COMPASS

Compact Prefabricated Air Insulated Substation

Focus factory
The ABB Focus Factory based in Lodi, Italy is
one of the facilities belonging to the ABB Group,
it deals with High Voltage electrical apparatus
with a build-up area of 12,000 square meters.
It is a global focus factory and is a centre of excellence when it comes to designing and manufacturing high voltage hybrid-breakers and switchgears. A market leader, it exports approximately
80% of its products worldwide. Production is
organized according to Lean Production crite-

ria and is managed by means of an integrated

ERP system.
The quality of the manufacturing processes is
guaranteed by the Six Sigma system. The quality system conforms to ISO 9001 standards,
the environmental management system to ISO
14001 standards, and the health and safety management system to OHSAS 18001 standards for
building sites, all certified by an external independent organization.

ABB

Laboratories
ABB plant has internal laboratories equipped with
state-of-the-art equipment in order to carry out
material experimental, climatic, mechanical life,
electromagnetic compatibility, commissioning
and dielectric tests. Type and routine tests ascertain whether the components, construction stages
and finished products comply with the strict specification requirements. The Test Laboratory is accredited by an external independent organization
and complies with UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17025
Standards.

Production
Thanks to the new shop-floor layout, designed according to the Just in Time, Lean Manufacturing
and Theory Of Constraints techniques, the production workflow is managed on an Assemble
to Order basis, i.e. each module is fully assembled and manufactured once the order has been
received. The output of each production line is a
completely assembled and tested product, ready
for an easy and fast erection and commissioning.

Service
Thanks to its Service structure, ABB plant provides all the backup to customers after sales needs:
analysis and modification of existing installations,
diagnosis of modules conditions, solution for life
cycle cost reductions, upgrading to achieve compliance with Standards and laws, retrofitting and
revamping interventions, training and updating
of maintenance personnel, as well as emergency
interventions.
ABB

Introduction
Way back in 1996, ABB introduced a simple, integrated and innovative 123 kV to 170 kV high
voltage switchyard module, called COMPASS.
COMPASS combines some of the benefits of the
open air connected substation with a very compact and smart design, allowing contractors and
end-users to plan, build and maintain high voltage substations with the minimum engineering,
labour and civil construction costs.
COMPASS is the right choice:
in the new greenfield substation, where the
Life Cycle Cost of a switchyard is the critical

factor, COMPASS is cost efficient, particularly

where ground space is at a premium.

when it comes to retrofitting, and the substation needs to be expanded with limited ground
space available or the existing area must be reduced (suburban areas, etc.).

All these benefits have created a new market

where ABB is the price performance leader and
technology trend setter: ABB has sold more than
1,300 units around the world during the past 10
years.

ABB

What is COMPASS?
COMPASS means COMpact Prefabricated Airinsulated SubStation and includes all the high
voltage functions of a single bay in just one
module. Each phase includes:
One Circuit Breaker with BLK Drive (both
single- and threephase operation)

ABB

Two Disconnectors with their own motor/

manual Drive

Two Earthing Switches with their own motor/

manual Drive

One Current Transformer

One Voltage Transformer

One Surge Arrester

Local Control Cabinet.

Circuit breaker

Current transformer

Disconnector switch

Voltage transformer

COMPASS can be equipped with both silicone

or porcelain insulators.
The position of the these functions is shown in
the diagram below.

Surge arrester

Transport, erection, maintenance

The entire COMPASS Module is
fully designed, assembled and tested according to the IEC Standards
in the ABB Adda plant and can
be transported to the installation
site on a simple truck or container
without having to be disassembled
in any way. This means that theres
no need for the main electrical tests
to be conducted on site.
A COMPASS switchyard is very
simple, fast and inexpensive to
erect: this is thanks to its design,
which not only reduces the erection and commissioning phases,
but also allows a lot of space to be
saved thanks to the NABLA self
supporting bus bar system.
This means that theres no need to
have bus bar post insulators in order
to support the actual bus bar system, because weight is supported by
the COMPASS modules.
The result of all this is an important
cost reduction on site.

ABB

The module can be easily serviced and inspected

by lowering the mobile part. This means that the
bay can be checked or repaired on site: the technicians work with their feet on the ground, inside
an earthed structure (Faraday cage): safety and efficiency are thus assured.
If major maintenance is required, the mobile part
of the bay can be easily removed and taken to a
workshop.

ABB

The complete bay can be totally replaced in approximately three hours. This saves time and cuts
the consequent inconvenience down to the minimum. One spare mobile part of a bay is therefore
recommended if the user is particularly concerned
with cost of any resulting damages.

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

New Features
ABB R&D department has designed a new version of COMPASS in compliance with the latest
state-of-the-art dictates for high voltage equipment. This new COMPASS features lots of innovations:

completely new design so as to include the

voltage transformer and surge arrester in the
apparatus

better weight distribution that improves the

center of gravity position and reduces the total
weight of COMPASS

a new disconnector motor mechanism thats

extremely simple and reliable thanks to a drastic reduction in the number of movable parts
(pinion gear and rack system)

silicone bushings that

provide better dielectric and mechanical
strength

it has also unique

characteristic of been
self cleaning. This
means that silicone
bushing do not need
particular maintenance

the motor drive can be used as a circuit breaker

operating mechanism instead of BLK. A motor drive is a digitally controlled motor that directly shifts the circuit breaker contacts. ABB
has developed a servomotor system with digital
control thats able to directly drive the circuit
breaker contacts in a highly accurate and reliable way. The number of moving parts in the
drive is reduced to just one, e.g. the rotating
motor shaft

the UniWire Local Control Cabinet (based on

Programmable Logic Controller philosophy)
can be installed inside the control cubicle,
as well as the integrated protection relay.The
UniWire cubicle is designed to replace the traditional wired logic using electromechanical
components with a programmable logic controller, while maintaining the same CB operating mechanism, DS drive, etc.
The wiring diagrams are simple, the cubicle
tidy and mainly formed by standardized parts,
with lots of
space for the
wiring duct,
terminal blocks
and customers
equipment.
In addition,
station monitoring with the
circuit breaker
and disconnector control
functions can be integrated into one commercial high performance protection and control
IED.

ABB

Data Sheet
Normal Service Conditions
IInstallation
ll i T
Type

IIndoor
d
Outdoor
O d

Environmental Conditions
Maximum air temperature
Minimum Air Temperature
Altitude
Maximum wind speed

+ 40 C
- 30 C (*)

Normal Characteristics
General Characteristics
kV

123

145

170

To earth & between phases

kV

550

650

750

Across the isolating distance

kV

630

750

860

To earth & between phases

kV

230

275

325

Across the isolating distance

kV

265

315

375

Rated voltage
Lightning impulse withstand voltage

1000 m
130 Km/h

Power frequency withstand voltage

Rated Frequency
Rated normal current
Rated short time withstand current
Mechanical stress on terminals

110 VDC

Rated supply voltage of closing and

opening devices and auxiliary circuits

400/230 VAC

Seismic withstand factor

ABB

Other on request.

40 kA
According to IEC

Rated supply voltage of closing and

opening devices and auxiliary circuits

Degree of protection of enclosures

(*)

50 (60) HZ
1600 A (up to 2000 A)

(**)

IP44 (**)
0.5 g

Other on request.

Environmental Impact
Environmental protection is one of ABBs top
corporate priorities. We consider environmental
issues in all our operations and productions.
ABB develops its processes and manufactures its
products by respecting the environment, in compliance with ISO 14001 dictates. We design our
processes and products in order to reduce the impact on the environment as much as possible (the

greenhouse effect, acidification, photo oxidant

formation, ozone depletion, etc.).
We carefully consider and evaluate the impact on
the environment by means of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), in accordance with ISO 14040.
A product environmental performance must be
ascertained on the basis of a LCA. LCA is a useful
method for calculating a product environmental
impact.
Silicone COMPASS is the result of our efforts in
relation to environmental issues. It has been designed in compliance with the philosophy of the
COMPASS project, which combines functional
and reliable systems with use of highly recyclable
materials.
Moreover, COMPASS is so compact that it reduces the area required for the complete substation by about 50% (over 65% for HV switchyard alone). This consequently reduces the use of
gas and materials, such as SF6, steel, aluminium,
iron, etc.
The compact structure of COMPASS plus use of
eco-efficient materials make Silicone COMPASS
a product that conforms to the standards of sustainable development recognized throughout the
world.
Considering the greenhouse effect, silicone
COMPASS reduces environmental impact by
about 50% as compared to a conventional complete substation.

Erection time

55

Green house effect

52

Area

48
COMPASS Substation
100
100
100
Standard Substation

10

ABB

Lay Out

Single-bay substation

ABB

11

Lay Out

3-bays substation


3%:,).

3%:,).

3%:,).

Incoming-line / Busbars / Transformer bay

NABLA
Busbar
system
12

ABB

4-bays substation, ring main scheme

Incoming-line / Busbars / Transformer bay

NABLA
Busbar
system

ABB

13

Lay Out

4-bays substation, ring main scheme + bus sectionalizer

Incoming-line / Busbars / Transformer bay

NABLA
Busbar
system

14

ABB

Quality
A comprehensive environmental, quality, health
and safety system testifies to our commitment
towards reducing the impact produced by our
processes on the environment and improving the
health and safety of our employees.
Our Quality Management System has been certified according to ISO 9001 since 1992, while our
Environmental Management System has been
certified according to ISO 14001 since 1998.
Through the Environment Product
Declarations (EPD) and friendly
Environmental Performance Declaration, ABB Adda provides the
necessary information about the
environmental performance of
the products during their whole
Life Cycle, in compliance with the
Standard Requirements (Specific
Product Requirements).

ABB

The target of our High Voltage Products division

is to be the Quality Leader in our industry and to
be clearly perceived as such by Customers.
To achieve this goal, we give Quality aspects a
priority, especially at operational level. All the internal and external functional areas are involved
in maintaining and improving the global quality,
across all the processes.

15

Quality
A sample test plan ensures that the incoming materials have been regularly inspected.
On the other hand, materials, parts or components
from new suppliers or from a critical supplier are
automatically flagged for 100% inspection.
Special destructive and non-destructive tests are
conducted in our laboratories. Here, we check
for compliance with the technical specifications
or with prototypes through tests such as overpressure, corrosion, hardness, etc.
All instruments and equipment used for testing
are systematically and periodically calibrated by
our metrological laboratory.
Standard operation procedures are essential to
ensure a correct assembly process.
The documents provide step-by-step assembly
instructions for each part we manufacture.
All assembly and test checklists
are collected and stored in a file
to ensure that the products and
single sub-materials are fully
traceable.

16

The final tests prove that the product conforms

to the customers specifications and to the applicable International Standards (e.g. IEC).
IEC 62271-203-SF6-Switchgear
IEC 60694-High Voltage Switchgear
IEC 62271-100 circuit breakers
IEC 62271-102 disconnector/earthing switch
IEC 60044-1 current transformers
IEC 60137 bushing
IEC 61462 insulator.
The test results and the Declaration of Conformity to customer specifications and to the applicable international standards are included in the
test report.
The completeness of the supply is verified in the
final inspection, performed on each product.

ABB

1LAB002 - EN - PPHV-ADDA - 01/2008

Printed in Italy

ABB S.p.A.
Power Products Division
Unit Operativa Adda-HV
Via dei Ceramisti, snc
Localit San Grato
26900 Lodi
Italy
Phone: +39 0371 452.1
Fax:
+39 0371 452.222
www.abb.it

Note. We reserve the right to make technical changes or modify the

contents of this document without prior notice. With regard to purchase
orders, the agreed particulars shall prevail. ABB does not accept any responsibility whatsoever for potential errors or possible lack of information
in this document. We reserve all rights in this document and in the subject
matter and illustrations contained therein. Any reproduction in whole or
in parts is forbidden without ABBs prior written consent.
Copyright 2007 ABB - All rights reserved.