assessed and where necessary overhauled, repaired

or replaced.

This having been said, de-skilling and cost reductions in

some organisations have left them without the specialised

knowledge needed to properly assess the function, potential

risks and remedies where equipment is involved.

Switchgear suppliers must therefore provide intelligent and

conscientious assistance to users – which does not mean

simply selling them some new equipment!

Let's take a look at some of the dangers specifically

associated with the use of older switchgear. Among the most

important are:

� Lack of knowledge – users may not have enough

knowledge to be aware of the potential risks involved

� Overstressing – the switchgear may not be rated to handle

present-day full load currents and fault levels

� Modifications – the manufacturer may have issued

recommendations for modifications to ensure that the

equipment remains safe to operate. It is essential these are

implemented

� Dependent manual operating mechanisms – all switchgear

currently in use must incorporate operating mechanisms

that do not depend on the operator's strength and speed to

make and break contacts. Any switchgear that does not

meet this requirement is unfit for use

� Lack of proper maintenance – this is usually the result of

oversight, but may also be due to limitations imposed by

financial controllers in order to minimise shutdowns. It is

important that maintenance of older switchgear takes into

account the age and peculiarities of the equipment.

Addressing these issues involves implementing an effective

switchgear management system. A very good starting point

for this is Health and Safety Executive document HSG230

Keeping Switchgear Safe. The guidelines contained in this

document define records that need to be kept and keeping

these records will ensure that:

� The switchgear is not outside its managed life cycle

� The maintenance cycle and the maintenance work carried

out has taken into account the age of the switchgear

� The maintenance has been fully and correctly completed

� A full maintenance history is available

� All restriction notices have been considered and, where

necessary, appropriate actions have been implemented

� The Switchgear is known to fall in line with latest

requirements, such as independent manual operation,

anti-reflex handles

It is worth noting these records not only provide a

framework for increasing the reliable and safe operation of

the equipment, but also help to meet legal obligations, not

least those related to ensuring that employees are protected

from harm.

THERE IS NO LEGAL REQUIREMENT TO REPLACE AGED OIL FILLED SWITCHGEAR WITH MODERN VACUUM

TYPES. THE FACT IS MOST SWITCHGEAR, OF ANY AGE, IF PROPERLY MAINTAINED IS BOTH SAFE AND

RELIABLE. OIL FILLED SWITCHGEAR HAS BEEN WITH US A LONG TIME AND HAS PROVEN TO WORK WELL. IN

WHICH CASE WHY DOES THERE REMAIN AN IMPERATIVE TO UPGRADE OIL FILLED EQUIPMENT? THERE ARE

SAFETY, RELIABILITY AND COST CONSIDERATIONS THAT BELIE THE ABOVE STATEMENTS, AS TONY HARRIS

OF THE PBSI GROUP EXPLAINS

Caption

It is a legal

requirement to

provide

management

systems to

ensure safety

and minimise

the risk of injury

FEATURE SWITCHGEAR

Checking switchgear is a really SAFE BET


Safety in practice Increasingly companies have become reluctant to operate

older switchgear locally – particularly oil circuit breakers. With

this in mind a minerals company recently ordered new

vacuum oil replacement breakers, P&B Switchgear’s VOR-M,

to replace old MV oil switchgear at its salt mining installation

in Cheshire.

Vacuum retrofit breakers have been installed to replace

11kV oil breakers at a major pharmaceutical plant in Speke,

Liverpool. This enables remote operation, as opposed to the

local, manual, operation of the old switchgear. Not only does

this ensure greater safety, but it also means switchgear can be

operated without personnel having to don cumbersome arc

flash protection clothing.

A major chemical company is also replacing old and

obsolete air switchgear with 415V switchgear with modern

compact air circuit breakers. During type testing of new retrofit

circuit breakers to replace 415V circuit breakers from two well

known, but now defunct, UK manufacturers, the original

isolating contacts from both designs failed catastrophically

under short circuit conditions. The fault level was within the

rating of the equipment when supplied many years ago,

indicating deterioration in performance of the contacts.

Fortunately, P&B Switchgear was able to supply alternative

type tested replacement isolating contacts with the circuit

breakers to ensure the customer has a safe installation – this

might perhaps start to ring warning bells with other

switchgear users.

Reliability is keyBecause diligently maintained and inspected switchgear of

any age can be considered safe, a greater incentive to

consider replacement or renewal of existing switchgear is

often reliability. Reliability in sectors such as power

generation, utilities, oil and chemical industries, transport and

so forth is crucial. However, accurately assessing mean time

between failures for switchgear is almost impossible. Hence,

these industries often regard it as beholden upon

themselves to mitigate worst case scenarios, however

potentially unlikely. Many operators resort to establishing

arbitrary maintenance procedures and time intervals based

on their type of switchgear, age of equipment, its location

and environment and so on. This usually involves high

degrees of guesswork, certain assumptions and, if reliability

is of paramount importance, a truncation of the service or

inspection intervals. None of which is particularly efficient,

but reliability trumps efficiency in such circumstances.

The main reasons for replacing switchgear are usually

because the age of the equipment is causing a high level of

maintenance, this in turn causing higher costs, lack of

availability (reliability) and difficulty in locating obsolete

spare parts. Some motives are to remove oil (safety)

although some companies have elected to introduce remote

operation on older switchgear as a cheaper way to improve

safety by removing the need for a local operator. Safety may

become a key driver for replacement in the future.

The use of the latest equipment with its inherent

monitoring and reporting facilities, increases efficiency and

hence reduces costs. However, in older plant, it is the

reliability, rather than the automation, of the system that is

the highest priority.

Reliability in practiceMost UK coal power stations were fitted with 11kV and 3.3kV

air break switchgear when they were built in the 1960s. Over

the past decade or so the circuit breakers have needed

increased maintenance. That, coupled with the difficulty in

obtaining spare parts for obsolete equipment, has led to many

of the older breakers being retrofitted with P&B Switchgear

vacuum circuit breakers. The overwhelming majority of these

power stations have ranges of fully type tested retrofit vacuum

breakers on most key circuits to increase reliability of operation.

This is manifest in increased time between maintenance and in

many cases, to increase the fault level to cater for additional

generation being added over time. P&B designs have been

type tested to well over 50kA rms, with peak making currents

and DC components enhanced far above the original, or

indeed, current IEC/BS requirements. Examples of this are at

Ratcliffe, Cottam, Ferrybridge, Fiddlers Ferry, West Burton power

stations to name a few.

The latest designs of breakers to replace oil types incorporate

resin embedded vacuum interrupters and magnetic actuator

operating devices for the ultimate in maintenance free, long life

operation. This is especially suitable when frequent use is an

important requirement, such as in process industries.

Costs are a key driver when assessing assets and running

expenses. This is in greater focus even in the power generation

sector, where costs have generally been less of a factor –

reliability and safety ranking higher. It is understandably difficult

to quantify costs and therefore economies in operating

switchgear. However, the impact of greater reliability and

perhaps just as significantly the ability to monitor and control

the installations have made substantial savings that greatly

offset the price of renewal of entire switchgear panels or the

upgrading of them using the latest relay technologies.

Cost justification in practiceReplacing switchgear is never high on the list of capital

requirements unless the previously discussed factors are

important. As mentioned earlier there are guides issued by the

likes of the HSE which assist users in the selection process of

replace, refurbish or retrofit, but the cost of the options is usually

a significant factor.

Often a straight forward approach is to simply remove the

old switchboard and install a complete new one. This delivers a

new installation compliant with the latest standards, but it is not

usually the most cost effective option, even when the protection

is to be replaced at the same time. Depending on the size and

type of substation, replacing the old with new switchgear is

likely to result in extra time and costs for building work, further

costs and, of course, potential risk in disturbing or replacing

cables that result in longer project timescales on site. It also

requires a complete shutdown. Since in many cases the

switchgear fixed portion is in good enough condition, these

issues can be avoided with a circuit breaker retrofit option, even

if the decision is to upgrade to modern protection relays.

Some companies consider the initial cost of a suite of retrofit

breakers and argue this amounts to perhaps70% of the price of

a new switchboard. However, when one takes into account the

additional costs described earlier, the overall installed price for

the retrofit option is typically nearer to 50%, with less disruption

and reduced downtime. The case for organisations to select

reliable partners has become increasingly important.

In older plant, it

is the reliability,

rather than the

automation, of

the the system

that is the

highest priority

FEATURE SWITCHGEAR

Switchgear in water control

WHEN THE SEARCH was on in the 1960s to find a viable

alternative to the potentially flammable, always messy and

sometimes carcinogenic oils used in the MV switchgear of the

era, SF6 must have seemed like a godsend. It combines

excellent electrical properties with chemical stability and low

toxicity. It’s non-flammable and low in cost. Unsurprisingly,

these very desirable characteristics lead to its widespread and

enthusiastic adoption in MV switchgear.

Unfortunately the picture was not quite as rosy as it at first

appeared. In particular, as concerns about the environment

and, in particular, global warming started to grow, it became

all too clear that SF6 had significant potential for causing

environmental damage.

Global warming is the consequence of the greenhouse

effect and this is usually associated with elevated levels of

CO2 (carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere, which trap more of

the sun’s heat. CO2 is not, however, the only culprit; there are

many gases that are much more potent in trapping heat than

CO2 and, unfortunately SF6 is one of them. In fact, SF6 is

currently listed by the International Panel on Climate Change

(IPCC) as the most potent greenhouse gas, with a global

warming potential 23,900 times that of CO2. That’s not all –

SF6 has an atmospheric lifetime of up to 3,200 years, so gas

released today will affect the climate for a very long time.

Clearly the release of SF6 into the atmosphere – which is

virtually impossible to avoid when the gas is used, no matter

how carefully it is handled – is highly undesirable. As a result,

SF6 is on the Kyoto list of substances, the use and emission of

which must be minimised. In fact, SF6 is now banned in most

of applications, but it is still permitted in medium-voltage (up

to 52 kV) and high-voltage (above 52 kV) switchgear. As a

consequence 80% of the SF6 produced in the world today is

destined for electrical applications.

It can be confidently expected legislation will ultimately be

introduced controlling the use of SF6 in switchgear. Some

measures are already in place, including the voluntary

programme of the Environmental Protection Agency in the

USA and the F-gas regulations that were introduced in Europe

in 2007. These legislative changes are already increasing the

cost of maintaining switchgear that uses SF6 as well as

starting to make its end-of-life disposal expensive and difficult.

It is worth mentioning poor environmental characteristics

are not the only shortcoming of SF6 – its use also gives rise to

potential health and safety issues. While SF6 itself is usually

considered to be harmless in normal concentrations, the

derivatives that are inevitably formed by the arcs created

during switching operations are another matter entirely.

These by-products, which include HF, SOF2, SF4 and S2F10,

are toxic. Granted they are produced in relatively small

quantities during the normal operation

of the switchgear, but they are likely to

be present when switchgear is

dismantled for maintenance or at the

end of its life. Further, should a fault

occur that causes an explosion in the

switchgear, these toxic by-products are

released into the surrounding area.

We have established there is a strong

case for avoiding the use of SF6 switchgear for new

installations. Not only is it harmful to the environment, it is also

likely to have a high lifetime cost, as the inevitable legislative

changes make the maintenance and disposal of equipment

that uses SF6 more and more expensive. But are there

practical alternatives?

In answering this question, it’s necessary to distinguish

between HV and MV switchgear. When it comes to HV

switchgear that operates above 52 kV, there are, at present,

few viable alternatives to SF6 in its switching role. However,

development is proceeding rapidly in this field and this

IN THE 1970S WHEN SF6 (SULPHUR HEXAFLUORIDE) WAS FIRST USED

IN MV SWITCHGEAR, IT SEEMED TO BE AN ALMOST IDEAL INSULATING

AND SWITCHING MEDIUM. SINCE THEN, THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND

OTHER HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH SF6 HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY

APPARENT, LEADING TO A SHIFT TOWARDS ALTERNATIVE TYPES OF

SWITCHGEAR THAT ELIMINATE ITS USE WITH NO COST OR

PERFORMANCE PENALTY. THIS MEANS, SAYS ALAN BIRKS OF EATON’S

ELECTRICAL SECTOR, THAT SF6 IS NOW YESTERDAY’S TECHNOLOGY

In short SF6 is

yesterday’s

technology; it’s served

its purpose but now

it’s obsolete

A range of MV solutions

SF6 – Yesterday’s TECHNOLOGY


FEATURE SWITCHGEAR

situation can be expected to change in the not too distant

future.

However, for switchgear operating at below 52 kV, it’s a

completely different story. Practical and affordable alternatives

are readily available that make the use of SF6 completely

unnecessary. The best of this new generation of SF6-free MV

switchgear is based on vacuum interrupter technology used in

conjunction with solid insulation.

In addition to their almost negligible environmental impact,

vacuum interrupters have many other characteristics to

recommend them. Because of the way arcs behave in a

vacuum – they constantly move from point to point on the

electrodes rather than establishing themselves at a single

location, and they are always extinguished at the first current

zero – contact erosion in vacuum switching elements is almost

non-existent. This has two important consequences. The first is

that the switching elements require no maintenance, and the

second is that they have very long working lives. The latest

types are, for example, certified for 30,000 operating cycles.

Modern vacuum interrupters are ideally complemented by

solid insulation produced using cast epoxy resin technology.

This approach allows the parts to be shaped specifically for the

best possible insulation performance, with components such

as busbars and vacuum interrupters integrated directly into the

mouldings.

The use of solid insulation also allows excellent control over

electric fields in the switchgear. With conventional shapes for

the primary components like busbars and other conductors in

MV switchgear, the electric field is distributed in a manner that

is far from uniform. This means there are areas with high field

concentrations and, in these areas, there is risk of partial

breakthrough. This can trigger avalanches leading to

flashovers.

With solid insulation, however, engineers with experience of

breakthrough phenomena and field-steering techniques can

arrange for the components and insulation used in the

switchgear to be shaped in such a way that flashovers are

eliminated entirely, while still achieving a very compact design.

While the risk of internal arcs is very small with solid-

insulated switchgear, it is impossible to say, as with any kind

of switchgear, that there is no risk at all. However, solid-

insulated switchgear has the additional important benefit that

careful design can ensure that, if an internal arc event does

occur, its environmental impact is minimised. This can be

achieved by adopting single-pole construction, which means

that the only conceivable type of internal fault is a single-

phase short circuit, rather than a potentially more damaging

phase-to-phase short circuit.

In the best examples of solid-insulated switchgear, the

impact of internal arc events is reduced still further by arc

absorbers. These guide the gasses and smoke produced by

the arc out of the panel and they also have a large absorbing

surface that breaks up and filters the gases, greatly reducing

their potential for causing damage and injury.

Further benefits of solid-insulated switchgear over its SF6

counterpart include elimination of the costly and inconvenient

routine pressure checks that are always needed with SF6

equipment; and low end-of-life disposal costs. In fact, the

newest types of solid-insulated switchgear have been

designed specifically to make re-cycling of the components

used in them straightforward and inexpensive.

It is now clear there is an alternative to SF6 switchgear in

MV applications that not only eliminates the need to use this

environmentally unfriendly gas, but also offers very significant

benefits in its own right. Solid-insulated switchgear is safe,

compact and very cost-effective, especially when lifecycle costs

are considered. It offers dependable performance, it needs

minimal maintenance and it has a very long service life. What

possible reason can there be, therefore, for the continued use

of MV SF6 switchgear?

In truth, there is no reason. Specifiers and users of MV

equipment would be well advised, therefore, to avoid SF6

equipment for all new installations. In addition, end users may

wish to consider the benefits of replacing their existing SF6

equipment sooner rather than later, before the regulatory

regime relating to greenhouse gasses tightens still further and

pushes the costs associated with dismantling and disposing of

such equipment sky high.

A final thought for those who may be tempted to ignore

this call to action – your option to do that may not last much

longer! The use of SF6 in MV electrical equipment is still

tolerated only because it is currently considered a special case,

where there are no reasonable alternatives available. As we’ve

seen, that’s no longer true, and it’s not hard to predict the

relevant regulations will soon be changed to reflect this

development.

In short, SF6 is yesterday’s technology; it’s served its purpose

but now it’s obsolete. SF6 offers no technical or financial

benefits – in fact quite the opposite – so let’s confine SF6 MV

switchgear to the one place where it still belongs. And that, of

course, is a museum!


SWITCHGEAR FEATURE

Eaton's medium voltage

switchgear can be used to

couple a tower's power

generation to the collector's

distribution system


Caption

Long-range

radio has a

proven track

record in North

America for

smart meter

and grid

networks

FEATURE ENERGY EFFICIENCY

THE UK

GOVERNMENT IS

CURRENTLY

LOOKING TO SMART

METERS AS ONE OF

THE KEY INITIATIVES

TO DRIVE ENERGY

EFFICIENCY, TRANSFORMING THE

COUNTRY’S CONSUMPTION OF ENERGY

BY ENABLING CONSUMERS TO MAKE

INFORMED CHOICES REGARDING THEIR

ENERGY USE, LOWER THEIR BILLS AND

REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS. ANDY

SLATER, DIRECTOR AT SENSUS, EXPLAINS

Smart meters: finding the right NETWORK

SMART METERING communication technology enables

customers to view on an in-home display their energy

consumption as they use it. It also centralises usage data,

so meter readers don’t have to visit individual premises for

data collection. However, ahead of the UK roll-out there are

still important questions regarding the choice of the

network technology for smart meters which need clarifying.

The UK roll-out involves potentially 27 million homes at

a cost of around £9bn and while the government is

looking to accelerate the roll-out, it’s clear the network of

choice will play a vital role in the success of smart meters

and is therefore a key consideration. Currently it’s assumed

all UK homes will be connected to the network but the

reality is that connecting some electricity and gas meters is

harder for some proposed network solutions than others.

This is because meters typically live in hard to reach

locations, such as; under stairs, in basements and behind

cupboards.

The government and the utility industry are currently

evaluating which communication network would be best

suited for the UK roll-out; the two most debated options to

date are cellular and long-range radio. British Gas

announced a trial of smart meters, using cellular

technology in early 2010. However, more recently, BT

announced its consortium, SmartReach, with Arqiva, and

Detica using technology provided by Sensus to offer a

utility grade, dedicated and secure long-range radio

communications solution.

Selecting the right communication network for the UKsmart meter roll-outCellular provider Vodafone estimated in its Carbon

Connections Report (July 2009) that only 70% of UK homes

have cellular coverage to their meter cupboard. This is not

because of a lack of coverage, but due to cellular signals not

penetrating buildings to where meters are actually located.

Therefore if cellular was chosen as the network solution, what

would happen to the 30% (9million) of homes that don’t have

adequate cellular coverage to the meter?

In addition, analyst house Ovum suggested cellular had

been chosen as the communication network for the first

significant smart meter deployment in the UK (by British Gas),

not because it was the best but because it was believed to be

the only viable solution at the time the trial was announced.

Long-range radio has a proven track record in North

America for smart meter and grid networks but is a new

technology here in Europe (though it is now in trial in

Reading). Long-range radio technology was designed from

the outset for smart metering and grid applications. It offers

universal coverage, secure, and dedicated communications

for what we believe is part of the UK’s critical infrastructure,

like the TETRA radio system is for the emergency services.

Experience in North America has shown it to have a first time

connection rate to meters of greater than 99.5% within

coverage areas - ensuring a minimal number of homes are

left unconnected or requiring second visits.

Long-range radio is also highly reliable and is cost effective

www.electricalreview.co.uk

The non-surprise packagefor medium voltagesubstation projects

any ABB customers are now finding that their

current medium voltage (MV) power distribution

infrastructure no longer has the flexibility or

capability to handle additional network loads. This is

especially true for expansion projects in the industrial process

and oil and gas sectors, but also applies to the renewable

energy and railway industries.

The traditional approach is to either upgrade the existing

substation or to build a new one alongside it. This can be an

expensive and lengthy process with the added drawback of

considerable site disruption and the possible need for lengthy

power outages as circuits are transferred. That’s why a

growing number of customers are taking advantage of ABB’s

fast-track solution, based on modular systems in the form of

containerized switchgear.

PLUG AND PLAYThe key advantage of ABB modular systems is that they are

fully pre-engineered units, delivered to site ready to ‘plug and

play’. This approach ensures a more cost-effective overall

project that is some 20 percent faster to complete than the

conventional build on site route – typical timescales are 30 to

40 weeks from order to delivery. It also provides a smooth

changeover with only a short outage required, since it is just a

question of transferring over the cables.

REDUCED RISKA main benefit of ABB’s approach to modular systems is our

total focus on reducing customer risk. Rather than dealing

with several equipment suppliers and contractors they have a

single interface with ABB that provides full visibility of the

entire project from procurement to delivery, effectively

eliminating the possibility of unpleasant surprises.

A further advantage is that all of the critical equipment is

installed and tested under factory controlled conditions. This

keeps the actual work on site to a minimum. With only a few

contractors required, health and safety is enhanced and

disruption to normal operations is minimized.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?ABB modular systems have the flexibility to be tailored to meet

customer needs. A typical installation might comprise:

� Primary 11 kV and 33 kV switchgear (ZX1.2 gas insulated or

UniGear air insulated)

� Secondary 33 kV switchgear (SafeRing gas insulated)

� Protection relays

� Transformer

CHOICE OF COMPACT CONTAINERSModular systems are offered in a choice of robust outdoor

containers in steel, GRP or concrete to meet individual site

requirements. They are designed to last as long as the

application – at least 40 years.

The actual size of the container varies from five to 20 metres in

length, with a typical container being 10 metres long, 5 metres

wide and 4 metres high. This compact design enables the

container to be easily transported on a standard low-loader. It

also provides a small installation footprint, and this is sometimes

a key consideration at sites where space is limited, which is

often the case in the process industries.

MINIMAL CIVIL WORKSAt site the container is simply craned into position. Civil works

are minimal since all that is required is basic foundations, either a

concrete base or stilts for the container to rest on – this results in

a significant reduction in project costs.

GROWING UK INTERESTIn the UK, modular systems are clearly an idea whose time has

come. In the past two years ABB has completed over 20

installations for applications including chemical plant, gas

storage projects, windfarms and railway power upgrades. The

consistent feedback we have from customers shows that they

come to ABB for our innovative switchgear products, the

capability to save space on their site and our depth of

experience in delivering time and cost critical projects.

For more information please email

[email protected] or call 01925 741111

www.abb.com/mediumvoltage

M

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE


to deploy as it requires minimal infrastructure, also making it

easy to maintain. It enables software upgrades and pricing

changes to be broadcast to all meters simultaneously and

also offers a prioritisation channel for emergencies and

alarms. In addition to the connectivity of the network, some

other critical considerations for the smart meter programme

success include:

Availability - Public networks like cellular can have a high

level of network availability but, because they are used by the

consumer market, performance can be affected by network

congestion at peak and sometime critical times. To avoid

conflict, the communication network needs to be dedicated

and designed specifically for the utilities.

Survivability – Smart meter networks will need the ability to

continue to deliver a service even in the presence of a failure

or accident. Private networks can achieve a high degree of

survivability but public network technologies lack adequate

back-up power so can become unserviceable after quite short

periods of power interruption and can remain unavailable

until power has been restored. Using Power line

communications means loss of the supply cable can affect

the ability to manage the network itself.

Coverage - The diversity of utility environments and the mix

of urban and rural areas means achieving a high first-time

connection rate for meters with some technologies can be

difficult. This could be detrimental to the effectiveness of the

roll-out and result in additional engineering costs and second

visits to homes adding cost and complexity.

Security - The protection of sensitive data and the control of

access to critical systems is key to the success of the roll-out

but problematic when the network is not secure and

dedicated. The more elements there are and the more public

a network is, the harder it becomes to secure it adequately.

Evolution from smart meters to the smart gridAt the moment the GB ‘smart’ project is clearly retailer led,

with a focus on smart meters and the customer experience.

However, in other markets it has been shown equal benefits

are realised through smart grid features, particularly in

ensuring security of energy supply. In Europe, where the

energy utilities remain vertically integrated, ‘smart’ projects are

being specified with the active participation of the distribution

network experts. Smart grids enable distributors to manage

their networks more efficiently with real data to facilitate

better planning and management of peaks.

Within the GB project smart grid requirements are currently

very light, and there’s a risk that the functionality required of

the network to support future smart grid operations will be

missed. If this happens it will be difficult and expensive to fit

retrospectively, indeed aspects like network latency, multicast

and broadcast features, may not be able to be addressed if

the wrong technology is selected at the outset.

Energy efficiency must be a key considerationWhichever communication network is selected for the UK, it

must be the one that offers the best quality of service to

consumers and business, supports a roadmap to future smart

grid services, is secure and cost efficient to roll-out.

At the moment

the GB ‘smart’

project is clearly

retailer led, with

a focus on smart

meters and the

customer

experience

FEATURE ENERGY EFFICIENCY


It is not only

direct lightning

strikes that can

induce

damaging

overvoltages in

to internal

power grids

FEATURE SURGE PROTECTION

IN A WORLD seemingly obsessed by risk assessment and

analysis, it is ironic the topic of surge or overvoltage

protection seems to be underplayed and, at times,

misunderstood. Indeed it is only now surge protection as

an issue is likely to be included in amendments to the

17th edition of the Wiring Regulations due for publication

in July of this year.

Yet the need for such protection is largely self-evident

as industry and commerce relies more and more on

devices that are hugely sensitive to voltage surges and

spikes. There’s even a case to look more closely at the

residential market, since by our estimations 99% of homes

in the UK have no form of primary device installed to

counteract the damaging effects of both naturally

occurring ie. lightning strikes and mechanically-induced ie.

load switching surges.

In addition the growth of alternative energy systems

such as photovoltaics (PV) and wind turbines, both of

which are prime targets for events such as lightning

strikes and the subsequent energy flow downstream,

means surge protection should figure much higher up the

agenda in system design and protection than is currently

the case.

It is worth remembering it is not only direct lightning

strikes that can induce damaging overvoltages into

internal power grids; indirect strikes

too, such as on an overhead line

system, are capable of inflicting

damaging surges. Even within the

confines of a factory or commercial

office block, events such as load

switching ie. motors, fluorescent

lighting etc and earth faults, short

circuits can cause transient

overvoltages, though normally of a

lower magnitude.

Given the variety and probability of

overvoltage occurrences it would seem

prudent to adopt surge protection

measures that provide a safe and easy

path for overvoltage and currents to

flow to earth / ground from lightning

strikes and other surges.

Obviously coordinating the types of surge protection

devices employed is key to combating the damaging and

disruptive effects of overvoltages. Typically this involves

the following classifications of device;

Type 1: these devices are capable of discharging a very

high lightning current, into the power distribution system.

They are installed in the main electrical switchboard when

the building is equipped with a lightning protection system.

Type 2: these are surge protection devices designed to

discharge the currents generated by indirect lightning

strikes and causing induced or conducted overvoltages on

the power distribution network. They are installed in the

main distribution switchboard.

Type 3: these are surge protection devices installed as a

supplement to Type 2 devices and are designed to reduce

the overvoltage at the terminals of sensitive equipment.

Their current discharge capacity is very limited. As a

consequence they should not be used alone.

Cooper Bussmann’s new range of Type 1 and 2 devices

initially offers system installers and users the choice of

SPDs for PV and IEC installations. As previously mentioned

the growth of PV systems has brought its own particular

challenges to surge protection, in answer to which the

company has launched a device specifically for protecting

equipment in these circumstances.

ALAN REED, LOW VOLTAGE PRODUCT

MANAGER, COOPER BUSSMANN,

ASSESSES NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN

THE SURGE PROTECTION MARKET

Right: Shift work – surgeprotection is vital for productivity

Solar so good - the new PVSPD features SCI technology

Arresting DEVELOPMENTS

Bussmann's IEC SPD witheasyID status verification


SURGE PROTECTION FEATURE

The PV SPD features a fault-resistant Y circuit

consisting of three protective varistor circuits and a

combined disconnection and short circuit interruption

(SCI) mechanism integrated in a single package. The

SPD, with its unique SCI, gives safe and reliable

protection from overvoltages and overcurrents without

offering a fire risk to the system. Even with voltages as

high as 1200V dc, the arc, which will occur in the SPD on

activation, is extinguished quickly and safely.

A specially developed fuse is integrated into the short

circuit path to ensure safe electrical isolation on

operation of the SPD. This allows safe replacement of

the module without external damaging arc formation.

This design combines surge protection, fire protection

and protection of personnel all in one package and is

the only true UL 1449 3rd edition recognised SPD for

photovoltaic protection on the market.

The IEC range offers both type 1 and 2 devices. It is a

range that features high surge discharge capacity due to

the heavy-duty zinc oxide varistor and spark gap

technology.

Whatever combination of devices is chosen to provide

the optimum defence for equipment, there are still other

considerations to bear in mind. One of these is that any

device has a finite life ie. every time it operates its useful

life degrades. The greater the transient hit, the greater

the degradation. For this reason it’s important to have

some kind of visual indicator as to the status of the

device. The easyIDTM visual indicator comprises a small

window that shows green if the device is fully

operational or red if the device has operated and

therefore needs replacing. Status monitoring has been

further enhanced by the inclusion of optional remote

contact signalling.

Other advancements made by the company for its

SPD range include the adoption of a colour coding

system according to the application for which the

product is destined, allowing for easy initial specification

and accurate replacement of devices upon operation.

Hence the initial applications – PV, and IEC are

correspondingly coded yellow and red respectively, while

later releases for the wind, telecoms and UL markets are

correspondingly coded white, blue and black

respectively.

Both the PV and IEC ranges feature DIN-rail mounting

for ease of installation and special rejection features on

both base and pluggable module to ensure that

inadvertent use of the wrong ratings is avoided. Each

module can be removed quite simply by pressing the

plug release button yet when installed neither shock, nor

vibration, nor the enormous forces of the discharge

affect the safe connection to the base.

With the initial launch of these two ranges and with

the subsequent SPD products to come, Cooper

Bussmann is leveraging its expertise in overcurrent

protection to encompass overvoltage protection,

effectively bringing a one stop shop for specifiers and

installers looking for proven solutions.

Bolt from the blue - lightning causes damaging surges

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THE USE OF POWER saving server systems, using classic

technologies such as APM (Advanced Power

Management) and ACPI (Advanced Configuration and

Power Interface), has now become an industry

standard. There has also been a great deal of

progress made in regards to the energy efficiency

of CPUs within modern systems, in some cases

saving up to 90%. However, the methods and

systems that ensure data centre infrastructures

save power are far more interesting than the

above-mentioned technologies.

Uninterruptible power supplies and climate

control systems play a central role in green

IT as, alongside the servers, the UPS and

cooling systems consume the most energy.

Progress made in semiconductor technology means

there are nowadays no problems in building UPS systems

without a transformer. A DC booster is used for the

transformer-less technology which is a DC/DC converter

that converts the voltage behind the rectifier to a

significantly higher direct voltage. This increased direct

voltage then allows the inverter to create a higher

alternating voltage without needing a downstream

transformer.

Transformer-less technology provides several

advantages. Firstly, UPS systems without transformers can

be built with very compact dimensions. Secondly, the

transformer is not exactly a ‘lightweight’ which means

OFTEN YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALK OF ‘GREEN IT’ BUT, LOVE OR LOATHE IT,

IT’S HERE TO STAY AND PROVEN TO BE MORE THAN JUST A PASSING FAD,

TODAY IT IS RATHER AN ECONOMIC NECESSITY. GREEN IT IS NOT ONLY

CONCERNED WITH SAVING ENERGY, BUT INVOLVES OTHER FACTORS,

SUCH AS THE USE OF NON-TOXIC AND RECYCLABLE COMPONENTS.

NEVERTHELESS, THE KEY ISSUE REMAINS SAVING ENERGY, WHICH IS

UNLIKELY TO CHANGE. THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR IT

MANAGERS TO SAVE ENERGY, BUT IN REALITY SUCCESS CAN ONLY BE

ACHIEVED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF METHODS

Designing system enclosures to SAVE ENERGY

FEATURE ENCLOSURES

Air to air heat

exchangers

Air-air heat

exchangers use the

ambient air to cool

the air within the

enclosure interior

systems without one are significantly lighter than

conventional systems with one. Furthermore, the noise level

of a UPS system without a transformer is significantly less

than a comparable system with one. The efficiency over the

complete load range is better for the transformer-less

technology than for UPS systems with transformer.

Powerful UPS systems, such as the PMC (Power Modular

Concept) from Rittal, can provide efficiency up to 95 % at

under full load and up to 94% under partial load or with

non-linear loads, CO2 emissions can also reduced by

around 20%.

Battery management systems should also be considered

to monitor all the relevant data such as battery voltage,

internal resistance, discharge curve and temperature. This

data can then be evaluated and used to control the

charging process which can increase the lifetime of the

battery by up to 30%.

System integrators and engineers should increasingly

think about the enclosure and approaches to thermal

management foremost in the design process. This used to

be something of an afterthought, which can lead to a poor

and ineffective system cooling solution, creating the

problem of excessive energy costs for the end user as well

as expensive down time, due to premature component

failure.

So much of today’s selection criteria for an optimal

enclosure solution centres on thermal performance.

Thermal performance, more than any other single element

of the design, will form the base line for the design of any

enclosure. Depending on the application, size, and external

ambient and internal heat load can each have an impact on

the design used to solve the system cooling. As equipment

is becoming smaller and requires dissipation of larger heat

loads, a larger portion of the design effort should be

dedicated to optimising the thermal efficiency of the

system.

Fan and filter units are still ideal for dissipating heat

loads cost effectively. The pre-requisite is the ambient air

must be relatively clean and with a temperature below the

desired enclosure internal temperature. Products are also

now available with EMC shielding and IP54 protection

category as standard and by utilising fine filter mats and

hose-proof hoods higher IP ratings can also be achieved.

However, in many situations, this method of cooling is not

ideal, especially in environments with higher ambient

temperatures or where dust or oil particles may be present.

Air-air heat exchangers use the ambient air to cool the air

within the enclosure interior. Based on the counter flow

principle, the completely separate airflows are routed

through the heat exchanger by powerful fans; separating

the internal and external air circuits prevents the ingress of

dust into the enclosure. Air-air heat exchangers are best

suited where the ambient air temperature is below the

required enclosure internal temperature.

Cooling units maintain the enclosure internal

temperature at a constant particular level which is often

below the ambient room temperature. Two separate circuits

ENCLOSURES FEATURE

A Rittal air-air heat exchanger

prevent the ingress of dust from penetrating the enclosure.

This option is normally available as a wall or roof mounted

option and can be individually tailored to suit each particular

application.

Air-water heat exchangers are a relatively low

maintenance option to effectively dissipate high heat loads.

By using the spatial separation of the heat exchanger and

the re-cooling system, the room housing the enclosure is not

burdened with the waste heat. In all areas with extreme

ambient conditions, enclosure and climate control

components are subject to special requirements but for

application areas with high ambient temperatures up to 70°C

and extreme dust contamination this technology offers an

effective solution.

Recooling systems ensure centralised, efficient cooling

using a cooling medium (generally water), to dissipate

particularly high heat loads. These units can serve several

pieces of equipment simultaneously such as the air-air

heat exchangers. If the equipment has different

requirements in terms of inlet temperatures or flow rates,

multi-circuit systems can be tailored to the respective

needs. Units can be provided for either internal or external

siting for a vast range of kW cooling capacity.

Direct cooling packages are best for effectively cooling

power electronic components. Heat loads are cleverly

dissipated from the enclosure or housing using cold pate

technology without compromising the high enclosure

protection. Devices such as inverters are physically attached

to a cooling plate which is fed by cold water from a re-

cooling unit. This method of cooling is not only quiet, but also

a thousand times more efficient than heat dissipation via air.

Liquid cooling packages (LCP), cater for extremely high

heat loads typically found in IT or server racks. Liquid cooling,

using water as the medium to transfer energy can offer the

solution to localised cooling due to its close proximity to the

racks. Manufacturer Rittal’s LCP is fitted as an extension to

the rack or, in some cases, inside the rack itself so cooling

takes place where the heat actually rises – in the server rack

itself. LCP needs to be fed with a constant flow of water at a

specific temperature to feed the air-water heat exchangers -

normally an external IT fluid chiller. However, significant

energy savings can be made if free cooling is used. A free

cooling unit (FCU) uses the outside ambient air to cool the

heated water by means of built in fans and delivery pumps

which are integrated into the cooling unit. Free cooling

cannot be used in a unrestricted way in every region and

only functions when the external air temperature is at least

3k below the allowed inlet temperature of the cold water

system (so is ideal for anywhere within the northern

hemisphere). Depending on geographical location, up to 50%

of the water can be cooled by free cooling, again, offering

significant energy savings.

Today the data centre is not only being scrutinised for up

time but is also importantly targeted on its environmental

impact. For years silicon chips just burned energy to ensure

that the data rates were maximised, now, as a result, the

carbon footprint is a significant factor in any data centre

design. We know the carbon footprint looks at the effect of

the generation of CO2 into the environment but the more

CO2 we generate the more the planet needs to absorb, and

to maintain that balance is essential.

Hot aisle cold aisle systems are a common method of

delivering cold air to the servers within a data centre. Using a

computer room air conditioning system, generally

abbreviated to CRAC, the cold air is pushed under the floor.

Using vented tiles, statically positioned in front of the server

enclosures, allows cold air to escape and then pulled into the

server inlet. In essence a CRAC system can be broken down

into three elements, an air to water heat exchanger, a fan

and a chiller to provide the cold water. The hot air within a

data centre is drawn through the heat exchanger by the fan

and then the cold air is dispersed under the floor. Therefore,

when looking at energy efficiency, there is a need to look at

these elements in detail.

Software calculation programmes, such as Rittal Therm, for

the climate control of enclosures, have been developed to

eliminate the laborious calculation of climate control

requirements. An easy to use interface leads the user to the

appropriate and correctly dimensioned cooling solution

Whether your requirement is for a new build or upgrade

you can tune the energy savings to not only meet your

business needs, but also provide a future proofed, energy

efficient system. Going green is not a fad; it is ‘good

engineering’.

Air-water heat

exchangers are a

relatively low

maintenance option

to dissipate high

heat loads


FEATURE ENCLOSURES

A Rittal UPS

ULTIMATELY, SIMULATION software has to answer

questions like, ‘If I make the device smaller, can I still get

the performance I need?’ Performance may mean

keeping the electric stress levels within a specified range,

maximising a force, or keeping the temperature below or

above a certain value. Thus the designer wants to

conveniently change dimensions, materials, or other

properties to find an optimal solution.

For many problems, the limiting factor is still

computational speed. In the past the major gains in

computational speed were achieved by increasing the

clock speed of the CPU. These gains have now been

maximized for the current technology. Of course this may

change with the advent of a new technology, but

fundamentally the speed of any serial computation is

limited. Thus the focus of computing for computationally

intensive calculations has changed.

Unlike serial computing, the limiting factor for parallel

processing is the physical number of CPUs and their

associated memory that can be linked together. From a

programming perspective, however, the simplicity of

serial programming is lost when parallel computations

are involved. In fact, for some tasks, parallelising has no

benefit as the current computations are dependent on

previous computation. For most practical simulation

software applications, the multicore processors available

today can often scale up the speed of computations

radically. Depending on the method used to do the

simulations, the solution time can be reduced close to

linearly with the number of cores being used. When

simulating electric and magnetic field using integral

equation methods such as the boundary element

method, it can be demonstrated that the algorithms are

inherently parallelisable. This assumes modern day

programming tools are used with extreme care taken for

parallel data management. Other simulation methods

such as the popular finite element method can be

parallelised as well. Unlike the boundary element

method, however, the method does not lend itself easily

to parallel computations.

A couple of final points should be made regarding

computing power. Many problems can be solved using

two-dimensional or rotationally symmetric models. For

many of these problems, solutions can be attained in

reasonable times with simple serial machines with 4Gb

of memory. Parallel computations for these problems are

still a plus of course. This is more true for transient

problems where we have now added the time domain.

For full three-dimensional models, computation time

can still be the major bottleneck. Thus, parallel

computations have become a necessity in order to

increase the complexity of the models as well as to

increase the number of models to be solved for a given

optimisation. At the time of writing this article, a

personal computer with sixteen processors and 96Gb of

memory can be (almost) routinely purchased. For many

3D problems this is certainly adequate, however far

greater computing power is required for interdependent

coupled programs cluster computing, using thousands of

processors will likely be the next wave.

Integration with CADIn the first section of this article, we briefly discussed the

computational power and how it relates to solution

times and ultimately to realistic simulations. This section

looks at the part of simulations which is more difficult to

quantify, but certainly as important. That is, the tools

available to get realistic models into the computer.

Normally the most challenging part of this is getting the

geometry of the problem into the program. The other

Electric stress calculations using

the Boundary Element Method


DESIGN SOFTWARE FEATURE

A NUMBER OF FACTORS SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE THE ABILITY TO IMPROVE THE DESIGN

OF A PRODUCT. FROM THE COMPUTATIONAL OR ANALYSIS END, THAT ABILITY IS LIMITED

BY THE COMPLEXITY OF A MODEL THAT CAN BE USED. BRUCE KLIMPKE, TECHNICAL

DIRECTOR OF INTEGRATED ENGINEERING SOFTWARE EXPLAINS

Computing POWER

physical properties, materials, boundary conditions, and

sources are relatively easy-to-handle once the geometry

has been properly defined. For two-dimensional (or

rotationally symmetric) problems, either creating the

geometry from a drawing or getting it from a CAD

program is relatively simple. The advanced finite and

boundary element software have sophisticated tools to

repair bad 2D geometry with relative ease. So we will

keep the discussion to full 3D solid models.

As mentioned, handling other considerations is

straightforward once the geometry is properly defined.

So the key question is what constitutes a ‘properly

defined’ geometry. For finite and boundary elements, this

means a geometry that can be meshed or, in other

words, a geometry that can be used to create a finite or

boundary element mesh. The difficulty with CAD

drawings is they may have to serve different purposes

which require different degrees of precision and possibly

different topology.

Most CAD drawings are created for the sole purpose of

being able to visualise the parts and subsequently the

assemblies that finally make the full product. Thus, as

long as the geometry looks visually correct, then the

drawing has served its purpose. Even for producing a bill

of goods or producing some costing based on these

models they are adequate. In almost all cases, these

models lack the precision or topology required for a

Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) analysis. To do a

finite element or boundary element analysis to calculate

the electric or thermal fields, the geometry of the model

and the topology have to be defined precisely. One of

these requirements is each volume has to be defined by

a set of surfaces that meet up or join together with no

spacing or overlapping. This condition is practically

referred to as ‘water tight’ volumes of geometry. As the

name suggests, the surfaces would all meet together

with enough accuracy that if the volume was filled with

water, none would leak out. Creating volumes with these

stringent requirements requires the CAD operator to be

aware of this in the first place as well as having the skills

to produce volumes meeting these strict conditions.

Producing these water tight geometries may simply not

be worth the effort unless a CAE solution is required in

the first place. And, even if a company is intending to do

electric or thermal simulations the resources may not be

available to initially create these models properly.

Another major problem with CAD drawings is the

topological demands required for CAE analysis are

different from other requirements. This is simply

illustrated by the example of two boxes. Assume we

place a small box on top of a large box. In this case the

small box shares a common area with the large box. This

common area must be identified in the CAD model for a

finite element or boundary element mesh to be

generated directly from the CAD model. As this

requirement is only needed for the CAD model, this is

rarely done.

Thus some major obstacles have to be resolved in

order to go from CAD drawings to meshes suitable for

electrical and thermal field simulation. Assuming the

problems exist in the CAD drawing or the drawings

containing ‘dirty geometry,’ two approaches can

generally be used to resolve the problem. The first

approach is to try to ‘heal’ the original geometry such

that it can be directly meshed. The second is to generate

an ‘approximate’ mesh which fits the original dirty

geometry and then refine it until specified tolerances are

not met. Like most cases, both approaches have their

merits and drawbacks. And depending on the problem at

hand, one may be better than the other.

What is certain is designers will continue to press for

more seamless integration between solid modelers and

simulation tools.

Transient solutionThe previous section dealt with getting the geometry of

the problem in. In this section we will consider what is

involved to get the time dimension into the simulation.

In general, if we had infinitely fast computers we

would likely model most problems in four dimensions

(time plus x, y, z special dimensions) as it would

represent the real world we live in. Of course human

time would be wasted if no advantage was found to

modeling all four dimensions. Even with today’s

computers, modeling 3D geometry problems and adding

in the time dimension can result in impractical solution

times. However, solving 2D geometry problems and

adding in the time dimension is quite practical for most

problems provided parallel algorithms are used to solve

the spatial part of the solution. Obviously we can do little

in terms of parallelising the time dimension as time

marching requires knowing the nth solution before

obtaining the (n + 1)th solution.

One very effective way of dealing with the time

dimension is to get equivalent electrical or thermal

models of the device (electrical resistance, capacitance,

conductance, inductance, and the equivalent thermal

properties) and use these in a system of circuit equations.

Thus we completely remove the spatial dimensions from

the problem and represent the geometry as lumped

elements. We then use an ordinary differential equation

solver to get how the device responds in time. If we have

electrical components only we end up with a circuit

simulator. If we add in thermal, mechanical, vibration,

CFD, and thermal lumped parameters we require a

system simulator. Sources are typically voltage and

current for the electrical part of the simulation and

temperature and heat for the thermal. The advantage of

system simulator is obviously the speed at which very

large intertwined systems can be solved. Obviously,

reducing the real world problem from four dimensions to

one will enable this. In practice, the lumped circuit

models can often be determined form a static FE/BE

(finite element/boundary element) analysis and these

lumped parameters imported into the systems simulator.

If possible, this is normally the best approach in terms of

computer efficiency.

For many real world applications, such as eddy current

problems, the full transient solution is required. Most

thermal applications require the spatial dimensions as

Some major

obstacles have to be

resolved in order to

go from CAD

drawings to meshes

suitable for electrical

and thermal field

simulation


FEATURE DESIGN SOFTWARE

the heating and cooling of parts over time is quite

positional dependent. The key to solving time dependent

problems is choosing a proper time step or having

software which adapts the time step automatically.

Choosing too large of a time step will produce

unacceptable error. Reducing the time step to

unnecessary small sizes can increase computer solution

times significantly. Although not immediately obvious,

having too coarse a spatial mesh will produce un-

meaningful results as well.

Coupled electromagnetic and thermal analysisExcept for the case of superconductivity whenever current

is flowing, losses occur. In addition, there are always

additional losses from time varying fields such as

dielectric and hystenysis losses. In most cases, these

losses are unwanted and reduce the efficiency of the

device. In addition, the unwanted heating may severely

limit the operation of the device and the location that it

can be placed. There are some special applications such

as induction hardening and heat treating where the

heating effect is desirable. In both cases, however, being

able to model the heating source and subsequently the

temperature profile is essential if heating or cooling

effects need to be considered in the design process. For

most high voltage applications the primary heat sources

are the current squared losses in the wires (conductor

losses) and induced eddy current and hysteris losses in

the steel in or surrounding electrical equipment such as a

transformer. Depending on the frequency and size and

shape of the electrical conductors the losses may be

strongly dependent on skin and proximity effects. These

can be accounted for in the electrical simulation but their

effects can be computationally expensive. To solve these

coupled problems requires the designer to be familiar

with both electromagnetic fields as well as thermal fields.

If the designer decides that during a coupled thermal-

electromagnetic analysis is required, the next step is to

determine the level of coupling needed.

For most problems, the first approximation is the

electromagnetic simulation is independent of the thermal

analysis. Theoretically, this is never the case as the

electrical conductivity, permeability, and hysteris effects

are functions of temperature. For most problems

operating in moderate temperature ranged (-20C to 90C),

these effects can be ignored, and, as importantly, the data

of such things as nonlinear permeability as a function of

temperature may not be practically available.

So the first order approximation is to solve the

electromagnetic (EM) problem to calculate the losses or

heat sources for the thermal analysis. The thermal

problem is then solved to acquire the temperature

distribution throughout the device. The key thing from the

designer’s point of view is the link between the two

analyses should be seamless. If not, the human error will

certainly creep into the simulation process.

The next level of simulation would be to feed back the

thermal results to the EM simulation to update the

material properties. This process would then continue

until a steady state was reached. If the problem was a

general transient, then a self-consistent solution would

have to be attained at each time step. As a last note, in

general, the time constants between a transient thermal

analysis and a transient EM analysis can be radically

different. Thus very specialised techniques are required to

deal with this problem.

OptimisationRarely are simulation tools used to determine the

performance of one specific design. The role of

simulation software is usually twofold. First of all, the

designer can try out radically new designs without the

possible prohibitive costs of actually making the design.

Secondly, once the draft model has been decided upon,

the parameters in the design can be changed to optimise

its performance. This may include dimensional changes,

different materials, number of turns in a winding, or

increasing the heat transfer coefficient by adding a larger

fan. Whatever the parameter is, it has to be changed over

a specified range to determine the best desired benefit.

Whether optimisation algorithms are used, or simply

many parametric steps are used, time per simulation

usually becomes the overriding limitation in full 3D. For

many 2D problems this speed limitation has been

overcome. For EM simulation having both a boundary

element solver and finite element solver becomes crucial

as one method may be radically faster than another for a

specified problem. Finite elements are sufficient for most

thermal analysis.

In conclusion, recent advances in computer

performance and simulation technology are pushing the

designer’s simulation envelope.


DESIGN SOFTWARE FEATURE

Electric field near human on

high voltage pole

FAN LAUNCH IN LINE WITH GIP Greenwood Airvac has launched the Unity CV2GIP dMEV fan, in line with GIP(Guaranteed Installed Performance), now a crucial part of the Building Regulations 2010.

Unity CV2GIP has been intelligently designed with speed and simplicity inmind. With fuss-free installation, Unity CV2GIP has over eight patents

and registered designs, including a Twist-Lock front facia which simplyturns for removal. On the inside, a hinge mechanism allows easywiring access, with screws remaining within the casing to avoidmisplacement – both especially valuable for ceiling applications.

Unity CV2GIP also benefits from Greenwood CommissionSMARTtechnology, one of six new SMARTer design features, new sensors or

controls now included on Greenwood products. Specifically designedto assist in the delivery of GIP (Guaranteed Installed Performance),

Greenwood CommissionSMART technology results in an innovative touch-pad located at the front of the fan for fast and accurate commissioning.

Greenwood0870 900 1880 www.greenwood.co.uk/GIP

UPGRADED PAT SOFTWARE FOR SQLDATABASE SYSTEMSSeaward has upgraded its specialist portable appliance testing(PAT) data management program for use with large corporatedatabases and health and safety systems.

Compatible with all makes of PAT tester‚ the PATGuard EliteSQL is designed for those using largeadvanced database formats such asOracle and Microsoft SQL Server.

Intended for organisations andservice companies that carry outelectrical safety testing of applianceson a regular basis, the new extensivePATGuard Elite SQL programaccommodates everything fromdownloading test results to testrecords and report and certificateprinting to e-mail alerts for planningre-tests.

The latest version 2.2 of the software enables much largerPAT results systems to be set up and enables test records to beeasily incorporated in existing company SQL databases.

Seaward Electronic0191 586 3511www.seaward.co.uk

ELECTRICAL CABLES FOR SHARD ATLONDON BRIDGE Prysmian Cables & Systems has won the contract to supplymore than £1m of electrical cables into the Shard atLondon Bridge.

The Shard, which will be the tallest building in WesternEurope when completed in2012, will be fitted withPrysmian Fire PerformanceFP600S cable, Afumex – lowsmoke zero halogen cables andmedium voltage cables withtheir installation due to beginin 2011.

Paul Connolly, Shard MEPproject manager for Mace, said:“We have appointed Prysmianas their cables are specifiedproducts that come with BASECand LPCB approvals. We also

wanted all the electrical cables to come from onemanufacturer to give consistency and one that could offermore than just cables, one that could offer componentssuch as glands, cleats and advise on best practice.”

Prysmian Cables & Systems023 8029 5029www.prysmian.com

PAT ADAPTOR FOR 3 PHASE EQUIPMENT TESTING Seaward has introduced a new adaptor to extend the range of electrical safetytests that can be carried out on 3-phase equipment.

In many cases this type of industrial equipment is fitted with electronic controlcircuitry which makes insulation testing inappropriate. Insuch cases the insulation should be assessed bymeasurement of the protective conductor current.

The new Seaward TPA test adaptor makes this possibleand allows specialist factory, industrial and workshopequipment to be included as part of in-service inspectionand testing protocols as required by the IEE Code ofPractice.

The unit is available with 16A or IEC 60309/ BS4343compatible plugs and sockets.

The TPA has been developed for use with the newSeaward PrimeTest 250 PAT and extends range of

measurements that can be performed on 3-phase equipment using a lightweightand highly portable handheld tester.

Seaward0191 586 3511 www.seaward.co.uk

A TOUCH OF COOL FOR IN-GROUNDLIGHTING Lighting standard EN 60598-2-13, which specifies surface temperaturelimits for in-ground luminaires, provided the catalyst for Thorn to revampits well-established walk-over and drive-over ranges, E/Fact and Mica, toprotect people and vehicles respectively.

The new products conceal a variety of sources, including cool-to-the-touch LED’s while additional RGB versions create colour-change effectsthrough DMX control.

Unobtrusive in situ, the ranges come in three sizes and four slimdepths - intended for the illumination of building facades, sculptures and foliage as well as routeguidance.

Internal adjustments and asymmetric optics offer offset lighting direction, and a wide choice offrosted glasses, domes, windows and attachments screens the light source.

Thorn Lighting0207 255 5003www.thornlighting.co.uk

PROCESS MULTIMETER DOUBLES AS ACALIBRATOR The new Yokogawa CA450 process multimeter is an on-site measuringinstrument that not only offers the functionality of a digital multimeter

for basic measurements such asvoltage, current, and resistance, butcan also act as a calibrator forelectrical and process measurements.

With specialised functions forrepair, maintenance, andtroubleshooting of plant equipment,the CA450 is a single-unit, on-sitemeasuring solution that reduces the

engineering load and improves plant efficiency by accomplishing tasksthat have traditionally required two on-site measuring instruments.

The CA450 is a true RMS digital multimeter with a basic measurementand generator accuracy of 0.05% and dedicated sensor modes for directinputs from sensors such as AC/DC clamp probes. In addition, itincorporates a number of process-related features including loop checkand 4-20 mA output generation and measurement functions.

Yokogawa+31 (0) 88 464 1811www.tmi.yokogawa.com/ea

PRODUCTS

ENERGY SAVING MADEEASY With the latest changes to Part L1 BuildingRegulations coming into force in October 2010 -requiring a minimum of 75% of light fittings innew dwellings must be low energy - installersare increasingly looking to manufacturers andsuppliers for products that will help them meetthese new regulations.

Click Scolmore’s latest product developmentbrings together a 6W LED Reflector lamp fromits new Energetic range, with its award-winningFlameGuard downlighter, to produce lightingsolutions that are not just low energy - and PartL compliant - but offer the additional benefit ofbuilt-in protection against fire and noisepollution.

The company’s exclusive partnership withEnergetic, the world-leading low energy lightingmanufacturer - means that they are able tooffer the most comprehensive range of energyefficient lamps available in the UK from any onesupplier.

Scolmore01827 63454www.scolmore.com

PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT To protect your investment Emitex highly recommends adding an Uninterruptible PowerSupply (UPS) to your new IT equipment with a reliable battery backup. This is essentialto any business or enterprise with a need to remain productive.

Line Interactive UPS systems have a transfer time (typically 5-10ms) between theelectrical supply cutting out and the battery system stepping in supporting the load. Thisbreak can cause long lasting damage to highly expensive equipment. Due to this Emitexrecommends the use of an online double conversion UPS as there is no break in supply,keeping your IT equipment safe from power loss, spikes and surges.

Emitex offer a range of line interactive and on-line double conversion UPS systems inboth single and three phase, rack mountable or stand alone ranging from 500VA to 800kVA with various run timesto cover customer requirements.

Emitex0117 923 5375www.emitex.co.uk

HANDTOOLS FOR THE PROFESSIONALS Engex has developed rapidly over the past few years and continue to strive to offer the contractorinnovative products.

From the range of specially designed hand tools providing the best in comfort and durability to thecollection of ladders and access equipment for light or professional use, Engex guarantees to offer qualityand value-for-money to their customers.

Engex handtools including pliers, cutters and screwdrivers have been specifically designed to provide thebest in comfort and strength with the contractor in mind.

The 1000 VDE range have been independently tested to exceed current 10,000 Volt AC testing standards.The handles have built-in two compound technology thatprovides maximum user comfort whilst minimising fatigue whenbeing used repeatedly and also offering better grip and increasedtorque levels on extreme applications.

Engex01952 272381www.engex-uk.co.uk

SMART SOFT STARTERSOPTIMISE ENERGY USE Carlo Gavazzi is introducing three new ranges ofsoft-starters designed to optimise energyconsumption in industrial applications. The RSQK,RSXK and RSDR series’ provide soft-startingcapability for three-phase motors up to 1050kW,with high-end models offering intelligent plug-and-play setup to ensure optimal starting profiles.

Automaticfeatures such asauto endstart/stop, softstop smoothingauto pedestalare built into theRSQK and RSXK

soft-starters. They continually adjust their settingsto optimise operation, saving time and money inmaintenance as well as commissioning.

RSQK series starters are rated for motorcurrents from 23 to 1800A at operating voltages230 -460/400-575/500-690 VAC, whilst the RSXKis rated 5-1673A, 230-690VAC.

For smaller motors, the new RSDR series offerspower ratings up to 280kW. Maximum currentratings range from 55 to 500A. As well as overcurrent and short-circuit protection, the RSDR hasinternal bypassing to reduce heat dissipation intight control panels..

Carlo Gavazzi UK01252 339600www.carlogavazzi.co.uk

ALL UNDER CONTROL Microwave detectors from CP Electronics have been installed at the headquarters of Damart based in an oldmill in Bingley, West Yorkshire. Providing accurate and easy to adjust lighting control, the detectors are part

of the new Carbon Catcher energy saving lighting scheme installed for Damart byLeeds based lighting and electrical contractors RCE Services UK.

RCE’s Carbon Catcher scheme provided Damart with an in-depth lighting surveywhich showed a detailed calculation of the current lighting running costs and asuggested T5 lighting scheme using the latest technology which would be moreenergy efficient. By controlling the new T5 luminaires with CP’s detectors, whichoffer presence detection and daylight dimming, Damart could significantly reduceday-to-day running costs.

CP Electronics0333 9000671www.cpelectronics.co.uk

ENHANCED PC ACCESS CONTROL RANGE If you are looking for an intelligent access control system then look no furtherthan the enhanced Fortessa PC Based Access Control range by AVS – a solutionthat will give you control over who has access to your building from one central,controlling computer.

With the Fortessa system, you can control who’s allowed into the building, atwhat time and into what areas on up to 16 doors for thousands of users.

A computer can keep a record of all authorised access and can programdiffering levels of access to individuals providing full control of the system from

your desk. This makes set-up of different permissions for different groups of people quick and straightforward.The new panel mount reader option allows for integration of the system with traditional Fortessa door

entry panels..

AVS01253 830 904www.audiovisualsecurity.org.uk

PRODUCTS

EASY-TO-INSTALL WEATHERPROOF HEATER To continue the success of the Heatstore Weatherproof Quartz Heater, Heatstore has redesignedan attractive, easy-to-install, unobtrusive unit. The HSQWPH1500N quartz halogen heater offers a‘warm’ heat from its specially tuned lamp. Ideal where a free-standing unit is impracticable, it ismanufactured from aluminium and heat-resistant black thermoplastic and is suitable for eitherdomestic or commercial use.

Being IP55 rated the unit can be used in external applications, and an attractive stainless-steelfinger guard aids safety. The HSQWPH1500N is clean, silent, emits no smells and is virtuallymaintenance free. The running costs are very low at around 22p per hour – approximately 1/3rd

of the total running costs of gas systems.When wall-mounted at a height of 2.5m, the

HSQWPH1500N heats an area up to 12.3m², and upto 16.8m² when mounted overhead.

Heatstore0117 923 5375www.heatstore.co.uk

SPLITTERS ADDED TO PLUG AND SOCKET RANGE New to the Lewden Palazolli extensive range of industrial plugs and sockets are two new splitters, Splitlineand T-Line. Designed for use in arduous environments, the two new products are splashproof and have an IP44rating and conform to IEC60309.

Splitline has one power inlet and three power outlets and can be tied to rigging and piping for rapidinstallation. The lightweight and compact design of Splitline belies itsrobust construction. The T-Connector incorporates a re-wireable in-line T-Connector in its black body moulding and is ideal for temporary hard wiredcable connection for lighting and heating installations. Ideal for theatre,film and studio applications, T-Line has a robust construction but is stilllightweight and compact, which provides savings in time, space andtherefore cost.

Lewden Electrical Industries0208 539 0237www.lewden.com

CREATING THE RIGHT LIGHT Riegens Lighting has supplied a selection of luminaires for the Principal’s Suite at Dundee College.

To provide a bright and even uniform illumination in the reception and corridor areas, Riegen’sConcido recessed downlighters were chosen incorporating 2 x 42W compact fluorescent lamps.Designed to suite a number of applications, the Concido range has been engineered to offer the optionof a wide range of decorative and technical attachments to suit each individual project. For Dundee

College the downlighters incorporate a 4 in 1 glass cone within the luminaireto provide an individual and more aesthetically pleasing style.

For the main Principals office, which contains a 'breakout' area forpresentations and meetings, a mixture of Concido downlighters and Codossemi-recessed 600 x 600mm luminaires have been installed. Codos providesa direct/indirect light distribution and utilises a double parabolic louvre witha perforated dropped central unit.

Riegens01376 333400www.riegens-lighting.com

A NEW INSTALLATION CONCEPT FOR DATA NETWORK CABLING Harting Ha-VIS preLink(R) is a new installation concept for data network cabling based on the ISO/IEC 11801standard. This new technology simplifies cabling, saves installation time and enables extensions andconversions without incurring significant interruptions in ongoing operations.

Harting Ha-VIS preLink(R) is designed for use with a wide range of mating faces such as RJ45 to IP 20,RJ45 PushPull according to IP 65/67 or M12, thereby opening up a wealth of opportunities and potential forusers. The Harting Ha-VIS preLink(R) concept includes components for 10 Gigabit Ethernet transmission rates.

The new technology is a key element in Harting'sAutomation IT concept, designed to provide a seamlessEthernet-based communications platform for integratingoffice IT systems with industrial automation to optimiseworkflow efficiency in the manufacturing environment..

Harting01604 827500www.harting.co.uk

GOING UNDERGROUND! Part of Holophane’s new Metro Capabilities range,Metrolux and Widerlite are bulkhead luminairesengineered specifically for use in underground railtunnel systems and have been updated with thelatest in lighting technology.

Metrolux and Widerlite have a prismatic glassrefractor that controls light output. Metrolux has aspecial safety mechanism that prevents the doorfrom swinging open, a vital feature in tunnelapplications.

The rugged die cast aluminium front frame andbody of bothof theseproductsprovides thedurabilityrequired forthe harshconditions intunnels andotherindustrialapplications.For quick andsimplemaintenance,the Metrolux stainless steel quick release doorlatches allow easy access to the lamp and controlgear compartment.

Holophane Europe01908 649292 www.holophane.co.uk

PRODUCTS

NEW SIX PAGEAPPLICATION GUIDE To assist customers and help simplify theunderstanding of ATEX (EuropeanDirective relating to Hazardous AreaInstallations)Hazardous AreaEquipment haslaunched a newA6, full-colourapplicationguide.

The guide hasbeen producedto provide anoutline of theATEX directives,examples ofHazardous Areaindustries, what a Hazardous Area is,Classification and how to determine azone.

The guide also highlights someexamples of the more commonly usedproducts; from Hazardous Glands throughto Fluorescent lighting. A more extensiverange is available from Hazardous AreaEquipment.

Hazardous AreaEquipment01253 608 990www.adivision.co.uk

FIRE RATED LED DOWNLIGHTS 8W LEDWITH A 7 YEAR WARRANTY! LED technology comes of age with this innovative range of‘EvoLED’ fire rated LED downlights. These precision engineeredIP65 fittings are fully Part B, C, E, L and P compliant for 30, 60 and90 minute ceilings.

Suitable for all decorative requirements, they include anintegrated LED driver (with adjustable positioning) and a 92%efficient lens offering a wide 34 degrees spread of light. The 7.9Wpower consumption surpasses energy and efficacy requirements

for part L building regs, and the425 lumen output makes thembrighter than a 50W GU10dichroic lamp.

A 90% energy saving inrunning costs means a fastreturn on investment. TheEvoLED downlight is easily

installed directly to the mains supply and features soft startoperation. A mains dimmable version is also available. Cut-outdiameter is 60 to 70mm, overall diameter is 90mm and height is84mm. They are available with white, chrome or silver bezels. Andcan be retrofitted into locations where larger downlights werepreviously installed, with the use of an optional hole conversionplate for hole diameters up to 150mm.

QVS Electrical Wholesale Ltd01342-302244www.qvsdirect.com

INDUSTRIAL ETHERNET SWITCHES Alpha Micro Components, the independent franchised distributor of electronic components, hasannounced it has added the EKI-2000 and EKI-7000 series of industrial Ethernet switches fromAdvantech Co to its range of industrial communications (iCom) solutions.

Advantech’s portfolio of industrial communication products for PC-based automation are ideal forengineers working in the transportation, energy management and plant automation sectors and

offers the market’s most feature-rich, reliable and cost-effective solutions.Ideal for easily managing applications from a central office or local site,

the Advantech EKI-7000 series is a portfolio of managed redundant industrialEthernet switches which allows users to expand their industrial networkquickly and cost-effectively. Its rugged industrial-grade design assuresreliability and stability. In addition, Advantech has utilised its X-Ringtechnology within the EKI series which ensures the fastest recovery time (<10ms), further increasing the reliability and speed of network infrastructures

Alpha Micro Components01256 851 770www.alphamicro.net

IP64 RATED DE-FROST/ANTI-FREEZETHERMOSTATS For de-frost (and anti-freeze) applications with accuratetemperature control, nothing competes commercially andtechnically with the Matsuo range of bimetal thermostats.Their twin-bimetal system creates a control that is capable ofswitching over 1 million cycles with minimal set-point drift.

Matsuo thermostats can be readily incorporated intotrace-heating systems and are available with accuracies assmall as ±1.5K with differentials down to 3K±1K. Thus veryaccurate, long-term control can be guaranteed.

They are sealed from the outside environment with anIP64-rated PBT housing. Calibrations from -10°C to +110°Care available and loads upto 3A/250VAC (0.8A/48VDC) canbe switched. N/C, N/O and “change-over” (S.P.D.T.) contactstogether with various termination options.

ATC Semitec01606 871680www.atcsemitec.co.uk

NEW CONNECTOR BOX HellermannTyton has announced the launch of a new connector box, the HTCB+,which it describes as being one of the best of its type on the UK market, having beendeveloped following consultation with electricians and contractors.

Designed to meet the latest 17th edition wiring regulations as well as being quickand easy to use, the HTCB+ also offers many benefits for electrical wholesalers.

Made from thermo plastic (polypropylene) the enclosure can be used as a junctionbox for fixed wiring applications with HellermannTyton’s cable restraints, which arealso supplied with the kit. It can also be used as an in-line connector for terminatingsolid/stranded cable to flexible cable.

HTCB+ comes as a complete, neat package and key features include serrated edgecable grips situated on the outside of the box for ease of installation while at the

same time meeting regulation requirements. Atapered pin allows for easy location of theconnector strip within the housing.

Hellermann Tyton01922 458151www.hellermanntyton.co.uk

ELECTRICAL AND FLUID ENGINEERING IN 3D Offering exact planning reliability EPLAN Pro Panel allows the definition of a virtual3D prototype of the mounting layout – independently of the electrical or fluidschematic. Mounting panels, housings or enclosures can be dimensioned optimally sothat the costs are reduced. Consistent data for all the participating engineeringdisciplines ensure that the workflow towards the production is also efficient. Last butnot least EPLAN Pro Panel provides added value to the complete engineering process.

Designing on the basis of the EPLAN platform is supported fully in both electricaland fluid engineering. This applies tomounting panels that are planned withEPLAN Electric P8 as well as for hydraulicsunits designed with EPLAN Fluid. Attritionlosses through data conversion betweenthe disciplines are a thing of the past.

EPLAN01709 704100www.eplan.co.uk

WHEN PLUGS DON’T PLUG AND PLAY Plugs that have not been used for a while can quickly turn plug andplay into plug and pull. As the operator uses force to break the coldweld which forms between the pins and the contacts, the time clockbegins to tick and the risk of damage increases.

Simply changing to a different contact design can solve this. Thespring-loaded butt-type contacts in Marechal Electric decontactor

sockets meet head-onand feature self-cleaning silver-nickeltips which provide alow contact resistancein addition to a 10kAshort circuit rating.

A release latch quickly disconnects the plug into a parked position,allowing equipment to be disconnected under load and visibly isolatedin complete safety.

Marechal Electric0844 804 2066www.marechal-electric.com

PRODUCTS

PRODUCTS

NEW FEATURES FOR THE CT ANALYZER The CT Analyzer provides fast and comprehensive testing of current transformers for protection and meteringapplications.

Released in September, the improved CT Analyzer now features additional software functions and newhardware accessories.

As a new measurement function for the CT Analyzer, the RemAlyzer allows current transformers to be testedfor residual magnetism.

Residual magnetism may occur in current transformers due to very high currents or DC offsets during faultconditions. Core saturation effects caused by residual magnetism, may lead to the incorrect operation ofprotection relays.

The new CT SB2 switch box for the automated testing of multi-ratio CTs is available as a stand-alone unit. Thiscan be attached to the CT Analyzer thus eliminating the need for re-wiring. This provides simple, color-coded, six-

channel connection possibilities guaranteeing convenient wiring andavoiding time-consuming and error-prone reconnection. .

Omicron Electronics01785 251000www.omicron.at

WALL MOUNTED TRUE ON-LINE UPS Powersolve’s WM Series of Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) is designed for use in industrial andcommercial applications where a wall mounted unit capable of withstanding the ingress of dust andmoisture is required or recommended.

WM Series units provide up to 1.5kVA of constant, reliable power from an input voltage of 115 or230VAC and offer a range of selectable outputs from 100 to 240VAC. Powersolve has used an onlinedouble-conversion topology to provide a high integrity AC power source with zero transfer time tobattery on mains failure conditions. The design also protects the load against noise and transients.

Up to four battery strings can be incorporated giving 43 minuteshold up at 1.5kVA and over 2 hours at 600VA. 10 year life batteriesare also available as an option.

WM Series units incorporate many standard and optionalfeatures designed to make them easy to use and come ready foruse straight out of the box.

Powersolve01635 521858www.powersolve.co.uk

CABLE JOINTS SECURE,QUICK AND EASY Newey & Eyre has improved its cable jointoffering by introducing a Newlec brandedresin cable joint kit. The kit is designed tomeet new standards and to make it simple forinstallers to form a secure connection whenjoining cables.

It is essential for cable networks to supplyelectric powerwithout breakingdown, but ifcables need tobe joinedtogether this cancreate a weaklink. It isthereforeimportant forany joints

installed within a system to be strong andlong-lasting, especially if the cable network isunderground, where a failed joint would bedifficult to find and repair.

The new Newlec kit meets standards DINVDE 0278-623:1997-01 and RoHS No2002/95/EC and will enable installers to makestrong, secure joins quickly and simply.

Newey & Eyre0845 123 6539www.neweysonline.co.uk

HEATER BOOST SWITCHFOR SIMPLY SAVINGENERGY Danlers heater boost switch, for thecontrol of electric heating loads,automatically turns the load off after aselected time period has elapsed. Thereare four different time settings tochoose from (15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1hour and 2 hours). Pressing the buttonselects each time lag choice in turn. Theswitch is manufactured by Danlers inthe UK and is designed for use withimmersion heaters, heated towel railsand other suitable electric heatingloads. It is ideal for use in studentaccommodation blocks, hotels, militaryaccommodation etc.

Danlers01249 443377www.danlers.co.uk

FLEXIBILITY OF MAINLINE ENABLES CONFERENCE CENTRE TO HOSTLIVELY CHURCH SERVICES Having safe, easy and flexible access to mains power is important to Ian Scholes, associate pastor at KingsChurch and Conference Centre in Bolton.

Based in a refurbished former warehouse on the eastern outskirts of Bolton, Kings Church and ConferenceCentre has a large elevated stage from which the regular services are conducted.

However, instead of installing a set number of fixed power outlets, into which multi-gang sockets andextension leads could then be fitted, Ian wanted flexible access to mains power and so simply asked a local

electrician to install 12 metres of Mainline track along the backedge of the stage.

Now, wherever mains power is needed on stage, an award-winning Mainline power adaptor is simply inserted or repositionedalong the appropriate section of track, and then twisted totemporarily fix it in place and make it live.

Steljes08450 758 758www.mainlinepower.co.uk

SLIMLINE CONSUMER UNIT AT ELEX Cudis will be showing the CPN slimline consumer unit as well as an extensiverange of breakers for circuit protection on 10 March at Elex 2011 in Harrogate.

Noted for its Tardis qualities, the slimline consumer unit has better internalaccess for easier wiring and a more compact and elegant case with a robustinsulated metal buzz bar. Each model is now fitted with a 100A main switchand two RCDs of 80 or 63 Amps.

Visitors to the Cudis stand M24 Hall One will have two chances to win prizes.In a daily card draw, one contractor will win a fully loaded consumer unit with

their choice of circuit breakers. All cards will also go into a show draw and the lucky winner will receive a 17thEdition compliant multi-tester.

Cudis0161 765 3000www.cudis.co.uk

AN OPEN AND SHUT CASE MK Electric is replacing its award-winningMasterseal range with a collection of enhancedIP-rated products called Masterseal Plus.

Scientifically sealed and tested by MK well inexcess of British Standards, new Masterseal Plusprotects the electrical supply in the harshest ofenvironments. As with its predecessor, MastersealPlus is specifically developed for use in both

outdoor and indoor environments, and where wiring devices and accessorieswould be at risk from penetration by dust or water.

With an IP rating of IP66, Masterseal Plus is dust-tight to any ingress, offerscomplete protection against contact, and high pressure water jets directedagainst the enclosure from any direction won’t have any harmful effects.

MK Electric01268 563000www.mkelectric.co.uk

LINAK’S ISWITCH LINAK’s iSwitch has been purposely designed and built to

automate switchgear and is a complete turnkey solution. Advantages of the iSwitch began by listening to markets

issues and their requirementsand providing a solution, toname a few LINAK / iSwitchoffers…• Easy to install

• Manually operated without removing the iSwitch• LINAK offers a complete solution • Cost advantages (reduced instillation times / reliable

feedback state etc)To summarise we have created and developed a modern

approach to NetworkAutomation offering a fit forpurpose range of equipmentthat enables transparency interms of local manual

operation. We offer a competent solution which has beenadopted and formally approved with UK and European basedDNO’s.

Linak0121 543 4996www.netline.linak.com.

2011 CATALOGUE LAUNCH Electrical wholesaler Newey & Eyre has launched its new 2011 Newleccatalogue which has been designed with both the user and theenvironment in mind.

A tool for all tradesmen, Newey & Eyre describes the new catalogue asoffering a clean, fresh and vibrant design andlayout, making it easier to read, while alsofeaturing hundreds of innovative newproducts to save time, money and energy.

Among the new products available is theNewlec range of trunking for both lightingand cable applications, which offer timesavings on installation while retainingbackwards compatibility with existingNewlec systems.

Also new is a range of energy efficiencylighting products including the latest T5dimmers, occupancy sensors and daylightharvesting solutions to PIR bulkheads which

meet the latest L1 and L2 building regulations.

Newey & Eyre0845 1236539www.neweysonline.co.uk

MODULAR CLIMATE CONTROLCONCEPT FROM RITTAL

Rittal’s modular climate control concept offers aneasy way to add cooling to a Rittal enclosure or toupgrade an existing system. Individual climate controlchoices can be made, ready to use, without the need tomake mounting cut outs, by simply replacing the doorand choosing the appropriate climate control module

in just a few steps.Features include standard RTT plus version with integral condensate evaporation and

RiNano coating; simple fast mounting; service friendly (front rack mounting filter andremovable cover) and quick delivery.

Because of its modular design, for individual size choose either 1800 or 2000mmheight doors in either 600, 800, or 1200mm wide (left or right hand mounting for the1200mm version). For cooling power choose either a 1500W or 2000W moduleavailable in one of 3 different voltage options, 230v, 115v or 400v..

Rittal01709 704000www.rittal.co.uk

CARRY CASE AND BACK PACESOLUTIONS A new range of lightweight carry cases and back packs for theeasy and convenient transportation of medical device analysersand simulators from site-to-site are available from Rigel Medical.

A sling-style, water repellent carry case is available for theRigel 288 electrical safety analysers and the combination vital

sign simulator UNI-SIM. It can be quickly configured to hold several items of test equipment andaccessories such as a label/results printer and a barcode scanner.

The new back pack-style Med-ePack can be configured to accommodate up to five items ofelectrical safety, vital signs simulator, ventilator test equipment to provide an easy-to-carry,lightweight and versatile test solutions package. There’s also space for a laptop and assetmanagement software.

Rigel Medical+44 191 5878730www.rigelmedical.com

RITTAL LATEST POWER ENGINEERINGSOFTWARE V5.0 A new version of the Rittal Power engineering software for the designand calculation of busbar systems and Motor Control Centres (MCC’s)is now available.

This new version allows the configuration and planning of busbarsystems in TS 8 enclosures and at the same time create documentationand calculate heat loss for the project. It is also possible to combine

Ri4Power in Form 1-4b and also use flatbusbars for Form 1. The existing designand calculation of Form 4b MCC’Sremains unchanged.

Comprehensive help functions leadthe user through the programme andexplain the necessary steps. Thesoftware offers quick and easygeneration of quotations and bill ofmaterials with improved assembly

information. TS 8 enclosure combinations, with accessories, can beconfigured and users are able to add further Rittal products or otherarticles from a self-created article master at any time during fieldconfiguration.

An installation disc with the new version will be mailed out to allregistered users of previous versions. For new customers the newsoftware can be purchased from Rittal.

Rittal01709 704000www.rittalxpress.co.uk

PRODUCTS

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SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

Lighting

Control Systems

Hazardous AreaPower Factor Correction

PFC Engineering LtdStation Road, Great Chesterford,SaffronWalden, Essex CB10 1NY

Total Power Quality SolutionsPower Factor Correction Design and Manufacture - LV / MVPower Factor Correction Maintenance and InstallationHarmonic Analysis and Penetration StudiesHarmonic Filtration Systems - LV / MV Design and ManufactureVoltage Disturbance and Flicker ControlComplete Analytical ServicesConsultation and Advice

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MICHAEL TWITCHETTIntET(UK). IEng. FIET. MSOE. MIPlantE

Tel or Fax: 01737 352755e-mail: [email protected]

UPS

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ATEX compliant solution providersPower Factor Correction

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SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

UPSTest and measurement

innovative test technology and comprehensive customer support

SERVICE & CALIBRATION Seaward provides a comprehensive

calibration and repair service for a widerange of electrical and electronic equipment

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SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

� Specialists in gas measurement and detection� Manufacturer of Rapidox gas analysers� Oxygen sensing from 100% O2 to 10 e-23 PPM� SF6 condition analysers for Gas Insulated

Substations (GIS)� O2, CO, CO2, SO2 and dp (moisture) sampling

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Automation

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� Specialists in gas measurement and detection� Manufacturer of Rapidox gas analysers� Oxygen sensing from 100% O2 to 10 e-23 PPM� SF6 condition analysers for Gas Insulated Substations (GIS)� O2, CO, CO2, SO2 and dp (moisture) sampling instruments for

laboratory, vacuum, low-oxygen, and oxygen-critical applications� Distributors of gas detectors for safety, industrial, welding, diving

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[email protected] Phone: +44(0)1480 462142 Fax: +44(0)1480 466032

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Email: [email protected] Web: www.concordiacables.com

Try our FREE site survey to find outhow we can help you select theright UPS and power protection systemsfor your applications.

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E-TEC Power Management LtdTel: +44 (0)1252 744 800Fax: +44 (0)1252 744 [email protected]

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SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE CREATION OF NEW APPRENTICESHIPS

BY THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BRING A SMILE TO OUR GRUMPY OLD MAN’S PHYSIOGNOMY, BUT DOES IT HECK.

HE’S MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE OTHER 900,000 OUT OF WORK YOUNGSTERS

THINGS AREN’T what they used to be. In the main,this is quite a good thing. Scraping ice from theinside of windows in the morning before the fireswere lit, for example, is not what I recall with anyromantic nostalgia. Neither for that matter washaving to service the car practically every week justto keep it running, and nor was having to wearscarves not as a fashion accessory, but as a lifepreserving mask against the killer smog. But, and it’sa big but, young people still had a decent chance of afuture of employment at all levels.

It was simple really, the best grammar school kidswent on to university then in to a profession. Thosewith lesser grades, on leaving the local grammar,worked in banks, offices or entered into retail orcommercial junior management training. Those whodidn’t make the grade at 11+ went to secondary

modern schools where thebest went

on

to gain apprenticeships in trades and the worst stillattained jobs in shops and factories.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no fan of 11+ and stillbelieve in the comprehensive state educationalsystem. What has changed for the worst is the spanof opportunities for young people. Unemploymentfigures for the 18-24 age group is rapidly closing inon the million mark.

In the autumn of last year I had the privilege tochat with Professor Dylan Wiliam. This prominentauthority on education (he starred in a BBC2documentary series in the summer last year)highlighted the need for top notch education fromthe first year at school. He also presented thefindings of a 30 year survey on attainment in variousgroups of children. The best educated children go onto contribute financially to the country more thandouble the amount from the least well educated. Itwas fascinating, but also served to heighten the gapbetween education and employment.

The number of jobs available in the UK for whichno formal qualifications are required has fallen by

about 75%. In short, blue collar workers are aminority.

The biggest growth has unsurprisinglycome in what is loosely described as

the communications industry, so nosurprise there really. The question weface is how we accommodate theneeds of all sectors of societywithin this work environment?

Against this backdrop, we allknow that there is a shortage inmany areas of skilled and qualified

electrical engineers. We also knowthat apprenticeships in the trade are

like the proverbial rocking horse excreta.

Hence, it is welcomed that the government hascommitted to creating 75,000 extra apprenticeships.My concern, given politicians’ abject lack ofunderstanding of most things practical, is wherethese so called apprenticeships will be.

A decent electrical apprenticeship takes four orfive years to complete. In an industry dominated bySMEs and small contractors, how many can afford toinvest in the time and training? This is especially trueif the perception is their newly useful and qualifiedtrainees exit for the next highly paid job as soon asthey grab their certificates. The incentives providedfrom government funds must be attractive enough togain a widespread commitment from the industry.This is a sentiment echoed recently by DianneJohnson, president of the Electrical ContractorsAssociation.

A final factor in the mix is while industry hasstarted to regard vocational qualificationspreferentially over university degrees and otheracademic diplomas, nobody told the schools that. Istrongly suspect most schools continue to groom thebrightest kids for university and frankly, I’m notcertain they really know what to do with the rest.This could explain why there are so many graduatesamong the 18-24 age group left wondering quitewhat to do with their BA (hons) in Egyptology ortheir BSc in Existential Philosophy.

If jobs in our industry carried the kudos theydeserve, maybe there would be a route from schoolsto our field. Oh dear, I’m getting back on another ofmy hobby horses about why I think of electricalengineering as a profession. But then I’ve beenblathering on about that since the days beforepolicemen (and women) were recruited straight fromkindergarten and when a labour saving device was aU-turn on policy by Harold Wilson!

75,000 NEW APPRENTICESHIPS, BUT FINGS STILL AIN’T WHAT THEY USED TO BE

John Houston can be contacted on 01797 364366or by e-mail at [email protected]


BLOWN FUSE OPINION

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