ABB Electrification Service just lately launched a digital monitoring resolution for energy and distribution transformers that it says will improve efficiency, reliability, and availability of apparatus. The transformer sensor is reportedly fast and simple to suit, requiring no screws or tooling for set up. As a substitute, the sensor, referred to as TRAFCOM, will be mounted magnetically to the transformer inside quarter-hour, transmitting information to the cloud nearly instantly, considerably lowering the necessity for any upkeep downtime.
The sensor works independently of transformer kind, make, and age, enabling customers to profit from real-time monitoring capabilities all inside a single, unified interface as a part of an end-to-end asset administration system. TRAFCOM measures temperature and humidity, floor temperature, magnetic subject, vibration, acoustics, and partial electrical discharges. The cloud-based monitoring resolution (Determine 1) permits customers to know a transformer’s situation in actual time, enabling operators to detect anomalies early and anticipate failures. This permits planning for upkeep intervals to keep away from disaster.
POWER interviewed Mahmoud Abdelkhalek, international product supervisor with ABB Electrification Service, to study extra concerning the TRAFCOM resolution. Abdelkhalek relies in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Abdelkhalek has labored within the electrical service trade for about 10 years, having been with Schneider Electrical previous to becoming a member of ABB.
POWER: The digital monitoring resolution was reportedly dropped at market in collaboration with a Danish start-up referred to as Oktogrid. How did the 2 corporations work collectively and what was every liable for?
Abdelkhalek: Our determination to associate with Oktogrid stands testomony to our relentless deal with evolving our enterprise and scope of help in step with buyer wants. Whereas ABB Electrification Service already had medium- and low-voltage options as a part of our product strains, we made the choice to associate and put money into Oktogrid so as to have the ability to present help for the whole thing of 1’s electrical infrastructure. We’ve been working with Oktogrid since 2022 and made the choice to formally put money into the startup in January 2023.
TRAFCOM is without doubt one of the merchandise that was borne out of this partnership, which was commercially launched to the market in January 2024 and was unveiled to the general public at Enlit Europe in October 2024. Whereas the {hardware} for TRAFCOM was developed by Oktogrid, we collectively present and energy the analytics and cloud platform. ABB itself can also be wholly liable for the after-sales companies and ongoing help.
POWER: How will the improved monitoring functionality assist corporations get monetary savings and downtime?
Abdelkhalek: As a distant, real-time monitoring resolution, the info gathered by TRAFCOM is analyzed by an algorithm and machine studying applied sciences. By sample recognition, prospects are capable of anticipate potential tools failures and higher estimate the lifespan of the transformer. That is primarily based on historic technical information collected over time together with loading capability, temperature, vibration, and noise distortion. In the long run, this permits them to implement data-driven predictive upkeep methods, which save prices and reduces threat of pointless downtime.
POWER: What are essentially the most advantageous varieties of transformers for this resolution for use on?
Abdelkhalek: TRAFCOM was particularly designed to make sure all of our prospects may benefit from enhanced monitoring capabilities throughout the whole thing of their electrical infrastructure. With accessibility and ease of set up as core worth propositions, we designed the product such that it’s vendor-agnostic, size-agnostic, and type-agnostic. It’s appropriate for a transformer of any dimension or kind, whether or not dry or oil-based.
POWER: How does the cloud function work? Are corporations required to have their very own cloud entry at websites or is that one thing ABB supplies as a part of its service?
Abdelkhalek: The complete ABB Means Asset Supervisor for Transformers resolution package deal, inside which TRAFCOM is a {hardware} element, features a energy provide, sensor, and antenna with 4G LTE connectivity, together with a minimal of three years of cloud subscription. This ensures seamless operations regardless of the place the shopper is on the earth, so so long as 4G protection is on the market.
By 2025, we’ll additionally offer an on-premise resolution, which is able to permit prospects to connect with our cloud system through the use of their very own personal web connections. It will add a further layer of assurance in dependable connectivity, particularly for purchasers putting in TRAFCOM on transformers positioned in distant areas.
POWER: How does the ABB Means Asset Supervisor interface current the info to customers and what sort of analytics or predictive capabilities does it supply?
Abdelkhalek: The ABB Means Asset Supervisor supplies a complete interface that ensures that the shopper has a holistic view of their transformers’ efficiency. This features a map that clearly depicts the situation of every transformer being monitored, a abstract of key efficiency indicators (KPIs) with site visitors mild indicators, a matrix of transformers onsite together with key technical information and primary KPIs, temperature traits that point out the affect of growing older transformers, evaluation of partial discharge and vibration patterns, in addition to alarms for any anticipated failure.
POWER: What sort of return on funding can prospects sometimes count on when implementing this monitoring system?
Abdelkhalek: The return on funding is influenced by a number of components, most particularly, when it comes to mitigating downtime frequency and the price of manufacturing loss throughout shutdowns. When outfitted with instruments that permit prospects to take a extra predictive method to upkeep, our analysis has proven that this contributes to a 30% discount in operational bills and as much as an 80% discount in upkeep prices. Most significantly, there’s an unimaginable worth security profit for personnel. As a distant monitoring system, prospects now not have to assign technicians to observe the transformers at a detailed distance, lowering the chance of any potential security breaches.
—Aaron Larson is POWER’s government editor (@POWERmagazine).
