ABB's tailor-made switchgear for wind turbines is available in 12 kV, 24 kV, 36 kV and 40.5 kV ratings
Slim and flexible switchgear is essential for the wind power industry due to the increasing trend for higher production per installed turbine. ABB has overcome the challenge of restricted space inside tower installations and compact substations by developing a switchgear with extremely slim modules. The SafePlus 36kV modules are only 420 mm wide and fit through all tower doors during installations. SafePlus are available in compact version as well as modular version and offer a wide variety of configurations, all with same dimensions and user interface.
SafePlus is designed specifically to meet the switchgear requirements of wind turbine manufacturers for compactness, safety and flexibility, and offers a complete range of secondary distribution gas-insulated switchgear for onshore and offshore applications in the global wind power market.
The standard width of tower doorways and non-ABB switchgear panels is 600 mm. This means that the switchgear has to be installed on site before the tower is lowered onto it or it has to be built into a secondary substation beside the tower.
The 36/40.5 kV variant of SafePlus, on the other hand, has a module width of only 420 mm. It fits easily through the doorway and can be installed after the tower has been raised, giving wind turbine manufacturers a more rational and less costly option.
It also frees up valuable space and provides greater flexibility when arranging and installing the electrical equipment in the confined interior of the tower where space is extremely limited.
In addition to the super-slim 36 and 40.5 kV variants, SafePlus is available in 12 and 24 kV ratings, in modules and in a wide variety of configurations, all with the same user interface and dimensions.
All live parts and switching components are protected in a stainless steel tank to ensure the highest levels of reliability and safety, as well as a long and trouble-free service life in the harsh and often inaccessible environments that are typical of wind farms.
The response of the wind industry to the world’s slimmest and most flexible switchgear has been overwhelmingly positive, as SafePlus solves in one timely innovation a number of the industry’s most pressing requirements for reduced footprint and improved flexibility.
ABB’s ability to tailor SafePlus to meet the preferences and specifications of individual wind turbine manufacturers enables them to use a standardized switchgear solution in all markets worldwide, including the preferred 40.5 kV GB (national standard) rating in China.
The SafePlus portfolio is designed to take full advantage of ABB’s solutions for protection and communication, as well as for easy integration with ABB compact secondary substations.