omicron insert - technical review middle east 6 2015

6 CPC 100: 43 possibilities, 1 system

Magazine

The OMICRON Customer Magazine for the Middle East and South Asia Volume 6 Issue 2 2015

Innovative Power System Testing Solutions

3 Test solutions for generators: ensuring a safe and reliable power supply – 16 RelaySimTest: for a safe

journey in the future – 24 First-class customer support: listening and understanding

omi_magazin_issue11_MESA_RZ.indd 1 20.10.2015 15:55:46

OMICRON Magazine | Volume 6 Issue 2 2015

Middle East and South Asia

2 Table of contents

Dear readers,

2 Editorial

Bill Kibart

Regional Sales Manager

Middle East and South Asia

Many of you will be new to the OMICRON Magazine,

indeed you may be unfamiliar with OMICRON

itself and so I would like to start by giving you an

introduction. OMICRON is an international company

that provides solutions for the testing and on-line

monitoring of electrical substations and associated

equipment for electrical utilities, equipment

manufacturers, commissioning companies and

industrial customers. With sales in nearly 150

countries, OMICRON has established an international

reputation as a supplier of the highest quality.

The purpose of the OMICRON Magazine is to

highlight applications in the power system sphere

where testing and monitoring solutions are being

utilized so that potential users can identify how

modern equipment can be used to improve their

methodology and systems. In this sample copy of

the magazine we cover a wide variety of topics.

Starting with the generator, we can see how

proper testing can ensure the reliability of the

system and avoid the costly consequences of failure.

Traditionally, OMICRON has been known for its

protection testing and this remains a vital part of

our business, but it is a very dynamic area where

technology never actually stands still. The increasing

use of IEC 61850 system communications requires

new tools to ensure that the digital signals in the

substation can be handled appropriately. The use

of powerful simulation software can also assist in

assuring the correct operation of the protection

itself. Both of these issues are addressed in the article

on the UK’s Network Rail’s Great Western system.

Once the protection has done its work, the onus is

on the circuit breaker to clear the fault. Therefore,

correct operation is essential and can be confirmed

by correct testing, a topic later explained with a

Nordic twist by considering an application in Norway.

The logical extension of periodic testing is

to utilize on-line monitoring to continually

supervise your assets and this topic is also covered

by investigating the monitoring of potential

partial discharge in the insulation which, if

undetected can lead to catastrophic failure.

The key factor in a good relationship between

a supplier and user is support. In this issue we

explain how we strive to provide the highest

level of assistance to our customers around the

clock and across the globe. This relationship is

also strengthened by understanding the needs

and perspective of the customer and to this end

a questionnaire has been included which I urge

you to spare some time to complete. Those which

are returned to us will be entered into a drawing

where two lucky winners will receive an iPad mini.

If you find this magazine interesting and would

like to see future issues, please contact us at

[email protected], so we can ensure that you

receive an e-copy of the magazine in the future.

Enjoy the read.

Bill Kibart


Magazine | Volume 6 Issue 2 2015

Application 3

Gaal Umwelttechnik provides industrial organizations with testing services to ensure reli-

able generator operation. For many years, industrial companies with medium-voltage (MV)

generators are the principle customers of Gaal Umwelt technik. These companies include air-

ports, data centers, paper mills as well as chemical plants and waste treatment plants. They

all use MV generators on site to ensure a continuous, reliable power supply that is so crucial

for their operations. With the experiences of more than 30 years working with generators

in the area of industrial power generation, Zsolt Gaal and his team have established testing

procedures for reliable condition assessment of these generators.

Ensuring a reliable

power supplyGenerator testing avoids the costly consequences of failure

Application

GAAL Umwelttechnik

Founded in 1991 and based in

Hannover, Germany, GAAL Umwelt-

technik is a service company that

specializes in secondary testing of

generator protection devices and

energy distribution systems as well

as primary testing for condition

assessment of generator insula-

tion systems. Its customers include

industrial companies throughout

continental Europe.

www.gaal24.de

Using diagnostics to prevent failure

All types of generators have insulation,

which is subject to operational stress and

aging processes. Weak spots and deterio-

ration in stator winding insulation in par-

ticular can eventually result in a complete

failure of the machine. “The consequential

costs in the event of a machine failure are

immense,” says Zsolt. “That is why diagnos-

tic testing of the insulation is so important

over the entire service life of generators.”

Gaal Umwelttechnik uses various diagnos-

tic measurements for reliable condition

assessment of insulation; measurement

of dissipation factor and capacitance,

dielectric response and partial discharge

measurements. These off-line measure-

ments are conducted by Gaal engineers on

site during commissioning as well as during

periodic maintenance checks throughout a

generator’s service life.

“We own a CPC 100, CP TD1 and CP CR500,

a DIRANA and a MPD 600 from OMICRON.

Together these diverse solutions cover

everything that we need for primary test-

ing on generators,” Zsolt says. “You can get

excellent performance out of these testing

products.”


www.gaal24.de


4 Application

Data centers are one of many types of industrial companies that are depen-dent on reliable generator operation.

«The consequential costs in the event of a machine failure are immense. That is why diagnostic testing of the insulation is so important over the entire service life of generators.»

Zsolt Gaal

Managing Director at Gaal Umwelttechnik

and a member of CIGRE

strength. Compared with other dielectric

tests, PD measurements allow localized weak

points of the insulation to be identifi ed.

“We achieve the best results with the MPD’s

synchronous, multi-channel PD measure-

ment, which separates internal PD sources

from each other and from outer noise

signals common in industrial environments,”

Zsolt continues. “Finally we conclude with

an insulation resistance measurement to

make sure that the insulation was not dam-

aged in any way by testing and that it can

be returned to normal operation”.

Establishing a baseline trend

Gaal Umwelttechnik compares current

measurements with previous data to come

up with a reliable conclusion. “One has to

Verifying condition with various tests

Gaal Umwelttechnik performs a number

of tests on the insulation of its custom-

ers’ rotating machines. This way, Gaal

engineers are able to obtain a lot of

information, which can be compared to

verify results. “The various test measure-

ments help us to confi rm or negate any

suspicions we may have,” Zsolt explains.

“We start with a typical voltage withstand

(DC) test of the insulation to make sure

that it can handle the high-voltage testing

that is about to be performed. Then we

conduct a power / dissipation factor and

capacitance measurement over a wide fre-

quency range with DIRANA, continued by

a power / dissipation factor measurement

tip-up test using the CPC 100 combined

with CP TD1 and CP CR500.”

With the measurement of capacitance and

power / dissipation factor, also known as

tan-delta, changes in the insulation can be

diagnosed using the CPC 100 and CP TD1.

Aging processes, changes in the insulation

structure or moisture all result in measur-

ably increased power / dissipation factor

levels. Measuring power / dissipation factor

over a wide frequency range using DIRANA

helps to determine the dielectric response

in order to diff erentiate between several

polarization losses and power losses.

“After the dissipation factor measurement

we make a partial discharge measure-

ment with the MPD 600,” says Zsolt. Partial

discharge (PD) occurs in the stator insulation

system of rotating machines, where local

electric fi eld stress exceeds the local electrical



5

Separated PD activity

Filtered interference signals

Separation through 3PARD (3-phase amplitude relation diagram)

Advanced measurement techniques allow the MPD 600 to separate internal PD sources from outer noise signals for optimal results.

Customers of Gaal Umwelttechnik use medium-voltage generators on site to ensure a continuous, reliable power supply.

build up a trend to understand changes in

condition,” Zsolt says. “That is why it makes

a lot of sense to start testing if you have the

chance at the beginning during commis-

sioning. This provides you with a basis that

you can build on with successive measure-

ments for a real comparison over time”.

“As long as there are no unusual values,

then everything is OK,” says Zsolt. “How ever

when anomalies are found during these

tests, then it is important to keep an eye

on them during subsequent tests. If the

measurement values become progressively

worse, then I recommend to the customer

to take the necessary maintenance or repair

measures,” he says. “In this case we conduct

further testing to make sure that repairs

were performed successfully.”


6 Application


6 Application

Whatever the application – be it power trans-

former testing or ground and line impedance

measurement, or when used as a high-volt-

age source for partial discharge measure-

ment or current and voltage transformer

testing – the all-rounder CPC 100 eff ort-

lessly takes on all of these roles.

43 possibilities –

1 systemCustomers around the world talk about how they use the CPC 100

Application



Application 7

The multi-functional primary test system CPC 100

was developed specifi cally for the commissioning and

maintenance of systems in electrical networks. It replaces

numerous individual testing devices and at the same time,

off ers you new, innovative testing methods. Despite its

range of capabilities, the CPC 100 is easy to use. Electrical

tests on various assets including power transformers, current

or voltage transformers, grounding systems, power lines,

rotating machines and cables, as well as circuit breakers

can be performed much faster. Due to the variable output

frequency, the user can also use test frequencies that

diff er from the mains frequency. This allows mains-related

interference to be eff ectively suppressed.

The CPC 100 was fi rst introduced in 2001 and has been continu-

ously improved since then. Thanks to a wide range of acces-

sories, the testing device is versatile like no other. As a result,

new application areas have opened up in recent years. Today,

more than 40 tests can be performed with the CPC 100.

We asked customers around the world what they used the

CPC 100 for, and what they particularly appreciate about it.

CPC 100 and accessories

> Replaces multiple testing devices through a

multi-functional universal test system

> Various tests on high-voltage systems such

as current and voltage transformers, power

transformers, switchgear and rotating machines

can be performed with the CPC 100

> Powerful and universal: 800 A, 2 kV,

15 Hz – 400 Hz, 400 A DC

> Simple to use and easy to transport due to light

weight (29 kg/64 lbs)

> Expandable to 2 000 A AC , 12 kVAC when using

accessories

www.omicron.at/cpc100


www.omicron.at/cpc100

Padraig O´Sullivan ESB International

Bernhard Anders and Berthold Stockhausen SAG Group GmbH


8 Application

Customer service is a top priority at the SAG Group. “Our customers,

such as wind farm operators, wanted to record their test results in

a much more detailed way than it was possible with our previously

used testing equipment. That is why we decided to buy a CPC 100

four years ago,“ recalled Berthold Stockhausen and Bernhard An-

ders of the SAG Group GmbH.

“When testing with the CPC 100, we no longer need to manu-

ally transfer measured values individually into the test report, but

instead, can store them directly in the CPC 100 and retrieve them

again later at the offi ce,“ said Bernhard Anders. “If necessary, we can

also create a PDF document directly and email it to our customers.“

This eliminates errors when transferring data. “For me, this reliable

and time-saving method of recording data is defi nitely the greatest

advantage,“ added Berthold Stockhausen.

Purchasing the CPC 100 also brought additional benefi ts. “We used

to have to do everything individually. We had to bring everything

with us and connect all of the appropriate multimeters, devices

for energizing the asset and others,“ said Bernhard Anders. “That

takes a lot of time, which we can now save using the CPC 100. This

accommodates the increasing time pressure during commissioning

in particular.“

The inspection of grounding systems in transmission sta-

tions was a time-consuming and complicated process for

ESB International: “We used a transformer mounted on a truck

trailer in order to achieve the necessary current strength. Sure,

the method worked, but the transport was a catastrophe and

the frequency could not be changed,“ recalls Padraig O´Sullivan,

Consultant for Asset Management Services at ESB International.

“So we started looking for an alternative, and found one at

OMICRON.“ Padraig O´Sullivan has now been working with the

CPC 100 and CP CU1 for more than 10 years. For him, the change

has paid off : “The CPC 100 can do much more than our old test-

ing system, is easier to use, to transport and to connect up.“

The advantages of the CPC 100 are really obvious: “In addition

to the mobility, we especially appreciate that the testing system

is easy to use. Thanks to the guided testing workfl ow of the

Primary Test Manager™ software, even inexperienced users can

operate the CPC 100 right away. Our experienced colleagues

can also create customized test procedures for exactly what

they needed.“

«Simple to use, high functionality and easy to transport.»

«Comprehensive doc-umentation options and time-saving work.»

Since ESB International was founded more than

40 years ago, it has risen to become one of the

world’s leading consultancy companies for

engineering services. ESB International is head-

quartered in Dublin (Ireland), and operates in the

area of electricity supply and implements large-

scale projects for infrastructure development. The

company belongs to ESB, Ireland’s national power

company, and employs more than 700 employees

in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

SAG Group GmbH is the leading service and system

supplier for electricity, gas, water, district heating

and communication networks, as well as for systems

for the generation, transmission and use of power

and media in Europe. Over 100 locations in Germany

ensure nationwide service for regional and munici-

pal energy suppliers, industrial companies, power

plant operators and transport companies. Other core

markets of the SAG Group are France and Central and

Eastern Europe.


Rüdiger-Willy Klein DB Energie GmbH

Luis Carlos Ramírez PernettTranselca


Application 9

In the past, calculation methods were typically used when deter-

mining line impedances in the railway network. “Unfortunately,

these theoretically calculated values were often inaccurate. Only

in individual cases were we able to perform measurements that

delivered more precise results,“ explained Rüdiger-Willy Klein

of DB Energie GmbH. “We used traction current generators and

special circuits for this. The eff ort was immense and not applicable

to the entire network.“

Therefore, DB Energie GmbH started looking for a test system,

with which a determination could be made with limited eff ort,

and found the CPC 100. “Now we can measure the line imped-

ances across the board, rather than just calculate them. In this way,

we obtain actual values and can precisely set our distance relays

accordingly. Fault analysis showed us that precise fault location

was possible where measured values have been set.“

Another advantage for DB Energie GmbH is that the test frequen-

cies can be variably adjusted with the CPC 100. “This is particularly

important for us, because in addition to the tests conducted in the

railway area with 16.7 Hz, we also take line impedance measure-

ments on smaller medium-voltage systems with 50 Hz.“

«Precise test results.»

With the CPC 100, a variety of test equipment can be replaced

by only one multi-functional testing system. “It used to be

that performing diff erent tests meant that we had to bring a

wide array of test devices with us and re-wire multiple times

between the tests,“ recalled Luis Carlos Ramírez Pernett, Sub-

station Maintenance Scheduling Coordinator at Transelca, “and

we then had to summarize the test results manually.“

The versatility of the CPC 100 was the deciding factor in pur-

chasing the test system about six years ago. “We test circuit

breakers, power transformers, current and voltage transformers

and capacitor banks. Among other things, we determine the

dissipation factor, turns ratio per tap and the winding resis-

tance on the transformer. We also use the CPC 100 to measure

the knee-point voltage, magnetization characteristic, burden

and winding resistance on current and voltage transformers,“

explained the technician.

“We can do all of this and much more with the CPC 100. It is

compact, easy to use, and the communication with the PC is

simple. Thanks to the integrated display, I do not even need a

laptop when testing on-site.“

«Versatile all-round talent.»

DB Energie GmbH is an independent energy manager,

and is responsible for the largest mixed energy portfolio

in Germany. The company offers tailor-made solutions for

the supply of traction current, three-phase current, gas

and diesel fuel. Railway undertakings, industrial or com-

mercial companies are provided with expert advice on all

matters. In addition, DB Energie is the long-term energy

supplier of Deutsche Bahn and responsible for the highest

supply reliability of railway companies in Germany.

As an Energy Transmission Company based

in Barranquilla, Colombia, Transelca operates

power transmission and telecommunications

networks on the country’s northern coast.

Planning electrical facilities for voltage levels

from 13.8 kV to 220 kV is also part of Transelca’s

portfolio. The company also has facilities in Peru

and Bolivia.


10 Products and technology


Synchronous

time keeperTICRO 100 enhances the precision of simultaneous measuring processes in protection techniques

Albert Einstein once said, “time is relative and depends on the move-

ment of the observers“. Relatively speaking, he was completely right.

The laws of physics also apply to the world of secondary technology;

but here the objective of precision of absolute time measurement and

synchronization matters most.

Products and technology



Products and technology 11

Therefore, IEC 61805-5 prescribes diff er-

ent precision classes for time sensitive

measurements and time-stamped events.

They determine the maximum admissible

time inaccuracy of a measurement or a

time-stamp, typically related to UTC. The

required synchronization precision lies be-

tween ± 1 ms and ± 1 µs. The IEEE standard

1588 provides an Ethernet based system

suitable for such applications – the Preci-

sion Time Protocol (PTP).

For the use of PTP in IEC 61850 infrastruc-

tures, a specifi c “Power Profi le“ was defi ned

in 2011. An additional standard extension,

the IEC 61850-9-3, which defi nes a simple

PTP profi le especially for power grid opera-

tors, has now been released. Bernhard

Baumgartner is the Business Manager

at OMICRON Lab and believes that this

technology has many advantages: “PTP is

the most precise and secure method for

the time synchronization of networked

systems and IEC 61850 structures. It makes

the separate distribution of time reference

signals and the use of several decentralized

GPS reference times unnecessary. It thereby

eliminates a multitude of potential error

sources and system inaccuracies.“

Anyone who wants to perform a correct

phase comparison or who evaluates error

logs from protective relays is dependent on

reliable time specifi cations for the locations

concerned. If the measurement systems of

secondary technology systems are decentral-

ized, precise synchronization is necessary.

This becomes especially diffi cult for time sen-

sitive applications in protection technology.

The dilemma with time signals

In order to ensure the necessary precision,

protection technology engineers supply

Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) with

time reference signals provided by a central

station clock, often through separate

cables. However, separate wiring requires

more time and eff ort for installation and

maintenance. Moreover, the time signals

used during this process (for example,

those which are made available by DCF77)

run the risk of diff erences in propaga-

tion time between locations caused by

atmospheric infl uences. The alternatively

used Network Time Protocol (NTP), well

known in the fi elds of UNIX and Windows,

is not precise enough for the requirements

in special areas such as the SynchroPhasor

measurement.

Essentially, PTP is a communication protocol

based on time stamps, which allows the

time on several devices to be precisely

synchronized using existing Ethernet con-

nections. Unlike NTP, PTP off ers much

higher precision in local area networks with

a system accuracy in the 100 ns range. To

achieve this, it uses a master-slave confi gu-

ration of the clocks available in the network,

in which the best clock capable of serving as

grandmaster becomes the designated “time

provider“. The Best Master Clock Algorithm

(BMCA) used for this purpose acts demo-

cratically since the grandmaster clock only

continues to be the leading clock as long

as it provides the best time reference for

the entire system. Otherwise, another clock

capable of becoming grandmaster immedi-

ately takes on this function, free of interrup-

tion and with a synchronization precision

better than 1 µs.

Due to the fact that nothing is ideal in the

real world, there are measuring instru-

ments in many areas that work with the

most diverse time synchronization signals.

Some of the latest generation protection

devices already have an IEEE 1588 compli-

ant Ethernet interface.

TICRO 100

> IEEE 1588 PTP time converter

> Precise generation of time codes

such as IRIG-B, DCF77 and PPX

> Highly stable internal reference

oscillator for optimum hold-over

in case of network failures.

> Developed especially for use in

electrical engineering

> Freely confi gurable trigger times

> Secure web interface

www.omicron-lab.com/ticro100


www.omicron-lab.com/ticro100


12 Products and technology

However, a high number of PTP-incapable

protection devices will still operate. For

a switch to PTP or IEC 61850, the protec-

tion technology engineers are tasked with

integrating such devices as effi ciently as

possible. Bernhard Baumgartner says:

“With TICRO 100 we off er our customers

a simple and fl exible PTP time converter

that precisely performs this task. TICRO 100

converts PTP into understandable time

reference signals for practically every IED.

This signifi cantly simplifi es the integration

of existing devices.“

Out of the box

Connecting TICRO 100 is very simple; the

appliance receives the PTP signal from the

PTP grandmaster via Ethernet. This can be

the central station clock or a grand master

clock connected to GPS, such as OTMC 100

from OMICRON Lab. The appliance then

generates time reference signals in the for-

mat required by the IED – either as coaxial

output with the TTL level, or as a potential-

free or optical output signal. This enables

the majority of all devices in the fi eld to be

synchronized.

In combination with a directly connected

OTMC 100, TICRO 100 generates a highly

precise local time basis, to generate the

required time codes as well as time refer-

ence signals such as second and minute

pulses. Thus, systems synchronized via

IRIG-B or DCF77 can now be provided

with locally generated time reference

signals derived from GPS. Even a later

conversion to a central PTP station clock

then becomes problem-free; the existing

TICRO 100 wiring remains unchanged, with

only the station bus connected instead of

OTMC 100. The internal high stability refer-

ence oscillator ensures that in the event of

a network failure, TICRO 100 continues to

provide precise time signals – depending

on the selected oscillator option with a

maximum deviation of < 25 µs or < 100 µs

to UTC within 24 hours.

With its functional variety, TICRO 100

forms one of the essential cornerstones

of high precision measurements, as it is

required not only by the IEC 61850. It

supports the secondary technology as well

as every phase of the conversion to this

standard, which is becoming more and

more important in electrical engineering.

More information on the use of IEEE 1588

in electrical engineering can be found here:

www.omicron-lab.com/ieee1588

Bay 2Bay 1

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GPS antenna GPS receiver

IEEE 1588 time synchronization

OTMC 100PTP grandmaster

TICRO 100PTP time converter

TICRO 100PTP time converter

PTP-capable devices non-PTP devices

OTMC 100All in one:

Slave clock

Slave clock

Stationcontroller

Grandmaster clock

Mergingunit

00010 00010

IEC 61850

IEC 61850 & IEEE 1588

IEDs IEDs

Time synchronization of PTP-capable and PTP-incapable equipment with the IEC 61850 station bus.



Application 13

OMICRON in Africa

OMICRON products are already being

used in 34 African countries – inclu-

ding ESKOM (South Africa), the lar-

gest electricity producer on the con-

tinent. In total there are more than

1 000 CMC test sets in use in Africa.

Customers and interested parties can

contact us personally at about 15

events that take place every year, such

as the OMICRON South African User

Conference (SAUC) from November

9 to 10, 2015 in Johannesburg.

Power system equipment in Zambia is aging as most of it

was installed in the 1960s and 1970s. Most of the equipment

in generation, transmission and distribution systems requires

an upgrade. In Zambia, the national utility ZESCO Limited

embarked on a system upgrade program called the Power

Rehabilitation Project (PRP). This program led to the modern-

ization of the protection systems and the engineer faced new

challenges with respect to relay testing.

How a CMC 256plus supports the Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre

FromAustria to Zambia

Austria

Zambia

Upgrading the power level

The PRP supports the Government’s objec-

tives for enhancing the ability of Zambia’s

Electricity Supply Industry to provide low

cost electricity in an efficient manner in

order to stimulate inclusive growth in the

Zambian economy. The PRP is involved in

the rehabilitation and up rating of the



14

The CMC 256plus being put to use.

three major hydro power stations in

Zambia. As part of this project the measur-

ing and protection equipment was changed

from old electro mechanical relays to mod-

ern intelligent electronic protection relays.

Filling the skills gap

The major power consumers in Zambia are

the copper mines along the Copperbelt.

The old mines have also been upgrading

their old electrical infrastructure to modern

switchgear and transformers. The chal-

lenge that this created for the protection

engineers was that they were trained to

maintain and test the old electro mechani-

cal protection relays, but the skills they

had acquired were no longer sufficient for

maintaining and testing the new Intel-

ligent Electronic Protection Devices (IEDs)

that were installed as part of the upgrades.

In order to fill this gap in their skills, Kafue

Gorge Regional Training Centre (KGRTC)

partnered with ABB to develop two train-

ing programs for protection engineers

working for utilities in Zambia, other

African countries and beyond. The two

training programs are focusing on Line

protection and Transformer protection

and voltage regulation, and each course

includes hands on exercises with a specific

emphasis on ABB’s 670 series and 650

series of products. The courses’ purpose is

to impart the fundamentals and principles

of each topic area.

What’s in the package?

To aid protection engineers in carrying out

these tests on the various relays during

the training program, we asked OMICRON

(Austria) if they could support this initiative

by loaning us a CMC 256plus for instruc-

tional purposes.

We chose OMICRON because of their

reputation for making the best test sets for

testing protection and measuring devices

and the fact that their equipment is widely

used and well established in Africa. The

CMC 256plus was delivered in April 2014

complete with the Test Universe Software

package, the GOOSE module and the

EnerLyzer recorder software. In order to be

trained to operate the CMC 256plus for test-

The parcel with the CMC 256plus being received at KGRTC.

The test device is connected and ready for use.

ing protection devices, two of our electri-

cal lecturers also attended the OMICRON

Basic Protection Testing training course in

Johannesburg, South Africa.

The CMC 256plus proved successful when

used for the practical training sessions

testing ABB IEDs ranging from transformer

differential protection to line distance

protection. The injections from the test set

were performed for different configurations

and settings in the IEDs under the guidance

of Patrick Cost, a Protection Trainer and

Application Specialist from ABB.

It’s all connected

The participants in the first training pro-

gram were KGRTC lecturers and protec-

tion engineers from ZESCO (Zambia),

the Swaziland Electricity Company and

the Uganda Electricity Transmission

Company Limited and from ABB, Uganda.

The CMC 256plus was also used for the

Transmission System Design Maintenance

and Protection (TSDMP) course which was

designed for engineers from the Rwanda

Energy Group (REG).


The test device is connected and ready for use.

Application 15

The Kafue River is one of the longest rivers in Zambia.

The practical training programs for testing

protection devices that are being conduct-

ed using the CMC 256plus, are providing

up to date knowledge and skills to protec-

tion engineers from Zambia, the region

and beyond. When commenting on the

Generator Protection component of the

ABB program one delegate remarked that

“It’s a good program and I would advise

management to continue making such ar-

rangements because technology is chang-

ing every day and there is a need to remain

up-to-date.” Clement Twenda from ZESCO

added “The program should be conducted

at regular intervals”

Eng. Mpezilwe Simukoko

Electrical engineering lecturer in KGRTC

KGRTC

The Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre is located in

Namalundu 100 km / 62,14 miles south of Lusaka, in the

vicinity of one of Zambia’s largest hydropower stations –

Kafue Gorge Power Station. The Training Centre was

established in 1989 by the Southern Africa Development

Community (SADC) to offer specialized training in hydro-

power and related engineering disciplines. There are now

over 3 000 course participants from various African utilities

who have attended courses at KGRTC.

Lusaka

Kafue


Swansea

Newport

Plymouth

Penzance

Bristol

Westbury

London

Heathrow

Reading

Oxford

Guildford

GatwickAirport

Southampton Central

Portsmouth Harbour


16 Application

For a safe journey in the future Network Rail’s approach for protection scheme testing of the Great Western protection system


Swansea

Newport

Plymouth

Penzance

Bristol

Westbury

London

Heathrow

Reading

Oxford

Guildford

GatwickAirport

Southampton Central

Portsmouth Harbour


Application 17

In collaboration with the Department

for Transport, train companies and

other stakeholders, Network Rail, the

owner and operator of most of the rail

infrastructure in England, Scotland and

Wales, aims to electrify key railway

routes to provide a faster, quieter, more

reliable and environment-friendly trans-

port system. By electrifying the Great

Western route, one of Britain’s busiest

railroads, over 50 substations will either

be built or renewed.

For the first time, Network Rail will operate these

substations with a new supply scheme called the

Rationalized Autotransformer System (RATS). The

manifold new approaches associated with this

scheme called for early trial testing, as well as an

innovative approach for testing the protection system.

Learn more about the trial tests, the protection

concept, and how the challenges of testing such a

system were tackled with RelaySimTest.


ATFS ATS SATSWillow Park Astley Ordsall Lane


18 Application

What does the test environment look like?

The smallest possible electrical section that can test and de-

velop the protection scheme consists of a feeder station, one

autotransformer site, two catenaries and two feeder lines. Each

line is primarily protected by a single phase, distance protec-

tion relay. Using GOOSE messages, all relays have to commu-

nicate over an Ethernet network with a Sequence Controller

containing the protection and restoration scheme.

What was novel about the testing approach?

A well-known and established method for fulfilling the

testing requirements is running time synchronized steady-

state sequences on each test set. In this case RelaySimTest

(software for simulation-based and distributed protection

testing) was also used. Furthermore, CMC test sets and

two DANEO 400 units (hybrid signal analyzer for power

utility automation systems) were used. A special version

of RelaySimTest was developed to simulate a 25-0-25 kV

autotransformer electrical traction system in order to sup-

port Network Rail in the trial testing.

The distributed test sets can be controlled either by a

direct network connection or via an ordinary internet con-

nection. When the RATS protection scheme was tested

it was possible to configure free ports on the substation

network to control the test sets with just one PC.

Using a power system simulation and having the ability to

control multiple test sets synchronously are both separate

innovative features. Combined they create an innovative

solution that really shines for challenging cases such as

testing the RATS automation scheme. Compared with

steady-state sequences that have to be designed for every

The test set is completely wired-up by the technical team and awaits execution with RelaySimTest.

The test environment consists of three stations: the Autotransformer Feeder Station (ATFS) with circuit breakers on each line, the Autotransformer Station (ATS) which is only connected via load breaker switches, and the Section Autotransformer Station (SATS) equipped with circuit breakers.

How does the RATS protection scheme basically work?

As soon as a fault occurs, all of the circuit breakers in the feed-

er station trip. Then the automation element disconnects the

faulty equipment, having assessed the fault location by using

the distance zones and current directions detected during the

fault. Finally, the circuit breakers in the feeder station that are

not feeding the fault, close. All substations in one section com-

municate via GOOSE messages over an extended IEC 61850

station bus in order to provide sufficient data to isolate faulty

feeders automatically and restore healthy feeders.



News 19

New SCADA IEC 61850 interface and optimized usability

News

ISIO 200’s enhanced functionalities

With its new IEC 61850 server, ISIO 200, the versatile binary I/O

terminal for Substation Automation Systems, offers extended func-

tionalities. It now communicates with an IEC 61850 SCADA system.

The server maps the binary inputs and outputs to attributes in

the IEC 61850 data model. Changes to the binary inputs trigger

IEC 61850 reports and GOOSE messages. The binary outputs can

be controlled by subscribed GOOSEs and by control services. You

can select one of the four models being offered (general-purpose

I/O interface, CB interface, overcurrent relay interface, and telepro-

tection interface).

The redesigned web interface with its new look and feel for an

optimized operating experience fully supports mobile devices with

small screens, e.g. smartphones.

www.omicron.at/isio200

RelaySimTest

> Application-oriented testing of protection

systems independent of relay type and

manufacturer

> Distributed testing made easy by control-

ling multiple CMCs from one PC via any

Internet access

> Testing of advanced relay functions such as

power swings, transient ground faults, ca-

pacitive line phenomena, complex telepro-

tection and adaptive protection schemes

> Simulation of CT saturation and the ability

to import CT Analyzer reports

> Applicable for testing protection systems

for railroad networks.

www.omicron.at/relaysimtest

relay of each test case, a simulation based approach

can scale up to an unlimited number of relays for all

probable test cases and levels of complexity.

How did the team test the communication?

Another aspect of the RATS protection system is the

communication between the relays distributed over

substations and the Sequence Controller. Similar to

the system that will be installed in the Great Western

Route Modernization, each device communicated via

two redundant networks to make the protection sys-

tem highly fail-safe during the trial test network. By us-

ing two GPS-synchronized DANEO 400s that recorded

all of the messages on the communication network,

the technical team was able to prove that network

latency is not an issue for the scheme.


www.omicron.at/isio200


20 Application20 Application

Since its market launch in 2013 customers all over the world have

started to use CIBANO 500 to test their circuit breakers (CBs).

So have EB Elektro AS in Hokksund, Norway. During a mainte-

nance job for one of their customers they found a severe failure

in a CB before any further damage could occur. For EB Elektro AS

CIBANO 500 has once again proven its benefits.

Nordic testingReliable and comprehensive troubleshooting for circuit breakers

Application

EB Elektro AS is a leading Scandinavian com-

pany for developing, producing and install-

ing high-voltage devices. Odd Tangen works

as a service engineer in the service section of

CB installation, commissioning and main-

tenance. In 2012 he saw the necessity for

a new CB testing instrument. He started to

research the market. “In 2013 I heard about

the new concept of CIBANO 500, I became

curious and asked for a product demonstra-

tion,“ Odd Tangen remembers. “It turned

out that the overall concept of CIBANO 500

did a good job of meeting my expectations.“

So he ordered the device. “This was a good

decision on my part as CB testing became so

much easier,“ Odd Tangen confirms.



21

Current condition as a first step

In September 2014 Odd Tangen and his

team were asked by a Norwegian customer

to suggest a maintenance plan for 11 of

their 362 kV, live-tank SF6 CBs. With almost

30 years of practical experience in the

field, Odd Tangen didn’t want to begin

maintenance procedures with a cost-

intensive major overhaul of the breakers

that was only based on their long service

life. “For me it was more cost-effective to

assess their current condition first. So I

recommended carrying out a condition

monitoring,“ he explains his decision. “If

we would find any failures, major overhaul

actions could be taken afterwards.“

EB Elektro AS

EB Elektro AS is a manufacturer

of high-voltage devices such as

disconnectors, earthing switches

and motor operating devices.

A part of their service portfolio is

the installation/refurbishment,

commissioning and mainte-

nance of circuit breakers. The

head office and production faci-

lities are in Hokksund, Norway.

www.eb-elektro.no

Bad measurement results

As requested by the customer, condition

monitoring was done based on visual

inspections and measurements only. No

cost-intensive disassembly should be

undertaken. The visual inspections showed

nothing unusual.

Measurements with CIBANO 500 were

done next. Together with the main

contact module CB MC2 for the dynamic

contact resistance test and the transducer

node CB TN3 for the motion/contact

travel test all measurements were able to

be executed without rewiring between

the tests.


www.eb-elektro.no


22 Application

Fig. 3: Dynamic resistance measurement after repair.

Fig. 2: Dynamic resistance measurement shows failure in blue phase.

Fig. 1: Timing measurement during a close operation shows failure in blue phase.

The timing measurement already showed abnormal

timing in one phase of a CB during a close operation

and Odd Tangen and his team became suspicious

(Fig. 1.). They received further unusual results dur-

ing the static and dynamic resistance measurements

(Fig. 2). The C, O, and CO operation showed closing

times that changed in the same phase.

Gas analysis confi rms measurements

After the measurements with CIBANO 500 an SF6 gas

analysis was done. Diff erent parameters including

dew point, gas volume, SO2 level, and gas pressure

were tested. The results of the gas analysis were really

bad. Especially the SO2 content was abnormally high.

“The gas literally stank,“ remembers Odd Tangen. “This

was additional proof that something was defi nitely

wrong with one phase.“ The next step was to take the

CB out of operation and replace it with a spare unit.

“It took us four days.“ The defective CB was brought

into a workshop where it was dismantled. Soon the

reason for the failure was found. “A fl ashover in the

main contact carrier due to loose parts was detected,“

Odd Tangen explains.

Flashover in the main contact carrier due to loose parts.

“The reference measurements after the repair

confi rmed that the CB worked properly,“ says Odd

Tangen (Fig.3). And he continues: “With CIBANO 500

we can do cost-eff ective condition monitoring and

begin comparably expensive overhauls only when

necessary – that’s exactly what our customers expect.“

Valuable partner

Since his fi rst practical experiences with CIBANO 500 in

2014 Odd Tangen has been in close cooperation with

OMICRON’s development team. He is always giving the

team his valuable feedback for product enhancements.

“What I personally like most about CIBANO 500 is the

fact that the instrument can measure contact timing,

travel, static and dynamic contact resistance, coil cur-

rent, minimum pick up and undervoltage condition

with the same wiring setup,“ summarizes Odd Tangen.

“This helps me to save a lot of time during my daily

work, because I don’t need to change the wiring sev-

eral times as with other test systems,“ he adds. “Anoth-

er great feature is the built-in power supply, because

it gives me independence from a station battery.“


Application 23

OM: What was your fi rst impression of CIBANO 500

during the product presentation you saw in 2013?

Odd Tangen: Right from the start I saw the advantages

of its general design and features which off er several

benefi ts compared with other instruments.

Can you give me a rough estimate of the num-

ber of tests you have already carried out with

CIBANO 500?

So far I have tested about 150 customer CBs in total on

site ranging from 12 to 420 kV. In addition I have done

quite a lot of tests in the EB Elektro workshop and with

customers during the development of diff erent trans-

ducer applications. These were also several hundred

measurements.

What would you say is the best thing for you about

using CIBANO 500?

One big inconvenience while testing with other CB

test systems are the time-consuming and failure-prone

wiring setups which sometimes need to be changed

several times between the diff erent measurements. So

with CIBANO 500 OMICRON’s developers made sure

to cut down the wiring eff ort to a minimum, which

greatly reduces the testing time and probability of

measuring errors. I especially like this aspect of it very

much, because it pays off every day of my working life.

Can you somehow quantify the time-saving you

have achieved by using CIBANO 500?

In order to respond to this correctly, I need to split up

the answer. For the smaller breakers from 12 to 24 kV

you can save 20 to 30 % of time. Normally these break-

ers are easily accessible and the wiring is no problem.

In general you have a CB with ganged pole operation

and only need to measure one motion. When you

have three phases with one interrupter per phase you

can do all your measurements in one turn: timing,

travel, DRM, static contact resistance, coil current and

motor current.

However, when you start testing bigger CBs you really

save a lot of time. If you have a CB type with indepen-

dent pole operation, for example, you need to mea-

sure two interrupters per phase, three motions and

three dampings in the drive mechanism. This means six

travel parameters, three trip plus three close coil cur-

rents, three motors of driving mechanisms and DRM in

six interrupters. For such a use case you need to use a

mobile personnel lift in order to connect your hard-

ware and cables. This is really time consuming. With

CIBANO 500 you only need to do the wiring once. You

connect to all three phases, you do all your tests and

you remove the wiring again. With other equipment

you need to do the wiring twice or even three times.

I would say you save 50 % of your time when you use

CIBANO 500 in such a case.

Are there any general trends you see in circuit

breaker testing?

Looking into the future I am sure that we will see more

and more cost-eff ective maintenance based on condi-

tion monitoring as customers become more and more

critical of time-based maintenance.

Odd Tangen

Service engineer for EB Elektro AS, Norway

Inte

rvie

w

«Thanks to CIBANO 500, the wiring eff ort is cut down

to a minimum, which greatly reduces the testing

time and probability of measuring errors.»




24 Background

venient time, such as during the commis-

sioning of equipment, then costly delays

will quickly occur. To maintain flexibility

in such cases, we immediately provide

replacement equipment, without red tape

whenever possible. One customer state-

ment from the 2013 study sums it up: “It

is simply an uncomplicated relationship;

minimal bureaucracy and quick responses.

Regardless of whether it concerns loan

units, telephone support, replacement

equipment or on-site personnel working

on a difficult or new measurement. The

response from OMICRON is always excel-

lent.“ Our products provide more than just

reliable quality. Calibrations and case-by-

case, out-of-warranty repairs, for example,

are handled fairly and in accordance with

the customer's wishes.

Strengthen and tailor our

customer relations

Every customer is an individual and wants

to be treated as such. Therefore, they not

only receive around the clock technical

support from a qualified technician who

competently addresses their problems

and questions, but also a representative

who is always friendly, communicative and

Background

What can we do for you?

Relationships are part of our everyday lives. For example, we have

relationships with our spouses, parents or colleagues. Fundamen-

tal aspects such as respect, helpfulness, appreciation and trust

form the foundation of these successful and strong connections.

We also want to incorporate these values in our professional rela-

tionships. At OMICRON, we have been maintaining close relation-

ships with our customers since the very beginning, putting their

satisfaction at the center of our operations. Our customers are

confident in our ability to fulfill their future needs in the best

possible way. But what exactly do we do for them?

First class customer support means listening – and understanding

Understand their needs

Before we can offer truly enthusiastic sup-

port to our customers, we must understand

their needs and desires. In order to do so,

we not only rely on our experiences and

direct feedback from personal contacts, but

have also repeatedly conducted customer

satisfaction surveys in various regions since

the year 2000. The results of these analyses

are critical in helping us illuminate the

areas with which our customers are satis-

fied and those which we need to improve.

These surveys reveal some very interest-

ing cases; in cases involving repairs, the

overwhelming majority of responses clearly

show a demand for simple customer sup-

port that responds quickly to their needs.

On the other hand, responses regarding

shipping delays, such as those caused by

customs, were found to be remarkably

tolerant. Our logical operational response;

reduce repair times as much as possible

instead of investing unnecessary amounts

of energy and money in accelerating the

shipping process.

Even if our customers can fully rely on

the quality of our equipment, occasional

unexpected problems and defaults are

unavoidable. If this happens at an incon-



Background 25

Michael Jäger, Technical Support

«Our international team responds to over

1 000 support questions each month — around-the-clock, seven days a week. We answer the general questions customers have about products and how to use them, or support customers during a test both via telephone and on site.»

enthusiastic. We take the time necessary

for each request and communicate on an

equal footing. A customer from Switzer-

land lets us know, for example, that we are

on the right path and praised our “familiar

feeling“. Moreover, he values our “mutual

technical interest, not just a sales interest;

OMICRON takes you seriously. They quickly

deal with your problems, whether they

involve technical support, information or

offers. You get a response in the shortest

amount of time and their closeness to

customers is remarkable.“

As a company present around the world,

it's not just about ensuring the availability

of our support across all timezones, but

also about taking cultural differences and

characteristics into consideration. A nod of

the head, for example, is understood as an

affirming “yes“ in most countries around

the world. Not so in India; here people

move their head back and forth to politely

affirm something or show that they are

listening attentively. Therefore, our support

and sales teams are trained to understand

and consider the unique qualities and be-

haviors of various cultures. This promotes

smooth cooperation and makes strong Our Technical Support team is dedicated to providing professional customer service. We handle service and warranty cases quickly and efficiently.


26 Background

Between 2012 and 2014 we carried out a comprehensive customer satisfac-tion survey in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the United States.

Customer satisfaction survey

Over 1 500 people took part in it.

More than 100 of the surveys took the form of qualitative interviews.

95% of participating customers indicated overall that they are satisfied to very satisfied with OMICRON.

The majority of those questioned rate

the availability of our Technical Support

the time it takes us to respond to queries

and the technical expertise of

the support teams

as significantly better than or at least equal to those of the competitors.

Do you need assistance or want to provide feedback?

Europe / the Middle East / Africa [email protected]

Asia-Pacific

[email protected]

Europe / the Middle East / Africa

+43 59495 4444Asia-Pacific

+852 3767 5500

North and Latin America

+1 713 830 4660 or +1 800 OMICRON

North and Latin America

[email protected] or

[email protected]

business relationships possible. It is almost

a given that our software, manuals and

training videos are available in multiple

languages. Is your language missing?

We are staying on the ball, for example we

are adding Korean to our four other Asian

languages for our Test Universe verification

software.

Staying up-to-date, even in the future

The constant maintenance of our products

and the development of new solutions

enable customers to rely on the sustainabil-

ity and the secured future of their invest-

ments. We channel more than 15 % of

our total sales into research and develop-

ment so that tomorrow we can offer more

innovative and user-friendly solutions to

the increasing complexity in the field of

energy technology. Therefore, we not only

meticulously work “quietly behind closed

doors,“ but maintain a running dialogue

with our customers, experts, renowned

research institutions and universities. The

ideas are then incorporated, for example,

into free software updates or are provided

in the form of application notes, papers,

and technical contributions in the custom-

er area and on our user forum. In addition,

customers have access to free webinars

that introduce them to the basics of using

their product.

This is only a small selection of our activi-

ties, which help us keep in touch with our

customers and maintain a long-term and

successful relationship. We are convinced

that the quality of our business relations

is especially evident after purchases

have been made. And, of course, we are

delighted to receive particularly satisfying

testimonials from customers: “With respect

to support, OMICRON has, in my opinion,

set the standard in the industry.“

Thank you very much for your service!



Region

End to End Testing in Egypt

The utility granted approval for a shut-

down of a maximum of three hours to

complete the whole test. Two of our

technical experts were located in substa-

tions 6 km apart. Sameh Eldmrdash led the

operation with support from Ahmed El

Hamaky.

The test utilized two OMICRON CMC units

(lent to us by our customers in Egypt), two

CMGPS 588 units, an internet connection

and the RelaySimTest software licences.

RelaySimTest in operation

Cable voltage level 66 kV

Cable length 6 km (Madinaty – Shorouk1)

Protection 2 x Siemens 7SD522 line diff erential

protection

CMCs used 2 x CMC 356 NET1-B (one at each side)

Accessories 2 x CMGPS 588 (one at each side)

Internet Access 2 x UMTS (one at each side)

Line Shutdown Period 9.00 am until 4.00 pm (actual working

time was 1.30 pm to 4.00 pm)

Sameh discussing the results (protection panel, containing the relays, in the background).

Ahmed & Sameh adjusting the CMGPS 588.

Ahmed gives remote access to Sameh.

The engineers completed the test in good

time with satisfactory results for the line

diff erential relays

(Siemens 7SD522).

A full report

with an Arabic

introduction was

circulated to all

of the protection

heads in the

Egyptian Ministry

of Electricity.

The CMC at Ahmed’s loca-tion is connected to the relay.

Region 27

1

Line differential protectionCreation date / last modified:

Executed by:

Comment: Real test with RelaySimTest for line differential protection SIEMENS 7SD522

between Madinaty and Shorouk 1 - 66KVاستخدام برنامج المحاكاه الجديد انتاج شركه أوميكرون و المسميRelaySimTestو باستخدام تكنولوجيا ال جي بي اس لتنفيذ االختبار بالتزامن عن طريق الحقن من نهايتي الكابل في وقت واحد

اختبار الوقايه التفاضليه علي الكابل الواصل بين محطتي مدينتي و الشروق 1 جهد 66 ك فتاريخ االختبار: الخميس الموافق 14 مايو 2015 بحضور الساده مهندسي الوقايه والصيانه من منطقة القاهره

جهاز الفحصو كذلك ممثلي معهد تدريب الجنوب بحلوان و وكيل مبيعات أوميكرون في مصر شركه صحاري جروب2 x CMC 3562 x CMGPS 588

جهاز الوقايهSIEMENS 7SD522…

Created by:Execution date:

Executed:Issues:

Passed:Failed:Overall assessment: Passed

2015-05-20 09:38:50OMICRON Tester2015-05-14 17:02:50Sameh Eldmrdash8

080

of 8

مدينتي

Substation address: Shorouk 1مدخل 2

Bay address:CT 11,2000 kA : 1,0000 AEquipment

Direction towards:VT 1

66,000 kV : 100,00 VEquipmentLocation at:

Circuit breaker

3-pole50,000 ms100,00 ms

Breaker type:Trip time:

Close time:

We were given an opportunity in Cairo which provided us

with the challenge of conducting an End-to-End test using

RelaySimTest during a brief shutdown of a 66 kV power line

between two substations.


28 Application

What’s on Trade shows and conferences

For a complete list of OMICRON Events,

go to www.omicron.at/events

December

Electricx

Cairo | Egypt

06 December – 08 December 2015

www.electricxegypt.com

November

GCC Power

Jeddah | Saudi Arabia

02 November – 05 November 2015

5th Iran International Electricity

Exhibition (IEE)

Tehran | Iran

08 November – 11 November 2015


omicron insert - technical review middle east 6 2015

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