Industrial Networks
Industrial networks are characterised by a highly specific, and in most cases sensitive, load, a high density of switchgear and distribution boards with high short-circuit power, short distances between the switchgear, predominant use of cables, operation of dynamic and non-linear loads, and frequent inhouse power generation.
Based on many years’ international experience in extensive industrial network analyses, e.g. in the automobile, mining, oil and chemical industries, DIgSILENT provides solutions for all the relevant issues:
- Determination of the consumer lists and load structures
- Preparation and review of plant designs and necessary expansions
- Dimensioning of switchgear, distribution systems, cables and transformers based on load flow and short-circuit calculations in accordance with relevant standards
- Development and dimensioning of connections of third-party grids and in-house power plants including the required standby power supply concepts
- Definition of the basic parameters of generators and control systems
- Design of highly reliable network areas
- Integration of large drives and strongly fluctuating consumption
- Ensuring the required grid quality and reliability of supply
- Arc flash calculation based on the applicable standards
Consulting Services - Overview
- Design of optimal network topologies, consideration of reliability requirements
- Co-generation and systems capable of standalone operation
- Protection of key technological processes in stand-alone operation
- Systems with the highest requirements regarding power quality and reliability of supply
- Standby power and auxiliary supply systems
- Disconnection from the system and process assurance
- Reactive power exchange with the upstream network (analysis of the actual situation; development of the target situation)
- Voltage and frequency control strategies with consideration of process-related requirements
- Strategies for the start-up of major drives
Network Protection
In addition to the design of power systems and plants and the compliance with general stability requirements, efficient system protection in particular helps to ensure that the power supply is as reliable and uninterrupted as possible. DIgSILENT assists with the design and coordination of the system protection based on the precise PowerFactory protection models, in combination with the possibilities of a proper management of protection devices and their settings on the basis of StationWare. DIgSILENT defines protection concepts and determines reliable settings for all the protection devices on the basis of an automated protection simulation, taking the grid dynamics into account in the best possible way.
Consulting Services - Overview
- Design and dimensioning of system protection for all voltage levels and structures
- Review and optimisation of the selectivity of existing protection systems
- Design of special protection concepts for industrial networks
- Development and implementation of protection databases based on PowerFactory and StationWare
- Fault analysis by means of steady-state and dynamic short-circuit current calculation, and taking the transformer behaviour and specific setting parameters of the protection systems into account
- Protection concepts to avoid undesired islanding
- Relaxation oscillations and countermeasures
- Special protection concepts (e.g. for T-branches in meshed networks)
