The Opportunity 

The objective of this Opportunity is to shortlist the submissions that best answer the brief, with the aim of attending a presentation day with the EIC Industry Partners, where it can be discussed in greater detail with a technical panel. The EIC welcomes submissions from individual companies or companies working in collaboration with each other. 

What is the problem? 

Distribution network operators (DNOs) are responsible for maintaining and operating extensive electricity networks to control the flow of power to customers. 

Oil-filled switches serve as a critical component in many network assets such as substations, LV pillars and transformers, with over 15,000 oil-filled switches in service across UK Power Networks’ (UKPN’s) region.

Oil-filled switches are made up of an internal mechanism contained within an oil-filled tank and operated using an external lever. The oil ensures effective operation of the switch, by providing insulation and lubrication of the internal mechanism.

Over time, the oil can leak or degrade, causing the mechanism to become stiff and defective. This can lead to:

• Switch failures
• Flashovers, which may cause fires if sparks ignite the oil
• Operator injury 
• Increased customer interruptions and customer minutes lost.

Current methods of identifying defective switches include:

• Testing a sample of oil to determine if it has degraded
• Visually inspecting the tank to ensure the oil level is adequate
• Using a safety device, known as a remote operating device (ROD), which is a pulley system used to operate the switch from a safe distance to mitigate the risk to operators should the switch fail.

However, due to the length of time that can lapse between oil-filled switchgear maintenance and inspections, oil leaks and degradation may not be identified before the switch mechanism becomes defective.

Preferred Output 

UKPN are looking to develop a portable monitoring device that can be retrofitted to oil filled switches to indicate the composition and level of the oil contained within the tank. This will allow operational staff to identify switches that may become defective.

The ideal solution will:
• Identify optimum oil characteristics (e.g. volume, composition)
• Identify switches that have abnormal oil characteristics
• Be retrofittable to all asset types, regardless of model or manufacturer
• Communicate data to UKPN’s current Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) portal.

This would enable UKPN to improve the health and safety of operational staff, while also reducing customer interruptions and customer minutes lost.