switchgear lv

7/27/2019 Switchgear LV

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The UKs leading provider o switchgear,

power distribution and monitoring systems.

LV switchgearIndustry leading technology rom Mardix


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At Mardix we take ongoing product

development very seriously. We have

committed to extensive research and

development and ASTA Type Testing

programmes as part o our business

investment. The results o this approach are

demonstrated in the nished product; ully

installed and tested LV switchboards with

built-in benets (Fig.01).

We pride ourselves on assisting end users,

consultants, and contractors through every

step o the design, manuacturing, and

installation processes, and are delighted

to work with consultants rom a projects

inception. In the earliest design stages our

input guarantees that any designs issued or

tender are t or purpose, commercially viable,and are o the required specication.

We understand the need or specication

compliant bids and requirements or value

engineering during the tender process and

have built excellent relationships with electrical

contractors on this basis, oering a sae path

rather than a badly engineered alternative.

We stand by the principle that a cost eective

Mardix quotation should be about more than

just our bottom line price, it should be about

added value or the client.

Ongoing collaboration with all parties and

valuable eedback rom end users keeps

us at the ore o switchgear technology.

Our ability to convert client eedback into

technological advances has been central to

many new initiatives and products, not least

our intelligent switchboards (iBoards) and

intelligent Power Distribution Units (iPDUs)

which have set the industry standard.

Similarly, our Mardix LV switchboard design is

100% Mardix owned and has been developed

in 3 key stages over many years. Our latest

oering is the most technically advanced

and eature rich oering to date and is

only possible due to our in-house 3D solid

modeling capability, which has introduced

innovations not previously possible with 2D

sotware. We spend a signicant amount o

time during the design process perecting

the top level assembly which is automaticallychecked or accuracy, clearance and zero

clashing parts.

The same attention to detail is witnessed inour manuacturing approach. All switchboards

and PDUs are o ully welded construction

or maximum rigidity and high tolerance not

achievable with bolted fat pack assembly.Door seals remain fush tting and Ingress

Protection (IP) ratings are not compromised.

An earthing arrangement running the ull

length o the switchboard and vertically intoeach cubicle section orms a high integrity

earth bond against the welded enclosure.

Whilst a welded, integral, high strength plinth

completes the cubicle structure, which is thensuitable or slab mounting or on a separate

raised plinth assembly. An exacting cubicle

abrication process and a resilient powdercoating in any RAL or BS4800 colour ensures

the nal product looks just as we intended.

Key benefts

ASTA certicates o Type Testing up to

6300A (100kA or 1sec) with unique

ventilations systems designed, tested,and incorporated into higher power Mardix

switchgear

Thermal imaging capability as standard,with strategically positioned pre-punched

grids or ease o access and enhancedsurveying accuracy

Forms o Separation up to Form 4 Type 7

with ront and rear access designs

Fully welded high strength Mardix cubicle

system with high integrity earth bond, which

is suitable or slab mounting or bolting ontounderfoor plinthwork

Standard Ingress Protection to IP31. Higher

IP ratings are available, and all Mardixswitchboards are suitable or mounting within

GRP enclosures

High and low level cable spreader boxes toacilitate glanding and termination o large

cables

All outer doors and busbar chambers

are hinged or ease o access. Screw x

covers are not an acceptable alternativeand will not be used

Bespoke arrangements to meet specic

width and height constraintsPowder coated to any RAL or BS4800

colour. Our standard colour is BS4800 10

A03 (light grey) with a semi-gloss smoothnish

As the UKs leader in high power switchboardsolutions, Mardix has more than 40 years o

cross sector experience. From hospitals to

shopping centres, oce developments to data

centres, our knowledge and expertise is builtinto every product.

Whether you require a 1250A modularswitchboard or a 6300A ASTA certied

L shaped bespoke switchboard, Mardix

has a solution to meet your needs. Our

uncompromising commitment to highbuild quality combines with our in-house

philosophy, which ensures that everyswitchboard is designed and manuactured

to exacting specications and is delivered on

time, every time.

Introduction

LV switchboards: detailed technology rom Mardix

A collaborative approach


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Fully welded construction

Constructed rom individually olded panels, whichare tted and welded together to orm the superior

Mardix cubicle system with maximum rigidity.

Hinged doors and chambers

Doors, busbar and cable chambers are allhinged or added saety. We do not use screw

x covers.

Ventilation

ASTA Type Tested natural and orced air-coolingassemblies are used on higher current rated

switchboards

Switchboard earthing

Copper earth bars run along the

entire length o the cubicles anddrop vertically into the unctional

units, busbars and chambers.

Cable spreader and

transition boxes

Higher current rating

switchboards are tted with

boxes to acilitate glanding andtermination o large cables.

Transition boxes can be usedwhere cables run perpendicular

to the vertical plane o the

switchboards.

Thermal imaging portsDesigned by Mardix and tted to all MCCB anduse switch outer doors, our thermal imaging

ports are CNC cluster punched directly into

the steel. A tamper proo retained astenermechanism allows the port to be opened to allow

ecient and non-invasive thermal imaging.

Fig.01. A top level 3D solid model switchboard assembly.


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Key benefts

All unctional units are protected against

inadvertent contact with live parts. Custommade shrouds with laser proled thermal

imaging grids allow ecient thermal

imaging o circuit breaker connections

All connection points can be thermalimaged including busbar chambers and

incoming/outgoing cable boxes

All major brands o ACBs, MCCBs and use

switches can be incorporated, including

Schneider, Terasaki, ABB and Socomec

Sealed CT chambers with connection links,

insulation barriers and shorting links, builtto the specication o all Regional Electricity

Companies (REC)

Integration o tuned and detuned Power

Factor Correction (PFC) and Active Harmonic

Filters (AHF)

Type Tested arrangements or stacked ACBs,

and high density stacking o MCCBs

Separate compartments with ully labelledcomponents and terminals or metering,

control, and prewired BMS contacts

Incorporation o protection relays, G59

protection, battery intertripping units,Electronic Surge Protectors (ESP), Castell

interlocking arrangements including solenoids

and exchange boxes, temperature monitoring

and large mimic panels

Incorporation o HMI control panels, dual

redundant PLC control philosophies,

standard PLC control, auto-changeoversystems and load shedding

Incorporation o high end metering systems

with waveorm capture acility such asSchneider ION 7650 and ION 7550. Multi-

unction metering brands include Socomec,

Autometers, Schneider. Energy metering to

building regulations Part L2. See also theiBoard and iPDU or our intelligent range

o switchgear and PDUs

Saety is an absolute priority and inside

the unctional unit compartment it is clearly

demonstrated in the mounting o the circuit

breakers. Both the live and load sides o the

switch are completely shrouded to prevent

inadvertent contact with live parts, and copper

connections to busbars are insulated and

shrouded or added saety.

In terms o separation, metallic barriers

are used between each unctional unit and

also between unctional units and busbar

chambers. This degree o separation

provides urther saety rom live parts, and

protects against a ault in one compartmentpropagating to an adjacent compartment.

Horizontal and vertical busbar chambers are

positioned and sized to ensure the busbars

and connections can be accessed at any

time during the lie cycle o the switchboard.

Each busbar compartment is provided with

an outer door and a secondary captive

thermal imaging screen. This method allows

ecient and sae monitoring o busbars and

connections with our inrared thermal imaging

cameras.

Mardix LV switchboards incorporate Air

Circuit Breakers (ACBs), Moulded Case

Circuit Breakers (MCCBs) and use switches.

Typical brands used or these purposes are

Schneider, Terasaki, ABB and Socomec, which

are recognised as high integrity components.

I you have width and height constraints inyour plant room you may require double

stacking o ACBs and high density stacking

o MCCBs. Mardix have Type Tested these

arrangements to ensure they perorm under

temperature rise.

Forms o Separation or our LV switchboardsare typically Form 4 Type 2, Form 4 Type 5,

Form 4 Type 6 and Form 4 Type 7 (please

reer to Forms o Separation section). We

can accommodate all orms in ront and rearaccess congurations and we always ensure

glanding plates and cableways are the correct

size and cable boxes can accept the specied

cable sizes.

Separate compartments are designated

or metering, control and BMS terminals.

Contacts or BMS are internally wired andtaken to a BMS terminal rail with dedicated

routes or the external cables. Protection usesand control components are clearly labelled

and cross reerenced to our schematicdrawings.

LV switchboards rom Mardix have many unique internal eatures or

improved resilience and perormance (Fig.02).

LV switchboards: its whats inside that really counts

Double marking system or all power connections

For nearly a decade Mardix has implemented

quality procedures to achieve zero tolerance

o errors during busbar installation, and we

always invest time in making sure we adhereto those quality procedures. Every connection

is tightened with a torque wrench and then

marked, initialled, dated, and signed with

a coloured pen. A second, independentoperative then subjects the same connection

to the same procedure.

Our Production Manager, Simon Hamer,

comments, This system has moved us

ever closer to our original objective o zero

errors and every member o our site teamsunderstands what a signicant dierence it

has made to our business, and to levels o

client satisaction. Its an apparently simple

process that oers reassurance whilstimproving the end product.

Example o double marking procedure.


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Fully shrouded unctional unitsCareul attention to detail and custom madeshrouds with laser proled thermal imaging

slots provide protection against inadvertent

contact with live parts, and allow or ecientthermal imaging o the circuit breaker.

Cable management systems

Attention to detail doesnt stop at our outgoing

connection boxes, cable ways are constructedto ensure cabling can be organised and

strapped securely in place.

Incoming connections ar largeand multiple cables

High strength busbar support assemblies are

used to gland and terminate very large cables

such as 500 mm2 single core cables or multipleSteel Wired Amoured (SWA) cables per phase.

Sealed REC CT chambers

Mardix build CT chambers to all Regional

Electricity Company specications, ensuringour clients dont have any issue when the REC

comes to terminate the incoming supplies.

Saety - insulated exible busbarsAs standard, we only use insulated fexible

connections on circuit breakers up to 630A. ThisType Tested arrangement virtually eliminates the

possibility o oreign objects settling between live

conductors in the most inherently susceptiblepart o a switchboard.

Fig.02. An intermediate 3D solid model switchboard assembly.


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Key benefts

All new 100% Mardix owned, ASTA Type Tested

busbar system. Developed in-house since2006, we have introduced new innovative

eatures that benet our clients through cost

and space savings, and that speed up our LV

switchboard assembly process

ASTA tested up to 6300A (100kA or 1 sec).

Our range o Type Test certicates allows a

more fexible approach to busbar sizing, andassociated cost savings can be passed onto

our clients

We have achieved cost savings through the

ull range o busbar assembly ratings. Thisensures we remain competitive whilst still

delivering the highest quality LV switchboards

Innovative busbar connecting systems, easier

access to the individual busbar supports, andmuch improved 3D assembly drawings have

reduced tting times by up to 30%

200% busbar requirements can beaccommodated. (contact us or urther

details)

Free issue busbar fanges, which can

be problematic at the nal stages oinstallation, are incorporated with ease

using our 3D sotware. We can t and test

nal connections as part o LV switchboard

installation. Using our 3D views o complex

busbar assemblies, including multiplecorner sections and overhead busbar links,

our customers benet rom enhanced

visualisation, which also simplies thedesign process

Strip away all the other elements o the

switchboard (see Fig.03) and we can see

perhaps the most important element o a

Mardix LV switchboard; our all new, Mardix

owned, ASTA Type Tested busbar system,

which is rated up to 6300A (100kA or 1 sec).

Like many switchgear companies we used a

proprietary busbar system, however, in 2006

we began to develop our new system, which

we elt was required to enhance the Mardix

cubicle system. During development we

outlined various criteria that had to be met:

Improvedperformancewiththesamecross sectional area o High Density, High

Conductivity (HDHC) copper.

Strongerbusbarsupportsallowinghigher

ault ratings than previous possible.

Increasedcoolingaroundhorizontaland

vertical busbar assemblies or both air

natural and orced air cooling opt ions.

Vastlyquickerassemblyprocesswithin

the tight spatial constraints o busbar

chambers, which would ultimately slash

time required onsite connecting LV

switchboards.

In 2008 we passed our rst major test with

the new Mardix system, which included a

4000A, 4 pole ACB, a 4000A 4 pole busbar

and various outgoing circuit breakers. The

switchboard perormance exceeded ourexpectations and during temperature rise

passed in an air natural conguration. This

was due, in no small part, to the use o our

all-new ventilation duct system.

Following this early success we went on to

achieve the holy grail o type testing at IPH in

Berlin, including a heat rise test at 6300A in

an air natural conguration. This achievement

is believed to be a rst on a global scale, and

is testament to our ongoing commitment to

improved switchgear perormance.

Commenting on the breakthrough, MardixDirector, Wayne Lewis said: This achievement

is a very positive step orward or Mardix, and

refects the continued success o our ASTA

Type Testing programme. We look orward to

passing the benets o this achievement on

to our client base, including eciencies in theswitchboard assembly process.

Mardix have invested 250K in the current

ASTA Type Testing programme and will

continue testing late into 2009.

The new advanced Mardix busbar system oers space and cost

savings and is rated up to 6300A (100kA or 1sec).

Mardix busbar systems

3D solid modelling

Every switchboard Mardix produces isdesigned in-house using 3D design expertise.

Once the overall assembly design is complete,

it is transerred to the Computer Aided Design/

Computer Aided Manuacture (CADCAM)

area where the assembly is analysed and

separated into - subassemblies - and parts

o varying materials including steel, copper,

aluminium, polycarbonates and plastics.

All 3D parts are automatically developed into2D fat parts and then converted into machine

code. This code is then sent to the job libraries

o the required machine whether that is a laser

cutter, a CNC punch, or a press brake.

This level o technology and automation

means Mardix now consistently produces

cost eective and ecient switchgear.

Production Director Wayne Lewis explainsthe benets o 3D modelling: Our assemblytimes have reduced dramatically which saves

costs or the client, and the potential to have

zero design errors has virtually eliminated

incorrectly machined parts, mistakes, andrework which saves time and enables us to

keep projects right on schedule.

Mardix can oer cost eective modular LV switchboard solutions

to ft your budget, with lead times rom only 710 days dependingon confguration.


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3D Solid model demonstrating all Forms o Separation. See next page or detailed inormation on each Form o Separation.

Forms o Separation

In order to protect against contact with live

parts belonging to adjacent unctional units,

and against the passage o solid oreign

bodies rom one unit within an assembly to an

adjacent unit, we take great care to apply the

most appropriate Forms o Separation to each

solution we manuacture.

Ranging rom Form 2 Type 2 through to

Form 4 Type 7 our Forms o Separation

incorporate industry standard methods such

as: non-metallic and metallic rigid barriers and

partitions; glanding and termination chambers

or cables; busbar separation; insulated

coverings and shrouding; and external

terminals.

Each option is careully considered and

balanced to t requirements and budgets,

so you always know your equipment is

well protected and cost eective. And, the

probability o initiating arc aults is properly

limited when you work with Mardix.

Weve included the ollowing pages as a quick

and easy guide to the Forms o Separation

oered on Mardix assemblies, and weveincluded an area oering clarity on Ingress

Protection (IP) ratings.

All o our Forms o Separation are agreed between users and

ourselves during specifcation.


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Incomingunits

Incomingcable Outgoing cables

Outgoingunits

Outgoingunits

Incomingunits


Outgoingunits

Outgoingunits

Incomingunits


Outgoingunits

Outgoingunits

Incomingunits


Outgoingunits

Outgoingunits

Form 4 Type 5

Metallic and non-metallic rigid barriersor partitions are used to achieve busbar

separation. Terminals are external

rom the unctional unit and insulatedcoverings such as PVC boots are used.

Cables are glanded elsewhere e.g. in a

common cabling chamber.

Incomingunits

Outgoingunits

Outgoingunits

Form 2 Type 2

Metallic and non-metallic rigid barriersor partitions are used to achieve

busbar separation, whilst terminals are

separated rom the busbars, but not romeach other or unctional units.

Form 4 Type 2

Metallic and non-metallic rigid barriersor partitions are used to achieve busbar

separation. Cables are terminated in the

same compartment as the unctionalunit, but are glanded elsewhere e.g. in a

common cabling chamber.

Form 4 Type 6

All separation is achieved by metallic ornon-metallic rigid barriers or partitions.

Terminals are external rom the unctionalunit compartment and rigid barriers

or partitions are used to enclose them

in their own compartment. Cables areglanded elsewhere e.g. in a common

cabling chamber.

Form 4 Type 7

All separation is achieved by metallic or

non-metallic rigid barriers or partitions.

Terminals are external rom the unctionalunit compartment and rigid barriers or

partitions are used to enclose them in

their own compartment which eaturesintegral glanding acility.


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Technical specifcations

Enclosure Busbars and connections

Edge clamping o busbars i.e. a no holed

system is not used or Mardix switchboards.

Tap-o connections rom the main busbarsto individual circuit breakers (up to 630A

rating) are manuactured using insulated

fexible copper links. This reduces the risk o

short circuit at points on the busbar systemthat may be prone to high short circuit

currents.

All power connection points, includingbusbar joints are tightened to the correcttorque in accordance with Mardix double

marking standards.

Mardix LV switchboards usually

comprise one or more vertically mountedsections. The sections are generally slab

mounted, however, options or mounting

on underfoor/raised plinths can be

accommodated.

Our enclosures are ormed romindividually olded panels o Zintec sheet

steel, which are ully welded and ground to

provide clean lines and maximum rigidity.The Mardix high integrity earth bond is

standard.

An integral 150 mm plinth is then welded

to the base o the cubicle to provide a

solid support channel which enables theswitchboard to be mounted on a separate

underfoor plinth.

Enclosure nish: Cabinets and doors

are powder coated with RAL colours or

BS4800 colours with a smooth nish whilstinternal compartments eature RAL 9003

(white) with a ripple nish.

Functional units and internal separation

Each unctional unit is, in general,

separated rom each other. By opening the

door o the respective unctional unit e.g.an Air Circuit Breaker compartment, it isnt

possible to inadvertently touch live parts.

All exposed live parts are shrouded using

proprietary or custom-made shrouds.

In addition:Separation will be achieved in accordance

with BSEN 60439-1:1999. The exact Formo Separation e.g. Form 4 (6) will be as

specied.

Separation will generally meet the ollowing

conditions:

Protectionagainstcontactwithlivepartsbelonging to adjacent unctional units

Limitationoftheprobabilityofinitiating

arc aults

Mardix busbar assemblies are ASTA certied

up to 6300 Amperes (100kA or 1 sec).

Busbars are air insulated. The neutral busbarshave the same rating and cross sectional area

as respective phase busbars.

Individual riser busbars are suitably sized or

the devices they serve, but are not necessary

o the same rating as the main busbars.

I required, busbars can be extendable at theends o the switchboard in order to acilitate

easy installation o uture cubicle extension

sections.

Busbars are clad along their entire length. It isnot be possible to come into contact with the

busbars by opening any compartment doors,

including busbar sections.

At connection points, the busbars are

punched with holes in each adjacent piece,which will then be connected together using

shplates, and suitably sized nuts, bolts,

and washers.

Control and BMS section

This section houses the control, indication

and protection components, including:

Multi-functionmetering

SpecialistProtectionRelayse.g.

Restricted Earth Fault Relay

LEDindicators

PushbuttonsandKeyswitches

TransformerTemperatureRelays

ElectronicSurgeProtection

RelaysandProtectionFusesas

applicable

BMSandControlTerminals

Protectionagainstthepassingofsolid

oreign objects rom one unction unit to

another

Mardixinternalseparationwillgenerallybe achieved using rigid metallic barriers.

Unless otherwise specied, busbars will

be separated rom unctional units

A guide to the technical eatures behind Mardix LV switchgear.


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LV switchboards are designed andmanuactured in-line with thermal imagingrequirements.

Thermal imaging ports are punched

directly into the steel doors using CNC

cluster punching. The ports are tted with

sliding captive covers, xed and sealed tothe door by security screws. A special tool

is required to open the port.

Polycarbonate custom-made shrouds are

tted over all connection points to preventinadvertent touching o any live parts and

to acilitate sae thermal imaging.

The custom-made shrouds are

manuactured rom polycarbonate sheet,which is olded and tied to orm a rigidbarrier. Each barrier will be laser proled

with slots positioned in such a way to

acilitate ecient thermal imaging o the

connection point.

Thermal imaging Doors and covers

Technical specifcations

Labelling

Switchboard enclosures are IP31 unlessotherwise specied.

The switchboard has hinged doors, whichcover the individual compartments and

terminal chambers. 90-degree turn latches

are used to lock each compartment and

a special tool is required to open thedoors. Mardix do not use screw x external

covers.

All door hinges are high quality and o

sucient strength that doors stay alignedand square.

Where applicable, doors are completed

with polycarbonate viewing windows,

sealed with rubber proling strip.

Engraved traolite labels will be tted torelevant doors and chambers.

Generallabelsblacklettersonwhitebackground

Voltagewarninglabelsblackletterson

yellow background

Generalwarninglabelsredlettersona

white background

All uses and control components and

associated connection terminals will belabelled using adhesive strip labelling.

IP Codes classiy the degrees o protection provided against intrusion o solid objects in electrical enclosures. This protection includes body partssuch as hands and ngers, dust, accidental contact, and water. The standard aims to provide users with more detailed inormation than terms such

as waterproo would. Digits are used to express conormity. As an example an ingress protection rating could be stated as IP31. Thereore the

switchboard would be protected against solid objects larger than 2.5 mm and vertically alling water droplets.

Ingress Protection ratings

First characteristic numeral protected against solid bodies

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

No protection against contact and ingress o objects

Protected against solid bodies larger than 50 mm (eg. accidental contact with hand)

Protected against solid bodies larger than 12 mm (eg. nger contact)

Protected against solid bodies larger than 2.5 mm (eg. tools and wires)

Protected against solid bodies larger then 1 mm (eg. ne tools, small wires)

Protected against dust (no harmul deposits)

Totally dust tight

Second characteristic numeral protected against liquids

0

1

2

34

5

6

7

8

No protection

Protected against vertically alling water droplets (condensation)

Protected against water droplets defected at up to 15 rom the vertical

Protected against water spray at up to 60 rom the verticalProtected against water spray rom all directions

Protected against low pressure water jets rom all directions

Protected against strong water jets and waves

Protected against eects o temporary immersion

Protected against eects o prolonged immersion under pressure


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t. 01539 720161 www.mardix.co.uk

Mardix, Service Division, Westmorland Business Park, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 6NS

Get in touch now

Call now on: 01539 720161 to talk to us about how you can benet rom custom

engineered switchgear at Mardix, or email: [email protected]

Deliveringpeace o mind!

Call our Service Division now on 01539 720161

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