BSEE
With growing demand for energy eciency and sustainability, companies are looking to facility managers to provide input and leadership on ways to improve their building systems. BSEE asked Sean Massey, Product Markeng Manager at ABB, to explain how new circuit breaker technology can help save costs and improve power distribuon in commercial and industrial buildings
income with the adoption of smart technology.
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What are the top priorities for facilities managers?
In general, operators have always wanted affordable and reliable power distribution equipment that is sized to supply their loads and is compact enough to fit snugly in the allocated space.
However, priorities are changing. Operators today can view energy as a tool to earn revenue or minimise bills.
For example, one facilities manager may want remote control and communication capabilities so that they can participate in a Demand Side Response (DSR) scheme. Alternatively, they may want to switch off loads to avoid penalty tariffs that are applied when exceeding the amount of power agreed to in their utility contract. Another operator might want to get the most out of the energy generated on-site. In contrast, operators that sublet units inside the site would most likely prefer accurate sub-metering of each feed. Whatever their needs, the latest moulded case circuit-breaker (MCCB) technology can assist.
What’s different about today’s MCCB technology?
Conventional MCCBs are
straightforward devices that provide circuit protection in low-voltage distribution systems in commercial or industrial buildings.
The latest generation MCCBs, such as ABB’s Tmax XT, has improved on these with a reduction in size. They
and can provide up to 1600 A in a smaller footprint than ever before. Panels can, therefore, be smaller, allowing for the control of more circuits in an existing envelope. These simple, yet affordable, MCCBs are best suited to facilities managers who want to persist with established technology that works with existing infrastructure. However, operators can choose to add extra capabilities to support greater energy efficiency and automation.
What are the new features of the latest range of MCCBs?
Advanced functionality requires both accurate metering and communication. This combination unlocks the potential to integrate with SCADA or building management systems. Remote monitoring via the web on a computer, tablet, or even a smartphone, is also possible. It’s also helpful for sub-metering for tenants of individual units, as it becomes possible to download consumption and billing data remotely, eliminating the need for a meter reader.
An important new feature embedded in new-gen MCCBs, therefore, is the ability to measure current and voltage to an accuracy of less than one percent. They can also monitor frequency, power, and energy based on the latest digital metering, which eliminates the need for external instruments.
In terms of communication, an MCCB must be able to integrate seamlessly with an operator’s overall facility. This means a device needs to offer compatibility with
communication protocols such as Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP, Profibus, Profinet, DeviceNet, and EtherNet/IP. It also needs to be compatible with IEC 61850, the smart grid communication standard that is gaining wide acceptance in medium-voltage systems.
What other advanced functions are possible?
Once the communication and metering protocols are in place, the advanced functions come into their own. It’s possible to add decision- making capabilities to trigger advanced functions that can reduce energy consumption or protect generators.
By combining a network analyser and data logger functions, for instance, facilities managers can access the data to identify the root cause of problems. This can then be used to feed into a preventive maintenance program. Circuit breakers equipped with measurement, network analyser, power protection, and a power controller, hold other advantages. By combining these, an operator can maintain the balance of supply and demand in a self-sufficient grid-edge facility, for example, by switching to island mode if there is a grid disturbance.
MCCBs can also provide electrical protection for back-up generators and other rotating equipment. This can be susceptible to damage from voltage surges or sags. Previously, operators had to implement sophisticated controls such as dedicated relays and wiring, to ensure safe shutdown in the event of a disturbance. The latest MCCBs, however, can be ordered with a trip unit that is programmed to provide dedicated protection. It’s also possible to integrate advanced protection and control for specific applications. A circuit breaker that controls the flow of power from solar photovoltaic panels or a wind turbine, for example, can integrate diagnostics, advanced measurement and act as an interface for a grid connection.
How can MCCBs reduce energy bills?
Power management – the technique of automatically switching off low priority loads to keep a site’s overall
24 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER APRIL 2020
energy consumption below a maximum threshold – is another advanced function that is now possible with the latest MCCBs. The technique has huge potential to help facilities managers guarantee that energy consumption never exceed the Half Hourly (HH) consumption in their utility contract. This became a major priority in 2018, when Ofgem introduced the DCP161 legislation. This enabled utilities to charge penalty tariffs of up to three times the standard energy price when a customer’s demand exceeds their HH level. As a result, building operators are keen to avoid penalty tariffs by deploying controllers to cap consumption. Traditionally, power management has required dedicated load control devices for each load. However, this can be complex and costly to engineer and maintain, even if it is possible to switch of HVAC or other services temporarily with little or no impact on building occupants. The latest generation of MCCBs is capable of providing power management with no need for a system of load control devices. The circuit breaker’s controller can be loaded with software that monitors consumption and then switches off low-priority loads automatically before consumption can exceed the maximum HH threshold. Once consumption drops off again, the controller brings loads back into operation. To avoid damaging sensitive equipment, the algorithm considers the minimum time that a piece of equipment must remain connected or powered down.
However, this also minimises energy consumption, meaning that operators also contribute to a more sustainable future. The range of digital capabilities built into the new- generation MCCBs can help them achieve it.
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