GE Renewable Energy integrates new generation CT from Senseleq in its HYpact (HV mixed technology) switchgear

The European Commission’s proposal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 sets Europe on a responsible path to becoming climate neutral by 2050. This has brought further strength towards a pan-EU energy system with net zero emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 which calls for decarbonization, electrification, and digitalization are reshaping the entire energy system.

Within the context of the energy transition, TSOs and DSOs face new power quality challenges with higher harmonics and DC pollution. This is also because of the changes in power generation, transmission, and distribution technologies as well as design and operation philosophies.

This means utility operators need new generation of transducers to ensure a wide range of properties of current flow is measured by future proof current transformers.

GE Renewable Energy has set a target to deliver in its HYpact switchgear a high accurate universal CT for a wide range of frequencies from DC to 50k Hz from mA’s to kA’s for digitalization purposes – independent from the nominal current, etc. GE Renewable Energy is constantly looking for smart solutions to reduce the interface engineering and use one CT for all customer requirements which can save interface engineering hours needed in their projects.

Senseleq has designed, tested, and delivered a ring core universal wide range CT equivalent to the following specifications to meet future requirements – based on zero-flux technology:

• Metering class 100 A 0.2S
• Metering class 2,500 A 0.2S
• Protection class 2,500 A 5P20
• Wide range DC

The result was a CT measuring from 1 A up to 50 kA with accuracy shown in the diagram below.

The same CT has also delivered a high accurate DC performance from -6 kA to +6 kA. Bandwidth of the CT is measured to be in the range of few hundred kHz. Performance of the CT under a high level of DC pollution is also tested and confirmed.

Senseleq has delivered the wide range CT’s in the same cast resin housing as inductive ring core CT’s, the same mechanical configurations, etc., so that it can be installed and operated without extra mechanical complexity or safety risk. The wide range CT is combined with multiple metering and protection cores in the same housing.

This hybrid option gives the possibility to implement the new measurement technology in combination with the well-known inductive CT’s. This further enables possible retrofit solutions which might be a growing challenge looking into energy transition challenges.

This CT will be installed in the first digital HYpact module from GE`s Kassel site for a pilot project in Germany. Energization of the module is scheduled in Q2, 2022.