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Durability and repairability: component replacement and retrofitting criteria

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Durability and repairability: Component replacement and retrofitting criteria

It is inevitable that despite predictive maintenance practices and regular intelligent servicing, components will reach the end of their useful life, and machines will require upgrading.

When this time comes, the key is to consider durability and repairability. In other words, can the problem be repaired rather than replacing the entire system? Identifying only the components that need replacing and keeping most of the system in service increases machine durability, extends its life, and avoids some of the carbon emissions associated with manufacturing entirely new systems.

In fact, 50 percent of electrical equipment like metal cabinets, steel plates and busbars – products with high embedded carbon and material footprints – can be used perpetually without being replaced if outdated apparatus and components such as circuit breakers, electrical switches, fuses and contactors are regularly monitored, maintained and upgraded.

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50 percent of electrical equipment can be reused

Upgrading technologies without replacing systems

Right now, failure isn’t the only cause for component replacement. Many aged systems are being updated with state-of-the-art digital and connected technologies that offer advanced functionality.

Industry 4.0 and IoT connectivity are key drivers for system upgrade programs. Subsequently, businesses are investing heavily in automation and digitalization – cutting short the operational life of many systems that are no longer compatible with future business objectives.

For facilities working towards circular economics, choosing a system specialist that offers retrofits and upgrades of key components rather than the complete replacement of entire systems, can help strike the right balance.

By only upgrading parts of a system that deliver connectivity and advanced digital functionality, not only can much of the equipment remain in service, minimizing costly downtime, but it also saves on natural resources – such as copper – and avoids carbon emissions as only the components require manufacturing, transportation and end-of-life disposal.

Retrofitting or upgrading technology can not only help organizations to work towards a more circular economy but can also deliver significant cost savings compared to replacing entire systems.

Extending the life cycle of equipment by up to three decades

With this approach, ABB customers have reduced the cost of operating equipment by a third while extending the lifetime of critical infrastructure by as much as 30 years. In terms of best practice, early adopters are taking a preventative approach, replacing older, non-digital circuit breakers with more intelligent, digitally enabled breakers linked to cloud-computing platforms that enable the seamless provision of value-added services.

These can provide real-time data analysis on asset condition, performance and potential safety issues, helping operators prevent potential hazards before they arise and minimizing disruptions to production.

CASE STUDY

Retrofit solution supports Belgium energy supplier’s bid for circularity

ENGIE, a specialist in energy supply and management, mobility solutions, solar panel installations and batteries, plus asset-based energy services, was looking to modernize its electrical infrastructure by extracting as much value as possible from its existing equipment with high embedded carbon and material footprints – such as switchgear metal cabinets, plates, and busbars.

The ABB OneFit Retrofill Solution replaced conventional and aging breaker components with state-of-the-art VD4G vacuum circuit breakers. The upgrade protects mission critical ENGIE assets, such as generators and transformers, against potential short-circuits by isolating power interruptions within milliseconds and preventing severe damage and lengthy plant stoppages.

ENGIE’s technology manager, Nico Verroken, said: “ENGIE is all about providing efficient and sustainable energy solutions that will support our customers in their transition to zero carbon. Our innovative heat and power plants harness the waste heat created during electricity generation and convert it to usable power for the local infrastructure, so their continuous and safe operation is absolutely essential.

“For us, the retrofill from ABB not only provides a low carbon footprint solution, but minimized disruption to energy supply while guaranteeing reliable and safe energy for the long term.”