Outdoor vacuum recloser (OVR)

Versatility with increased reliability and safety, Reliable in extreme environments

Outdoor OVR

ABB’s OVR is a three-phase vacuum recloser, for IEC and ANSI standards, rated up to 38 kV, with a solid dielectric insulator designed. ABB’s OVR reclosers are ideal for outdoor pole mount or substation installation.  

Reclosers have two basic functions in the medium voltage distribution network: reliability and overcurrent protection.  

ABB’s OVR reclosers are available for Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPCs), original equipment manufacturers (OEM), channel partners as well as end customers in the utility, renewable and industry segments for incorporating in new infrastructure or for upgrading existing networks.

 

OVR reclosers feature vacuum interrupters and sensors integrated with each recloser pole. ABB’s OVR reclosers have years of proven field performance and are also reliable in extreme conditions like high polluted environments. 

ABB’s OVR recloser is one of the most flexible devices for network automatic restoration. In addition to reliability improvement and reduction of SAIDI, SAIFI and MAIFI indexes, ABB's OVR recloser can be used as an automatic load break switch or as a sectionalizer. This flexibility in functionality makes ABB’s OVR recloser the perfect solution for a smarter grid. 

Product scope

 

 

OVR

 

 

Rated Voltage 

 

 

up to 38 kV 

 

 

Rated Current

 

 

up to 1,250 A 

 

 

Rated short circuit current

 

 

up to 16 kA 

 

 

Frequency 

 

 

50 / 60 Hz 

 

 

Operating mechanism 

 

 

Magnetic Actuator 

 

 

Insulation medium

 

 

HCEP solid dielectric medium 

 

 

Standards 

 

 

IEC 62271-111 / IEEE C37.60 

 
Industries  Power distribution utilities, industries, wind and solar plants

Customer benefits

Reliable in extreme conditions

<ul> <li>Increased reliability with the highest creep distance among the recloser poles on the market ensuring long-term performance in any environment. Embedded sensors with the highest accuracy and least environmental sensitivity in the market</li> <li>Solid dielectric design with HCEP (Hydrophobic Cycloaliphatic Epoxy) material of the poles providing the best insulation for outdoor use, shedding water and debris, thus reducing the probability of flashovers even in heavily polluted areas</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Operator safety at its best

<ul> <li><p>Secure and safe manual emergency trip handle helps prevent accidental closing in emergencies&nbsp;</p> </li> <li><p>No maintainable electronics in the HV cabinet eliminates the need for personnel access to the high voltage area&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </li> </ul>

Fast, easy to install and operate

<ul> <li><p>Site-ready units help reduce installation time, effort and cost. If needed, ABB’s reclosers can be repaired on site</p> </li> <li><p>Flexible mounting option for single/double pole or substation frame available&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> </li> <li><p>Flexibility in protection relay selection&nbsp;</p> </li> <li><p>Capable of supporting high-speed protection, interlocking, transfer switching, fault isolation and service restoration&nbsp;</p> </li> <li><p>Integrated current and voltage measurement&nbsp;</p> </li> </ul>

Related offering

ABB Relion REC615

ABB Relion REC615 is a freely configurable all-in-one protection and control relay for recloser applications in overhead line networks.

Switch disconnector

Highly adaptable for secondary distribution networks, Switch Discon-nectors reliably carry, interrupt, and make rated load current, offering both air-insulated and gas-insulated options suitable for various indoor operations.

Outdoor instrument transformers

Medium voltage outdoor instrument transformers are used for insulation of medium voltage components and to transform voltage or current to standardized measurable values.

Secondary vacuum circuit breakers

Essential for reliable power delivery to commercial and residential users, Secondary Vacuum Circuit Breakers protect the evolving secondary dis-tribution grid by safely interrupting and restoring power flow when local anomalies occur.

Frequently Asked Questions

A recloser is a device used for protecting overhead power lines during temporary faults. It is similar to a circuit breaker since, it also has fault current breaking capacity but have integrated current and voltage sensors, protection relay, and power module with battery backup for its operations. Medium voltage reclosers are usually placed in remote locations and need to withstand more severe outdoor site conditions and without possibilities of much cleaning and maintenance. It is designed to reclose on to a fault as programmed until lock-out depending on customer preference and network conditions.

When the recloser is in close condition, its protection relay continuously monitor current and voltage sensor output. In case of fault, the relay provides tripping command resulting in opening of the vacuum interrupter contacts thus separating the faulty section of the network from healthy section. As per the selected “auto reclosing cycle” the relay issues a closing command after a pre-programmed time. If the fault persists, the recloser trips again. The reclosing cycle is generally repeated up to 3 times to allow temporary fault to clear itself. If the fault is not cleared even after the third reclosing, the recloser considers it to be a permanent fault and remains open by going into lockout stage.  

OVR reclosers are designed and manufactured to provide maximum safety, reliability and ease of handling to our customers.  

  • Operator’s safety is ensured by providing features like secured and safe manual emergency trip.  
  • Since the HV unit is generally mounted high up on the distribution line, it is designed to be maintenance free and does not have any maintainable electronic component.
  • OVR reclosers provide reliable performance even in extreme conditions due to HCEP insulating material in a live tank design. It also has a bi-stable magnetic actuator for ensuring reliable switching performance over the recloser’s lifetime.
  • OVR reclosers are easy to handle during installation, operation and maintenance, thus reducing overall handling cost for customers. These are delivered as site ready units which can be easily mounted on the pole or on a substation structure without much site work.  
  • The draw out design of REC615 makes it very quick and easy to maintain or make offline configuration changes. Various options are available to configure the relay locally or from SCADA using PCM600 connectivity tool. 

ABB’s medium voltage OVR reclosers are designed for least maintenance during its lifetime. Unlike dead tank design, OVR recloser’s live tank design even makes it possible to change individual pole at site in unforeseen situations. The draw out design of REC615 makes it very quick and easy to maintain. Customers can even make offline configuration changes. Various options are available to configure the relay locally or from SCADA using PCM600 connectivity tool. 

ABB’s OVR recloses can be customized with below options to meet specific needs and can be adopted to be used as a substation breaker, recloser for radial feeder, as a switch in distributed energy generation, in loop control scheme, etc. 

  • Various mounting arrangements suitable for single pole, double poles, tower or even substation mounting brackets are available.

  • Selection of 3 voltage sensors or 6 voltage sensors based on needs of the distribution networks. 

  • Configurable REC615 relay to select protection functions specifically needed at site. Customized interlocking schemes can be adopted.