Protecting signalling
he £2.7m contract is the largest single order ever won by Bender UK, for the supply of more than 400 integrated protection systems to monitor and protect railway electrical systems and equipment.
power systems T
Network Rail has specifi ed Bender UK to deliver intelligent monitoring of signalling power supplies in a contract worth £2.7m, explains marketing manager Lisa Hudson.
RS3 units are normally supplied in a self- contained cabinet, tested and ready for easy ‘plug and play’ installation and commissioning alongside existing power infrastructure systems up to AC650V.
The Rail Signalling (RS3) integrated insulation monitoring and earth fault location equipment has been developed by Bender for relay rooms and line-side locations. It is based on proven technology previously supplied to Network Rail, but the improved new generation product has enhanced reliability and is simpler to install and commission. It also incorporates GSM- enabled data loggers equipped for real time direct communication with the rail system’s Intelligent Infrastructure for
immediate
notifi cation of insulation faults identifi ed by the system.
The RS3 system’s ability to identify the location of the fault means maintenance teams can respond more rapidly, enhancing safety and reducing downtime costs.
Faults in the power system can arise from a variety of causes, such as damaged cables, faulty connections, breaks in insulation and rodent damage. Where these faults lead to earth leakage from the power supply, they are immediately detected by the equipment. More recently, the rail
network’s power
infrastructure has been targeted for cable theft and these incidents will also be identifi ed.
The RS3 system continually monitors insulation values to show the real-time status of the power system. When the insulation value (IR) drops, the system records the fault and the Bender units put a test current signal or pulse into the system, which is pulled to earth at the point where fault exists.
Maintenance teams are guided to the area of the power system that has the fault and a portable Bender device is used to pinpoint the location by monitoring the pulse on the trackside cable.
Network Rail suffers signifi cant fi nancial penalties for signal failures that impact on the uptime/downtime of the infrastructure, so the time taken to respond and fi x the fault is crucial.
The RS3 can also be supplied on a chassis plate for third party switchboard installation.
Bender has developed a portable RS-PELI unit, which can be used trackside to measure and analyse a specifi c section of the power network to prioritise installation programmes.
It is self-powered through connection to the trackside signal electrical network and delivers live monitoring of the system status to immediately indicate if there is an earth fault and the status of the insulation. The portable unit can also be used to provide independent verifi cation of the RS system performance.
Bender UK managing director Steve Mason explained: “Our equipment enables customers to plan their intervention around their business needs – intelligent monitoring to deliver intelligent maintenance.
“RS3 continually checks the health of the power system, and immediately notifi es the Intelligent Infrastructure via the GSM capability if that status changes, indicating a fault or a problem in the making. The customer can address the fault immediately or plan maintenance intervention.
“Bender UK’s fi eld trials to prove the effectiveness of the RS3 system in one case led the maintenance team to a trackside cable which was glowing hot because of an earth fault that could have resulted in serious disruption to the network.”
The RS3 intelligent insulation and earth fault monitoring system is part of the Bender UK range of rail system protection products that includes monitoring of rail switch points, heating units and motors, and control voltage network monitoring for railway crossings.
W:
www.bender-uk.com/contact FOR MORE INFORMATION
rail technology magazine Apr/May 13 | 149 STAND: F57
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