Stevo Electric - Test Equipment for DC High-Speed Circuit Breakers

STEVO Electric B.V.B.A. specialises in the delivery and support of test and measurement equipment for HV networks.

STEVO Electric's core business principles involve portable test instruments for the maintenance of electric protection equipment on high-voltage installations. The company also deals with railway applications, as well as the testing of high-speed DC circuit breakers for infrastructure and rolling stock, including:

• BALTO 6.000A first generation (2003-2008)
• BALTO 6.000A second generation (2008-2011)
• BALTO 3.000A up to 30.000A (international patent pending)

Precise DC test currents

Problems can emerge during the testing of DC high-speed circuit breakers that cause concern for maintenance services of railway networks, especially when it comes to carrying out controls or adjustments of threshold IDS and comparing test results, obtained with the adjustments and graphs established by the manufacturers.

STEVO Electric brings a solution for the problem. Having acquired experience with its system BALTO 6.000A, which has been available worldwide since 2003, STEVO Electric has developed an innovative mobile BALTO system useable up to 30.000A that supports manufacturers and users of DC high-speed circuit breakers.

The BALTO System was developed to generate very high and precise DC test currents in order to carry out functional tests on DC high-speed circuit breakers. Very high currents are injected in the main circuit of the breakers, while the whole circuit can be controlled, namely the current converters, the elements of measurement and the protection relays.

DC high-speed circuit breaker market trends

To fulfil the requirements of current market trends, the innovative BALTO system was subject to specifications worked out on the basis of requests from DC high-speed circuit breakers manufacturers and from various railway networks managers and users.

The system is modular and extensible; a full BALTO system supports up to 15.000A and includes:

• Cart-supporting batteries, ultra-caps and battery chargers
• Power units (3.000A)
• Connection by cable or for specific implementations by a suitable busbar system
• Control unit operator terminal

Innovation DC products

The BALTO system boasts the following innovative features:

• Ergonomic handling
• Source from batteries, buffer through ultra-caps
• Power units (DC/DC current converters)
• Current rising slope, according to IEC norms
• Parameters with adjustable break current
• Automatic recognition of power units
• Auto diagnostic (control and calibrate of current measurement for each power unit)
• Current increase management
• Accurate display of measurements
• Safety precautions

DC accessories and applications

BALTO also has been developed so that it can use a number of accessories and specific applications in the railway field, including:

• BALTO Win, communication programme for operator terminals
• Busbar gear system
• Portable trolley for cart supporting
• Tests of high-speed DC circuit breakers in the infrastructure (sub-stations and protections)
• Tests of high-speed DC circuit breakers in locomotives, railcars, subways and tramways
• Tests of electromagnetic contactors (control and main) in tramways and trolleybuses
• Use for other applications where very high currents are required

Future products

In the future, customers can use a product that is used under a master / slave configuration, where 30.000A can be reached. In order to be able to test DC high-speed circuit breakers on rolling stock and tramways with more convenience, a specific downsized version is in preparation. This reduced version has the same characteristics, but is limited to 3.000A

Should you need any further information, a demonstration DVD or if you wish to request our services please don't hesitate to contact us at any time.