ABB's UniPack compact substation will enable the Cape Peninsula University of Technology to improve monitoring of its electrical network and provide real-time training platform for electrical engineering students.

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, is supplying a R1,2 million UniPack Compact Substation to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology's chemical engineering building. The compact substation will help to improve monitoring of its electrical network and will offer a real-time training platform for criticalelectrical engineering skills. The order was booked in May 2016 and delivery is expected in November 2016.

The new UniPack Compact Substation, the first supplied by ABB in South Africa, is a special type of mini substation that facilitates viewing and analysis of electrical signals fed to a control room computer screen known as a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU).

Installation of the new substation is part of the current CPUT project for refurbishment of the Bellville campus electrical reticulation network with new switchgear and new protective relays compatible with the IEC61850 standard technology. This project was initiated to implement the research outcomes achieved by the postgraduate students at the Centre for Substation Automationand Energy Management Systems.

An important consideration for the customer in the implementation of ABB’s UniPack compact substationwas compliance with IEC 61850 and compatibility for intelligent electronic devices (IEDs). ABB’s substation automation products and systems are fully compliant with the IEC 61850 standard. This open protocol covers all communication issues inside the substation, assures interoperability between the functions existing inside the substation, supports all types of architectures used, reduces operating costs and safe-guards investments. ABB has delivered numerous IEC 61850 based substation automation systemsworldwide.Page 2 of 3

ABB’s products interoperate with other IEC 61850-compliant intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), tools and systems. They are able to handle comprehensive communication tasks, for example GOOSE (Generic Object Oriented Substation Event) messaging for horizontal communication. ABB’s 670 series protection and control IEDs provide versatile functionality, as well as maximum flexibility and performance to meet the highest requirements of any application in generation, transmission and sub-transmission protection systems.

"The compact substation together with its automation system will assist the university to monitor its electrical network status, equipment such as closed circuit breakers, open circuit breakers as well as protection trip history and electrical fault location," says Manie Jooste, Product Group Manager, Secondary Switchgear & Modular Systems, Electrification Products.
"Another major benefit for the university is that the Electrical Engineering students, can now observe real-time substation statuses and conditions to assist in their training and applying of theory to practice,” says Jooste.

ABB's scope of supply of electrical equipment for the compact substation includes medium voltage switchgear (Ring Main Unit SafeRing 12kV) together with a SCADA (Supervisory control and data acquisition) interface, fuse-switch disconnectors, low-voltage switchboard, 1MVA distribution transformer including cables and cable accessories. "This system is also beneficial for municipalities where they can monitor their compact substations that could be located in remote areas," says Jooste. "One central control room allows an overview of the full electrical system.”

Jooste explains that municipal electrical utilities will be able to dispatch technicians directly to a substation where an electrical fault has occurred. "It is more efficient than driving along the distribution network to try and determine the location of the fault," says Jooste. “In remote areas it is safer for personnel and reduces down time to the end users.”

"Through this system you have the full visibility and status of the electrical network atyour fingertips," says Jooste. ABB’s Electrification Products division offers a full range of low-and medium-voltage solutions to connect, protect, control and measure a wide range of electrical systems for all major industries, including the residential sector. The business improves the reliability and efficiency of electrical installations through modular substation packages, distribution automation products, switchgear, circuit breakers, measuring Page 3 of 3 and sensing devices, control products, wiring accessories, enclosures and cabling systems, including KNX systems designed to integrate and automate a building's lighting, ventilation, heating, and security and data communication networks.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. Continuing more than a 125-year history of innovation, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization and driving the Energy and Fourth Industrial Revolutions. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 135,000 employees.
www.abb.com