| Power plant products
‘Revolutionary’ cable wrap technology approved by SSEN
Following the successful use of McGowan Group’s patented Eco Cable Protect cable wrapping system by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) on a significant recent cabling project, the method has been officially approved for use on future projects by the electricity transmission and distribution major. Deployed at SSEN’s Burn of Whilk Cable Remediation Project, the Eco Cable Protect cable wrapping system – which applies an extruded high density polyethylene mesh wrap to power cables, said to completely eliminate the need for fine fill to surround underground cables – delivered dramatically reduced project costs and a huge 85% reduction in CO2
emissions
compared to using traditional fine fill surround. In its original design SSEN’s installation of 21 km of 33 kV circuit using cable in a trefoil cross section carried over predominantly virgin ground, including very deep peat, required the provision of a fine fill sand surround to the cable. The cable wrapping system that superseded it works seamlessly with traditional open cut methods or with the more environmentally friendly, trenchless cable burial methods.
Using traditional fine fill surround would have generated an estimated 244 tonnes of CO2e with over 13 500 tonnes of fine fill required, equating to well over 700 HGV tipper movements, 21km of temporary roads required and multiple large excavators and dumpers operating continuously to distribute the fine fill.
Sensor that enables engineers to prioritise arc flash safety
Fluke, a technology company specialising in electronic test and measurement tools, has introduced what it believes to be a cutting-edge range of thermal imaging and wireless testing tools aimed at prioritising arc flash safety for engineers. These innovative tools can enhance electrical worker safety, and are said to reduce work time in hazardous arc flash zones by up to 50%. With temperatures in arc flash incidents getting as high as 19 000°C, these tools allow engineers to make system measurements without direct contact.
Arc flash is a serious safety issue. It is capable of igniting an operator’s clothing and burning the skin of anyone within a few feet. It can also melt metal, cause lung and eyesight damage and lead to hospitalisation, even death.
Fluke’s PQ400 electrical measurement window, is permanently installed into cabinets with voltage and current connections made inside the panel. It gives workers access to critical power quality and energy data while decreasing testing time and maintaining a high level of safety. Users can plug their power quality tools directly into the EMW to collect all the data that’s needed. The EMW also enables logging and monitoring to be done at any time, without disrupting operations, while measurement efficiency is increased.
A second product – Fluke’s CV400 ClirVu 4in window – is a permanent infra-red window that provides a view of what’s on the other side of a panel without workers being exposed to live voltage. It offers the most visibility into a panel for a thermal camera, simplifying the inspection process by allowing measurements to be taken
without having to open a cabinet. Fluke’s TiS75+ thermal camera enables operators to capture and measure heat energy emanating from a source without having to make physical contact and before a breakdown. It offers one-handed image capture, review and save facilities, and helps operators to keep a safe distance from an arc flash boundary and allows them to compare thermal scans over time using the Fluke Connect app.
A fourth product – the Fluke 376 FC clamp meter – makes it possible to set up measurements and transmit the data from inside the arc flash boundary, meaning someone within 20m of the equipment is able to open the Fluke Connect app and read the figures from outside the boundary. As well as reducing the time technicians spend in the arc flash boundary, the clamp meter helps them to log, trend and monitor measurements remotely so they can pinpoint intermittent faults. Finally, the Fluke 3000FC digital multimeter is a flexible DMM allowing users to read results through the Fluke Connect app, outside the arc flash boundary.
www.modernpowersystems.com | November/December 2023 | 45
In contrast, the manufacture, delivery to site and application of the cable wrap system generated only 37 tonnes of CO2e, with the wrap applied by a single machine similar in size to a 3 ton mini excavator and one operator and no requirement for temporary roads. By opting for this cable wrapping system, emissions at Burn of Whilk were reduced by 207 tonnes of CO2e, or 85% .
Following this success, the system was deployed for the installation of over 60 km of 33 kV high voltage underground cable consisting of three circuits in trefoil for SSEN
Distribution at Moy, as part a £7.2m project to deliver cabling across Inverness and Caithness. As a new technology in the UK market, the product has been closely monitored to ensure it meets strict performance criteria. With over 80 km of cable installed to date, not only have CO2e emissions on these projects been reduced by hundreds of tonnes and cost savings in the millions of pounds, there have been no in-service cable faults, the cable wrap has had no negative impact on cable performance, and sheath faults have been almost entirely eliminated.
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