Siemens has received a High Commendation for Engineering Innovation in the 2009 Victorian Engineering Excellence Awards, presented by Engineers Australia, for a switchgear system designed for a 66kV substation.
Siemens Highly Integrated Switchgear (HIS) system enabled the augmentation of a 66kV substation, while also reducing environmental and community impacts, and improving the productivity, health and safety performance of the yard, according to Siemens and Engineers Australia.
The HIS has also been specifically configured to fit within the parameters of the existing site, saving our customer the time and costs associated with acquiring more land.
“The Siemens HIS equipment has been installed into five bays in a single row formation, and extended in a single row of twenty metres, achieving a switchgear width of just one metre,” said Siemens vice president of energy, Steve Robinson.
“Old high voltage cables were replaced and directly connected into the new HIS, eliminating exposure of high voltage parts, as well as solidly earthed in case of substation intrusion.”
Situated in close proximity to a primary school and residential surrounds, the safety and environmental impacts of the substation have also been greatly improved, which was of great concern to our customer, Siemens said.
“The sound and noise pressure has been greatly reduced with the HIS, which is quieter than the alternative switchgear, and a purpose-built sound absorbing wall,“ Robinson said.
“The lifecycle costs including land acquisition have also been dramatically reduced. The HIS is very efficient, low maintenance, and all components are gas insulated, ensuring no leakage.”
The Siemens HIS solution also addressed all the criteria for achieving engineering excellence, and took the covetted Engineering Innovation in the 2009 Victorian Engineering Excellence Awards gong at the formal event at Crown Towers in Victoria this week.