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File Index: Switching Standards

9, Florham Park, New Jersey 07932

Volume 3, Number 4

ASCO Automatic Transfer Switches, Performance Based on the Need, Qualification Confirmed by Standards.
Introduction The Automatic Transfer Switch is a product that has evolved over decades in response to the changing needs of critical loads. When ASCO began developing this product, there were scarce applications and no standards. As a result, ASCO applied its good engineering judgment in defining the product to meet the need of customers who were becoming increasingly dependent upon the continuity of electric power to their critical loads. As standards and codes evolved in response to this growing emergency power industry, ASCO led the way in working with standards and code writing agencies to share its knowledge gained through product research and development and field experience in the widest customer application base. A summary look backward over the decades shows that the ASCO Automatic Transfer Switch products of their day already exceeded the needs that were being written into new standards and their revisions. History shows that every major product innovation made to the ATS over time or written into standards was pioneered by ASCO. This discussion introduces the reader to the Automatic Transfer Switch in terms of the product need and the dictates of applicable codes and standards. At its conclusion, the reader will understand why when the facts are known, the choice is Automatic, globally. In the early 20th centruy, there was little need for emergency power outside of the transportation and communications industries. Automatic transfer switches were initially applied in telephone central office buildings and subway systems for signaling and illumination. As time went on, ATSs expanded into airports for ground control approach radar and ultimately for air traffic management. Hospitals began to use emergency power for operating rooms and critical care areas as the scope of diagnostic and life support equipment expanded. In the late 60s, the main frame computer began to proliferate throughout banking, insurance, finance and manufacturing industries. Automation began to make its way onto the factory floor and into the process industry. The massive blackout in the northeastern United States of 1965 showed that public safety had become more dependent on the continuity of electric power to selected loads. With respect to equipment, as the scope of emergency power expanded, the nature of emergency loads changed as well. These loads, initially incandescent lighting and rudimentary motor loads expanded to high intensity discharge ballast lighting and orchestrated motor load processes. The dependence of computers on transient free power brought about the introduction of the uninterruptible power system which in turn became an emergency load. This introduced the concept of high inrush loads to the emergency power environment. Along with their need for clean power, the computer and its UPS created the need to have HVAC equipment on the emergency power bus. The proliferation of sealed environment, energy efficient buildings further expanded the need for emergency power support of HVAC systems. The results of all of this history are still being written. There is no question that American business and industry has the largest installed base of emergency, stand-by and on-site power systems in the world. Now the world is developing into a global economy with interdependencies reaching beyond national boundaries. And so there has evolved a global need for emergency power systems. This need is felt more keenly in developing nations as they make the quantum leap into the conduct of business in a rapidly changing technological world. Business can no longer look at the national boundaries of markets. They must look at business in a global way. In doing so, it becomes necessary to look to the development of international standards that can define needs in a way that makes them globally understood. At present, there are few standards organizations in the world who have stepped up to the task of providing the level of guidance needed by designers, the world over, to

assure that the projects they design use adequate equipment. The principle standards organizations are the American National Standards Institute, ANSI, Canadian Standards Association, CSA and the International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC. These agencies lead the world effort in defining product performance requirements. Codes applicable to the construction of facilities in the public domain require that equipment used in these facilities be approved for their intended use. For example, the National Electrical Code, NFPA 70, approved by ANSI, (the applicable code for building projects within the United States) Article 110-2 requires installed equipment to be listed or labeled as testimony to its suitability for use in the application. Similarly, the international standard IEC 60364, Electrical installations of buildings, Part 5: Selection and erection of electrical equipment, Chapter 51: Common rules, requires every item of equipment to comply with such IEC and ISO standards as are applicable. The European Union through the issuance of Directives has imposed compliance with applicable IEC standards as a prerequisite for products to move in channels of commerce within the European Community. As evidence of this, the products must bear the CE mark. Automatic Transfer Switches bearing this mark must be tested to and meet the requirements of the EMC and Low-voltage directives. The Low-voltage directive requires compliance with IEC 60947-6-1, Lowvoltage switchgear and controlgear, Multifunction equipment, Automatic transfer switching equipment. The applicable standard in the American market is ANSI/UL 1008, Standard for Automatic Transfer Switches. It should be understood that the electrical performance of equipment transcends location and market. The laws of physics dictate equipment performance. Where a product is suitable for a particular application in one place, it is suitable for that application globally. This does not preclude differences resulting from infrastructure. For example, the common utility operating frequency in Europe is 50 Hz. while in the United States it is 60 Hz. Common voltages are 400 VAC in Europe and 480 VAC in the United States. Since switching equipment must make and break current under varying conditions, one could naturally expect some differing criteria in standards for qualifying equipment to different markets. As a review of the IEC and UL standards will show1, product type qualifying tests are quite similar. The significant difference occurs in the defined measures for successful testing. Where the one standard requires a temperature rise test after a specific test sequence to confirm

qualification, the qualifying switching regimen is at a lower current than that of the other standard. This does not say that the one standard is more demanding than the other, it only suggests that the measures of success differ. If a product will comply with the IEC standard for ATSE, it will comply with the ANSI/UL standard. The effort is in conducting the test regimen to the satisfaction of the authority having jurisdiction. In the American market, bearing the UL Label serves as satisfactory proof to such authorities. In the European market, products bearing the mark of a recognizable notified body, is satisfactory proof of the suitability of the product. The European Union requires that products bear the CE mark to attest that said products comply with applicable standards. The EU allows the manufacturer to declare that his products comply. Given the product research and development infrastructure ASCO maintains, it would have been a simple matter to conduct the tests and apply the CE mark. However, ASCO took the extra step of having a EU notified body witness testing and product performance with respect to the IEC standards for both the EMC and LV Directives. As proof of independent confirmation, standard ASCO ATSE products shipped into the European Union not only bear the CE mark but they also bear the KEUR registry mark of KEMA, the recognized notified body of The Netherlands. It is not enough for products to bear the CE mark or UL Label. It is most important that they carry these markings for qualifying to the applicable standard covering the equipment for the desired application. Where the product is to be used as a contactor, it should comply with UL 508 and IEC 60947-4. Where the product is intended for use in transferring loads between two power sources, it should comply with UL 1008 and IEC 60947-6-1. These examples are drawn for a specific reason. Switching devices qualified to IEC 60947-4 are allowed to have contact welding as a result of some of the qualifying testing. If this product were to be used in a load transfer application, contact welding would be a detriment to required performance. For this reason, IEC 60947-6-12 states in Appendix A Par. A3 Contactors and circuit breakers...have been tested....no less severe than those specified in this standard.. Even though the device is marked showing compliance with an IEC standard, and it bears the CE mark, it is not recognized as suitable for application as ATSE unless it passes the test requirements of IEC 60947-6-1. The CE mark and conformance to IEC 60947-6-1 are required by the LVD.

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EMC The nature of electrical equipment continues to change with time. The impact of nonlinear loads, transients and stray fields affects the performance of sensitive equipment. With the spread of automation, comes increasing dependence on computer and microprocessor based controls. To operate safely and correctly, this equipment must be impervious to the effects of EMI. Of concern to those charged with the protection of users, is the safe operation of this equipment. Accordingly, standards have been written and imposed to control the affect of EMI on this equipment as well as the affect this equipment has on neighboring equipment. The EMC Directive of the EEC, 89/336/EEC, sets the performance criteria for controls. Refer to table 1 for the applicable standards for ISM products, the category for ATSE. ANSI/UL and IEEE Standards parallel those of the EMC Directive. To assure safety of the users, control equipment must limit their conducted and radiated emissions as well as remain unaffected by specified levels of radiated and conducted emissions. Additionally, this equipment must withstand transient surges and fast discharge of electrical energy. Among other equipment, this pertains to the control panels of ATSE. In qualifying equipment to this EMC Directive, the emissions are measured for all operating conditions. Additionally, the equipment is exposed to radiated and conducted emissions while operating to assure that no unsafe operating condition occurs. For this class of products to enter and move freely in the EU Market, effective 1 Jan 1996, they must comply with the EMC Directive and bear the CE mark. Electrostatic discharge immunity, (ESD) Radiated electromagnetic field immunity Electrical fast transient, (EFT) immunity Surge transient immunity Conducted and radiated emmissions Conducted radio frequency field immunity Voltage dips, interruptions and variations immunity

introduce standardized ATSE control panels to the industry. Over the 25 years that ASCO has used this product concept, continuous advancements have been made to these controls. It began with electromagnetic sensing and control relays and has advanced to the use of microprocessor based controls. Initially, the controls provided operator interface through contacts and pilot lights. Today, these controls communicate with each other and other peripherals such as data gathering computer systems. They now include the means to orchestrate an unlimited number of ATSs for achieving the optimum performance of the emergency power system while specifically responding to the needs of the particular facility. In the old days a transfer switch would sense power available at the normal terminals and transfer load between the two sources based on availability with a preference for the normal source. Given the expansion of the nature and breadth of critical loads in the facilities of today, the control strategy must do significantly more. In the old days, the double throw switch was the preferred unit. It is simple, has only two positions and is reliable. However, there are loads now that because of their operating characteristics, transformers for one, it is better to have a closed transition transfer between the sources when they are both present; i.e. restoration to normal source after an outage and transfer to the alternate source for testing or load demand abatement. Sec. .813 of the Industrial Power Systems Data Book3 states, ... The least shock to the critical load and the power system results if EN61000-4-2: 1995 (IEC1000-4-2) ENV50140: 1993 (IEC1000-4-3) ENV61000-4-4: 1995 (IEC1000-4-4) ENV61000-4-5: 1995 (IEC1000-4-5) EN55011: 1991 (CISPR-11) ENV50141: 1993 (EN50082-2) EN61000-4-11: 1994 (IEC1000-4-11)

Table 1. Applicable standards of the EMC Directive. The ATSE product is actually a system comprised of a power switching unit and a control unit. Since the nature of power failures is unaffected by the size of the load, only the power switching unit need change as load size changes. Consequently product manufacturers can take advantage of this by developing a control strategy in one subassembly and mating it with the appropriate power switching unit for the specific load. ASCO was the first to immediate near-inphase transfer can be achieved.... Such operating strategy requires the control panel to have the resident ability to detect synchronism. When the critical load is a running motor, the combination of the power switching unit that has a consistent and short open transition time during transfer, along with a control strategy for determining approaching

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synchronism of the sources to initiate transfer will assure reconnection of the motor to the source will be near inphase. While motor load inphase transfer is initiated by the control strategy, successful transfer is as much a function of power switching unit performance as it is a function of control strategy. Having one without the other precludes successful inphase transfer. The point to be made here is that separating the control strategy into a subassembly provides optimum cost performance and product value. The development of a hierarchical control subassembly product matrix permits matching the correct and most cost effective control with the transfer requirements of the critical load. The power switching unit of the ATSE fulfills many functions most of which are not obvious. One of the obvious functions is to carry rated current continuously. While circuit breakers can be applied at 80% of their rating and contactors can be rated for various levels of intermittent duty, transfer switches must be rated for continuous duty. 1 Contactors and breakers are permitted to be sacrificed when subjected to short circuit currents. Transfer switches must be able to close on and withstand short circuit currents and then operate under normal means after the short circuit is cleared by the breaker or fuse. When qualification test criteria are compared between breakers, contactors and transfer switches in all three standards, (ANSI, CSA, IEC) it is obvious that the switching requirements of the transfer switch are more demanding. 4 Short circuit currents expose power system equipment to damage as a result of their mechanical and thermal effects. These effects increase as a function of the square of the current. For example, the magnetic force of a 50,000 amp short circuit current is 25 as strong as that of a 10,000 amp short circuit current. This force tends to distort conductors and cause contacts to open. Circuit breaker contacts take advantage of this force to cause rapid contact opening. Transfer switch contacts should be designed to take advantage of this force to increase contact pressure so that the contacts remain closed while the breaker clears the circuit. This design approach limits contact damage and assures that the switch remains operational to restore power to the critical load. Load switching for the transfer switch can occur at any point in time under any normal load condition. The obvious switching duty of the transfer switch is to restore power to the critical load when the normal source is lost.

Under this condition, the switch would not interrupt any current therefore, no contact wear. It would, however, make current on contact closure. With insufficient contact pressure and energy in the switch operating mechanism, this could cause excessive contact wear. The concern over contact wear centers around temperature rise due to increased contact resistance resulting from arc interruption. Temperature rise is a major concern in the design of switching equipment. Power circuit conductors are rated for continuous current at a given maximum operating temperature. When this temperature is exceeded, insulation breakdown can occur and result in short circuits, arcing, fire. These are the aspects that the ANSI/NFPA 70 and IEC 60364 protect against. Transfer switch qualification for switching service provides several levels of testing. ASCO transfer switches are qualified to the most demanding of those allowed. Accordingly, the type qualification test regimen selected by ASCO requires overload switching of 50 cycles at 6 X rated current and a low power factor. Having completed that regimen, the same test sample is then subjected to an endurance switching regimen. For frequent operation service this regimen requires from 1500 to 6000 switching cycles, half at 2 X and the remaining at 1 X rated current. Because ASCO does not distinguish between greater and lesser important critical loads, all of our products are qualified for the highest performance requirements. In service where there can be a yearly switching duty of 50 operations, outages and testing circumstances, one can expect an equipment life in excess of 25 years even on the largest of the ASCO ATSE. There are still more requirements of the transfer switch. For example, given the proliferation of 400/230 U and 480/277 U grounded neutral systems throughout the world, a concern is raised for properly coordinated neutral switching with minimum neutral impedance and protection against unbalanced voltage transients during switching. In response to this concern, ASCO developed a fully rated overlapping neutral switching contact that does not interfere with ground fault protection coordination. This contact structure withstands the same level of short circuit current as the main poles but because it makes first and breaks last, does not get exposed to contact wear. Thus, regardless of the unbalance situation between the phases, for feeding single phase loads on the three phase system, line to neutral voltage is maintained on these single phase loads during transfer.

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Consistent operation of the transfer switch enables a control strategy that will achieve successful inphase transfer of motors, closed transition of transformers and zero impact neutral conductor transfer. The ASCO transfer switch is driven by a single solenoid operator. When this operator is energized, the core of the solenoid starts an over center toggle mechanism rotating weight into motion. The contacts are mounted on the shaft driven by this solenoid, so the contacts begin to move when the solenoid core moves. Since contact motion is coincident with solenoid energization short duration open transition operation is achieved. For most switches, this open transition time is less than 50 ms. Even on the largest switches, it is still less than 70 to 80 ms. Additionally, since the solenoid is energized when voltage is established as adequate by the control panel and operating power is derived from the source to which the load is being transferred, the operating time is consistent. At most, transfer time will vary by less than 1 cycle. The combination of a well designed control strategy with a consistent and fast transfer switch are the reasons why ASCO transfer switches can repeatedly and consistently transfer running motors and other electrical loads with little to no impact. For single ATSE installations, simple and straight forward control strategies serve well. In fact the control strategy for such an installation can be defined quite simply as voltage monitoring and timing functions. This is not to minimize the importance of reliability and performance. Whether an installation has one or several ATSs, by virtue of the fact that emergency power is provided, the need for performance and reliability is mandated. What must the control panel have as a minimum? ASCO believes the following is the minimum subset of control features required for ATSs in the emergency power environment. Full phase voltage sensing on the normal source terminals. This assures that the load will be transferred to the alternate source when the normal is not fully available. This means that if only one phase of a three phase system fails, the controls must still initiate transfer of the load to the alternate source. What is a failure? A voltage failure can be a reduction in voltage to a value that is not satisfactory for the load. For some loads that could be a 10% reduction and to others it could be a 20% reduction. What constitutes restoration of the source? To some loads that could be return to

95% voltage, to others it could be return to 85% voltage. Accordingly, the voltage sensing should be adjustable to match the needs of the load. Furthermore, the sensing should monitor the rms value of the voltage because that is what the load operates on. With harmonic distortion so rampant in power systems today, this is an important consideration. Timing is everything! For most critical loads, the main concerns center around limiting the number of times the load is transferred. Accordingly, before initiating transfer, it is desirable to determine if the loss of voltage is momentary or if it is going to be prolonged. For example, if the voltage reduction is the result of an overcurrent device clearing a fault on the utility system, or the operation of a recloser, the outage will last for less than 0.2 seconds. If it is the result of the starting of a high inrush load, the outage may last for 1 to 3 seconds. If the outage is the result of anything else, then it is likely going to be an extended outage that will require starting of the alternate supply and transferring the load. For this reason, the transfer controls should include a timing function to override these momentary outages and voltage reductions. There are some loads that must be transferred immediately on loss or reduction in voltage. In these cases, immediate transfer can be defined as less than a 20 ms outage. Such loads as computers and electronic equipment fit into this category. The voltage tolerance of this type of equipment is defined by an internationally accepted curve published by the Information Technology Industry Council, formerly Computer and Business Equipment Manufacturers Association (CBEMA). In such cases, special transfer switches, such as the ASCO Hybrid Solid State ATSE, are used. Since this is a relatively new application for ATSE, few standards define the product performance requirements. Again, ASCO is leading the way into these yet to be charted waters. The nature of the restoration of power after an outage is such that it restores with a degree of instability. The instability is caused by the inrush to all of that equipment left connected to the

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distribution system after the critical loads were transferred to alternate power systems. As that equipment randomly starts, voltage fluctuations will be occurring. It is not a good practice to retransfer the critical loads to the normal source until it has stabilized. For this reason, the ATSE control strategy should include a time function to delay retransfer of the critical load to the normal source after restoration. Another purpose this timing function can serve is to permit staggering the retransfer to reduce the start up burden on the normal power system. The timing function should be in minutes as opposed to seconds as was the case for the previously mentioned timing function. Given the potential for several transfer switches in a given facility, a suitable range for this retransfer time delay is 30 minutes. It is long enough to assure power restoration and permit staggered retransfer of the several loads, yet not so long that it causes unnecessary fuel consumption by the alternate source from a limited fuel storage capacity. The alternate power source is most often engine driven generator sets. Again, as a result of the growth in demand for larger emergency power systems, there have been significant developments in engines and generators over the past three decades. Most engine generator sets in service as alternate power supplies today are 1500 or 1800 rpm sets. They are available in ratings up to 2 Mwe. To optimize the installed cost of alternate power sources, most of these engines are turbo charged and inter cooled, and use oil coolers as well. It is a good practice to run such engines for some short unloaded cooldown period prior to shutting them down. This will reduce the latent heat in the turbocharger and oil. Such practices prolong engine life and enhance performance. As a result of the mass flow of the exhaust gas and the reduction of heat input into the engine coolant, latent engine heat is dissipated quite quickly. It would typically take no more than a few minutes to reduce this latent heat to a neutral impact level. Accordingly, the cooldown time delay before shutdown should be adjustable in the range of a few minutes up to 30 minutes maximum.

The alternate source, being an engine generator set, is typically not available when the normal power source outage occurs. Typically, the ATSE control panel will have an auxiliary contact that will initiate starting of the engine after the time delay to override a momentary outage has expired. It is important not to transfer any load to the engine generator until it has achieved sufficient speed to pick up and carry the load. The control panel should therefore include sensing circuitry to monitor the alternate source voltage and frequency. When the voltage and frequency are close to or at nominal values, the control panel will initiate transfer of the load to the alternate source. This voltage and frequency sensing will prevent premature transfer of the load and thus avoid stalling the engine generator on initial startup. More timing functions may be needed in the transfer of critical loads to the alternate source. Since the alternate source is a limited source, it may not be able to accept all of the critical load in one step transfer. Accordingly, it may be desirable to delay transfer of one or more of the critical loads to allow the engine to recover from load step application. If there were three transfer switches whose loads are fed from the same engine, it might be desirable to stagger their transfer to the emergency source in 20 to 30 second intervals. Therefore, the control panel would do well to include a time delay function on transfer to emergency to permit staggered transfer of loads. It is important to know equipment status. Since ATSE is installed in metal enclosures, it is not readily apparent to an observer, what position the switch is in. Accordingly, it is desirable to have some indication of the switch position visible without requiring the enclosure to be opened. The ASCO control panels include pilot lights to indicate the switch position on the enclosure surface. Additionally a convenient control switch is provided to initiate testing of the ATSE. On the more advanced ASCO control panels, indications of source availability is provided as well as switch position. In the most advanced control panel a four line LCD alpha numeric display enables the observer to determine the status of any feature in the control panel as well as permit password access to control settings. As an add on feature to

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most ASCO ATSE control panels, modules are available to provide communication and control from a remote location through a PC based software. Sometimes special controls are needed to address the unique characteristics of a critical load. Among those loads requiring special consideration is the motor and the transformer. There are many other situations that may require special consideration. The motor and the transformer, however, are quite common components of critical loads. They present different challenges to successful transfer and consequently require different strategies for load transfer. The motor stores energy in its rotating field. When disconnected from its power source, the stored energy appears at the terminals as a back EMF voltage. Unless this voltage is treated like a generator in load transfer, severe damage and nuisance tripping of overcurrent protective devices can occur to the motor and its circuit. One solution to transferring a motor is to shut in off before transfer between live sources. The ASCO control panel includes a contact to initiate the shutdown of the motor prior to transfer and the reconnection after transfer is complete. Because motors vary in size, this contact has an adjustable time delay to allow for motor coast down. Not all motors can conveniently be shut down to accommodate transfer between live sources. Some motors, such as chiller drives, require an orchestrated startup and shutdown sequence that may not be compatible with a transfer scheme that would require them to be stopped before transfer. There are other motor applications that fit this description as well. For these motors there is a viable alternative that has been in use for over 25 years. It is called inphase transfer. The ASCO control panel includes a motor load transfer strategy that measures the frequency difference between the live sources at the time of transfer and selects an advance angle for transfer initiate. The advance angle is calculated to accommodate the open transition transfer time of the switch unit and the frequency difference between the sources at the time of transfer. Transfer is initiated such that when the motor is reconnected to the source, inrush current to the motor is limited to less than normal starting current. Thus inphase transfer becomes a viable means of transferring running motors without requiring shut down.4 Transformers present their own unique considerations when included in the critical load profile. More importantly, a designer is not always aware when the

transformer has become a part of the critical load. Transformers are the input stage of uninterruptible power systems and UPSs are frequently in the critical load profile. Due to residual magnetism in the core of the transformer, at the instant of connection to a power source, the magnetizing inrush current can reach values in excess of 15 times full load current.4 Such inrush phenomena must be accounted for in the orchestration of the emergency power control strategy. While this inrush can not be avoided on transfer to the alternate power source in response to a power failure, it can easily be accommodated in the transfer operation between live sources. Whenever test, restoration and or load demand abatement transfer of a transformer input load is to be initiated between live sources, the magnetizing inrush current and its impact on the power system and other loads can be mitigated by using a closed transition transfer strategy. ASCO has been furnishing closed transition transfer control strategies for decades in response to this need. It has found application in computer centers for UPSs, airports for Tower and GCA applications, in hospitals for CAT scan, MRI and other diagnostic equipment. There are other control strategies that ASCO has developed over the decades that we have been producing ATSE products. In fact, the current list of control features is up to 97 and each of these has variations. All of them are in response to needs which have surfaced over the years and that are responsive to our customers concerns for performance. Automatic Transfer Switches is not another market segment for ASCO, it is ASCOs core business. ASCO ATSs are designed from the beginning for transfer switch service. From the selection of contact alloy through the determination of contact shape to the design of the control strategy, all design work is done in house. To support product development, ASCO has built a short circuit test facility at the local utility substation. Currents in excess of 80 kA can be drawn at this facility in the pursuit of product development. Since the inception of ATS product standards ASCO has been a willing partner in their development and a supporter of their application. ASCO is the first to acquire certified compliance with IEC 60947-6-1, low-voltage switchgear and controlgear-multifunction equipment-automatic transfer switching equipment. When the facts are known, the choice is Automatic!

Automatic Switch Co.

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Footnotes:
1. Daley, J. M., Summary Overview, IEC 947 Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear, Automatic Switch CO., Florham Park, NJ, 07932 USA, 1997 2. IEC 60947-6-1 Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear, Part 6, Multifunction equipment, Section 1, Automatic Transfer Switching Equipment, 1989 with Amendments, 1994; IEC Central Office, Geneva, Switzerland 3. Sec. 813, Industrial Power Systems Data Book, General Electric Co., Schenectady, NY 4. Daley, J. M., Automatic Transfer Switching Equipment, An Analysis of the Needs, Automatic Switch CO., Florham Park, NJ, 07932 USA, 1997

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