Exciting new range of switchgear available locally

Tavrida Electric Africa has been supplying medium voltage auto reclosers and vacuum circuit breakers to the industry and utilities in sub-Sahara Africa for the past 20 years.

The company has now added the ETALON switchgear to its range of products. ETALON switchgear is the most compact medium voltage air-insulated switchgear panel in the world. The philosophy behind the ETALON panel is to provide the most reliable and durable switchgear in the most compact size possible, complete with a powerful microprocessor-based controller for distribution networks and industrial applications.

The panel is supplied standard with a vacuum circuit breaker, earthing and disconnector switch with visual gap, surge arrestors and safety interlocking system. Each panel is also equipped with a fast arc protection system which detects the arc in 10 ms and clears the arc fault in less than 35 ms. Measurements are performed by modern combined voltage and current sensors. Current sensing is performed by Rogowski coils while voltage sensing is performed by capacitive dividers. Both current and voltage sensors are supplied as standard.

The circuit breaker is controlled by the control module which also provides measurement, protection, communication and self-supervision functionality. The protection relay is embedded in the control module and provides standard protection elements as well as programmable logic control. Combining all these functions in one product makes ETALON a truly unique smart switchgear. The switchgear is designed and fully type-tested according to IEC 62271-200.

Tavrida Electric recently installed and commissioned its first project with ETALON switchgear for a mine in South Africa’s Limpopo province. The project consisted of providing two incomer panels and four feeder panels. The feeder panels are being used to control critical water pumps on the mine. Motor control and protection has been implemented through an embedded PLC. The switchgear now enables the mine to have an up-to-date SCADA system with a much smaller footprint in the substation, easier and safer switching and isolating procedures, maintenance-free and with superior reliability compared to the old switchgear.

Benefits

  • 50 000 operations
  • Maintenance free
  • Compactness and endurance
  • Embedded fast arc protection
  • Embedded self-supervision system
  • Lightweight and easy to install
  • Environmentally friendly

Technical specifications

Rated Voltage (kV)

12

Rated lightning impulse withstand voltage (kV)

75

Rated continuous current (A)

800/1600

Rated short circuit breaking current (kA)

20/31,5

Mechanical endurance of circuit breaker, CO-cycles

50 000

Electrical endurance at rated load current, CO-cycles

50 000

Electrical endurance at short circuit current, CO-cycles

25

Closing time (ms)

˂41

Opening time (ms)

˂22

Interrupting medium

Vacuum

Insulating medium

Solid and Air

Type of driving mechanism

Magnetic actuator

Weight (kg)

240

Dimensions – H x W x D (mm)

2000 x 333 x 818

Contact Jerome Bell, Tavrida Electric, Phone 011 914-2199, bjs@tavrida.com, service@tavrida.co.za, www.tavrida.com/tea