In aviation, safety is more important than anywhere else. The energy supply to the landing systems and to the airport itself must always be guaranteed. Redundant systems are even required when maintaining the emergency power systems. This led to an extremely challenging installation at Dusseldorf Airport, which switchgear manufacturer Henkelhausen could make safer and more straightforward with the help of two CS Toptec enclosures from Rittal.
Overview
- Project
- Flughafen Düsseldorf
- Location
- Düsseldorf, Germany
- Challenge
Operating an airport requires strict safety regulations. Emergency power supply systems are mandatory and must be regularly maintained. However, Dusseldorf Airport's many emergency power systems are spread across the entire airport, and the mobile emergency power generators for maintenance purposes may only be set up outdoors. This led to long cable sections and considerable fire protection measures
- Solution
Switchgear manufacturer Henkelhausen installed two outdoor enclosures of the Rittal CS Toptec series near the runways with a high protection category.
They were firmly attached to the low-voltage main distributor via power cables in the subfloor
In addition, depending on the situation, a coupling switch in the enclosure can quickly switch between the mains, the UPS and the mobile emergency power generator
We consulted with Rittal and decide on two CS Toptec enclosures to ensure an uncomplicated and safe power supply during maintenance work.
A power failure must not endanger an aircraft during landing any more than it affects smoke extraction from a burning terminal. Mobile diesel generators are connected to the grid during the regularly prescribed maintenance intervals for the emergency power systems. They ensure that if the worst comes to the worst, the instrument landing systems will continue to send their signals, and the aircraft will find their way to the correct runway. They also ensure that doors open, pictograms are illuminated, and smoke is extracted if there is a fire. However, since maintaining around 40 to 50 emergency power systems at Dusseldorf Airport were only possible with a lot of effort, the Henkelhausen and Rittal project team decided to permanently install two CS Toptec enclosures at the two most crucial runway stations. These simplify maintenance and provide greater safety.
Before the two CS Toptec enclosures were installed, the mobile diesel-powered generators had to be reconnected to the emergency power systems repeatedly. Since the generators had to be installed outside the airport for safety reasons, power cables had to cover long distances to the difficult-to-access and decentralised emergency power supply systems. However, doors between the emergency power supplies and diesel generators had to remain closed for safety and fire protection reasons. Therefore, much effort had to be put into protective measures during the maintenance period to meet the various requirements.
Together with Rittal, switchgear manufacturer Henkelhausen was able to quickly propose a much more practical solution to its client, Dusseldorf Airport. Instead of laying a new cable each time, two CS Toptec enclosures were permanently wired to the low-voltage main distributor – a one-off effort and outlay. The cables are now under the raised floor and are safe in terms of fire protection. The CS Toptec enclosures have a high protection category and are therefore ideally suited for outdoor use: They are temperature-resistant and resistant to high UV radiation levels. Neither aggressive substances, wind, dust, nor moisture can trouble them. Moreover, a Rittal busbar system with a matching socket strip system is installed inside the enclosures, making them safe to touch. A coupling switch that can be integrated into the CS Toptec enclosures offers a further benefit. In addition, depending on the situation, a coupling switch in the enclosure can quickly switch between the mains, the UPS and the mobile emergency power generator. “Before now, there had not been any enclosures with this equipment on the market,” says Benedikt Sauer, Operations Manager for High-Voltage Technology at Dusseldorf Airport.
In the worst-case scenario, when the emergency power systems are disconnected for maintenance, visibility is poor, and if the general grid collapses at exactly that moment, the diesel generator running in parallel can be switched on in less than a second. This means that Dusseldorf’s air traffic is protected against any unexpected occurrence, even in the worst possible case.