Personal protection, plant protection, fire protection and process safety: There are many reasons for monitoring an electrical network. Often, several of these safety aspects play an important role at the same time. When all protection goals have the same top priority in an electrical network, this is an exciting challenge even for the experienced experts at Bender, and one that requires an individual solution.
In this article we report how we have used our knowledge and our entire range of services to meet the complex safety requirements in test laboratories and workshops at the TU Munich. At the research facility, we helped make a system of five power grids with two different grid forms electrically safe.
Who makes so many demands on the electrical grid?
In this case, Bender went back to university: The TU Munich set up a new test laboratory at the Chair of Energy Conversion Technology (EWT) to conduct research on future topics: the optimisation of electric powertrains, inductive charging, the on-board network of the future and numerical calculation methods. Because the systems and test benches are also used in teaching, it was clear that faults in the electrical network must be avoided at all costs. On the one hand, to protect the researchers from electric shock, but also to protect the facility and ensure uninterrupted testing processes.
How is a customised solution created?
The partner for electrical safety, the engineering office IEP was commissioned with the electrical planning for the new building of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology. For the network monitoring, the team around Managing Director Dieter Arz relied on Bender's experience and knowledge. In order to develop an intelligent, reliable and future-proof solution for electrical safety, the first step was an intensive exchange and a series of questions: What are the power grids needed for? What are the protection goals? How big is the budget? These and many other questions had to be clarified. The Bender experts were then able to get started and develop solution proposals, weigh up the pros and cons and work out a system with electrical networks that was perfectly matched to the requirements.
Which solutions does Bender offer?
For the laboratories of the Chair of Energy Conversion Technology, a unique concept for electrical safety was developed after the intensive consultation phase: an electricity grid consisting of five subgrids, one of which is earthed and four of which are unearthed (IT) grids. (Read here what exactly the solution looks like.). To ensure the quality of the power supply and the safety of the individual networks, the entire Bender performance spectrum was used:
- for monitoring: a central power analyser, four PEM353 universal measuring devices and the CP907 control panel
- for monitoring in an earthed network: Residual current monitoring modules RCMB301 with measuring current transformer core CTBC60
- for monitoring in the unearthed network (IT network): ISOMETER® iso685D-P with insulation fault locators EDS440 and relay modules iom441
Electrical safety is a matter of trust
If a building, including electrical installations, is completely renovated or newly constructed, this represents a considerable investment. That's why it's important to be able to rely on a partner like Bender. Especially when the requirements for the power grids are complex.
4 reasons that speak for electrical safety from Bender:
1. More than 75 years of experience in electrical safety
2. Specialist for secure unearthed networks (IT networks)
3. Wide range of products for monitoring, surveillance, troubleshooting and communication
4. All from one source: Consulting, planning, implementation, service
What electrical challenge do you have?
Are you planning to rebuild or construct new production or testing facilities in your company or research institution? Are you unsure what a safe power supply might look like and what needs to be considered? .We will be happy to advise you on this. Contacting us as early as possible is worthwhile, especially for more complex electrical safety requirements. This way, the foundation for the best possible path to electrical safety can be set correctly at an early stage.
