Fire Safety in Medium Voltage Substation.pdf

The risk of a fire breaking out at an electricity substation is
thankfully low, but when they do happen the impact can be catastrophic

1. Enhanced Fire Safety in Medium
Voltage Switchgear Substations
Unrestricted | © Siemens 2023

2. Contents
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01
02
03 05
04 06
Substation Fire
Safety Essential
Fire safety
challenges in
Medium Voltage
Switchgear Room
Product &
Technologies:
Siemens fire safety
solution
Cloud connectivity
& remote monitoring
Siemens
substation fire
protection solution
example
Q&A

3. Fire safety essential
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4. Ensuring Safety:
The risk of a fire breaking out at an electricity substation is
thankfully low, but when they do happen the impact can be catastrophic.
A fire or explosion can pose a danger to the lives of those working
for utility and emergency services, as well as to the general public.
It can also severely affect power supply to customers and impact
the utility company’s revenue and reputation.
Engineerlive, 2019,
How do you tackle fire risk in electricity substations?
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Fire Safety
Essential
•Impact of fire hazards
•Safety
•Business continuity
•Asset preservation
Numerous industry standards provide guidance
for fire protection of electrical infrastructure

7. What does the codes say?
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Areas Smoke Det. Thermal Det.Linear Beam Air Sampling
Control, Relay
and Tel room
– –
Feeder Section
and switchgear areas
– –
Cable Spreading Room
and cable tunnels
–
Transformer Vaults/
Oil Insulated Areas
– –
Shop, office
& warehouse area
–
IEEE Std 979 (Guide for Substation Fire Protection)
•6.7 Fire Alarm and detection systems
•C.5.2 Fire detection equipment selection criteria
•A.16.2 Detection: The suggested applications for detection in specific substation building areas:
Local Building Code

8. Fire safety challenges
in Medium Voltage
Switchgear Room
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9. Main contributors to fire risks in medium voltage switchgear
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•Electrical arching and build-up of static electrical
•Overheating
•Rapid fire spread due to combustible materials
in cabling and insulation
Electrical
infrastructure
High air
movement
Accessing
remote substations
•High air movement, caused by air conditioning
dilutes and disperse smoke
•In-cabinet fires may take some time to be detected
due prolonged incipient (smoldering) stage
•Remote location and difficult access
•Substations are usually unmanned
•High volume of critical electronic equipment

10. Fire protection challenges and solutions in medium voltage switchgear room
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Challenge Solution
•High air movement
•In-cabinet fires
•Electrical arching
and build-up of static electrical
•Overheating
•Rapid fire spread
•High volume of critical
electronic equipment
•Remote location and difficult access
•Substations are usually unmanned
ASD
1
detectors
•Highly sensitive detection, close to fire source,
for very early response to incipient fires
•Point type detector for room protection
Inert gas extinguishing agents
protect electrical infrastructure
Building X Fire Manager
remote monitoring
1Aspirating smoke detection

11. Product and Technologies:
Siemens fire safety solution
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12. Fire detection in medium voltage switchgear
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1
2
3
4
ASD with primary air sampling on grill at
exit to air conditioning (CRAC)
Capillary tubes for sampling
directly inside the switching cabinet
Smoke detector, for room protection
Sinorix NXN, N2 Fire Suppression System

13. Siemens Fire Safety Solution
Early detection, clean, safe extinguishing and remote monitoring
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1Aspirating smoke detection
Early detection
with ASD
1
Clean, safe
extinguishing
Remote
Monitoring
•Very early detection of incipient fires,
for immediate reaction
•False alarm-free technology
•Point detector for room protection
Providing an enhanced view and connectivity
to fire safety systems through the cloud
Inert gas extinguishing to avoid damage
to electrical equipment
1 2 3

14. Aspirating smoke detectors (ASD)
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Earliest possible
fire detection with ASD
Optical dual-wavelength technology for very early detection
Air samples are drawn in via pipes with sampling holes
Easy integration into overall fire safety system
Ideal for areas where high detection sensitivity is essential

15. Air Sampling Detection
Possible installation or application
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Room
protection
Object
protection
Combined
protection
•Air samples are drawn at defined points
in the room
•Are analyzed by detector that is easily accessible
•Easy-to-read alarm status
•Volumetric detection and protection
of individual equipment
•Monitoring of sensitive
or special environmental zones
•Air ventilation increases smoke dilution
•Air samples are drawn directly at source
for early localization and warning of potential fire
•Earlier detection

16. Improved detection, dual-wavelength technology
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Increased detection sensitivity
and reliable differentiation between dust,
steam and smoke
Benefit
Fewer false alarms,
ensures business continuity
The ASD continuously draw samples
of air from the areas requiring protection –
via pipes with sampling holes.
Optical dual-wavelength detection
technology to differentiate between dust,
steam and smoke
Steam
Smoke
Dust
Pipe work
Projector
Scattered light
Receiver cell
Aspirator Detection chamber

17. How does Siemens dual-wavelength technology work?
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2 –5%
Labyrinth
Blue LED
small particles
Red LED
large particles
Detection area
Iris
Airflow sensor
Coarse Filter
Average Distributionof combustion particles
Flow Management
•Coarse filtering →Protection from Insects and large particles
(Reduction of false alarms)
•Soiling avoidance while only 2 –5% of air is going through the detection chamber
→less contamination
•The low air speed avoids particle distribution inside the chamber
Smoke particles Dust particles
Air in cities follows a two-humped curve
Particle diameter (micron = μm)
Gas Sand
0.01 0.1 1.0 10 100

18. Point fire detectors with ASAtechnology
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Earliest possible
fire detection with ASD
Provides enhanced detection via
forward-and-backward light scattering technology
Advanced multi-criteria fire detector that
has dual-optical thermal sensors
ASAtechnology is unique to Siemens

19. Avoiding interruptions and false alarms with
ASAtechnology
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Early detection without false alarm
Multi-sensor detectors, with signal processing
Distinguish smoke from deceptions
Steam, dust, and other aerosols
Settings made according to room type
and likely ambient deceptions, further to eliminate false alarms
Patented labyrinth
Temperature sensor
(two)
IR light source
(backwards)
1
CO sensor6
4
5
5
3
1
6
1
5
2
4
Optic IR Receiver3
Scattered light
(forward & backward)
2

20. Sinorix NXN
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Safe and sustainable fire
suppression and extinguishing
Designed in accordance with NFPA 2001 standard for total flooding
protection against the following fires:
•Class A –Surface fires in combustible materials such as paper,
wood, cloth, rubber, and plastics
•Class B –Fires in flammable liquids, combustible liquids, petroleum
greases, oils, oil-based paints, solvents, alcohols, flammable gases, etc.
•Class C –Fires that involve energized electrical equipment
Non-conductive and non-corrosive
Protects the environment
Nitrogen(IG-100) extinguishant is electrically non-conductive
and can be used over electric and electronic equipment.

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Integrated
extinguishing
control –
Your benefits at a glance
Fire
detection
Fire
extinguishing
Cloud based
services
Fire
control panel
Seamlessintegration in one system
Highestsafety
Smartoperation

22. Cloud connectivity
& remote monitoring
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Our solution
Building X Fire Manager
Sites status overviewDashboard
Live &
historical events
Tunnel service
for remote access
Customizable no-
tification
(SMS/Email)
Maintenance
planning & reporting
DFT &
manual test results
UL compliant
NFPA reports
Detector Soiling
Level & Values
Highlights

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25. Siemens substation fire
protectionsolution example
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26. Unrestricted | © Siemens 2023 Page 26
Substation
in Thailand
Siemens Solution
SinorixNXN N2 extinguishing
system for the room protection
Integrated panel for the
extinguishing and detection control
Point detectors for room protection
Air sampling detectors for in-cabinet protection

27. Key feature
Key advantages of Siemens offering for medium voltage switchgear
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1 2 3 4
Aspirating
smoke detection
Inert gas
extinguishing
Cloud connectivity
and remote monitoring
Native integration of extin-
guishingwith FS system
•Very early detection of
incipient fires, enabling early
intervention and avoiding
extinguishing events
•More efficient, safer,
and more secure service
and maintenance
•No water damage or clean-up
after extinguishing event:
fast return to normal
operations
•Environmentally friendly
•Enables fire safety
professionals to monitor,
maintain and remotely
connect to fire protection
system efficiently and
securely
•It includes usage ofBuilding X
Fire Connect, a mobile
Application for Android and
iOS, which works seamlessly
together withFire Manager
Eliminates one of the main risks
for fire safety system failure.
Benefit

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30. Published by Siemens 2023
Smart Infrastructure
Electrification & Automation
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For the U.S. published by
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© Siemens 2023
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