Helping enable safe, long-life service for outdoor MV electrical switch equipment with Schneider Electric.
Medium-voltage (MV) electrical switchgear ensures safe and reliable operation of electrical equipment that serves homes and businesses. Global leader in this area, Schneider Electric has been driving towards safer, more efficient and longer life electrical switchgear components for the electric grid. As a long time supplier to Schneider Electric, DuPont understands the challenges they face in achieving their goals.
These goals include:
Environmental
The removal of SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride – the most potent greenhouse gas) as an insulating component
Long-service life
The ability for switchgear actuator mechanisms to sustain beyond 1,000 maneuvers during life-cycle
Safety
Products to work in extreme temperatures and high humidity
Smart features
The components need to be digitally adaptable for smart control and monitoring.
Replacing metal with plastic components was not only about determining the right material. It was about selecting the right partner to help ensure the reliability and safety of the end product. Starting with CAE and working through processing parameters and testing, DuPont and Schneider Electric collaborated at every step to validate the material specification and component performance.
Together with Schneider Electric we worked to:
Provide design, testing and processing expertise
Conduct temperature and accelerated aging tests
Meet mandatory global requirements including IEC and UL standards.
Our design and technical support provided Schneider Electric with a robust solution for safe, reliable, long-life switchgear actuators. The use of DuPont™ Zytel® HTN53G50 for the actuator frame and DuPont™ Zytel® 80G25 for cranks, drivers and tumblers (cams and levers), represented the first time a thermoplastic material was used for a high-performance MV mechanism.
Key solution benefits included:
Capability for over 10,000 switch maneuvers for parts
30 year component life time
High wide temperature variation tolerance
Safe, reliable performance in harsh environments
Reduction in weight and size of parts
Digitally adaptable for smart grid integration
Ease of access for maintenance