Solutions to Enhance Fault Detection on MV Overhead Lateral Lines

Challenge

Enel Grids, a global leader in power distribution, is committed to delivering electricity through efficient, resilient, and digital networks. In Brazil, Enel Grids is currently focusing on improving the reliability and quality of its network seeking innovative solutions for fault detection and the selection of faulted lateral lines on Medium Voltage (MV) Distribution lines. 

If you have a cutting-edge solution to this challenge and have a registered office and manufacturing base in Brazil, consider taking part in this challenge and have the chance to contribute to improving the reliability and efficiency of Brazil’s MV distribution systems. 

In the upcoming future, an increasing number of sectors across the economy will depend more heavily on electricity, requiring more resilient distribution grids to withstand climate change and extreme operating conditions. 

Enel is focusing on the hosting capacity and digitalization of the network to increase the reliability of our service. 

Specifically, in Brazil’s MV distribution systems (rated voltage 15-38 kV/ 60 Hz), main feeders are connected to lateral lines, which transport power from substations to transformers. In general, the main feeder may directly connect 2-3 lateral lines. 

All MV feeders (main or lateral) must be protected against permanent and transient faults in order to maintain the quality of service to end users. To achieve this, it's important to install protection devices that can detect faults and isolate the MV line in the event of a permanent fault.

Currently the usual configuration of protection devices is the following:

• Main feeder is protected by a circuit breaker or recloser.
• Laterals lines are usually protected by fuses that is unable to distinguish between temporary and permanent faults (80% of faults are temporary).

Ensuring fault protection is vital for maintaining service quality. This requires devices capable of detecting and isolating faults.  

Please find further information HERE

The Solution

Current protection systems are mainly circuit breakers or reclosers for main feeders and fuses for lateral lines. However, these can’t differentiate between fault types. The challenge is to find innovative solutions, compliant with IEEE C37.60 standards, to enhance fault detection. 

We are looking for 1 or 2 different solutions at a medium / advanced stage of development (TRL>6)  with the following main technical characteristics according with IEEE C37.60:

The solution MUST have:

• Mono and three-phase configuration (solution should be monophase though able to operate in three phase synchronized mode)
• Pole / cut out mounted: max weight <100kg (3-phase)
• External degree of protection> IP54
• All the sensors and measurement devices need to be embedded in the same box
• Communication interfaces to manage input and output signals.
• The device needs to be SELF powered

The new equipment shall be tested and certified according to the relevant standards.

The FINAL solution MUST be cost effective compared to solutions commercially available (target price should be within – 30% –-50% of commercial cost of the current solutions in use)

Deliverables

Proposals shall be submitted to the platform openinnovability.com in a first stage and shall include a document with the following sections:

• Solution name/title and overview
• Solution detailed description
• Development Roadmap to market, indicating the estimated time for design, certification and prototypes 
• Budget Estimation for Proposal development 
• A detailed and clear estimation of the final price of the solution, indicating the estimated cost reduction you can achieve with your solution compared to commercially available devices (single phase)

It is required also to attach the translation in Portuguese of the proposed Solution 

Applicants must be living in or have a registered company in Brazil.

Webinar

SAVE THE DATE! Join us for 2 webinars dedicated to this challenge! 

• A challenge introduction webinar will take place on 5th August 2024 [CLICK HERE]
• A solution deep dive for more detailed and narrow question will be on 3 September [CLICK HERE]

You will have the chance to hear from the Challenge Owner about the challenge details and to ask questions directly to the Enel Grids team: don’t miss the opportunity to perfect your solution and match the solution requirements. 

What Happens Next?

After the Challenge deadline, the Challenge Owner will complete the review process and decide with regards to the Winning Solution(s). All participants that submit a proposal will be notified on the status of their submissions however, no detailed evaluation of individual submissions will be provided. The Challenge Owner will evaluate the proposal considering the Solution required features and characteristics, focusing on the following criteria: 

• Overall scientific and technical feasibility of the proposed solution;
• Economic potential of concept (e.g. Total Cost of Ownership);
• Business potential for the Challenge Owner;
• Novelty and not obviousness;
• Potential for proprietary position (i.e., is the technology novel or protectable);
• User’s capabilities and related experience;
• Realism of the proposed solution;
• Maturity level of the proposal.

If the reward includes the opportunity to collaborate with Enel, once one or more suitable solutions have been identified, Enel will reserve the opportunity to start a collaboration, by way of example, on all or part of the following activities: 

• Test execution; 
• Supply of prototypes (if the solution includes equipment); 
• Installation and site tests; 
• Follow up and monitoring of the proposed idea behavior. 

At the end of the assessment, you will receive feedback. 

In case of success, an Enel contact person will get in touch with you to discuss the next steps. 

The final award for this Challenge is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the pre-awarding process, including acceptance of the Challenge Regulation that is the regulation for this Challenge. 

The pre-awarding process includes obtaining some documents from the participants such as Counterparty Analysis Questionnaire (CAQ) and Challenge Regulation signed.