Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | SEPTEMBER 2022 | 33 A s the severity and frequency of storms are increasing, and as more and more people work from home, outages at the edge of the grid are having a greater impact than ever. Even a short interruption of a few seconds can cause big problems for the end customer. Repeated disruptions impact customer satisfaction and increase costs from unnecessary call outs. Approximately 70% of overhead distribution transformer fuse operations are classi• ed as nuisance outages, where no other repair work is needed. The VacuFuse® II Self- Resetting Interrupter (VFII) brings fault-testing technology closer to the end of the grid. As a result, it boosts grid-edge reliability, prevents unnecessary sustained outages, and lowers maintenance expenses. As the VFII operates without the need for batteries or communications it is inherently much more reliable than other fault testing devices. VFII solves the nuisance outages that occur on overhead lines. When the VFII detects a fault, its vacuum interrupter (VI) will open to interrupt the fault current. If the fault is temporary, VFII will close to restore power. This saves temporary faults from becoming permanent outages and eliminates the site costs otherwise associated with restoration call outs. Therefore, only customers in the section that contains the fault are a† ected but all others remain on supply. If the fault is permanent, the VFII will interrupt the fault current, wait up to 45 seconds, test the line, and if the fault remains, it will interrupt the fault and drop open like a standard fuse, thus isolating the fault. A‰ er the line crew has cleared the fault, the VFII can be closed back into the cutout, restoring power. The VFII boasts an Open/ Close lever, this lever allows for manual open/closing of the VFII (with a visible open indication – See below). When the lever is moved to the "Open" position, the VI will open immediately. Moving the lever to the "Close" position closes the VI a‰ er a short delay (to allow enough power to be harvested) and using the VI to safely perform the close. As the VFII is rated to 6.3kA (Symmetrical) any fault within this will be contained by the VI, allowing a fault make rating to be applied consistently and safely. As a single-phase device, VFII is intended for use on voltages from 7.2 kV to 15.5 kV. VFII replaces fuses in these locations and, in doing so, reduces outages for customers. For further information, visit: https://www.sandc.com/en/ products--services/products/ vacufuse-self-resetting-inter- rupter/ JASON LANDER, VICE PRESIDENT - EMEA & ASIA PACIFIC, S&C ELECTRIC COMPANY VacuFuse® II: The solution to enhanced grid edge reliability Tech Talk Sponsored content brought to you by Open/close lever Charging LED Ready to close LED Position indicator Technology Plugging the gaps Northumbrian Water has expanded trials of a leakage solution that promises to make pipes 'self-healing'. A gel and mineral-based solution allowing leaking water pipes to "self-heal" without the need for excavation is being tested by Northumbrian Water • eld teams across the North East a‰ er a successful trial in Newcastle. Unveiled and trialled at Northumbrian Water's Inno- vation Festival in July, No Dig – developed in tandem with Gateshead-based sustainable tech • rm Origin – aims to improve the speed at which teams can • x leaks while avoiding digging up roads and pavements, and saving water. Made from water, gel and minerals, it is designed to quickly stop or stem leakages without necessarily know- ing their exact size or location. Adapted from technologies already implemented in the oil and gas sector with the help of chemical solutions provider Aubin, No Dig sees a non-toxic sealing medium injected at the approximate location of a leak between two memory shaped pigs deployed to isolate a section of pipe. Pressure is then applied to both pigs, squeezing the sealant into the leak. According to Origin, the minerals used in No Dig are sized and shaped to interact with the substrate around the pipe. The solution leaks out of the pipe as water would, hits the substrate, and starts to block the leak immediately. The pigs are then pumped out of the pipe. "It is still early days but we are seeing some really positive progress in this project and we really do think it could completely change the way we, and in time all water companies, operate in the future," Jim Howey, head of water networks at Northumbrian Water said. "There is a lot of potential here. "As well as wasting water, leaks can also cause lots of disruption for customers if we need to carry out excava- tions – but this will eliminate that tricky step from our process." No Dig trials have already been carried out on live water mains across the North East over the past year, with the solution rolled out in Newcastle, Seaton Delaval and Bowburn, for example. News of Northumbrian's broader trials comes a‰ er parts of England experienced the driest since records began following • ve months of below-average rainfall, and with widespread drought placing extra pressure on water e¦ ciency. Water companies have already committed to cut- ting leakage rates in half by 2050 with • rms employing solutions as diverse as satellites and sni† er dogs to both track and tackle leaks. Stuart Stone, editor, Utility Week Innovate

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