Two Anniversaries the Year 2016 Marks a Double Anniversary for ABB

W ABB 3 |16 review en 125 years in Switzerland 7 100 years of Corporate Research 13 Landmark achievements that changed the world 16 Looking to the future 55 The corporate technical journal

Two anniversaries The year 2016 marks a double anniversary for ABB. On the one hand, the company celebrates 125 years of its presence in Switzerland. ABB’s predecessor company, BBC, was founded in 1891. On the other hand, the year is the 100th anniversary of Corporate Research. ASEA founded its first dedicated research center in Västeras, Sweden, in 1916.

The front cover shows the stator of a 22 MVA generator supplied by ASEA for Glomfjord, Norway, in 1919. The inside cover shows the stator of a modern wind power generator being manufactured in Lingang (Shanghai), China.

2 ABB review 3|16 Contents

7 125 years and a centennial Two ABB celebrates 125 years’ existence in Switzerland and 100 years of anniversaries corporate research 13 Brainforce one 100 years of ABB’s first Corporate Research Center

16 Driving ideas Driving ideas Electric motors represent a field rich in ABB innovation

17 Digital variable speed drives

19 Softstarters

21 The leading edge of motor development

23 A direct link A direct link HVDC technology for better power transmission

24 Efficient power transfer with HVDC Light®

27 Ultrafast disconnector for hybrid HVDC circuit breaker

29 Sophisticated HVDC extruded cable technology

31 Transforming and changing Transforming Transformer insulation science and innovative tap changers for and changing high-power applications 32 Vacuum-based OLTCs

35 Fundamental research in UHVDC converter transformers

38 Microgrids Research How microgrids can cut costs, emissions and enhance reliability matters 41 Robot bio The life and times of the electrical industrial robot

45 A stirring history Sustained innovation sums up the history of ABB’s electromagnetic products

49 Sense of ore Mining 2.0 – Automation solutions for the mining industry

55 A new compact HVDC solution for offshore wind Energy focus HVDC offshore wind compact solution with half the weight and AC platforms eliminated

57 Local savings Energy storage leads the way for accessible solar in the home

62 Unlocking value in storage systems A large-scale case study of a battery/diesel grid-connected microgrid

Contents 3 Editorial Reflecting on the future

Dear Reader, It is said that the only true constant is sion of electrical energy. Electricity was no change. In probably no other field is this new invention, but recent breakthroughs had better exemplified than in technology. made it possible to transmit it economically and so bring about huge advantages affecting When seeking to understand and contex both personal lives and industrial capability. tualize the longer term dynamics and ramifi- The situation can be compared to today’s cations of change, history is often the best digital revolution. Neither the microprocessor perspective to study it from. The present nor wireless communications are genuinely digital revolution is sometimes referred to as recent inventions, but it took a perfect storm Industry 4.0 in reference to three previous of affordability combined with visionary industrial revolutions, ie, mechanization (late thinking to unleash their potential. Bazmi Husain 18th century), mass production (early 20th century), and electronics-based automation The second significant anniversary of this (late 1960s). Each of these revolutions year is the centenary of the company’s unleashed fundamental changes, not only on corporate research. In 1916, ASEA (ABB’s industry itself but also on the underlying other predecessor company and the A of our economic systems, society and even thinking. company’s name) opened its first dedicated To those who are willing to embrace them, research facility in Västeras, Sweden. The revolutions are times of opportunity opening achievements of this center include early new fields of application, many of which synthetic diamonds as well as groundbreak- could previously not have been imagined. ing contributions to automation and HVDC systems. Research centers embody ABB’s ABB has lived through the beginnings of resolve to stay ahead through excellence in three of the four great industrial revolutions, research. Today ABB employs some 8,500 and has stood out as a leader in them. For people in its R&D activities worldwide. example in 1974 the company launched the IRB-6, the first all-electric and microproces- Our look back at ABB’s history is at the same sor controlled robot. This breakthrough time a look forward at the challenges and enabled fundamental paradigm shifts in solutions ahead. I trust that in reading this different areas of manufacturing with huge issue of ABB Review you will discover repercussions for workplace safety and inspiring examples of both. productivity. Enjoy your reading! This year, ABB celebrates a double anniversary. It was 125 years ago, in 1891, that Charles Brown and Walther Boveri (the two B’s of our company’s name) founded an enterprise that was to become a predecessor Bazmi Husain of today’s ABB. They soon took a leading role Chief Technology Officer in the generation, transmission and conver- ABB Group

4 ABB review 3|16 Editorial 5 6 ABB review 3|16 125 years and a centennial

ABB celebrates 125 years’ existence in Switzerland and 100 years of corporate research

DOMINIC SIEGRIST – 2016 is a momen- ower and automation for a better ment ➔ 2; in 1897, there came the first of tous year for ABB. Not only does it worldTM” is the ABB corporate many high-voltage oil circuit break- mark 125 years since the birth of Brown motto. Even in the earliest days, ers ➔ 3; and by 1911, the company had Boveri & Cie. (BBC) Switzerland, but it P the products developed by ABB’s developed an electrically powered loco- also sees the centenary of ASEA’s main constituent companies reflected the motive that ushered in a new era of rail- corporate research organization in ethos expressed by this maxim. way electrification. In fact, locomotives Sweden. Over those years, an astound- formed a significant part of BBC’s re- ing amount of technological progress In 1883, ASEA was founded in Västerås, search and development effort right up has been made by BBC and ASEA – Sweden, by Ludvig Fredholm. ASEA’s until the end of the 19th century. both separately and together (since very first products – for electric light 1988) as ABB. There will be celebratory and generators – very much contribut- In 1905, BBC suggested to the SBB (the events around the globe and some of ed to a better world. Similarly, when, in Swiss national rail operator) that the Sim- the more important advances will be 1891, Charles Brown and Walter Boveri plon Tunnel, then under construction, described in detail in this and subse- created Brown Boveri & Cie. in Baden, should be electrified. The SBB declined quent editions of ABB Review. It is Switzerland, their electrical products fa- and BBC offered to do the job at its own worth taking a brief look at some of the cilitated major improvements in the lives cost. Although not a financial success, technical highlights of BBC over the of many millions. past 125 years and some technical Indeed, by mak- achievements of the Swedish research ing the widespread By 1911, BBC had developed organization in the past decade. use of a brand-new resource – elec- an electrically powered loco- tricity – possible, the products de- motive that ushered in a new veloped by these era of railway electrification. two progenitors of ABB made a major contribution to the greatest technological the project resulted in the world’s first change society had ever seen ➔ 1. international electrified train link and the experience gained gave BBC’s railway BBC technological breakthroughs came electrification business a massive boost, rapidly: In 1891, the first power station in as was evident by the many contracts Title picture Size was no obstacle to BBC and ASEA. the town of Baden was built; in 1895, the won in the subsequent years, including Shown is a BBC 2 MW three-phase AC generator tram system in the Swiss city of Lugano the huge order for the Gotthard Tunnel in a German steelwork, in 1912. was provided with electrical equip- some 15 years later ➔ 4.

125 years and a centennial 7 1 Walter Boveri, accompanied by his wife (middle) and an acquaintance, inspecting the ASEA and ABB construction of the first factory building, 1891. products facilitated major improvements in the lives of many millions.

Between the wars The period 1918–1939 proved to be stormy. After a worker and raw material shortage during World War One, BBC experienced a short boom up until 1920, when there was nearly a complete collapse in orders for some years. The subsequent recovery was short lived as the Wall Street Crash of 1929 wreaked further havoc. Once again, however, Birr, Switzerland as a proud reminder of for war material: U-boat drives, war- the business bounced back and in 1939 BBC’s history. ship turbines, jet engine compressors, the first shareholder dividends for seven etc., but heavy bomb damage in 1944 years were paid out. The outbreak of World War Two threw subdued activity, though the company the company into renewed turmoil. Once was flourishing again within ten years’ of BBC – war and expansion 1939 to 1970 again, there was a shortage of workers war’s end. In 1936, BBC had become a late en- due to military conscription, even as or- trant to the radio market but succeed- ders grew. The company found itself in a Toward the end of World War Two, or- ed in quickly establishing itself, with its delicate situation, supplying both the al- ders exceeded capacity and when the first transmitter valve appearing in 1939. lies and the Third Reich. However, home war ended in 1945, the company found Valve production was moved from the orders rose to record levels (40 percent itself in a favorable business position as laboratory to a specially constructed fac- of all orders were delivered to Swiss most divisions expanded. The mid-1950s tory in 1943. Valve technology gradually customers in 1942/43) – especially in saw a boom in steam turbines, with sys- expanded from purely radio transmission power generation products. Moreover, tems of unprecedented power and mas- to heat generation for industrial applica- Spain, rebuilding after the civil war, be- sive orders from customers such as the tions and radiotherapy. This was to cul- came one of BBC’s largest customers. Tennessee Valley Authority (who were to minate in the development of a clinical In the midst of World War Two, the com- receive a record-beating 1,300 MW BBC electron accelerator (Betatron) by the pany managed to find the resources and turbogenerator in 1967). Turbochargers end of the decade. time to build the high-voltage laboratory saw similar growth – both in business in Baden – a facility that was to prove volume and technical capability. In 1939, BBC built the world’s first invaluable in years to come. gas turbine, which served the town of In 1953, BBC's specialized laboratory for Neuenburg as an emergency generator By 1935, BBC in Mannheim, Germany, aerodynamics and combustion research until as recently as 2002. It now adorns had grown to dominate the original site in was opened. 1965 saw BBC bring out the pavilion of the ALSTOM works in Baden. Business flourished with orders the world’s first water-cooled hydro-

8 ABB review 3|16 2 BBC supplied much of the electrical equipment for the electric tram system in Lugano at the end of the 19th century. The Simplon electrification was the world’s first international electrified train link and the experience gained gave BBC’s railway electrification business a massive boost.

generator. On the domestic front, BBC all the time, even when not needed, using produced cookers, washing machines, throttles or valves to control the flow of humidifiers and bed warmers – this fluids or gases. This represents a huge business arm was sold to AEG in 1972 waste of energy. (though BBC continued to make coffee machines until the 1980s). Enter the VSD. Launched in 1969, and equipped with a revolutionary technology Like the BBC story above, ASEA also called direct torque control (DTC), VSDs has a history studded with technical adapt the speed and torque of the breakthroughs. In this, the 100th an- motor according to the precise needs of niversary of the founding of the ASEA’s the application. Typically, energy savings corporate research arm, it is worthwhile of around 50 percent can be achieved to look back at some of the momentous and control quality improves. products that the organization has produced in the past decade or so. In 2011, ABB made another significant step in motor technology with its syn- Driving progress chronous reluctance motor (SynRM). By the late 1960s, the pace and breadth of both ASEA and BBC’s technological SynRM progress had increased significantly and Induction motors (IMs) are by far the most advances in electronics were opening up common motors in industry. This power- entirely new ways to approach indus- ful and efficient motor does not have a trial problems. An early example of the commutator or brushes, which makes benefits delivered by electronics was the it reliable and relatively maintenance- digital variable-speed drive (VSD). free. However, it has certain drawbacks, which can be overcome by the perma- Electric motors are ubiquitous in indus- nent magnet (PM) AC motor. try. In fact, about two-thirds of all the electrical energy produced in the world PM motors only became competitors to is converted into mechanical energy IMs in the 1980s with the creation of a by electric motors. The vast majority of new generation of permanent magnets these motors are used to power fans, based on rare-earth elements (REEs) pumps and compressors. Most of these such as neodymium iron boron (NdFeB). applications operate at constant speed, (Note that such motors need sophisti

125 years and a centennial 9 In 1967, the 3 High-voltage switch manufacture in 1935 Tennessee Valley Authority took delivery of a record-beating 1,300 MW BBC turbogenerator.

cated AC drives – another area of ABB in- Just over 30 years ago, ABB introduced novation.) The PM motor is synchronous, the softstarter. A softstarter reduces the meaning the rotor rotates in synchronism torque to the electric motor as it starts. with the magnetic field. This offers more This reduces voltage drops on networks, precise speed control, higher efficiency, minimizes starting currents, eliminates lower rotor/bearing temperature and a current spikes and allows cabling to be host of other advantages. optimized.

There is, of course, a catch: REEs are In the intervening years, ABB has refined costly and can be subject to price varia- the softstarter concept with new models tions. In addition, their strong magnetic ro- continually released to the market. 2010 tor field can make servicing more difficult. saw the introduction of the very successful PSE model; in 2014 the PSTX offered In recent years, ABB introduced two new communication features and a new REE-free motors – SynRm ➔ 5 and the operator interface that gives diagnostic permanent-magnet-assisted synchronous information. reluctance motor (SynRM2, introduced in 2014), which use ferrite magnets. The direct approach Around the same time that ASEA and SynRMs perform better than convention- BBC came into existence, the War of Cur- al IMs. They can be designed for high- efficiency performance or to provide a higher power density for a smaller foot- An early example print than an equivalent IM. They need less maintenance, have a reduced inertia of the benefits and are extremely reliable. delivered by elec- Softstarters tronics was the One of the drawbacks of the IMs mentioned above is the problem of starting digital variable- them. The most common starting method is the direct-on-line (DOL) start using speed drive. a main contactor and a thermal overload relay. Unfortunately, this leads to a start- rents was taking place. This pitted Edi- ing current that can be six or seven times son’s established direct current (DC) tech- the rated current. nology against the new alternating current

10 ABB review 3|16 Over the last 30 years, ABB has made 4 A novelty in 1919: An electric locomotive for the Gotthard Tunnel line on a test drive at Thun, Switzerland. significant technical progress in HVDC cables – for instance, with a 525 kV extruded cable system, launched in 2014, that is based on high-quality cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE). ABB has also developed a dynamic cable structure for HVDC – especially useful for offshore platforms.

Hybrid breakers HVDC systems have to be disconnected if a fault arises. Today’s HVDC installations are mostly point-to-point and can be disconnected by AC breakers at each end. However, this means the entire line is dropped. Once HVDC grids become commonplace, a fault could cause the entire grid to be dropped. A further com- plication is that disconnection has to happen much more quickly in a HVDC system than in a corresponding AC system.

These factors provided the motivation for ABB to develop its hybrid breaker. Once (AC) approach championed by, among with 25 HVDC Light installations around again, the benefits of power semicon- others, Westinghouse (later part of ABB). the world, transferring over 10 GW. ductors were exploited: The ABB hybrid Initially, because it was more efficient to circuit breaker consists of a main breaker transmit and easier to handle, DC was the Transformers built of power electronic switches and standard method of medium-voltage (MV) ABB has been a leader in transformer surge arresters, and a parallel branch power distribution. However, AC technol- technology for many decades. The most containing an ultrafast disconnector (UFD) ogy soon came to dominate. recent advances are in the area of ultra- and power electronic load commutating HVDC, with power Recent technical advances – especially transformers rated in semiconductor technology – have al- at up to 1,100 kV. The power needed to control lowed DC back onto the stage. This factor, coupled with the need to shift vast A transformer often an IGBT is very low and can quantities of electrical power around the has to have a tap globe, provided a significant driver for changer and this is be taken from the snubber ABB to introduce high-voltage DC (HVDC) another pioneering circuit connected in parallel technology, the key technology of which field for ABB that is the series connection of insulated-gate has continued to see with the IGBT. bipolar transistor (IGBT) press-packs. constant progress over the years. ABB’s newest vacuum switch. This “hybrid” allows fast discon- The power needed to control an IGBT on-load tap changers reduce maintenance nection suitable for HVDC applications. is very low and can be taken from the requirements and improve performance snubber circuit connected in parallel with by ensuring that the electrical arcing that Automation the IGBT. Therefore, no auxiliary power previously took place in the insulating oil Power is one pillar of ABB technology; from ground level is needed. Moreover, now takes place in a vacuum interrupter, automation is the other. It is no exagger- the device’s gate unit can very precisely thus preventing arcing from contaminat- ation to say that advances made by ABB turn the IGBT off and on, thus making it ing the oil. changed the face of industrial automa- possible to connect the IGBTs in series tion. Not only did the company produce and control hundreds of IGBTs individu- HVDC cables innovations in digital control systems ally in a fraction of a microsecond. HVDC power is not only carried by over- (DCSs) and plant automation but ASEA head transmission lines, it is also carried by was responsible for the world’s first com- This technology formed the basis of cables – for example, to bring power from mercially successful electrical industrial HVDC Light, launched in May 1997, offshore wind farms or to link national robot, in 1973. based on two-level converters working grids across a sea. The practical length of up to around +/– 80 kV. Nineteen years AC cables is limited by capacitive effects, Early attempts at robotics by others, after the first tentative steps, ABB’s so the future of long-distance power in the 1950s and 1960s, had resulted HVDC Light is a billion-dollar business transmission lies with HVDC technology. in clumsy, noisy, hydraulic beasts that

125 years and a centennial 11 The key HVDC 5 The unique SynRM rotor technology developed by ABB was the series con nection of insu lated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) press-packs.

leaked copious amounts of oil. In the early pogenic effects on climate has created 1970s, ASEA recognized the potential of entirely new areas of innovation for ABB. electrically driven robots and proceeded to develop and market the world’s first Renewable energy is one such area. – the IRB 6 (Industrial RoBot/6 kg pay- Wind, solar, biomass, and other forms load). As soon as it appeared, the IRB 6 of generation have challenged ABB to was a success. The first order was to a come up with power and automation small Swedish company and four of the solutions. five they ordered are still working in the same place, doing the same job, more In addition to the generators themselves, than 40 years later – a testimony to the distributed renewable power generation excellent design. and its attendant technologies – such as microgrids, energy storage, load bal- Following on from the IRB 6, whole new ancing, power conditioning, marketing, generations of ABB robots have been scheduling and so on – are other areas developed for automation tasks in many that have seen the effects of ABB inno- different industries. vation.

Continued innovation all around Since the merger of ASEA and BBC in the world 1988 to form ABB, the company has re- ABB’s power and automation technology tained technology and market leadership has been inspired by challenges in all in many areas by continued innovation in possible spheres – in homes and offices, power and automation. Many of the ben- oil and gas fields in remote deserts, efits of modern life were made possible water treatment plants, underground in by the efforts of ABB researchers over mines, deep beneath the sea (with trans- the past 125 years. formers that work at depths of 3,000 m, for instance), in crowded, cramped cities, in fields and in manufacturing and processing plants that have changed beyond all recognition in recent years. ABB technology is even circling the globe in a satellite.

A significant new area of challenge – one that would not have been foreseen by Dominic Siegrist Brown, Boveri or Fredholm – is climate ABB Switzerland change. The intellectual energy now be- Zurich, Switzerland ing devoted toward mitigating anthro- [email protected]

12 ABB review 3|16 Brainforce one

100 years of ABB’s ANDERS JOHNSON – Necessity, it is said, is the mother of invention. In the First World War, ASEA (ABB’s Sweden-based predecessor company) found first Corporate itself cut off from its materials suppliers. The company had to think hard and act fast to find alternative ways of meeting customer needs. It did Research Center this by establishing its Central Laboratory (as it was called at the time) in Västerås, Sweden, in 1916. An institution had been created that was not only to outlive the crisis from which it had emerged, but has successfully adapted to fresh challenges and changing paradigms throughout the following 100 years. Achievements include the world’s first synthetic diamonds (1950s), the first electric industrial robot (1970s) and a series of landmark innovations establishing ASEA – and later ABB – as a pioneer and leader in HVDC. Today the center is working on several major projects in power and automation technologies that set out to increase sustainability.

Brainforce one 13 1 Synthetic diamonds from Västeras

1a Starting in 1949, ASEA launched a top secret project for the creation of synthetic diamonds. The first 1b Early synthetic diamonds from the success was achieved in 1953 when a pressure of 8.4 GPa was maintained for an hour and the first ASEA research center. diamonds were obtained. The project was kept so secret that results were not reported until the 1980s.

he center's initial task lay in In the 1950s ➔ 1, ASEA began creating materials research in order to “a new science city” in Västerås. Several find alternative materials as the modern laboratory buildings were built in T First World War cut off estab- the Tegner neighborhood. In the early lished sources and disrupted supplies. 1960s, the entire Central Laboratory was The war ended, but the need for research housed on the Tegner site, which is still remained. used by Corporate Research today.

The interwar period saw the Central In the 1960s, the Central Laboratory had Laboratory adopt a primarily support- three main tasks: Firstly, material control. ive role for ASEA’s manufacturing units. Secondly, workshop service and consult- The laboratory typically took on chal- ing; including new manufacturing meth- lenges that were found to recur in many different parts Achievements include the of the company, such as questions world's first synthetic dia- relating to material monds (1950s), the first elec- strength and cor- rosion. But the tric industrial robot (1970s) lab also conducted qualified research and a series of landmark and development, including into elec- innovations establishing ASEA trical insulation and – and later ABB – as pioneer high frequency furnaces. and leader in HVDC.

During World War II, the Central Labora- ods, control of engineering processes tory underwent major expansion. With and troubleshooting. Thirdly, research Title picture supply channels once again disrupted and development, including related mate- ASEA’ s short-circuit test lab in Ludvika, Sweden and materials in short supply, the center rials problems, manufacturing, machine (built 1930–33). The short-circuit tester in the background could develop a short-circuit power returned to the development and testing and device structures and systems ➔ 2. of one million kVA. of replacement materials.

14 ABB review 3|16 2 An early 1980s HVDC thyristor valve for the Inga – Shaba intertie 3 ASEA’s IRB 6 was first presented in 1974. It had 5 axes and a payload project in Zaire (today, Democratic Republic of Congo). of 6 kg. Many of the 1,900 examples built are still in use today.

mercial installation was delivered to Got- In the mid-1960s land 1999. In 1980 the center Innovations of the 2000s with important the laboratory participation by the Corporate Research was pivotal in center include: was involved in − 2008: launch of groundbreaking developing fiber 70 major research vacuum tap changers for transformers. optic sensors to − 2010: transformer for 800 kV ultra- projects. The most high-voltage direct current (UHVDC) measure the tem- − 2011: ABB demonstrates the revolu- significant of these tionary synchronous reluctance motor perature inside looked into fuel (SynRM). transformers. − 2012: ABB announces the world’s cells. first circuit breaker for high voltage direct current. − 2014: ABB sets world record with its By the mid-1960s the laboratory was new 525 kV HVDC cable. involved in 70 major research projects. − 2014: completion of a comprehensive The most significant of these was con- project at the mine in Garpenberg cerned with the development of fuel making this the most efficient mine in cells for submarines. The project turned the world. out to be too far ahead for its time and − 2015: launch of two-arm industrial had to be shelved. In the 1970s atten- robot YuMi. tion turned to industrial robots ➔ 3. As well as digital speed control for paper The following articles explore individual machines and rolling mills. In 1980 the technology areas and achievements of center was pivotal in developing fiber the Research Center in greater detail. optic sensors to measure the tempera- The celebrations of 2016 are as much Anders Johnson ture inside transformers. about the future as they are about the Historical writer past. As the center’s centenary slogan Stockholm, Sweden In 1988, ASEA and Brown Boveri merged proclaims, “the best is still to come.” to form ABB. One of the most success- Please address enquiries concerning this article to ful development projects in the 1990s Erik Persson was HVDC Light, of which the first com- [email protected]

Brainforce one 15 Driving ideas

Electric motors represent a field rich in ABB innovation

Electric motor technology was intro- n 2012, pumps, fans and compres- Reference duced well over a century ago, with sors accounted for 79 percent of the [1] M. Meza, “Industrial LV Motors and Drives: ABB being one of the major pioneers. world’s low-voltage (LV) motor market A Global Market Update – January 2014, IHS,” The field has seen repeated bursts by revenues [1]. LV motors dominate presented at Motor and Drive Systems 2014 I – Advancements in Motion Control and Power of innovation – a trend that not only energy conversion too – 28 to 30 percent Electronic Technology, Orlando, FL, 2014. continues to this day but that has also of all available electrical energy is con- intensified during the last five years. verted to mechanical energy in LV mo- Variable-speed drives (VSDs), direct tors – so special attention is paid to their torque control (DTC), softstarter and efficiency and all major industrialized re- completely new kinds of motor that gions have minimum efficiency perfor- pack unprecedented amounts of power mance standards for them. The sheer into a small volume are just some of the quantity of power consumed by these Title picture advances that ABB has brought to this devices around the globe makes it clear The efficiency and power density delivered by ABB’s new SynRM and SynRM2 represent a significant area of technology. why the conversion of electrical energy advance in electric motor technology. SynRM is just to movement in an electric motor is such one area of ABB innovation in electric motors and a fertile area of innovation. electric motor control.

16 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

Driving ideas Digital variable- speed drives

SJOERD BOSGA, HECTOR ZELAYA DE LA PARRA – AC motors have been the workhorses of industry for well over a century and are, by far, the most common electric motor found in industry today. However, in the past, AC motors could not be controlled as easily as DC machines, in which the motor torque is proportional to the armature current, making them simple to control. The evolution of AC VSD technology has, therefore, been partly motivated by the desire to emulate the characteristics of the DC drive – such as fast torque response and speed accuracy – while utilizing the advantages offered by the standard AC motor.

he basic function of a VSD is to Further, with DTC there is no modulator control the torque or speed of The advent and no requirement for a tachometer or an electric motor shaft. DC position encoder to feed back the speed of power elec- ➔ T motors can be used as VSDs or position of the motor shaft 2. DTC because they are easy to operate (they uses the fastest digital signal processing do not need sophisticated control electronics a few hardware available and an advanced tronics), and can effortlessly achieve the decades made mathematical understanding of how a speed and torque required. However, the motor works. The result is a drive with a advent of power electronics a few de- effective AC torque response that is typically 10 times cades ago made effective AC VSD tech- faster than any AC or DC drive ➔ 3 – 4. nology possible and allowed the excel- VSD technology The dynamic speed accuracy of a DTC lent performance of the DC motor to be possible. drive is eight times better than any open emulated while using rugged, inexpen- loop AC drive and comparable to a DC sive and maintenance-free AC motors. drive that is using feedback. DTC makes is low-cost, simple and is suitable for ap- possible the first “universal” drive with Traditional VSD approaches plications that do not require high levels the capability to perform like either an AC drive frequency control uses voltage of accuracy or precision, such as pumps AC or DC drive. and frequency references fed into a and fans. modulator that simulates an AC sine DTC makes a major contribution to en- wave and feeds this to the motor’s stator Another common approach, with better ergy savings, torque response, linearity windings. This technique is called pulse- performance, is called flux vector control and repeatability, motor speed accuracy width modulation (PWM) and utilizes the using PWM. However, this method is and harmonic reduction. fact that there is a diode rectifier toward more costly and needs a feedback signal. the mains and the intermediate DC volt- ABB’s VSDs age is kept constant. An inverter controls DTC The PWM frequency drive was first devel- the motor in the form of a PWM pulse ABB’s revolutionary DTC technology has oped by Strömberg in Finland in the early train dictating both the voltage and many advantages over traditional meth- 1960s. SAMI was Strömberg’s brand frequency ➔ 1. Significantly, this method ods of motor control. For example, field name for variable-frequency drives, but does not need a feedback device that orientation is achieved without feedback this brand name disappeared when takes speed or position measurements – by using advanced motor theory to cal- ASEA bought Strömberg in 1987. Over from the motor’s shaft to feed them back culate the motor torque directly – and the decades, successive generations of into the control loop. Such an arrange- without using modulation. The control- improved power electronics have result- ment, without a feedback device, is ling variables in DTC are motor magne- ed in new families of ABB VSDs and an called an open-loop drive. This approach tizing flux and motor torque. expansion of VSD application areas. In

Driving ideas | Digital variable-speed drives 17 1 Control loop of an AC drive with frequency control using PWM 2 Control loop of an AC drive using DTC

Frequency control Direct torque control DTC

Frequency V/f Speed Torque Modulator AC motor AC motor reference ratio control control f

3 ABB ACS550 drive controller 4 An ABB 9 MVA power electronic building block

medium-voltage drives, the trends are ABB’s revolu toward reduced footprint, increased reliability and redundancy, and improved tionary DTC energy efficiency. With ABB’s contribution to the field – the use of IGCTs (inte- technology has grated gate-commutated thyristors) and many advantages DTC, for example – it is little wonder that ABB is one of the world’s largest suppli- over traditional ers of VSDs to industry. methods of motor control.

Sjoerd Bosga Hector Zelaya De La Parra ABB Corporate Research Västerås, Sweden [email protected] [email protected]

18 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

Driving ideas Softstarters

HECTOR ZELAYA DE LA PARRA, MARIA WIDMAN, SÖREN KLING, GUNNAR JOHANSSON – AC induction motors are the most common motors in industry. Very often, they are started using a main contactor and a thermal overload relay – the so-called direct-on-line start. However, this approach causes a starting current that can be a multiple of the rated current. This inrush current may cause voltage dips that impact other loads. Also, extreme mechanical stresses can be experienced during start-up that can lead to damage. Softstarters provide an alternative starting method that avoids these inrush currents and mechanical overloading. ABB has successfully introduced a wide range of softstarters to the market.

softstarter is a device, based Swedish mining and on power electronics, that Gradually, the thyristor firing paper customers. controls the voltage input to a angle is varied to allow volt- A motor starting up and thereby The basic compo- reduces the initial torque and current, nents in a modern which may be multiples of the rated age and torque to increase softstarter are mostly values ➔ 5. and speed up the motor. the same as in the early versions: A At the heart of a softstarter are thyristors. contactor, an over- These bipolar semiconductors – con- that might be caused by abruptly stop- load relay and the inverse-parallel semi- ceived in the 1950s – are now available ping a conveyor belt. conductor devices (thyristors) ➔ 6. Also, for very high voltage and current ratings. there is a printed circuit board, a heat The thyristors in a softstarter are con- ABB softstarters sink, fans and housing. nected back-to-back on each motor After much pioneering work by them- voltage input line and their firing angle selves and others during the 1970s, Fair- By 1993, a new version – the PSD – with adjusted to control startup voltage. ford Electronics in England became one extra functionality was introduced. Being Gradually, the firing angle is varied to of the first companies to design and pro- available for a range of voltages, it allow voltage and torque to increase and duce a three-phase motor controller with opened up new markets around the speed up the motor. automatic energy optimization – with the world. The PSD was successful all added functionality of being able to soft through the 1990s and although Fairford One of the benefits of using a softstarter start the motor to save energy. By 1982, Electronics was still responsible for the is that the torque can be set to the exact ASEA had noticed the idea and instigat- technical aspects, ABB took advantage value required – this torque control fea- ed a collaboration with a small Swedish of its strong market organization and ture is an important competitive differen- company, Elfi, to use components from experience to sell the product widely. tiator. Fairford Electronics along with Elfi know- how to develop an ASEA softstarter. The first ABB softstarter, type PSS, Another important feature of the soft appeared in 2000, designed and built in starter is its soft stop function. This is The project was a success and ASEA’s a custom factory in Örjan, just outside very useful for stopping pumps in water first softstarter – called DEHE – was Västerås, in Sweden. Two years later, systems prone to exhibit water hammer launched at the Elfack exhibition in 1984. the product was further improved and when a direct stop using a star-delta At the time, few were aware of the ben- the product range was divided into low- starter or direct-on-line starter is em- efits of a softstarter, so ASEA had the end (the PSS) and high-end (the PSD) ployed. The soft stop function can also additional task of educating the market. products. be used to avoid any material damage Initial sales were mostly confined to

Driving ideas | Softstarters 19 5 Induction motor current and torque – without a softstarter, initial values can be a 6 Softstarter – simplified schematic multiple of rated values.

KM1 KM2 KM3

I FR1 FR2 FR3 T

Q1 Q2 Q3

RPM RPM Current diagram for typical squirrel cage motor Torque diagram for typical squirrel cage motor KM – main contactor M Max. starting Rated Starting Rated Max. FR – overload relay

current current torque torque torque Q – softstarter

7 ABB’s softstarter range

was released, ABB had established clear higher level that will allow better preven- ASEA’s first all-around leadership in softstarters. tive maintenance and integration with the factory environment. softstarter – called By 2014, the importance of device com- DEHE – was munication had been recognized and many of today’s softstarters are equipped with Hector Zelaya De La Parra launched at the a port for such communication, which ABB Corporate Research is normally carried out over fiber optic Västerås, Sweden Elfack exhibition cables ➔ 7. Many different communication [email protected] protocols are supported – for example, in 1984. Modbus, PROFIBUS, DeviceNet, Interbus-S, Maria Widman LonWorks, etc. Further, it has become ABB Electrification Products, clear that diagnostics, the human-machine Protection and Connection In 2004, a new version – the PST – was interface (HMI) and the integration of Västerås, Sweden launched, helping ABB become the mar- softstarters with other devices – such as [email protected] ket leader in softstarters, especially in programmable logic controllers (PLCs) – China. The PST was the first softstarter are also key features. All these consider- Sören Kling to have a built-in bypass for normal op- ations were taken into account in the ABB Electrification Products, eration, which saves energy by avoiding PSTX – ABB’s brand-new softstarter. Sales & Marketing thyristor conduction losses. Subsequent Västerås, Sweden development work concentrated on new As with many other industry devices, the [email protected] algorithms to enhance the product’s need for diagnostics will increase in the functionality, and the use of modeling future as reliability and availability be- Gunnar Johansson and simulation tools to investigate the come more important. New disruptive ABB Electrification Products, operation of the softstarter when applied technologies, like the Internet of Things, Protection and Connection to water pumps. Cost reduction was also Services and People (IoTSP), are clearly Västerås, Sweden a focus area and, in 2010, when the PSE leading the trend for connectivity at a [email protected]

20 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

Driving ideas The leading edge of motor development

FREDDY GYLLENSTEN, DMITRY SVECHKARENKO, REZA RAJABI MOGHADDAM – ABB has developed a revolutionary technology called the synchronous reluctance motor – or SynRM, for short. The design of SynRM electric motors makes them inherently reliable, highly efficient and able to pack high power levels into a small volume.

he induction motor (IM) domi- results in low inductance. The axes with nates industrial applications, The drawbacks of high permeance (iron) can be referred to even in variable-speed appli- an IM are absent in as the direct or d-axis while the axes with T cations such as the water high reluctance (air) can be referred to as pumping illustrated in ➔ 8. This is be- the quadrature or q-axis ➔ 9. cause an IM will start directly on the grid a synchronous re- – historically the way of starting and one luctance motor and When a magnetic field is produced in the that continues to this day, even after the air gap by applying excitation currents to introduction of modern frequency convert- it is much better the stator windings, the rotor will strive to ers. However, the IM has some inherent align its most magnetically conductive drawbacks as a result of its asynchro- suited to variable- axis, the d-axis, with the applied field, in nous operation that result in relatively speed operation. order to minimize the reluctance in the high rotor losses, and heating of bear- magnetic circuit. In other words, torque ings and windings that impacts mainte- is produced in the air gap between the nance intervals and shortens the lifetime However, REEs are costly and can be stator and rotor whenever the applied of bearings and insulation. subject to price variations. Also, their field vector and the d-axis of the rotor strong magnetic rotor field can make are not aligned. This causes the rotor to The synchronous reluctance motor servicing – a key feature of a mainstream rotate. The rotor runs in synchronism does not have these drawbacks and is industrial motor – more difficult. Enter the with the applied magnetic field, striving much better suited to variable-speed REE-free synchronous reluctance motor. to minimize reluctance in the magnetic operation. circuit. This functional principle has given The synchronous reluctance motor is a its name to the technology – synchro- SynRM motor technology three-phase electric motor with a mag- nous reluctance. Although long known, permanent magnetically anisotropic rotor structure com- net AC motors only became competi- prised of stacked electrical steel plates As the rotor has no windings and, conse- tors to IMs in the 1980s with the cre- with punched holes as flux barriers. In quently, no joule losses, it runs consider- ation of a new generation of permanent the four-pole version, the rotor has four ably cooler and with better efficiency and magnets based on rare-earth elements high-permeance and four low-perme- reliability than an IM. Synchronous reluc- (REEs). A prerequisite for the introduc- ance axes. High permeance means high tance motors run smoothly due to the tion of these new magnets into motors magnetic conductivity and higher induc- sinusoidal air gap field distribution and was the parallel advancement of the AC tance while low permeance means lower operation with sinusoidal current. One drives that were needed to control and inductance. Reluctance is the inverse of drawback is that the motor cannot be operate the motors. permeance and is, in practical terms, started with a direct-on-line supply as magnetic resistance; high reluctance the rotor position must be known.

Driving ideas | The leading edge of motor development 21 8 Industrial LV motors pumping water ABB’s involvement in SynRM took off in 2004.

which can start directly on the grid since it is equipped with a squirrel cage inside the SynRM rotor barriers.

SynRM has come a long way since its early days but is still a relatively young technology for commercial use. Current ABB products have the potential to improve their performance even more with updated designs and constructions, and thus offer optimized solutions for customer needs many and varied.

9 Four-pole synchronous reluctance motor

9a Cross-section of a 9b Definition of the magnetic 9c Motor assembly four-pole synchronous d- and q-axes of the reluctance motor rotor

History of SynRM motor development ment was far enough advanced to unveil ABB’s involvement in SynRM took off in SynRM at the Hannover Fair. In that 2004 when new opportunities for syn- same year, the technology won the Auto- chronous reluctance motors in the thriv- mation Award at Germany’s SPS IPC ing VSD-based market were identified. Drives trade show. The first products The technology would enable higher effi- were launched in 2012. ciency and reliability without the need for REE permanent magnets. The favorable An expansion to the SynRM product results of initial explorations eventually palette – SynRM2 – was introduced in led to a technology project starting in 2014. A unique feature of this motor – 2007. At the same time, the market ap- mainly developed by ABB’s key SynRM petite for the product was tested. contributors Alessandro Castagnini, Pi- etro Savio Termini and Giulio Secondo

To deepen understanding, an MSc activ- – is that it uses ferrite (Fe2O3) magnets, ity on the motor concept was initiated in which are generally more cost-effective Freddy Gyllensten in 2006. This work was subsequently and more readily available than REE Dmitry Svechkarenko continued into a PhD. magnets. This results in a very powerful Reza Rajabi Moghaddam product that is economical and ecologi- ABB Discrete Automation and Motion, By 2009, good technical progress had cally sustainable. Motors and Generators been made – for example, bearing failure Västerås, Sweden and rotor sheet failure had led to com- The following year, 2015, the SynRM [email protected] prehensive durability testing and failure family was extended once more with the [email protected] mode analysis – and in 2011, develop- technology introduction of DOL SynRM, [email protected]

22 ABB review 3|16 A direct link

HVDC technology for better power transmission

Modern society has evolved in a way fter being vanquished in the Over the decades, HVDC has been used that demands large quantities of field of power transmission for submarine transmission and back-to- electrical power be transferred across and distribution by AC tech- back connections, but the technology regions and continents. For this, A nology in the early 20th cen- needed for it was electromechanical and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) tury, DC technology had to wait until the cumbersome. Only with the advent of power lines are ideal. Apart from the 1950s and the advent of capable con- power electronic components such as higher efficiency of HVDC, the capabili- vertor technologies to make its resur- insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) ties of modern power electronics have gence. did compact HVDC systems become simplified the technology, with the economically and practically feasible. result that the infrastructure it requires Early on, DC had lost ground to AC be- ABB’s product in the voltage source is less complex, less bulky and more cause DC posed various challenges – converter (VSC) HVDC field is called amenable for inclusion in concepts like such as how to step voltages up and HVDC Light®. smart grids than is the case for high- down, a task relatively simple in the AC voltage alternating current (HVAC). world. However, DC is a far superior way An HVDC Light system is not just one to transmit power as operating at high single product; a range of innovative voltages – and thus low currents – is products and solutions are needed to Title picture more efficient. implement HVDC – such as appropriate Ever more HVDC links are being installed worldwide cables, breakers and the sophisticated to move large amounts of electrical power efficiently. Shown is a 525 kV extruded HVDC cable power electronics at the core of the system under test. system.

A directTopic link 23 A direct link Efficient power transfer with HVDC Light®

JAN R. SVENSSON – Modern day ABB HVDC activity can be traced back to a 1993 study by Gunnar Asplund, HVDC research manager, on utilizing VSCs for HVDC. In the intervening years, ever-larger and more sophisticated HVDC links have been installed around the world and HVDC has turned into a billion-dollar business for ABB.

n the basis of the positive re- or off) at the same time so each IGBT sults of Asplund’s study, ABB experiences the same voltage stress. For a initiated, in August 1994, a VSC HVDC station, this means hundreds O large project to further ex- of IGBTs have to be switched individually plore the VSC approach. in a fraction of a microsecond.

The IGBT was the workhorse of the new A complete series-connection concept technology. IGBTs are metal-oxide semi- was developed, including design, manu- conductor (MOS) devices in which the facturing and tuning of the GUs together power needed for the control of the com- with the snubber circuits and the power ponent is very low and can be taken from the snubber A key technology developed circuit connected in parallel. Therefore, by ABB was the series con- no auxiliary power from ground level nection of IGBT press-packs is needed to power to handle high voltages. the gate unit (GU). Moreover, both the turn-on and turn-off switching of the supply. Finally, the concept was verified IGBT can be controlled precisely by the by building an H-bridge prototype with GU, which makes it possible to connect four series-connected IGBTs per valve. the IGBTs in series. The feasibility of the VSC HVDC concept The key technology developed by ABB was shown in 1997 by a demonstrator was the series connection of IGBT press- installed between Hällsjön and Gränges- packs to handle high voltages, together berg, in central Sweden, on a 10 km, tem- with the development of a short-circuit porarily decommissioned 50 kV AC line. failure mode (SCFM) concept and appro- The demonstrator specifications were: priate testing regime. − Rating of 3 MW / ±10 kV, switching frequency 1,950 Hz To successfully handle series-connected − Two stations utilizing two-level, three- IGBTs, they all need to be switched (on phase VSCs

24 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

1 Gotland HVDC Light project.

− 2.5 kV/250 A press-pack IGBT out remotely. The first pilot installation of − IGBTs cooled with deionized water HVDC Light started operation in Novem- For a VSC HVDC − Mix of overhead line and cable ber 1999 on the Swedish island of Got- − DC breaker and DC chopper utilizing land with two extruded 80 kV cables with station, hundreds series-connected IGBTs a total length of 140 km connecting the of IGBTs have terminal stations ➔ 1. On March 10, 1997, power was trans- to be switched mitted on the world’s first VSC HVDC. An Applications extensive test program followed, show- As a synchronous generator, the VSC individually in ing that the concept fulfilled all the creates its own phase voltages. A cas- expectations. caded controller achieves fast control a fraction of a of the active and reactive currents in- microsecond. Introduction of HVDC Light dependently of each other in an inner In May 1997, ABB launched HVDC Light controller, while the outer, slower, con- and customers were invited to Sweden troller tracks either the active power ref- for seminars and a study visit to the dem- erence or the DC link voltage reference, onstrator. The HVDC Light design was utilizing the active current. The reactive based on a modular concept with a num- current is used to control the AC volt- ber of standardized sizes in the range of age or inject/consume reactive power. 10 to 100 MW. The design had two-level The cascaded controller together with converters up to around ± 80 kV. outer control loops allow a wide variety of application areas to be served, for HVDC Light was launched as an environ- example: mentally friendly product: Since power − Interconnecting grids. is transmitted via a pair of underground − The connection of generation as- cables there is no visual impact. The sets remote from the consumer – eg, balanced voltage to ground eliminates offshore wind – and supply of remote the need for an electrode so there is no loads, eg, power from shore to oil and ground current and no electromagnetic gas platforms. field emanates from the cable pair. − DC links in AC grids enhance the AC grid performance. HVDC Light The stations are designed to be un- removes bottlenecks in existing AC manned and are, in principle, mainte- grids and eases right-of-way for cable nance-free. Operations can be carried lines. Moreover, HVDC Light improves

A direct link | Efficient power transfer with HVDC Light® 25 The feasibility of 2 Troll A platform. The HVDC Light station is the gray box between the cranes. the VSC HVDC concept was shown in 1997 by a 10 km, 3 MW / ±10 kV demon strator installed in central Sweden

AC grid stability and reliability levels HVDC Light: 2007 – − Reduced weight and space require- and increases power quality. The latest HVDC Light delivers increased ments on the platform − City-center infeed. HVDC Light has a power at lower losses by utilizing a mod- small footprint and its cable technol- ular multilevel converter (MMC) topology In 2005, two parallel systems were in- ogy eases right-of-way on existing with half-bridge converter cells. This tech- stalled in Troll A – ±60 kV with a VHV routes. nical advance has enabled projects such motor of 44 MW/56 kV AC. Two further as the 800 MW DolWin1, which is the systems were completed in 2015 with a Higher voltages and powers first HVDC Light project that uses 320 kV VHV 50 MW motor power and voltage of To meet customer demand for higher extruded cables; and the 1,400 MW 66 kV AC ➔ 2. powers and lower losses, HVDC power North Sea Link, which is a bipolar HVDC semiconductors and their packaging Light connection between Norway and The future is HVDC Light have undergone continuous develop- the United Kingdom (730 km). It will be In just 19 years, the visionary 3 MW dem- ment. This has enabled optimization of commissioned in 2021. onstrator has multiplied to 25 HVDC Light converter topologies and control algo- installations that transfer over 10 GW and rithms, including pulse-width modulation Drive systems using HVDC Light on a worldwide billion-dollar ABB business (PWM) strategies. an offshore platform has grown. The rapid development of Many offshore applications are ideal HVDC Light will continue due to drivers HVDC Light: 2002 – 2005 candidates for HVDC. The Troll A gas such as climate change, the addition of A new generation of extruded polymer platform in the North Sea, for example, renewables to the grid, demand for bet- insulated cable was created to enable a uses compressors to boost gas pres- ter power quality and the close integra- DC link voltage of ± 150 kV. A converter sure in the pipelines, which deliver gas tion of energy markets with the power station using a three-level active neutral to the mainland, 70 km away. Usually, infrastructure. point clamped VSC was also developed. the platform generator required to power These were utilized in two projects: the compressors is bulky and not particularly The attractiveness of HVDC Light will 330 MW Cross Sound Cable Project and efficient. However, ABB had been work- continue to grow as technology pushes the 220 MW Murray Link. The station ing on very-high-voltage (VHV) electrical powers ever higher and losses lower with separation in the latter is 180 km. motors based on stator windings that the introduction of new semiconductors, exploit extruded AC cables with polymer new materials for cables and new high- HVDC Light: 2005 – 2007 insulation. A VHV motor can be connect- voltage converters. In a further development, a new genera- ed directly to HVDC Light without using tion of semiconductors made it possible a transformer. Utilizing power from the to go back to the two-level converter mainland via VHV motor and HVDC Light topology by using an optimized PWM al- confers many advantages: gorithm. A number of projects were deliv- − Electricity from the mainland is gener- ered, including the 300 MW Caprivi link, ated with less greenhouse gas emission Jan R. Svensson which was the first HVDC Light with an − Higher efficiency and less mainte- ABB Corporate Research overhead link to connect the northeastern nance than gas turbines or diesel Västerås, Sweden and central parts of Namibia (950 km). engines [email protected]

26 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

A direct link Ultrafast disconnector for hybrid HVDC circuit breaker

LARS LILJESTRAND, JÜRGEN HÄFNER – electronic switch and fulfills the require- abled by a contact system of parallel- An ultrafast disconnector is a key ments of fast interruption of short-circuit and series-connected contacts. component of ABB’s new hybrid HVDC currents in HVDC grids. circuit breaker. The story of the hybrid The parallel-connected contacts permit HVDC circuit breaker development is a The new breaker consists of a main high nominal currents when the switch textbook example of the strengths of breaker branch comprising power is closed; the series-connected contact power electronics. electronic switches and surge arrest- enables a high voltage to be withstood ers, and a parallel branch containing when the switch is open ➔ 6 – 7. The short an ultrafast disconnector (UFD) and actuator stroke of the series-connected ny electrical system has to contact allows fast be able to handle faults by opening while en- disconnecting the fault and The unique requirements suring high mechan- A isolating just as much of the ical endurance. The power system as it needs to. With to- placed on the mechanical actuators are of the day’s HVDC point-to-point transmission Thomson type and lines, AC breakers at each end can take switch could not be fulfilled move in opposite up this task ➔ 3. However, HVDC sys- by previously available directions to dou- tems will increasingly be configured in ble contact sepa- grids and using the AC breakers to clear switches, making the UFD ration speed. The faults would cause the loss of the entire switch is installed grid ➔ 4. Further, HVDC faults have to be a key component of the in pressurized gas cleared in a few milliseconds, much fast- hybrid circuit breaker. to improve the volt- er than in a corresponding AC system. age withstand.

In other words, an HVDC breaker is a power electronic load commutating History of the UFD: 2000 – 2002 needed. switch ➔ 5. The unique requirements The need for a fast commutating switch placed on the mechanical switch could for bypassing power electronic switches Hybrid DC circuit breaker not be fulfilled by previously available was identified in 1999 and a project was Until recently, no DC breaker has proven switches, making the UFD a key com- started in 2000 to build a demonstrator suitable for HVDC due to HVDC’s high ponent of the hybrid circuit breaker. aimed at medium-voltage (MV) fault cur- voltage, high and fast-rising short-circuit rent limiter applications. The initial design current, and requirement for fast current The ultrafast disconnector used rotary contacts and was success- interruption. This was ABB’s motivation The ultrafast disconnector is a very fast ful so a full project was promptly started, to develop a new type of breaker – the mechanical switch able to carry high which, within the year, led to an improved hybrid DC circuit breaker. This innovative nominal current with negligible losses. linear contact design. breaker combines the low losses of a After opening, it should be capable of mechanical switch with the superior cur- withstanding a high voltage within a few In 2002, the technology development was rent interrupting capabilities of a power milliseconds. This functionality is en- finished for the 17.5 kV MV application.

A direct link | Ultrafast disconnector for hybrid HVDC circuit breaker 27 3 AC breakers can be used to disconnect a fault in a point-to-point 4 Using a breaker in the AC section of the power system to clear a HVDC line. fault in an HVDC grid would disable the entire grid.

Converter Converter station station AC Converter Converter AC station station DC AC AC

DC Converter Converter station station AC AC

5 Hybrid HVDC breaker

Hybrid DC breaker

a b c

h d e

a Main current branch (when current is flowing) consisting of: d Main HVDC breaker consisting of: g Residual current breaker b Fast mechanical disconnector HVDC breaker e Semiconductor interrupter h Current limiting reactor c Load-commutation switch (semiconductor-based) f Arrester bank

6 Parallel-connected contacts in the UFD 7 Series-connected contacts in the UFD 17.5 kV to 320 kV. Other concepts were also evaluated and compared. As history shows, the commutating switch based on series and parallel connection of mechanical contacts was found to fulfill the requirements and be the most suitable for the application. Productization was started in 2011 in Switzerland.

The development work initiated in 1999 is still bearing fruit and it is to be expected that power electronic switches in combination with a parallel mechanical bypass switch are destined to find use UFD: 2010 – present in a host of other electrical applications. The development By 2010, HVDC grids were being dis- cussed, but a breaker appropriate to the work initiated demands of HVDC did not exist. A hybrid Lars Liljestrand in 1999 is still DC circuit breaker was proposed, but ABB Corporate Research the UFD it needed was missing. Those Västerås, Sweden bearing fruit. familiar with the fast commutating switch [email protected] work from 10 years previously proposed that approach for a UFD development. Jurgen Häfner ABB Power Grids, Grid Systems A project was started to see if the pre- Ludvika, Sweden vious concept could be scaled up from [email protected]

28 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

A direct link Sophisticated HVDC extruded cable technology

CARL-OLOF OLSSON – Advanced HVDC systems need advanced cables. XLPE cables are providing the foundation for sophisticated HVDC power transmission technology.

t the end of the 1940s, the first In 1997, ABB introduced extruded direct extruded power cables ap- XLPE insulation current cable systems. Improvements in peared. Polyethylene was cho- became the most the dielectric properties of the XLPE have A sen as an insulator for these enabled higher voltages – starting at cables – primarily because it had low 80 kV and now reaching 525 kV ➔ 8. The permittivity, suitable mechanical proper- popular choice total cost of cable systems is continu- ties and high thermal conductivity. About for high-voltage ously decreasing thanks to improved effi- 10 years later, the technology to cross- ciency in the manufacturing processes link polyethylene was established and cables, and so it and installation. XLPE insulation became the most popular choice for high-voltage cables, and so has remained. HVDC cables for high power over it has remained. long distance ever, it was soon discovered that a sig- The maximum voltage level for ABB’s For submarine HVDC cables, mass-im- nificant increase in the operating voltage newest XLPE insulated cables is 525 kV. pregnated (MI) insulation or XLPE can be could be obtained when a metallized pa- To make this possible, an insulation grade used. For land cables, XLPE is preferred per was placed around the conductor to providing lower electrical conductivity is due to the lower total weight and the smooth out localized electric field effects. used, and special joints and terminations simpler jointing. Cable development continued apace and have been developed. Qualification test- a major advance came in the late 1960s ing was performed at a 70 °C conductor Insulation system improvements with XLPE cables produced in a triple- temperature (MI cables have a maximum With the first power cables, a century- extrusion process in which the insulation operating temperature of 55 °C). Future and-a-half ago, the insulation layer was layer was extruded together with an inner research and development will most like- applied directly onto the conductor. How- and outer semiconducting polymer layer. ly make higher operating temperatures and voltage levels possible.

8 Modern XLPE cables have a sophisticated layer structure that can be customized New investments in cable systems will according to the application, but remains flexible. enable the use of energy in a more envi- ronmentally friendly and sustainable way.

Carl-Olof Olsson ABB Corporate Research Västerås, Sweden [email protected]

A direct link | Sophisticated HVDC extruded cable technology 29 30 ABB review 3|16 Transforming and changing

Transformer insulation science and innovative tap changers for high-power applications

As power levels in the electrical transmission grid continue to rise – into multiple-GW territory – more demands are placed on the transformers that enable the transfer of these huge quantities of energy. At the extreme, in the ultrahigh-voltage direct current (UHVDC) range, traditional insulation approaches are no longer appropriate, so fundamental research is required – for example, to explore and mitigate the disruption caused by ion drift effects at high voltages. Equally, new concepts have to be devised for on-load tap changers to avoid deterioration of the insulation oil that would otherwise occur using traditional switching methods at these high voltage levels.

HVDC technology provides the With BBC's first oil-filled transformer be- current in one regulation step is broken most efficient way to transfer ing built in 1893 and over a century of and another is engaged. In a traditional bulk energy over long distanc- transformer development since, ABB has OLTC, this switching process is done us- U es. The very first ABB installa- the experience necessary to undertake ing transformer oil as the breaking me- tion of this kind was the Gotland Link, such projects. In recent years, the chal- dium. This creates arcs that, in the long in Sweden, in 1954. A major advance lenges arising from high-voltage direct run, will wear down the contacts and the was made when the voltage rating was current (HVDC) and UHVDC transmission insulating properties of the oil. raised from 400 kV DC to ± 600 kV DC have triggered new advances in basic in 1984, for the Itaipu project in Brazil – science and technology that have further ABB has developed a new product range an installation that remained the world’s enhanced ABB’s position in this field. For of OLTCs based on vacuum interrupter highest HVDC transmission voltage rat- example, a scientific understanding of technology. In this approach, the elec ing for more than 25 years. In 2010, a physical phenomena such as ion dynam- trical arcs created during the switching ± 800 kV DC line was installed in China ics in the oil/cellulose insulation system operation are confined to the vacuum and only two years later a new world of converter transformers has significant- interrupter. This prevents oil degradation record was set by the converter trans- ly contributed to ABB’s technical leader- and increases contact lifetime (up to former prototype for 1,100 kV DC in ship when it comes to HVDC and UHVDC 1,000,000 operations). Another advan- Ludvika, Sweden. converter transformers. tage is the high current interruption capability of vacuum interrupters, which Switching high voltages poses a chal- allows OLTCs to be built that have higher lenge, especially when the winding ra- power ratings than the equivalent tradi- tios are changed on an energized power tional type. Title picture transformer using an on-load tap changer What are some of the challenges faced by designers when transformers are expected to work (OLTC). The OLTC is designed to handle at very high voltage levels? the electrical power that arises when the

Transforming and changing 31 Transforming and changing Vacuum-based OLTCs

LARS JONSSON, MAGNUS BACKMAN, raditionally, when winding ra- However, the technology only took on PETTER NILSSON – ABB has developed tios are changed on an ener- major significance with the later deregu- a new product range of on-load tap gized power transformer using lation of the energy sector in many coun- changers (OLTCs) based on vacuum T an OLTC, arcing occurs in the tries and the resultant drive to improve interrupter technology. The new OLTCs transformer oil. Over time, these arcs will asset utilization, reduce service require- confine arcs to a vacuum interrupter, degrade both the OLTC contacts and the ments and increase equipment lifetime. thus avoiding the transformer oil insulating properties of the oil, necessi- degradation and contact wear that tating regular services and oil changes. To meet these new demands, ABB Cor- traditional OLTCs experience. porate Research in Sweden carried out a Advantages of vacuum interrupter prestudy in 2002 to assess OLTCs based technology ABB’s new OLTCs confine the arcs within a specially developed vacuum interrupt- ABB’s new OLTCs er. This eliminates oil degradation and increases contact lifetime (to 1,000,000 confine the arcs operations). Further, OLTCs that utilize vacuum interrupters have a much higher within a specially current interruption capability than the developed vacuum equivalent traditional type. interrupter. This History of vacuum interrupter OLTC development eliminates oil OLTCs and vacuum switches existed in degradation and parallel from the early 1900s before they were combined into a single product. In increases contact the 1970s, ASEA patented various aspects of vacuum interrupter technology, lifetime. including OLTC applications. At first, the combination of OLTC and vacuum switches on vacuum interrupter technology. This was made on the reactance-type tap led, in the following year, to a project changers that was, and predominantly group being formed and the first sketch- still is, used in the United States, operates for the VUCG design. The VUCG ining on the low-voltage side of the trans- tegrates vacuum interrupters as well as former at high currents. auxiliary contacts operated with a unidi-

32 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

1 Diverter switch interchangeability makes field upgrade from traditional UC type tap changers to the new VUC type easy.

VUCG Diverter switch housing UCG

rectional mechanism, which is the main The VUCG that was introduced to the differentiator from competitor solutions. market in 2008 provides an easy field The VUCG that upgrade from traditional to vacuum tech- In 2004, the first VUCG diverter switch nology ➔ 1. The same year, development was introduced to prototype was designed and built. 2005 started on the optimization of the con- saw the introduction of a new spring tact material for the vacuum interrupter. In the market in 2008 mechanism using compression springs, 2009, the VUCG model reached 600,000 provides an easy after previous solutions, which used operations in an electrical endurance clock springs, were shown to be insuf- test. The following year, the first syn- field upgrade from ficiently reliable. Also, a new mechanical thetic test circuit for vacuum tap chang- rectifier to provide unidirectional rotation ers was designed and built. This enabled traditional to vacu- was designed. The VUCG was presented long test series at high power. um technology. at CIGRE 2006. In 2012, the VUCL and the VUBB were in- In 2006, the first prototype of the new troduced to the market and in 2016, ABB VUCL was designed and built. The de- introduced the world’s most capable vacu- sign was similar to the VUCG but con- um tap changer, VUCG 1800. The vacuum tained a switch to bypass the vacuum in- product range also includes the VRLTC, a terrupters in normal operation – thereby reactor-type tap changer, developed by allowing higher currents. The following ABB for the United States market. year saw the initial design of the VUBB. Also, a selector switch type with com- Functional description pensation for the position of the cam slot The two key functions of the OLTC are to was invented. select the tap in a tapped winding and to commutate the load between taps in a

Transforming and changing | Vacuum-based OLTCs 33 Using vacuum 2 Diverter switch overview interrupters in parallel for single- phase applications

significantly reduces MV vacuum interrupters contact wear. RV vacuum interrupters

Spring drive unit

tapped winding. Two fundamental design SDU will always be aligned in the same one, which distributes wear more evenly approaches are used in OLTCs: direction, ie, it is unidirectional. The uni- over the contacts. The new tap changer − Selector switch type: Combines the directional motion ensures that the con- uses the same proven vacuum interrupt- selection, conducting and commuta- tact switching sequence will be the same ers as before, ensuring the same high tion of current in one compartment. for all operations, giving a minimum switch- quality and long service life as for all ABB The low number of parts used results ing stress on the electrical contacts. vacuum tap changers. in a highly compact design. This design has constraints that limit its use The key component, the vacuum in- Other switching techniques, eg, those to transformers with ratings normally terrupter, is based on over 40 years of based on semiconductors, will make an- not exceeding 100 MVA/145 kV. VUBB experience and millions of successfully other shift in technology possible. Semi- is a selector switch type OLTC. delivered units, and is thus an extremely conductor-based switching has already − Diverter switch type: Separates the reliable product. However, in the unlikely been applied in a pilot installation and, load commutating device from the tap event of vacuum interrupter failure, the as in the case of vacuum technology, the selector. It is used in a variety of auxiliary contact system is designed to time will come when it finds mainstream applications and is the only type of carry out a certain number of tap opera- use in OLTCs. tap changer suitable for high power/ tions by itself and trigger a protective voltage applications. VUCG and VUCL relay alarm. are diverter switch type OLTCs.

In a diverter switch type OLTC, only the Introducing the world’s strongest diverter switch, where the switching power vacuum tap changer is handled, uses vacuum interrupters. ABB is continuing its 100-year history The tap selector part is identical to that of pioneering tap changers with the in- of a traditional tap changer. troduction of the world’s strongest tap changer, the VUCG 1800. The VUCG The diverter switch has two sets of vacu- 1800 enables tap changing in high-end um contacts (MV, RV) and two sets of transformer applications without the Lars Jonsson rotating auxiliary contacts ➔ 2. The spring need for enforced current splitting. The Magnus Backman drive unit (SDU) converts the slow motion introduction of parallel breaking with vac- ABB Corporate Research of the motor drive to the fast motion uum interrupters is a leap forward in the Västerås, Sweden required for switching the contacts and application of vacuum technology. Using [email protected] also provides the synchronization required. vacuum interrupters in parallel for single- [email protected] The fact that energy is stored in springs phase applications significantly reduces ensures the switching cycle will be com- contact wear on tap changers, even with Petter Nilsson pleted even if the power supply fails. In- high current levels and step voltages. ABB Power Grids, Transformers dependent of whether the motor drive The breaking current passes through Ludvika, Sweden starts a raising or lowering maneuver, the three vacuum interrupters instead of just [email protected]

34 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

Transforming and changing Fundamental research in UHVDC converter transformers

JOACHIM SCHIESSLING, OLOF HJORTSTAM, MATS BERGLUND – The converter transformer that connects the converter valve to the AC network is a key component of a UHVDC converter station. In order to design cost-effective and robust DC electrical insulation for this transformer, it is essential to obtain a deep understanding of the material itself as well as the physical processes that occur in the insulation under DC stress.

he main purpose of the con- In order to design cost-effective and verter transformer in an HVDC Ion migration in robust DC insulation, a deeper under- converter station is to trans- DC fields leads standing of the physical processes under T form the AC voltages from the DC stress as well as material knowledge AC network to the AC side of the con- is vital. Typically, electrical insulation is verter valve. The electrical insulation of to space charges designed using simplified calculations a converter transformer differs from that at insulation inter based on an equivalent RC circuit ➔ 3. of a regular power transformer since it However, this cannot cover aspects has to withstand combined AC and DC faces that influ- such as space charge accumulation and stress. Where the material parameter the complex resistivity behavior of trans- determining the AC field distribution is the ence the electric former oil. permittivity, the DC field distribution is field distribution determined by the resistivity. Pressboard In the 1980s, the ASEA Research Center and oil differ by a factor of 2 in permit- significantly. in Västerås investigated the DC proper- tivity and by a factor of 100 in resistivity ties of electrical insulation and developed – thus more solid insulation is required a model that took ion generation and ion for a converter transformer. drift into account. The model was ex- temperature, period of energization, perimentally verified and implemented in One major feature of DC behavior in the moisture content, etc. Also, ion migra- a simulation tool. Thanks to this knowl- insulation material is that the governing tion in DC fields leads to space charges edge, unique technical solutions have parameter is not constant. Oil resistiv- at insulation interfaces that influence the been developed. ity changes with applied electric stress, electric field distribution significantly.

Transforming and changing | Fundamental research in UHVDC converter transformers 35 Nonlinear behavior 3 Two simulation methods for DC insulation systems of insulation liquids +HV +HV makes it difficult R=R(E(t)) - - - - Oil + + Oil to use traditional - + - - + resistive models to - + + - +

predict the electri- - cal field distribu- + + + + tion. RC equivalent circuit Ion drift model

3a RC equivalent circuit 3b Ion drift model

4 The equations for the time-dependent ionic density in liquid insulation. These three- dimensional calculations require significant computer power to achieve good accuracy.

The Ion-drift model

Continuity equations for concentration of positive (p) and negative (n) ions:

𝜕𝜕𝑝𝑝 ! ! + 𝛻𝛻 ∙ !𝜇𝜇 𝐸𝐸𝑝𝑝 − 𝐷𝐷 𝛻𝛻𝛻𝛻! = S 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

𝜕𝜕𝑛𝑛 − 𝛻𝛻 ∙ !𝜇𝜇!𝐸𝐸𝑛𝑛 − 𝐷𝐷!𝛻𝛻𝛻𝛻! = S with and being the electrical𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 mobility and diffusion constants for positive and negative ions.

Source𝜇𝜇!, term𝜇𝜇!, 𝐷𝐷 !including𝐷𝐷! generation and recombination of ions:

! with F(E) providing the Onsager field dependent𝑆𝑆 = 𝐾𝐾contribution! cF(E) − 𝐾𝐾 !to𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 the ion generation rate.

Poisson’s equation including space charges (p-n):

with and being the dielectric constant𝛻𝛻 and∙ (𝜀𝜀 !the𝜀𝜀!𝐸𝐸 relative) = q(p dielectric− n) constant.

𝜀𝜀! 𝜀𝜀!

The ion drift model for oil/cellulose This nonlinear behavior of insulation liquids insulation makes it difficult to use traditional resistive The resistivity of insulation liquids such models to predict the electrical field distri- as mineral oil is not an intrinsic or well- bution in oil-based insulation systems un- defined material property. The apparent der DC stress. An alternative to resistive resistivity of such a liquid is defined by models – the ion drift model – was intro- the concentration of free ions and their electrical mo- The extremely sensitive bility. However, if a liquid is exposed detection system to measure to an electric field, the free ions will the electric stress in mineral start to move along oil directly exploits the elec- the direction of the field, causing ion tro-optical Kerr effect. depletion – and, thus, reduced resistivity – in certain regions. This means duced in the 1980s by ASEA researchers that the apparent resistivity depends on [1]. In the ion drift model, transport equa- the “electrical stress history” of the oil. tions are used to calculate the time-dependent behavior of the ionic density in liquid

36 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

5 Experimental setup demonstrating the Kerr measurement technique

the ABB Corporate Research laboratory The tools, along in Västerås, an extremely sensitive de- The results from tection system was created to measure with associated the electrical stress in mineral oil directly. the Kerr technique The setup exploits the electro-optical simulations, Kerr effect, which influences the birefrin- compare well with enabled the devel- gence of light passing through a liquid di- ion drift model electric in an electrostatic field ➔ 5. Using opment of the this technique, the direction, magnitude predictions. and time evolution of the electric fields 1,100 kV DC con- can be resolved. verter transformer The results from the Kerr technique com- prototype in a pare well with ion drift model predictions and deviate strongly from the electrical very short time. fields predicted from resistive models, as would be expected. insulation ➔ 4. Using the difference in the density of positive and negative ions, the The Kerr technique and the ion drift Joachim Schiessling electrical field can be calculated as a func- model – first used for the Itaipu proj- Olof Hjortstam tion of time for each position in the system. ect – have become important tools in ABB Corporate Research It is clear from ➔ 4 that solving the equa- the continuous development of insula- Västerås, Sweden tions in three dimensions for many points tion systems for converter transformers. [email protected] is computationally demanding. However, These tools, along with associated simu- [email protected] modern computers in combination with lations, enabled the development of the improved numerical schemes make it fea- 1,100 kV DC converter transformer pro- Mats Berglund sible to use the ion drift model to design totype in a very short time. The design ABB Power Grids, Transformers critical parts of the insulation system in tools, together with a deep understand- Ludvika, Sweden converter transformers. ing of the phenomena involved, have sig- [email protected] nificantly contributed to ABB’s technical Measurement of electric fields under leadership when it comes to HVDC and References DC stress in transformer oil UHVDC converter transformers. [1] U. Gäfvert, et al., “Electrical field distribution in The ion drift model had to be verified by transformer oil,” IEEE Transactions on Electrical experimental measurement. Therefore, at Insulation, vol. 27, no. 3, p. 647, 1992.

Transforming and changing | Fundamental research in UHVDC converter transformers 37 Microgrids

How microgrids can cut costs, emissions and enhance reliability

TILO BUEHLER, RITWIK MAJUMDER – ower grids are undergoing a but all microgrids share these common Is brain better than brawn? Or do we revolution on a scale not seen features: need both? Looking back, traditional since power distribution first − have multiple sources and loads power grids allowed end users little of P emerged. The increasing share − be distributed either. Generating plants and control of local generation is leading to changes − be controllable and have some decisions were located in distant places in the way grids are managed. autonomy of control and users had little control over their provenance or cost. Today, generation There is nothing new to sites such as The purpose of a microgrid can be simi- is no longer the exclusive domain of hospitals and factories maintaining some larly varied. Typically microgrids are in- large power plants: Rooftop solar and form of backup generation for emergen- stalled to: other forms of distributed generation cies, typically in the form of diesel gen- − reduce costs are blurring the distinction between erators. In recent years, local generating − reduce environmental footprint producers and consumers. But it is not capability has often been augmented by − assure security of supply just the brawn that is becoming acces- the installation of sible to all. Increasing levels of embed- photovoltaic cells, ded intelligence and controllable sometimes in con- Increasing levels of embed- switches are permitting the decentral- junction with bat- ization of control decisions. Owners of tery storage. In ded intelligence are permitting large sites such as hospitals or facto- contrast to the ries are now able to control their own emergency gener- the decentralization of control power networks and so reduce costs ators, which are decisions. and emissions. provided primarily for supply security reasons, owners wish for these addition- Microgrids can either be grid-connected al investments to be used as extensively (as in the hospital and factory examples and as profitably as possible. What above) or completely standalone, for ex- emerges is a strategy for optimal deploy- ample in a geographically remote loca- ment of both internal and external power tion ➔ 2. ABB contributed to the microgrid generating capacity. for Kodiak Island off the Alaskan coast. The island with 15,000 inhabitants and Microgrids can take many different no external grid connection covers virtu- forms and be of different sizes and geo- ally all its electrical needs from renew- graphic distributions. In fact varying for- able sources. ABB’s scope of delivery mal definitions of microgrids exist ➔ 1. includes flywheel-based energy storage.

38 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

1 Definition of microgrids 2 Microgrid segments and main drivers covering a diverse range of applications

Different definitions exist for microgrids. Main drivers

Social Economic Environmental Operational According to the U.S. Department of Energy Reduce CO2 Fuel Uninter- Microgrid Exchange Group, a microgrid is a Access to Fuel & cost Segments Typical customers footprint and indepen- rupted electricity savings group of interconnected loads and distributed pollution dence supply energy resources within clearly defined electrical boundaries that acts as a single Island utilities (Local) utility, IPP* controllable entity with respect to the grid. A (Local) utility, IPP, microgrid can connect and disconnect from Remote Governmental the grid to enable it to operate in both communities development institution, development bank grid-connected or island-mode. Mining company, IPP, Off-grid Oil & Gas company, Industrial and Datacenter, Hotels & The CIGRÉ C6.22 Working Group, Microgrid commercial resorts, Food & Evolution Roadmap says microgrids are Beverage electricity distribution systems containing grid Weak Governmental defense Defense loads and distributed energy resources, (such institution as distributed generators, storage devices, Urban or controllable loads) that can be operated in (Local) utility, IPP

Grid-connected communities a controlled, coordinated way either while Private education Institutions connected to the main power network or institution, IPP, and Government education while islanded. campuses institution

IPP: Independent Power Producer Main driver Secondary driver

3 A microgrid can be considered an intermediate between wide-area power grids and very local nanogrids.

Power grid Power grids are larger conventional and spread out grids with high voltage power transmission capabilities.

Microgrid technology can be Microgrid applied to weak grids making Distributed energy resources the network more robust. and loads that can be operated in a controlled, coordinated way either connected to the main power grid or in “islanded”* mode.

Microgrids are low or medium voltage grids without power transmission capabilities and are typically not geographically spread out.

Nanogrid Low voltage grids that typically serve a single building.

One way of looking at a microgrid is to available resources in a manner that is functions), a microgrid can seamlessly consider it a smaller version of the power safe, economical and assures security of transition from grid-connected mode to grid. A microgrid faces much the same supply ➔ 3. island mode. It deploys available genera- challenges as its larger cousin. It has dition and storage while shedding loads if verse energy sources, different consum- In some situations microgrids may be necessary and also prevents the tripping ers and can in many cases exchange provided to mitigate reliability of the sup- of local protection devices. The control- power with other grids through intercon- plying grid. In a hospital there is no ques- ler must similarly support grid reconnec- nections. There are also significant differ- tion of halting a life-saving operation be- tion when this becomes available. ences, caused for example by low iner- cause the lights are going out, and in an tia, high penetration of renewables and industrial plant an unplanned stop can ABB can look back on more than 25 years the effects of controlled power electron- lead to large financial losses. Ideally (and of experience and more than 30 completed ics. A microgrid controller must balance if the controller has the apppropriate microgrid projects ➔ 4. The company is a

Microgrids 39 Local generating 4 ABB is practicing what it preaches

ABB is installing an integrated solar-diesel supply to keep the lights on and the capability has often microgrid at its Longmeadow premises in factories running even in the event of a Johannesburg, South Africa. The 96,000 m2 power outage on the main grid supply. been augmented facility houses the company’s country headquarters as well as medium voltage A 750 kW rooftop PV plant and a by the installation switchgear manufacturing and protection 1 MVA/380 kWh battery-based PowerStore panel assembly facilities, and has around will be added to the existing back-up diesel of photovoltaic 1,000 employees. The scope of delivery generators. This will enhance the use of includes a rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) renewable energy and provide continuity of cells, sometimes in field and a PowerStoreTM grid stabilizer that supply when power supply is disrupted and will help to maximize the use of clean solar during transitions from grid to island conjunction with energy and ensure uninterrupted power operation. battery storage.

5 With more than 25 years of experience and more than 30 executed microgrid projects globally, ABB is the leading provider of products and solutions for microgrids.

25+ years of Portfolio experience & 30+ executed projects Energy Renewable storage Innovation, power and grid technology & stabilization productization + leadership Microgrid control system

Global sales & service network Power Conventional distribution power and protection

Consulting

Service

3rd party financing

leading provider of products and solu- ance of supply and demand that maxi- tions across power generation, including mizes renewable energy integration, renewables, automation, grid stabilization, enabling for up to 100 percent use of energy storage and intelligent-control renewables and high level of stability technology as well as consulting services and reliability. to enable microgrids globally ➔ 5. The company’s position in the microgrids seg- Besides its controllers and energy stor- ment was strengthened through the 2011 age offerings, ABB contributes numer- acquisition of Powercorp. ous other components for microgrids, including its EMAX2 breakers, solar in- ABB’s corporate research centers have verters, and grid connectivity, as well as been at the forefront of advancing micro supportive and consulting services. grid technology by doing research into such areas as storage, stability, protection and interconnection. Tilo Buehler ABB Power Grids The ABB’s Microgrid Plus control solu- Baden-Daettwil, Switzerland tion consists of the company’s Microgrid [email protected] Plus SystemTM control system and the PowerStoreTM flywheel or battery-based Ritwik Majumder grid stabilizing system. The controller ABB Corporate Research calculates the most economical power Västeras, Sweden configuration, ensuring a proper bal- [email protected]

40 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research Robot bio

The life and times of the electrical industrial robot

TOMAS LAGERBERG, JAN JONSON – he story of the industrial robot Ove Kullborg and Curt Hansson jotted A new age of industrial automation started in 1954 when George down some initial ideas. Eventually, a was ushered in when the electrical Devol patented the first teach- five-axis “manipulator” (the word “robot” industrial robot was born in Västerås, T able robot. In 1956, Devol and first appeared on drawings in 1972) con- Sweden in the early 1970s. This is the Joseph Engelberger (later dubbed “the cept was developed; it had an arm that story of the origins and the current father of the industrial robot”) started the moved vertically and horizontally as well state of industrial robots, and a look first robot company (Unimation). The first as swung around its base ➔ 1–2. into their exciting future and the Unimation robot, which was hydraulically promise they hold for mankind. driven, was sold to General Motors in In April 1972, the ASEA board of direc- 1961 and Unimation’s business started tors made a decision to launch a full- to get interesting when, in 1964, General scale robot development project and an Motors ordered no less than 66 robots. up-and-coming automation specialist, The first robot in Europe was installed in 1967, at The electrical drive system Svenska Metall- verken in Upp- developed by Ove Kullborg’s lands Väsby, Swe- den. team was the clear winner.

The potential of robots did not escape the Björn Weichbrodt, was chosen as proj- attention of ASEA’s CEO, Curt Nicolin, ect leader. A first prototype was to be who came to the conclusion that ASEA shown to the board in February 1973. should develop their own. This was the The project, from the start, included ev- genesis of the electrical industrial robot. erything from mechanical design and In the summer of 1971, Nicolin had two of electronics to marketing and application his top engineers, Ove Kullborg and Curt development. The task of developing Hansson, look into new approaches to the mechanical design was taken up by robot design, given that the Unimation senior designers Ove Kullborg and Bengt products were big, noisy, energy-con- Nilsson, each of whom was given the suming beasts that leaked copious responsibility for a team of around 10 amounts of oil. mechanical engineers.

Robot bio 41 1 Initial five-axis concept, including a simple drawing to show proportions

1a One of the early ASEA robot concept drawings 1b The original ASEA robot was to be just over 2 m high

An early fundamental choice was the team requested and received from Intel Today, ABB has a drive concept: hydraulic, pneumatic or was, appropriately enough, manually electrical? Pneumatics were ruled out typed with handwritten corrections and large family of in- due to lack of stiffness in the drive chain, had been photocopied many times, making accuracy and repeatability virtu- which made it hard to read. The team dustrial robots and ally impossible. Hydraulic robots were understood enough, though, to realize has shipped and prevalent at the time and electrically driv- that the 8008 was exactly what they en ones rare. To decide which approach needed. installed well over should be taken, an internal competition was held in which two teams – lead by Prototype boards were wired with the 250,000 robots. Kullborg and Weichbrodt, respectively – electronics, but no microprocessors designed and built prototypes of the low- were yet available so the design and er three axes of both an electrical and a code could not be tested. In the end, hydraulic drive train. These were then run Weichbrodt had to travel to Intel in Cali- side by side. The electrical drive system fornia to pick up two microprocessors. developed by Kullborg’s team was the The resulting design was a state-of-the- clear winner. art electronic control system including a basic teach pendant and user interface. Another important design choice was the basic robot design. During his time Three basic design decisions had now in the United States Weichbrodt had been made: The ASEA robot was to be seen prototypes of anthropomorphic ro- electrically driven, anthropomorphic and bots, ie, robots that mimic the move- microprocessor-controlled – features that ment pattern of the human arm. He saw are nowadays taken for granted. this as the way forward for the upcoming ASEA robot. The IRB 6, as it was now named (Indus- trial RoBot/6 kg payload), attracted much The third key design choice involved the attention on its public debut in October electronics and programmability of the 1973, when it demonstrated how to pick robot. It was clear early on that conven- valve blocks and place them in patterns. tional electronics provided inadequate The IRB 6’s potential was spotted by flexibility, accuracy and stability. Howev- Magnussons i Genarp, a small workshop er, a team member had read about a new in the south of Sweden that, on New device called the 8008 microprocessor, Year’s Eve, 1973, placed the very first developed by an obscure American IRB 6 order. Later, in 1974, Magnussons company called Intel. It was small and ordered four more IRB 6s and today, could be embedded into control elec- more than 40 years later, four of them tronics to provide full programmability of still perform the same task – polish stain- the controlled device. The manual the less steel tubes. ABB bought back the

42 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

2 Early design sketches

first IRB 6 a few years ago to use as a current assembly plants were almost en- museum piece. tirely manual, with thousands of assem- The third key design bly workers standing side by side. It was As with all new and revolutionary prod- clear that the robot would have to be choice was in the ucts it took some time for volumes to pick able to work beside humans and that it electronics and pro- up, but by 1978, sales had become large would have to fit in the same space as its enough to generate a positive cash flow human colleagues. This vision, as depicted grammability of the for the ASEA robot business. by a professional illustrator ➔ 3, inspired the team throughout the whole project. robot. Jump now to 2014 and the ABB Capi- tal Markets Day in London. Apart from The robot’s safety features were para- the usual financial figures and strategy mount. These included two arms (for presentations, also revealed to the world speed reduction), soft padding on the for the first time was a new member of arms, no-squeeze zones in the joints, lim- the ABB robot family – YuMi® . YuMi was launched as the world’s first truly Three basic design decisions collaborative robot and had been de- had been made: The ASEA signed from the start robot was to be electrically to collaborate with humans. Hence the driven, anthropomorphic and name YuMi: you and me. microprocessor-controlled – features that are nowadays The motivation for YuMi came about in taken for granted. 2006 when the need was identified for a robot that could be used in, for example, ited payload, and limited motor speed and small-part assembly in mobile phone and torque. Camilla Kullborg, a mechanical small electronics plants in China. The designer in the project, realized that it was

Robot bio 43 3 The vision for the YuMi project 4 YuMi – The world’s first truly collaborative robot

not enough for the robot to be safe – it also cro robots, robots mounted on vehicles, The IRB 6 attract- had to feel and appear safe and from robots that augment human strength and this insight emerged the initial design that robots that support and collaborate with ed a lot of attention finally led to the YuMi that exists today ➔ 4. people – perhaps even in outer space. In 2011, Camilla Kullborg and the YuMi on its public debut development team were honored with Agnes Kullborg, nine year old, daughter in October 1973. the prestigious “red dot: best of the best” of Camilla Kullborg and granddaughter industrial design award. of Ove Kullborg, put her finger on it when asked about the future of robots: YuMi was extremely well received and “Robots are really cool and they help when the product was released for sale at people. I think that in the future they will the Hanover Fair in 2015 it was the star of help people even more. I’d be interested the show. It is no exaggeration to say that in working with robots. Maybe design YuMi marks the birth of a new era of robot- how they are going to look. Maybe ics – the era of truly collaborative robots. something like a future YuMi, because it looks really friendly.” Agnes, representing Today, ABB has a large family of indus- the third generation in this Kullborg robot trial robots and has shipped and installed family, is, of course, entirely correct. well over 250,000 units, including many world-firsts in robotics: the first arc weld- ing robot, the first electrical paint robot, the first teach pendant with joystick, the first AC drive system on robots, the first virtual robot technology, the first high- level robot programming language, and the first modular robot family. And all that from a humble beginning in 1972 with Tomas Lagerberg Björn Weichbrodt – the “father of the ABB Corporate Research electrical robot” – and his first robot. Västerås, Sweden [email protected] The industrial robot market is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years. Jan Jonson Completely new types of robots are likely Former ABB employee to appear: flying robots, swimming ro- ABB Discrete Automation and Motion, Robotics bots, walking robots, rolling robots, mi- Västerås, Sweden

44 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research A stirring history

Sustained innovation sums up the history of ABB’s electromagnetic products

REBEI BEL FDHILA, ULF SAND, JAN ERIK ERIKSSON, HONGLIANG YANG – The evolution of ABB’s electromagnetic products in the metals industry has been a long and impressive one, full of patents, pioneering minds, respected personalities, significant industry contributions and market leading innovations. With its foothold in the metals industry established early on, ABB has embraced opportunities along the way to engage customers in a productive collaboration that has solidified its position as a leader and innovator in the industry. This proud heritage serves as a platform for continued excellence in the metals industry and potential entry into new markets.

he electromagnetic stirrer was lem of poor quality bearing steel produc- ity. This DC magnetic field, acting on the invented in the early 1930s by tion with electric arc furnace. The ASEA- high momentum jet flow from the sub- Dr. Ludwig Dreyfus, a highly re- SKF process, with its combination of merged entry nozzle, reduced the jet T spected employee of ASEA, electromagnetic stirring, vacuum treat- speed and stabilized the fluid fluctuation when he found that sufficient electrody- ment, electric arc heating and argon in the mold ➔ 3. The technology, later de- namic force could be developed in mol- gas flushing capabilities, was the begin- veloped to be an ElectroMagnetic BRake ten metal by means of a traveling mag- ning of a new era of high quality steel (EMBR), found wider application in the netic field, and that effective stirring production. The action could be achieved. His patent for first ASEA-SKF electromagnetic stirring in electric arc ladle furnace went Today, more than half of all furnace was granted in Sweden in 1937, into full-scale pro which can be considered the birth of duction in 1968 70 thin slab casters in the electromagnetic stirring and the founda- in SKF Hällefors, world are equipped with an tion for all other electromagnetic stirring Sweden, and applications within the metals industry ➔ 1. about 70 ASEA- ABB EMBR. SKF furnaces were First stirrer installation further installed between the 1960s and thin slab casting process. The EMBR The first electromagnetic stirrer in practi- 1980s worldwide. Although ASEA-SKF stabilizes meniscus fluctuations and re- cal use was installed in Sweden in 1947 was later replaced by more modern ladle duces mold powder entrapments, essen- on an electric arc furnace (EAF), which at refining processes, electromagnetic stir- tial for high speed casting operation and the time was used as both a melting and ring in ladle (LF-EMS) remained an impor- assuring thin slab quality. Today, more refining vessel. The stirrer homogenizes tant tool for efficient production of both than half of all 70 thin slab casters in the the melt temperature and accelerates commercial and high alloyed steel [1] ➔ 2. world are equipped with an ABB EMBR. the slag-metal reactions. Since then, Today there are around 140 electromag- several thousands of electromagnetic netic stirrers installed in various ladle Flow Control Mold stirrers have been installed in various refining processes. In the 1990s Kawasaki Steel (later JFE) metal processing applications, such as and ABB developed a Flow Control Mold electric arc furnace, ladle furnace, con- ElectroMagnetic BRake for conventional slab casters. The FC tinuous casting of steel and aluminum Implementation of electromagnetic stir- Mold, keeping the DC magnetic field in re-melting. ring in billet/bloom casters began in the the lower part of the mold, adds one lev- 1970s to improve solid structures and el DC field in the upper area of the mold World’s first ladle furnace surface quality. In the 1980s, ASEA and to stabilize meniscus fluctuation, thus in- In the 1960s, SKF and ASEA engineers Kawasaki Steel applied an electromag- creasing flexibility in controlling flow con- developed the first ladle furnace in the netic field to the conventional slab cast- ditions. Kawasaki Steel achieved superi- world, the ASEA-SKF, to solve the prob- ing process to further improve slab qual- or results with the FC mold including

A stirring history 45 1 First patent of electromagnetic stirring in EAF by Dreyfus.

increased casting speed and improved spectrum of furnace sizes and types ➔ 5. The FC Mold G3 is slab internal and surface quality. Today, For typical aluminum re-melting furnac- more than 70 strands are benefitting es, the AL-EMS can deliver energy sav- the most advanced from the outstanding technology of the ing of 10 percent and increase produc- FC Mold for conventional slab casters. tivity by 25 percent. Today ABB has flow control equip- installed more than 200 AL-EMS around ment available on Flow Control Mold G3 the world. In the 2000s ABB developed the third the market for slab generation FC Mold (FC Mold G3) to ArcSave® meet the new market demands for con- Since the 1980s, the electric arc furnace casters. ventional slab casters. The FC Mold G3 has gradually become purely a melting adds a traveling magnetic field in the vessel with high power consumption and same position of the upper DC magnetic short melting time. In the early 2000s, field as the FC Mold II that can function ABB developed a new stirrer with a much simultaneously with the AC magnetic stronger stirring capacity. This stirrer was field, which controls meniscus speed later patented and commercialized as into the optimum range at almost all ArcSave® and was installed on a modern casting conditions ➔ 4. The FC Mold G3 EAF, showing clear customer benefits in is the most advanced flow control equip- energy saving, iron yield, alloys savings ment available on the market for slab and more. casters. Now in 2016 ABB will launch OptiMold Monitor, a product offering Industry pioneers and continuing mold temperature measurement in con- innovation tinuous casting. Providing unparalleled In addition to the invention of the electro- process insight, this technology can be magnetic arc stirrer by Dr. Dreyfus, several combined with the FC Mold to allow for ABB employees have been true innova- real-time process control, taking end tors in the industry. Just a few highlights product quality to the next level. include: − Yngve Sundberg, employed in the Aluminum re-melting furnaces 1950s–1980s, developed a complete In the 1960s, ASEA developed an elec- theory covering calculation and tromagnetic stirrer for aluminum re-melt- design of electric furnaces and ing furnaces (AL-EMS), which showed electromagnetic stirrers. convincing results in energy savings, He and his former ASEA colleagues yield and productivity increases. However, hold at least six patents and his it only received adequate attention in the “Electric Furnaces and Inductive 1990s when the aluminum industry real- Stirrers” is referred to frequently in the ized the necessity for energy savings and industry even today [2]. productivity increases. ABB then intro- − Sten Kollberg’s exceptional focus on duced a series of AL-EMS for the entire issues in the customer’s casting

46 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

2 Different stirring pattern sketched in the early stage of 3 First patent on EMBR in slab caster. ASEA-SKF process

4 Operation modes of FC Mold G3

AC mode DC mode Combi mode

Upper part coil Meniscus Upper part coil Meniscus Upper part coil Meniscus Front core Front core Front core

Yoke Yoke Yoke

AC AC DC DC AC AC

DC DC DC DC

Lower part coil Copper plates Lower part coil Copper plates Lower part coil Copper plates

winding solid laminated

− Göte Tallbäck, who worked at ASEA A deeper collabo- at around the same period as Sten, introduced magnetohydrodynamics ration with ABB (MHD) into metallurgical processes. His paper, published 30 years ago on Corporate Re- the numerical simulation of the EMBR search in the last process, is still being cited today. In the 2000s, he and his ASEA two decades . . . colleagues registered four patents for electromagnetic stirring. has led to ad- − Jan-Erik Eriksson, with ABB since vanced measure- 1980, boasts 25 patents, together with his ABB colleagues. Jan-Erik has ments and simula- been instrumental in the ongoing development of the FC Mold, particu- tion techniques . . . larly the latest generation, and the EMBR in conjunction with Japanese process in the 1980s–1990s paved industry partners. the way for the development of the − Rebei Bel Fdhila, who joined ABB EMBR and the FC Mold. He was Corporate Research in 1995, is highly respected for his people skills applying his deep modeling compe- and ingenuity. tence together with his colleagues’

A stirring history 47 5 AL-EMS installed in the bottom of aluminum re-melting furnace

process experience to help ABB demonstrate ABB’s ability to under- reshape its modeling, simulation and stand and meet market demand with design capabilities to offer important technological innovation. As the internet new features in electromagnetic of things, services and people (IoTSP) stirring technology and to solidify its raises expectations within the metals in- market position. dustry in the coming years, ABB will focus on developing products that deliver A deeper collaboration with ABB Corpo- not only improved safety and reliability, rate Research in the last two decades, cost-efficiency and quality, but that are influenced by Rebei Bel Fdhila and Jan- easier to use, can measure and analyze, Erik Eriksson, has led to advanced mea- and that improve process performance surements and simulation techniques, for our customers. ABB has had the including several types of laser based privilege of working with nearly all the measurements and state-of-the-art Com- leading steel manufactures around the putational Fluid Dynamics. The deep fun- world and is committed to remaining at damental knowledge of metallurgy, the the forefront of electromagnetic product continuous casting, the electromagnetic innovation in the metals industry. field effect and the underlying complex phenomena associated with the multi- Rebei Bel Fdhila phase flows in which the liquid metal, the Ulf Sand argon gas, and particles strongly inter- ABB Corporate Research act, allowed the R&D ABB team to suc- Västerås, Sweden cessfully improve and modernize the [email protected] EMS technology with new features to [email protected] enter into new markets. Jan Erik Eriksson Development demands and driving Hongliang Yang force ABB Process Automation, Metallurgy Energy efficiency, productivity and qual- Västerås, Sweden ity are fundamental to the sustainable [email protected] development of the metals industry and [email protected] electromagnetic stirring and braking have an important role to play moving forward. Products such as ArcSave®, References [1] Sundberg, Y. (1971). Principles of the induction the new generation of the FC Mold and stirrer. ASEA Journal, 44 (4), 71–80. the OptiMold Monitor are but a few ex- [2] Sundberg, Y. (1979). Electric furnaces and amples of ABB’s contribution and they induction stirrers. Västerås: ASEA.

48 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research Sense of ore

Mining 2.0 – Automation solutions for the mining industry

JAN NYQVIST – Out of sight may be out of mind for some, but not for those with an interest in mining, and that includes ABB. Mining 2.0 is about developing automation solutions for the mining industry. The target sector is underground mining and the concept includes some unique solutions for the market. Mining 2.0 addresses an industry in transformation with solutions for the whole value chain and with the vision of creating an “ore factory” ➔ 1. The basic idea was to introduce process control methods into discrete mining operations. An approach that in the beginning was new for the market but today the mining community is actively seeking and driving such automation solutions.

ining, as producers of raw Typical mining operation characteristics are: Technologies developed in Mining 2.0 material for our wellbeing, is – Harsh environment and high risk areas have resulted in the development of sev- an important industry for the – Long distance and limited space eral product concepts such as MineIn- M development of the world. – High degree of unplanned activities sight, Smart ventilation and Integrated The sector is global and is often a strate- – High degree of human and mobile Mining Operations (IMO). Parts of the con- gic commercial area for regions. There machines involved cepts have been introduced to the mar- are around 10,000 underground mines – Utilization of mobile machines can be ket and others are under development. and ABB’s primary focus is on the metals as low as 20 to 25 percent market which includes commodities – Utilization of open faces, can be as Mining 2.0 is a result of open and sharing such as iron, copper, nickel, gold, silver, low as 20 to 30 percent collaboration between ABB’s Mining zinc and lead. – Limited visibility of ongoing operation business unit and Corporate Research in real time (CR) within ABB but also interaction with Mining, the community The mining industry is currently facing Mining and ABB dramatic price drops of commodities ABB has a portfolio Producing the same value and many new or recently started mining of solutions for projects have been postponed or closed. long term sustain- requires much more ore to be Typically the price drops have been be- able business on extracted from increasingly tween 30 to 50 percent and even more the global mining for iron. The industry is being driven by market. The port- difficult locations. high growth in emerging countries and at folio is for growth, the same time new exploration is being both with technology and the market customers, other suppliers, academia and done in more remote locations and mov- needs. Mining 2.0 was the starting point government funded projects, as well as ing underground or deeper underground for developing the ABB business for the European Commission’s projects: with up to 50 percent lower mineral con- mine automation. I2Mine, Rock Tech Centre’s Sustainable tent for some commodities. As a result, Mine and Innovation for the Future (SMIFU) producing the same value requires much The concept includes some unique program. more ore to be extracted from increas- solutions for the market, as stated by ingly difficult locations. AngloAmerican: “We have not seen any Challenges to meet similar. You have something unique in One challenge for the project in the early The mining industries priorities are: your concept” or by RioTinto “if we had years was to clearly understand and – Safety have this solution, we would increase our communicate the problems and eventual – Efficient production production with 10 to 20 percent.” solutions. The mining industry under- – Environmental impact stood that they had problems and new – Workforce recruitment and retention

Sense of ore 49 1 Ore factory as starting view

Contract Geological – Planning – Contract handling – Finance – Assets input Tons Possibilities Quality Ore reserves Mine production plan Reports

Product and Demands Contract Demands process development Mining fulfilled Transport development

Stockpile Indurations/ Drilling Customer refilling Transport Blasting One ore flow Dewatering Real Ship loading Loading time Transport Flotation Handling Grinding Maintenance Engineer Crushing

Transport Transport Geologists Logistics Port Processing Mining Centralized control room Integration Work order Data

Equipment – Instrumentation Common view

challenges but struggled to express their center. A large mine can have some “We cannot findings, on the other hand ABB as a hundreds of machines in operation supplier found it difficult to present solu- and some thousands of events continue to build tions in an understandable way. happen every shift. larger and larger – Efficient ore transport – Stable The focus until today has been on in- transport process avoiding distur- machines, we creasing the productivity and capacity of bances as running silos ore passes the machines to build larger and more empty, efficient filling of trucks, trains need to think in mechanically efficient machines, but that and mine hoist. Running machines a new way of solution is close to its limits. As Garvin efficiently, and only running them to Yates BHP Billiton says: “We cannot their limit when really necessary ➔ 3. doing things”. continue to build larger and larger machines, we need to think in a new way of Technology and methods doing mining”. Over time the areas of The developments in Mining 2.0 have interest were defined as ➔ 1 – 2: included several research areas in CR, – New mining operation methods – to such as: communication, user experi- move to more continuous mining. ence, software, sensors and control. The – Autonomous machines – using more development has been vision based and time for production. A lot of time is user driven. Several demonstrations have consumed by nonproduction activities been developed for displaying and test- such as, shift changes, breaks and ing scenarios and ideas. Where possible ventilating the mine after blasting. solutions have been evaluated by on site – Machine maintenance – more preven- tests. tive maintenance of machines has the potential to improve the utilization of The technologies used and developed in them and reduce unplanned stops in Mining 2.0 have been: the mine. – Field studies – A field study is a team – Remote and centralized control – of 2 to 4 people visiting a mine site A centralized control with an operator to observe and conducting interviews supervising all scheduled activities for to gather information and work flow. efficient coordination and acting on This creates the base for further disturbances in real time. Doing this developments: remotely means less people need – Domain models and architects – as to be on site and several mines can reference. Describing current and be managed from the same control future mining operations.

50 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

2 Ore factory as one operation

Demand Design Production Assets Work Material People Finance

Production plan Asset availability KPI report&visualization Status on-line

Plan, Dispatch and Activity follow-up Ore Monitor, Predict and Control

Production data Work orders Activity report Machine operations data (3rd party) Machine position

Control system Control system Control system Control system Control system Control system Control system Control system

Geological model Drilling rig LHD/Trucks Train Hoist Electrical power Material Handling Media Port

– Persona and scenarios – description single source data and real time access of people involved and a workflow for to machine data. The missing piece was developing user centric automation the integration of mobile machines en- solutions. abled through an installed wireless com- – Visualization – different concepts have munication network. Solutions devel- been developed for different solutions oped have been: and scenarios ➔ 4. – Maintenance strategy optimization – Wireless communication – has been – CRIticality-analysis-based Mainte- tested to understand the limitations nance (CRIM) optimization tool solves and how to install in an underground the customer's problem of finding mine. It has also been used to test an optimum mixture of predictive, existing localization ➔ 5 based on preventive and run-to-failure mainte- wireless communication technologies. In an underground mine, – Control methods – has been a technology is a key enabler. key component Mine-wide wireless com in mine ventilation, water munication allows real time control, scheduling optimization connection to the mobile and material control and machines. tracking. – Optimization and statistical methods nance strategies for their plants. The – for criticality based optimization of developed CRIM optimization process maintenance strategy. and tools offer one solution to the problem in several steps. Starting with Solutions and products criticality assessment and ending up The vision of an “ore factory” was about with life cycle cost analysis (LCCA), introducing process control into a dis- the tools help mining customers to crete process, just as mining is. Key analyze and choose the most cost components have been vertical and hori- efficient maintenance strategy for the zontal integration, centralized control, entire plant.

Sense of ore 51 3 Ore flow control

Level 1

cr2 cr3

Level 2 Level 3

cr1 hoi2 Above Ground hoi3

Load: 0.0 Load: 0.0

sty1

cnv1 0.0m/s cnv2 0.0m/s

– Localization – of personnel (via their the current status in real time and it Key components mobile phones) and machines. Via a will be possible to predict future tagging system machines and person- production. have been vertical nel can be tracked and visualized in a – Ore flow control – is still under and horizontal 3D map of the mine. Geofences for developmentbecause it has had a safety zones can be built into the lower priority for the market. Material integration, central- system. Productization is done in tracking framework is developed and cooperation with Mobilaris. A product together with visualization concepts it ized control, single is available on the market named, will be part of MineInsight. Customer source data and ABB Mine Location Intelligence. value is online visualization of ore – The greatest value to the customer is production, prediction of future real time access safety but to also make the under- production and events, mass balanc- ground mine more transparent. ing through the value chain and an to machine data. Everyone knows where everything is. efficient production with minimized – Scheduling optimizer and dispatch – disturbances. short term scheduling of all underground activities and online distri The fifth solution developed has been: bution of created work orders to – Mine Ventilation control ➔ 6 – is part of operators. Feedback on progress can the product ABB Smart ventilation be reported back online. Due to the and is ready for the market. All fans closed loop and optimizer, short term and regulators can be controlled via scheduling can be automated. It is feedback control from sensors. a product named MineInsight. The – Customer value is a robust ventilation dispatch system is on the market and system which can easily adapt to new scheduling should be ready by the conditions. Fan energy consumption end of 2016. has the potential to decrease up to 50 – Customer value is that when un- percent. More efficient use of existing planned events happen, the time mine ventilation infrastructure (ie, required for unavoidable re-planning shafts) postponing investments if is reduced from hours to seconds. desired and mine expansion. As a result a tighter schedule can be done leading to an increase of the The journey of Mining 2.0 – some facts production (tests have shown 10 to Mining 2.0 started as pre-study in Sep- 20 percent) and thereby improved tember 2009. At that time Rio Tinto had resource utilization. It will always have stated their concept “Mine of the Future”

52 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

4 Automated scheduling with real-time visualization of current status and machine connection

Monthly/weekly Plans

Closed loop in real time ABB scheduling optimizer

Work list Progress list

ABB Production execution

Work orders Progress of work

Connected to all mobile machines

5 Localization of machines and personnel visualized in 3D Vattenfall AG stated: “our focus is on process optimization where all share information from the same single source”.

with an ore project called “A pit”. There mobile machines and material tracking they would remote control a full mine describing process flow. The second from a remote operation center (Perth) event was a meeting with Vattenfall AG in located 1500 km from the mine (Pilbara Germany. Vattenfall AG stated: “We have region in north west of Australia). Mining automated our machines as much as we 2.0 was the ABB response to the initia- can, our focus is on process optimization tive from Rio Tinto with the task: “Mine of where all share information from the the future – what does it mean for ABB?” same single source”. Vattenfall also preferred demand control rather than push During spring 2010 there were two control which is the normal condition for events that were significant for continua- mine operations and continuous mining. tion. ABB had started to explore collaboration possibilities with Atlas Copco. The Summer 2011 – ABB put the vision of an optimized mine was presented in April ore factory in place for customer presen- 2010. Central was the integration of tations.

Sense of ore 53 6 Mine ventilation control 7 CRIM

Spare part Class: 1 2 3

Logistic Delay (hours) 1 4 24

40000

30000

20000

Costs (Sek) 10000

Cyclo Canv. GMD Grinder PrimarySwitch SecondarySwitch ProcessWaterPu...ProcessWaterPu...ProcessWaterPu...

Expensive spare parts Possibility to decrease the criticality (Grinder&Cyclo Conv.) value by shortening logistic time of The Risk can be spare parts (G56_PU38xx_XV1). reduced by Asset Other option: Asset monitors for monitors preventive maintenance and to assist spare purchasing.

Process Critical 5 Cost excluding production costs

End of 2011 – ABB presented the first so- Continuing Mining 2.0 The first LTE lution concepts for an ore factory. The Mining 2.0 has paid attention to the min- first outputs were the CRIM optimization ing market and several relationships installed in an tool ➔ 7 and method for a cost efficient have been established with the market. underground mine maintenance strategy had been success- This has been used by other initiatives fully tested on site and was also present- using mining as their primary target mar- in the world is in ed at the end of the year. ket. Unman the site is one example, developing an industrial mobile manipula- Boliden, Sweden. 2012 – The concept demonstration is tion platform and remote control platform. It will be used for ready, presenting production control It has resulted in a robot system for the through scheduling, material tracking charging process. The results are cur- the testing of future visualization and ventilation. The mine rently being developed into a deliverable ventilation control was also proved on solution. 5G communica- site with successful results. In 2012 tions and solutions. ABB’s Mining business unit started to Remote service including new services develop the dispatch order system; an such as analytics and service robots, are essential part of automated scheduling. currently being given attention as a new start-up. Specifically, mine ventilation 2013 – Dispatch systems were developed and power analytics are under develop- and a first prototype was installed. CR ment together with conveyor inspection. started to test scheduling algorithms on real data. The algorithms were tested on The first Long-Term Evolution (LTE) net- site by the end of the year. work is currently installed in an underground mine in Boliden, Sweden. The 2014 – MineInsight and Smart ventilation project is called PIMM funded by Vinnova are introduced to the market. The first and run in a consortium. It will be the first products, as part of the two concepts, to LTE installed in an underground mine in be sold have been the dispatch system the world. It will be used for the testing of and mine ventilation on demand. future 5G communications and solutions.

2015 – ABB scheduler is introduced to specific customers and is planned for product release by the end of 2016. Jan Nyqvist ABB Corporate Research Västerås, Sweden [email protected]

54 ABB review 3|16 100 years of Corporate Research

A new compact HVDC solution for offshore wind

HVDC offshore wind compact solution with half the weight and AC platforms eliminated

RYAN LADD, PETER SANDEBERG – Every offshore wind installation must endure one of the most demanding environments on the planet: the open sea. In a constant battle with wind, waves and salt water they must stand firm and reliably transmit power back to the mainland, often many kilometers distant. Perhaps most challenging of all is the delivery and commissioning of these behemoths: Weighing sometimes over 20,000 tons they have to be transported and positioned by the world’s largest vessels and lifted by the world’s most powerful cranes. These are operations that can only be carried out in clement weather. ABB’s new offshore wind compact HVDC solution changes all this.

A new compact HVDC solution for offshore wind 55 customer specifications. The optimized 1 ABB’s new offshore wind compact solution significantly reduces the weight base-level platform contains everything of the platform. needed for a fully operational HVDC platform but if for example, there is need for living quarters, a helipad, a more powerful crane or other options, the concept allows them to be easily added – without designing and fabricating an entirely new platform from scratch.

Modular design, of course, has other advantages. Each module can be produced individually, in parallel with others and in more diverse and smaller workshops, as opposed to the traditional fabrication of the entire topside platform in a dedicated yard. This greatly increases the number incurred by traditional alternating current of suitable suppliers, which provides a (AC) systems. HVDC equipment has many more competitive environment and sig- other technical advantages, eg, superior nificantly reduces the risks inherent in all controllability, fast response, blackstart such megaprojects. capability, etc. These advantages make ith demand for clean, reli- HVDC the technology of choice for trans- As well as advantages in fabrication, there able power increasing, mitting power to shore in projects around are also substantial transportation benefits. wind turbines are becom- the world. There are very few vessels capable of W ing a common sight in many transporting and installing the largest plat- countries. However, on land, wind strength A new modular HVDC concept forms but, with half the weight and the flex- can change at a moment’s notice and air for offshore ibility to distribute the modules between flows can be disturbed by the presence Although HVDC is an established technol- cargo carriers, the new concept represents of hills, trees and cities. At sea, on the ogy and has been around for over 60 years, a step change in logistical management. other hand, the wind is much more con- its application offshore is relatively recent. stant and can usually be relied upon to The first offshore HVDC wind project was A solution for the future provide a predictable source of power. energized in 2009 and every installation The huge savings in weight delivered by Also, the number of locations on land since then has differed significantly from the new HVDC concept have been achieved suitable for wind turbines is limited – for its predecessors, a phenomenon com- by close collaboration between ABB’s top both practical and aesthetic reasons – mon in a rapidly evolving technology. HVDC engineers and researchers. Innova- whereas wind turbines out to sea are less tive thinking has allowed a substantial visible and wind yield is significantly greater The experience and insight gained from reduction in the HVDC hardware installed offshore. For these reasons, offshore implementing HVDC in offshore situa- on the platform and extensive studies and wind turbine numbers are rising rapidly. tions have enabled ABB to come up with tests helped point the way to reduce a new offshore wind compact solution – redundancy while maintaining the required Offshore power generation and transmis- one that reduces the weight and volume high levels of availability in the system. sion present challenges, of course. The of the platform by over 50 percent com- With improvements to layout and the elim- environment is harsh, facilities have to be pared to previous designs ➔ 1. Also, the ination of excess space, this revolutionary accessed for maintenance and there are new ABB offshore HVDC solution allows new concept truly represents the next critical technical obstacles involved in the AC substation platforms currently nec- generation of offshore wind solutions. transmitting power great distances under essary in the wind farm to be eliminated the sea. The problem of transmitting since the wind turbine generators can power long distances back to shore effi- now be connected directly to the HVDC Ryan Ladd ciently has largely been solved by high- platform via a 66 kV collection grid. Elimi- ABB Power Grids, Grid Systems voltage direct current (HVDC) technology, nating the AC substation platform poten- HVDC Market Communications which is not prone to the huge losses tially increases the total weight saving Ludvika, Sweden further, up to a total of 70 percent com- [email protected] pared to a conventional setup and re- Title picture duces operational costs by removing the Peter Sandeberg New designs of offshore platforms reduce weight long-term maintenance of these stations. ABB Power Grids, Grid Systems by half, simplify the electrical concept and allow a The new HVDC concept is based upon a HVDC Marketing and Strategy modular approach to construction. These new offshore wind compact solutions look quite different modular product structure that provides Västerås, Sweden from the familiar platform as shown here. the flexibility to accommodate different [email protected]

56 ABB review 3|16 Local savings

Energy storage leads PAOLO CASINI – “The sun is the source of all energy. The world must turn to solar, the power of our future.” Indian Prime Minister Narendera Modi’s the way for accessible statement at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in 2015 empha- sizes a key goal of the International Solar Alliance launched by France and solar in the home India: to make solar energy more accessible to all. In fact, solar photovolta- ics (PV) have already experienced a tremendous boost since 2004, thanks to schemes like feed-in tariffs (FITs). A fundamental factor that further supports this growth and contributes to the financial and technical sustainability of solar PV is energy storage. The addition of energy storage to solar will drive the next generation of PV systems. Solar as we have known it will likely look decidedly different in the future – especially in the residential arena – and ABB is at the forefront of this evolution.

Local savings 57 1 Residential applications are characterized by a poor match between the energy demand profile over the day and the solar energy production curve.

Solar power generation profile

Household’s energy consumption

Sunrise Sunset

energy cost reduction will help bring PV the energy when it is needed, often systems more easily into the home. before sunrise and after sunset. – Adoption of electrical loads to Self-consumption and self-sufficiency replace more traditional, nonelectrical There are two governing factors for the solutions such as thermal loads and/ next generation of residential solar solu- or electric vehicles. or years in the residential arena, tions: energy self-consumption and en- – Aggregation of the local energy the FIT scheme ensured remu- ergy self-sufficiency. Energy self-con- management system to larger neration for every solar kWh in- sumption is the household consumption grid-coupled distributed systems for F jected into the grid at a tariff of the solar energy locally produced and provision of ancillary services. substantially higher than the retail elec- energy self-suffi- tricity price – without requiring a match ciency is the ca- between what was injected and the ac- pability to autono- Solar as we have known it will tual demand of the household, either in mously meet the terms of energy balance or in terms of energy demand of likely look decidedly different in power equivalence at any given time. the household. the future – especially in the This is changing. This landscape is now The next genera- evolving from a form of financial invest- tion of solar sys- residential arena – and ABB is ment into the fulfillment of a fundamen- tems are expect- tal need and is largely driven by the fol- ed to both supply at the forefront of this evolution. lowing factors: the potential grid insta- electric power to bility issues as a result of increased pen- the household according to demand A level of self-consumption and self- etration of distributed generation, the and minimize the purchase of electricity sufficiency that exceeds the threshold of approaching parity of self-generation from the grid. In order to meet these 30 percent each – usually achievable by costs and retail energy costs, and the two requirements, the mismatch be- traditional PV plants – can only be cost- reduction of incentives. tween the daily solar power profile and effectively obtained through a combina- the household demand must be over- tion of all or part of the above solutions. By paving the way for the dispatchability come ➔ 1. For the implementation at the product of solar power and the optimization of level, the two pursuable solutions are locally generated power, which result in There are several ways in which an load management and energy storage. grid-integration and energy cost reduc- acceptable level of self-sufficiency and tions, respectively, energy storage will self-consumption in residential solar Energy storage in residential solar drive the next generation of PV systems. applications can be achieved: applications While the containment of grid integra- – Load management of home appli- Electrochemical batteries are one of the tion costs is a priority for utilities, the ances by shifting their use to day- best ways to store excess solar energy time, when the solar energy is because they are practical and cost ef- present. fective. However, while the arbitrary ad- Title picture – Storage of the energy available from dition of batteries to a PV plant could How can ABB’s residential energy storage solutions help lead the way for more flexible and accessible the source (whenever it exceeds the help achieve complete self-sufficiency solar PV installations in the home? household demand) and delivery of of the household, it might not result in a

58 ABB review 3|16 2 ABB’s REACT (Renewable Energy Accumulator and Conversion 3 Block diagram of REACT. The system features a dedicated energy Technology) meter for self-consumption and self-sufficiency control.

REACT MPPT1 DC/AC energy meter AC grid

Energy MPPT2 manager

Battery charger Household loads

REACT

positive financial return. This is due to battery charger simply by not connecting the current high cost of technically viable the PV array to its input ➔ 4. There are two gov- solutions for batteries along with the necessary oversizing of the PV array REACT features a modular architecture erning factors for required to charge the battery. with the electronics compartment on the next generation the right side and the battery compart- An economically sustainable residential ment on the left. Up to three battery of residential solar PV/storage solution is instead the result compartments can be installed in one of a compromise between the size of system. The product offers battery solutions: energy the installed battery and the returns backup functionality in the event of a self-consumption achieved by self-consumption and self- grid blackout. sufficiency levels as a part of an overall and energy self- tailored energy management strategy. In Effectiveness of product other words, it is all about the optimum implementation sufficiency. trade-off between the cost of the bat- REACT’s energy storage system is tery (and the size of the PV array) and made of lithium-ion batteries with a the reduction of energy purchased from modular architecture that allows the the grid that the system can achieve. system to expand from its native 2 kWh up to 6 kWh, and is field upgradable. An ABB’s REACT (Renewable Energy Accu- effective onboard load management mulator and Conversion Technology) is system enables interaction with select- designed to offer customers the above- ed loads/appliances, boosting the en- mentioned optimum trade-off ➔ 2. The ergy independency of the household up system is made of a grid-tied PV inverter (up to The next generation of solar 5 kW) fed from a DC link, to systems are expected to both which the maxi- supply electric power to the mum power point trackers (MPPTs), household according to demand connected to the PV array, and a and minimize the purchase of bidirectional bat- electricity from the grid. tery charger are connected ➔ 3. Its integrated DC-link architecture pro- to 60 percent with a basic system con- vides the optimum cost solution for new figuration ➔ 5. The trade-off between installations, and it can also be used to the size of the battery and the level of retrofit existing PV plants as an AC-link self-sufficiency offered by the system is

Local savings 59 4 Retrofit of a pre-existing PV plant with REACT in AC-link mode. 5 IRR of a PV+ storage residential system (German case) by system The PV inputs of the REACT (MPPT1/2) are not used. configuration versus the cost of the battery system.

Pre-existing PV plant Isoquants of PV + Storage (German FIT) 12

DC/AC 10

REACT MPPT1 DC/AC energy 6 meter AC

grid IRR (%) DE 4.6 KWp-2.8 KWh Energy 4 manager DE 3.6 KWp-2.8 KWh MPPT2 DE 3.0 KWp-2.8 KWh Battery 2 charger DE 5 KWp

0 Household 0 500 1.000 1.500 2.000 REACT loads RESS cost/KWh (Euro)

a moving target driven by the cost of ➔ 7 shows the result simulated for a batteries over time. The extension of the household in Munich, Germany, under battery capacity up to 6kW is therefore the following assumptions: possible for post-installation system – Annual solar production scale-up when the cost of batteries 990 kWh/kWpeak allows a better internal rate of return – Family of four (IRR) of the system ➔ 5. – Annual consumption of 4,100 kWh (refrigerator/ freezer: 0.4 kW; washer: 2.0 kW; heat pump: 2.0 kW; electric The addition of oven: 2.8 kW) – Installed PV capacity 5 kWDC energy storage – Retail electricity cost 0.23 euros/kWh capability to a ($.26/kWh)

traditional solar The addition of a 2 kWh storage component to a 5 kW residential plant can inverter represents boost the self-sufficiency and self-consumption of this typical household by the evolution of 15 and 10 percent, respectively. An solar residential even further improvement of 5 to 7 percent can be achieved by adding another systems toward component to the system – the home load management ➔ 7. self-sustainability. The home load manager operates a shift of Business case example the household power demand by interact- The choice of lithium-ion batteries as ing with noncritical, programmable appli- the storage element is driven by: ances. Given the microprocessor control in – The favorable expected cost profile in most of today’s large appliances, the ideal the coming years ➔ 6. interaction with the home load manager – Size/capacity and performance would be through a data link connecting – The charge/discharge power rating the home loads to the load manager. This (0.5xC to C is achievable without communication standard, while widely de- negative impact on the life of the ployed by appliance manufacturers and battery) being addressed by several committees in – Twice the longevity (10 years) Europe and the United States, has unfor- – Efficiency (discharge vs. charge tunately not yet been recognized and im- energy) over 95 percent plemented. Therefore the effective way to integrate the load manager into REACT is through a series of signals used either to power the programmable loads or to sug-

60 ABB review 3|16 6 Expected cost trend by battery technology. Lithium-ion shows the stronger reduction of cost coupled with one of the longest battery field life. Source: IMS The addition of

Battery Prices for PV Energy Storage ($/kWh) energy storage to 1400 solar will drive the 1200

1000 next generation

800 of PV systems.

IRR (%) 600

400

200

0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Lithium-Ion Lead-Acid Sodium Nickel Chloride Sodium Sulphur Flow

7 Level of self-consumption and self-sufficiency achieved in typical installations in Germany with different levels of PV system configuration.

Germany Consumption 4100 kWh year; irradiation 990 kWh/kWp)

90 81.2 81.2 AVG Battery usage 80 70 AVG Self-consumption

60 54.0 48.1 AVG Self-sufficiency 50

% 40 46.1 33.3 41.3 30 29.2 20

0 5 kW PV 5 kW PV 5 kW PV + 2 kWh battery + 2 kWh battery + basic load mgt

gest to the operator when a certain load A careful selection of the size of the bat- should be started. tery must be supported by the deploy- ment of an effective strategy to manage At any rate, REACT is full home automa- the system’s energy flows: from the PV tion ready with the possibility to inter- source to the battery, to and from the face with the household’s critical loads grid and to the household’s appliances, and even an external energy manager and some level of interaction between system through the upcoming commu- the inverter’s energy manager and the nication standards on digital link, Wi-Fi house’s loads. As the business case or ZigBee. illustrates, ABB is poised to offer a complete residential energy storage solution, Solar residential systems evolve with the latest load management tech- The addition of energy storage capabil- nology, that will lead the way for more ity to a traditional solar inverter repre- practical and flexible solar PV installa- sents the evolution of solar residential tions in the home. systems toward self-sustainability. In order to achieve a positive return on investment, it is critical to maintain a proper Paolo Casini trade-off between the cost of batteries ABB Discrete Automation and Motion, and the level of energy self-sufficiency/ Power Conversion consumption. Terranuova Bracciolini, Italy [email protected]

Local savings 61 Unlocking value in storage systems

A large-scale case study of a battery/diesel grid-connected microgrid

NIRUPA CHANDER, JACK GAYNOR – Much progress has been concept in 2013 and quickly decided to start a trial made in the field of large-scale battery technology. As aimed at exploring the technology’s potential to manage this technical evolution gathers pace, it creates econo- peak demand and defer investment in network upgrades. mies of scale that make the technology ever more com- Through a competitive tender process, AusNet Services mercially attractive. This technical advance and changing awarded the contract to design, construct and deliver cost landscape have led many industrial utilities to a GESS to a consortium led by ABB and Samsung SDI, investigate the use of battery technology as the basis for with ABB providing the integration technology and a grid energy storage system (GESS). Based in Victoria, design, and Samsung SDI taking the role of battery Australia, AusNet Services began investigating the GESS supplier.

62 ABB review 3|16 1 System overview

Batteries Microgrid Plus system (Control) PowerStore (Inverters)

Substations

Ring main unit Diesel generator

System outline real and reactive power management. In The GESS consists of three main com- the GESS, PowerStore operates in virtu- ponents: A 1 MWh 1C (the “C” refers to al generator mode (VGM) as a voltage charge/discharge performance) lithium- source inverter functioning as a synthetic ion battery energy storage system cou- generator. This is rather like a traditional pled to the grid through a 1 MVA inverter; diesel generator but with exceptional re- a 1 MVA backup diesel generator; and a sponse time, and expanded power sup- grid-connection substation consisting of ply and stability capabilities – similar in a 3 MVA transformer and a sulfur hexa- effect to a STATCOM (static compensa-

fluoride (SF6)-filled ring main unit (RMU) tor). This enables PowerStore to act as a and power protection devices ➔ 1. All the grid-forming generation source that oth- system components are portable, with er synchronous generators, such as wind riven by interested parties as the generator, batteries and a Power- turbines or solar inverters, can use as a varied as power utilities, auto- StoreTM 4Q (four-quadrant) PCS100 in- network voltage and frequency refer- mobile manufacturers and data verter housed in shipping containers ence. Additionally, PowerStore responds D center operators, battery tech- equipped with inte- nology has advanced remarkably in the grated HVAC (heat- past decade. In tandem, new battery ap- ing, ventilation and An embedded generation plications have grown in number. Of par- air-conditioning) ticular interest is the use of grid-connect- and fire suppres- source such as a GESS can ed large-scale battery microgrids to sion. The trans- provide peak load support by manage peak demand and defer network former and RMU augmentation. It was chiefly to investi- are housed on skid- supplying upstream feeder Unlocking value gate these two aspects that AusNet Ser- mounted platforms. vices carried out a trial of a non-network loads locally during peak GESS. The company chose a consor- The Samsung SDI tium led by ABB and Samsung SDI to battery system con- consumption periods. in storage systems deliver the GESS. Given the capabilities sists of four self- of the GESS with regard to power quality, contained shipping containers. The to faults in the network in the same way the effect on local power quality and sta- 1 MWh 1C batteries are capable of sym- as a synchronous generator, supplying bility of using such an embedded gener- metric charge and discharge ratings of up to 2 pu (per-unit) fault current for 2 s. ator was also to be examined. Addition- ± 1 MW and can transition from charge ally, the potential of the GESS’s islanding to discharge very quickly, allowing for A 1 MVA diesel generator is supplied to capabilities to improve power supply and robust operation. extend the discharge duration and power stability in the case of larger network output of the GESS, recharge low batter- faults was to be explored. ABB PowerStore ies and provide power to the microgrid. The heart of the GESS is the ABB PowerStore IGBT (insulated-gate bipolar Both PowerStore and the generator are transistor)-based 4Q PCS100 inverter interfaced to the 22 kV grid through a that interfaces the Samsung lithium-ion 3 MVA transformer with a primary-con- Title picture battery energy storage system to the nected neutral switch and a three-break- ABB led the delivery of a large-scale battery grid through a 1,000 V DC bus. With a er SF -filled RMU. Power protection in- installation (shown) for AusNet Services in northern 6 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. How has it helped symmetric power rating of ± 1,372 kVA, telligent electronic devices (IEDs) – three the utility manage demand and optimize investment? PowerStore provides fully bidirectional ABB REF630s – protect and monitor the

Unlocking value in storage systems 63 The GESS allows 2 GESS M+ Operations overview screen the downstream system to operate as an islanded microgrid – supplied wholly by the GESS – or as a grid-connected system.

3 GESS island mode operation: transition from grid connection to islanded microgrid, microgrid system shutdown, microgrid initialization and network reconnection

300

250 Microgrid startup 200

150

Power (kW) 100 Island Microgrid Network initialization reconnection transition Safe Safe 50 shutdown shutdown

08:34 08:39 08:44 08:49 08:54 08:59

Time

Upstream feeder power Generator power

Downstream feeder power PowerStore power

grid connection. An ABB Synchrotact® remote terminal unit (RTU) connection to allows the GESS to synchronize with the the AusNet Services control system ➔ 2. grid and transition from islanded opera- Spinning reserve is maintained by the Mi- tion to grid-connected mode via “bump- crogrid Plus control system by constant- less” transitions. If local power is lost, ly monitoring power and energy flows to the GESS can supply the 240 V AC aux- ensure that any required load steps can iliary control network for at least 8 h. be accommodated.

Microgrid Plus control GESS protection ABB’s Microgrid Plus control system Protection is ensured by using a set of manages the GESS and ensures that complementary methods. The Samsung consistent grid supply and stability is BMS communicates any alarms to the maintained. This distributed control sys- Microgrid Plus control system, which, in tem interfaces to each major piece of turn, will cease operation in the event of plant, from which it collects power sys- a critical alarm. Anti-islanding protection tem information to publish to the entire is implemented to ensure that, in the network. Individual Microgrid Plus con- event of an upstream feeder opening, trollers act in a distributed manner, re- the GESS does not attempt to supply to sulting in the entire GESS performing as the wider distribution network or grid of a cohesive whole. Remote monitoring which this feeder is a part. and management is provided through ABB’s M+ Operations and also through a

64 ABB review 3|16 4 GESS synchronization: voltage, power and frequency during transition and synchronization from islanded to grid-connected using a load bank When the network

22400 450 voltage is above 22300 448 22200 446 444 22100 the set point, the 442 22000 440 Voltage (V) Voltage (V) Voltage 21900 438 GESS absorbs 21800 436 50.10 reactive power; 50.05 50.00 when below, the 49.95 49.90 Frequency (Hz) Frequency 49.85 GESS injects 300 250 reactive power 200 150 100 into the network. 50 Power (kW) 0 -50 02:04 02:09 02:14

Time

Upstream feeder Generator (right-hand scale in voltage graph)

Downstream feeder PowerStore (right-hand scale in voltage graph)

Various power system protection func- When the generation sources change PowerStore or the generator to maintain tions are implemented by REF630 relays, state from online to offline, and vice versa, the upstream feeder load at a predeter- a backup sensitive earth fault relay and the IED protection groups are changed mined maximum power set point while insulation monitoring relays. automatically, thus ensuring the REF630 meeting the downstream feeder require- IEDs use the correct protection settings. ment ➔ 5. When PowerStore and the Island mode generator are both online they passively When transitioning from grid-connected When transitioning to a grid-connected and proportionally share the power load mode to island mode, the GESS increas- system and back again, the GESS ad- requirement. es its power output so that the power justs the voltage and frequency output of flow across the upstream breaker is zero PowerStore and the generator to ensure When the state-of-charge of the batter- and the GESS is supplying the entire that the downstream feeder voltage and ies reaches a minimum set point (35 per- downstream feeder load as well as the frequency are equal auxiliary power load (hence the ~30 kW to those of the up- difference between the PowerStore stream network ➔ 4. A GESS helps mitigate the power and downstream feeder power This is accom- and between upstream feeder power plished by an ABB supply and stability issues and downstream feeder power) ➔ 3. Synchrotact send- ing signals to the associated with renewable With the power flow across the upstream Microgrid Plus con- intermittency. breaker zero, the breaker opened and trol system, which PowerStore alone supplying the micro then adjusts the grid, the generator is started and Power- output voltage and frequency of Power- cent in ➔ 5), the microgrid increases gen- Store and the generator passively load Store and the generator to synchronize erator loading and reduces PowerStore share the downstream feeder load until a the two networks. The transition back to loading to reduce the discharge rate. safe system shutdown is performed. an islanded state is as described above: Then, when initializing the microgrid, When the power flow across the up- When operating in voltage droop mode, PowerStore starts to provide a system stream breaker is zero, the upstream the system compares the network volt- reference for the generator to synchronize breaker is opened and the high-voltage age to a set parameter with the differ- to, and then the downstream feeder neutral switch is closed. ence between the two values being used breaker is closed and the GESS supplies to determine the amount of reactive the downstream feeder until another safe Lopping, injecting and correcting power to be injected into or absorbed system shutdown is performed. When performing peak lopping (ie, using from the grid in order to stabilize the net- GESS to remove demand peaks on the work voltage ➔ 6. primary power supply), the Microgrid Plus control system injects power from

Unlocking value in storage systems 65 5 GESS peak lopping 6 GESS parameters during voltage droop

100 22200

22100

1000 22000 80 21900

Voltage (V) Voltage 21800

60 21700 500 21600

Power (kW) 600 40

State of charge (%) 400 0 200 20 0 Power (kVAR) -200

500 -400 0 09:40 09:55 10:10 10:25 10:40 10:55 11:10 14:50 15:00 15:10 15:20 15:30 15:40 15:50 16:00 Time Time

Upstream feeder power Generator power Upstream feeder voltage Downstream feeder reactive power

Downstream feeder power PowerStore power Voltage droop set point Generator reactive power

Maximum power setpoint Battery system state-of-charge Voltage droop reactive PowerStore reactive power

(right-hand scale) power

Power factor correction is performed by solar sources can be smoothed by a injecting reactive power into the network, GESS or similar. Indeed, a GESS could be or absorbing reactive power from it, in a used to support any distributed genera- manner similar to that employed by the tion sources. voltage droop algorithm. Advances in lithium-ion battery technol- Charging at minimum feeder load charg- ogy – especially with charge and dis- es the battery while also meeting the charge ratings approaching 4C (whereby downstream feeder load requirements. a 250 kWh battery bank would be able to When the upstream feeder demand is discharge at 1 MW) and the footprint be- greater than the maximum set point, the coming smaller – open up exciting pos- GESS performs peak lopping as de- sibilities for cost-effective energy storage scribed above. Timed charging can be in smaller, more remote microgrids. In- used to charge the batteries when ener- creased ratings are also attractive in gy cost is low. larger grid-connected systems for local intense peak load support, such as that System outcomes needed to support arc furnaces, large Encouraging results from the trial support cranes, hoists and other large, intermit- the GESS as a product that will strength- tent industrial loads. en and stabilize the power grid while enabling power system upgrades to be ABB and Samsung SDI plan to continue postponed or eliminated. The islanding to develop modular and scalable energy capabilities of the GESS will help reduce storage systems for use in microgrids the severity and duration of outages in and other applications, and will continue larger macrogrids as serious faults can be to explore how such technologies can isolated and rectified while the supply to enable customers to reduce their envi- interrupted areas is maintained by the ronmental impact and increase stable GESS. A compact, portable design allows and sustainable renewable contributions the GESS to be positioned near the cus- to their grids. Nirupa Chander tomer’s site. ABB Power Grids, Grid Automation For their valuable contributions, the authors would Notting Hill, Australia like to give special thanks to Yogendra Vashishtha, Battery-based energy storage systems [email protected] AusNet Services project manager, and Hachull show promise for increasing the contribu- Chung, Samsung SDI project manager. tion of solar generation to larger tradition- Jack Gaynor al macrogrids as the intermittent nature of Former ABB employee

66 ABB review 3|16 Editorial Board

Bazmi Husain Chief Technology Officer Group R&D and Technology

Ron Popper Head of Corporate Responsibility

Christoph Sieder Head of Corporate Communications

Ernst Scholtz R&D Strategy Manager Group R&D and Technology

Andreas Moglestue Chief Editor, ABB Review [email protected]

Publisher ABB Review is published by ABB Group R&D and Technology. Preview 4|16

ABB Switzerland Ltd. ABB Review Segelhofstrasse 1K Transportation CH-5405 Baden-Daettwil Switzerland [email protected] The increased globalization of processes and services relies on the ability of people and goods to be moved – be it goods being sent half ABB Review is published four times a year in English, French, German and Spanish. way around the globe on a large ship, or workers on their daily com- ABB Review is free of charge to those with an mute within a city using electric cars, buses or trains. ABB believes interest in ABB’s technology and objectives. For a subscription, please contact your nearest transportation systems should be respectful of the environment, ABB representative or subscribe online at sustainable on resources and also economically competitive. ABB pro- www.abb.com/abbreview vides numerous cutting edge services and products supporting the Partial reprints or reproductions are permitted transportation industry. These range from the propulsion system of subject to full acknowledgement. Complete reprints large ships to charging stations for electric cars. Besides the actual require the publisher’s written consent. hardware it increasingly encompasses service and remote service Publisher and copyright ©2016 offerings. ABB Switzerland Ltd. Baden/Switzerland Transportation, and ABB’s contribution to it will be the main focus of Printer the upcoming issue of ABB Review. Vorarlberger Verlagsanstalt GmbH AT-6850 Dornbirn/Austria

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