Network Rail trial of Siprotec protection relay

A Siemens Transportation Systems product story

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Mar 19, 2007

Network Rail approval for trial installation of innovative Siprotec overhead contact line protection relay, as part of the 25 kV Switchgear Renewals project.

Siemens Transportation Systems' (STS) Electrification team has received Network Rail approval for the trial installation of its innovative Siprotec overhead contact line protection relay, as part of the 25 kV Switchgear Renewals project.

As part of an intensive trial phase, Network Rail has given approval for use of this equipment at selected sites, designed to protect different sections of the overhead contact line.

The STS Siprotec product family is a universal standard for digital protective relay, standing for innovative and reliable protection and control, with over 160,000 units successfully in service.

Since becoming part of this Siprotec family, the digital overhead contact line protection device 7ST61/63 has been in operation over 1,700 times in rail infrastructure environments, and will now be installed for the first time in the UK, in one of STS Electrifications' current projects, increasing STS's portfolio of protection technology.

To ensure availability of the traction power supply system, the 7ST61/63 detects fast and secure short-circuits and overloads on the basis of a permanent measurement of the impedance of the overhead contact line.

The relay operates using complex numerical data processing and advanced adaptive protection algorithms, and in comparative testing demonstrates a very fast protective response time.

This new, next generation Siprotec unit will provide future clients with faster, more reliable and more flexible (according to functionality and communication protocols) relay than previous models, and reflects STS' commitment to developing ever more technically advanced protection relay.

Two versions are available, with the larger model offering a graphical interface, which clearly indicates the status of the circuit breaker (open or closed) enabling the operator to quickly assess circuit breaker status.

Besides the traditional protection function, the STS device also supports new requirements for the use of combined control and protection requirements within one solution.

Because of the device's ability to provide diagnostic data to any standard PC (local or remote), locating faults is easier and maintenance and repair times are reduced dramatically.