Norway’s first fast track is SF₆-free with Eaton Xiria
The new railway will open in 2022. Bane NOR has ensured the entire railway track will be free of using any SF₆ gas insulated technology, and subsequently, demanding only SF₆-free, environmentally friendly solutions for this project. Bane NOR’s solution with Eaton’s Xiria is a great example of how easy it is to choose environmentally friendly solutions for the transport sector in Norway.
Green solutions are important in the entire project, including electrical installations. There is no need to use SF₆ gas when climate friendly alternatives exist, which are just as good. Bane NOR continues to prove that they are a driving force for a green change in the Norwegian transport sector, making it easy for everyone to travel environmentally friendly
The route between Arna and Bergen in Norway is broadly used and experiences a high volume of traffic every day. According to Norwegian State Railways (NSB), 630,000 people traveled by train between Arna and Fløen in 2017, and the number is expected to increase. Most of the route consists of a tunnel which runs through Mount Ulriken.
Bane NOR is a state-owned company responsible for this route and the Norwegian national railway infrastructure. The company is responsible for the planning, development, administration, operation and maintenance of the national railway network, as well as, traffic management, administration and development of railway property. One of their current projects is the construction of the route between Arna and Bergen.
Challenge
There is a high volume of rail traffic on the route between Arna and Bergen but the capacity of the current railway track does not operate as efficiently as they would like, so with this, Bane NOR wanted to improve the capacity by constructing a double track line. The project started in 2014 and will be completed in 2022.
Bane NOR wanted to invest in environmentally friendly solutions for the project and avoid the dangerous greenhouse gas SF₆ or sulphur hexafluoride, which is widely used in the electrical industry to insulate and prevent arc flash incidents from occurring.
Solution
The Norwegian railway entrepreneur Rail Infrastructure AS (RIAS) installed 11 Eaton Xiria switchgears in the tunnel Ulriken on behalf of Bane NOR and their main contractor Azvi. Eaton’s Xiria is used for application in 12 to 24 kV medium voltage sustainability networks and is completely free of the dangerous SF₆ gas. This new generation of environmentally friendly air insulated switchgear uses vacuum technology combined with easily recyclable materials.
Since its introduction in the 1960’s, vacuum technology has proven to be a durable and reliable alternative for widely adapted SF₆. Eaton’s Xiria features primary components which are contained in a sealed tank mitigating environmental influences. Additionally, visible isolation-earthing and an arc proof enclosure ensure optimal operator safety. The design of the system with load break switches and circuit breakers utilizing Eaton’s vacuum interrupters result in minimal maintenance requirements. As a result of minimal upkeep requirement, operator switching errors are kept to a minimum due to the simple and obvious operation. As sustainability becomes more and more important using solutions free of SF₆ is key to accomplish a green future for the transport industry.
Results
“Green solutions are important in the entire project, including electrical installations. There is no need to use SF₆ gas when climate friendly alternatives exist, which are just as good. Bane NOR continues to prove that they are a driving force for a green change in the Norwegian transport sector, making it easy for everyone to travel environmentally friendly”, says Andreas Rasmussen, project leader for RIAS.
The new railway will open in 2022. Bane NOR has ensured the entire railway track will be free of using any SF₆ gas insulated technology, and subsequently, demanding only SF₆-free, environmentally friendly solutions for this project. Bane NOR’s solution with Eaton’s Xiria is a great example of how easy it is to choose environmentally friendly solutions for the transport sector in Norway.
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