UPS gets the nod for UK railway applications

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 9, 2001

Advance-Galatrek has been granted specific product approval by Railtrack for the installation of its MasterElite range of Uninterruptible Power Systems in signalling and communications applications

Advance-Galatrek has been granted specific product approval by Railtrack for the installation of its MasterElite range of Uninterruptible Power Systems (UPS) in signalling and communications applications within the rail sector.

Even the briefest interruption in the power supply can have catastrophic results for track safety.

Because mains power interruptions automatically cause signals to turn to danger, the provision of an electrically clean, break-free power supply is an integral part of the continuing drive towards improving rail safety, and the consequent reduction in the number of Signals Passed at Danger (SPADS).

As such, the use of specialised Railtrack approved power protection devices is regarded as essential for the UK's rail infrastructure.

Advance-Galatrek' s MasterElite range of UPS equipment protects crucial signalling systems from power supply interruptions, as well as eradicating the possibility of mains contamination by the traction supply.

The MasterElite range is available in capacities up to 720kVA, and represents just one of the wide range of 650Vac and 400Vac power solutions offered by Advance-Galatrek.

These solutions can either be assembled on-site, or installed into a range of Re-locatable Equipment Buildings (REBs) at the Company's Advance Park facility.

A typical solution would include a selection of various power quality management products, each to a customised design, and with manufacturing undertaken for the specific installation.

In addition to Uninterruptible Power Systems, Advance-Galatrek's portfolio of power quality management solutions also includes the StrikeSafe range of Transient Voltage Surge Suppressors (TVSS).

These devices are designed to eliminate potentially harmful voltage spikes caused by electrically noisy traction supplies.

In particular, the 25kVA traction supply is often contaminated by the intermittent connection afforded by locomotive pantographs.

This, in turn, can cause voltage surges of up to 10kVA in the nominal 650 Volt trackside signalling supply.

Inevitably, unless these spikes are filtered out, damage will be caused to highly sensitive signal control telemetry equipment.

StrikeSafe's unique matrix design eliminates harmful transients, resulting in a stable output supply for signalling equipment.

According to Leo Craig, Advance-Galatrek's Railtrack Customer Projects Manager, granting of the MasterElite product approval gives yet another example of the unique mix of products and capabilities that the Company can offer the rail industry.

'Advance-Galatrek's exceptional product range includes UPS and TVSS, as well as DC standby power systems, generators, voltage conversion and isolation transformers, control panels and switchgear.

This unrivalled breadth of solutions, coupled with our specialist trackside maintenance capabilities, gives us a significant advantage over the competition, while enabling us to offer a complete power management solution to Railtrack,' he said.