How to guarantee continuity of supply and reliability in the smart grids? diagnostic systems in the MV network components, circuit breakers and switch disconnectors

The quality and continuity of electrical energy supply is becoming a more and more important issue. The users costs due to a supply interruption are relevant and dependent on the duration of the interruption, the zone and the time when it occurs. The distributed generation topology of the Smart Grids increases the difficulty in guaranteeing stability of the network while the customer requirements are more and more strict. The Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) have to respect supply quality regulations including also incentive and penalty schemes. In this environment reliability and availability of the distribution network components are a priority issue. To achieve this goal, in an economical efficient way, the MV Circuit Breakers and Switch Disconnectors have to allow a preventive and selective maintenance. These components have been equipped with several self- diagnostic functionalities monitoring the behavior and the overall functional condition of the device. In order to run these diagnostic functions the equipment has been provided with sensing devices to measure temperatures, voltages, positions, speeds, pressures etc. Alarms are both sent to a remote control room via communication channels and displayed locally by visual signaling in the Human Machine Interface. The self-diagnostic functions allow to perform a preventive and selective maintenance on the network components increasing the quality of energy supply, reducing the risk of energy losses while optimizing the overall cost of network maintenance.