A state-of-the-art power upgrade for London Underground

This is ABB's first project with London Underground to feature its state-of-the-art Relion IEC61850 compliant protection and control intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), which will be installed at six substations currently under refurbishment to ensure the reliability and continuity of power supplies to the transport operator's new generation rolling stock.

This first Relion order for the London Underground is an early success for the new REF620 feeder protection IEDs that were introduced to the UK rail market at Railtex 2013 in April 2013.

Under a contract covering the protection of six switchboards, a total of 64 REF620 IEDs will be installed to protect feeders and 16 REB611 busbar IEDs will be installed to deliver differential zoned busbar protection. The order for the REB611s is also notable as it is ABB’s first UK reference project for this type of busbar device. As an integral part of the project, ABB will provide training to ensure the smooth integration of its IEDs into the new switchboards.

The Relion 620 IEDs are IEC61850 compliant and offer dual communications redundancy, sending data simultaneously using PRP (parallel redundancy protocol), HSR (high-availability Seamless Redundancy) and legacy protocols such as Modbus. This means they are compatible with existing network management systems as well as having the capacity and compliance for future developments under the IEC 61850 standard.

The Relion 620 design also features an increased number of digital I/O, which means they can handle additional signals and alarms, offering a distinct advantage over alternative compact products. The compact design also facilitates easy withdrawal so, should the need arise, they can be replaced within a few minutes, unlike comparable products, which are modular and would take several hours to replace.

Another operational benefit is that engineers can access the REF620 via a web interface for remote access to settings and data. ABB has also engineered out batteries in this system, meaning that the IEDs are essentially maintenance-free.

London Underground SSR network
The Sub-Surface Railway (SSR) network consists of the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines. The current upgrade will provide new air-conditioned rolling stock, new signalling, modified depots and stations to accommodate the new longer trains and a new control centre. The upgrade is expected to increase capacity and reduce journey times, with these benefits being delivered by 2018.