Copper Contact Busway

- New Copper Solution

SBG
Mar 2011
Rev 6.2
 General Introduction

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Background of Aluminum
● Unlike Oil and Copper (limited resource), Aluminum is the most abundant
(8%) metallic element, the 3rd most abundant of all elements (after oxygen
and silicon)

● Price of aluminum more stable than

copper - 100% increase over past 5
years, compared with 300% increase of
copper!

● Aluminum is a good thermal and electrical

conductor, by weight better than copper
(65% of conductivity by volume, 50% by weight)

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Problems of traditional aluminum busway (1)
● Aluminum oxide (alumina or aloxite) forms when the metal exposed to
air, responsible for metallic aluminum’s resistance to weathering.
Therefore an electrical insulator (overheat).

● Fretting corrosion happens at contact between PIU jaw and busbar

(Fretting corrosion refers to corrosion damage at the asperities of contact
surfaces. This damage occurs under load and in the presence of repeated
relative surface motion, as often induced by vibration).

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Problems of traditional aluminum busway (2)
● Fretting corrosion results from:
● Contact between busbar and PIU jaw under load
● Vibration (50Hz)
● Repeated relative motion
● Deformation on surface (hardness aluminum << copper)

● Fretting corrosion results in:

● Silver/tin plating and small fragments of aluminum removed, oxidation forms, build-
up of oxide residue (insulator)
● Contact pressure drops, increasing temperature, increasing resistance
● Failure (explosion) happens at the contact
● More critical on IEC than UL busway because smaller allowable conductor cross
section (higher current density)

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Our solution: Copper Contact (laminated
bimetal)
● Silver plated bimetal plate cladding on
aluminum conductor at all connection contacts,
through high current and high pressure
● Outer contact surface of the connection plate is
silver-plated copper, the inside surface is
Aluminum
● All of busway connection zone are silver to
silver contact
● Copper placed only at where it is required… at
contacts
● Fretting corrosion does not happen as
hardness of copper is much higher than
aluminum

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>
6
Copper Contact Busway Offers
● Medium Power (100A-800A) : Canalis KSA
● High Power (800A-5000A): I-LINE II BFC

20 years
More than
30 years

Canalis KT/KHF more than 20 years

Canalis KSA (100A - 800A)
I-LINE BFC (800A - 5000A) - new

● More than 30 years application experience in Europe

● 26 millions meters installed worldwide
● 9 millions of energized joint packs
● 9 millions of energized plug-in units
● Laminated Bimetal Technology introduced to High Power I-LINE II
series from Medium Power Canalis series

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 Advantages
of
Copper Contact Busway

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A safer, more reliable and economical solution
●Safety and Reliability – thanks to
the laminated bimetal technology, copper
contact solution removes all doubts and
uncertainties of past experience on
application of aluminum for power Aluminum Copper Contact Copper

distribution safety and reliability level (IEC range)

●Durability – service life of copper

contact busway is longer than aluminum
busway, and matches that of copper
Aluminum Copper Contact Copper
busway service life level (IEC range)

●Economical – copper contact busway

retains many features of copper busway,
yet far more economical and price stable
than copper busway Aluminum Copper Contact Copper

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Green and Environmental Friendly
● Reduce pollution – pollution during plating process
reduced by 95%. Silver plating applied at only Green
contact areas instead of entire length of conductor.

● RoHS compliant - eliminate the use of hazardous

substances and reduce the pollution RoHS
*RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directive restricts the
use of some hazardous materials (like Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and
Compliant
Hexavalent chromium etc), firstly implemented in EU in 2006, and
similar directives are introduced in Asia.

● The insulation material is halogen free and no toxic

emission in case of fire (DuPont Mylar)

● Product at end of service life can be recycled

● insulation easily separated from busbar
● Bimetal clads removable from busbar

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Energy Efficiency

● Achieved Green Leaf Energy Efficiency

mark by Intertek, an equivalent level of
Energy Star / LEED.

● Schneider Electric is conservative on

optimisation of cross section, which is
designed in such a way that no
additional cooling (e.g. cooling fins)
required on housing. Busway serving
the purpose of electrical distribution

● Resistance and power consumption is

lower than the industrial average.

 
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Lower contact resistance

Resistance（m） Conductivity (IACS)

● Silver- silver contact reduces
the contact resistance 2# pure silver 1.64 105%

2# pure copper 1.72 100%

● The thermal imaging test
1100 aluminum 2.90 61.8%
shows the temperature of the
Pure tin 11.49 15%
connection plate is far lower
than the temperature of cable Ni-Cu alloy 38.31 4.5%
when running at full load

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 All features and benefits
of
I-Line and Canalis
retained!!!

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 SEISMIC COMPLIANCE
Schneider Busway System passed the seismic tests and
complies with Zone-4, most severe, seismic requirements

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Seismic compliance
● Full range of standard products of I-Line and Canalis
tested and certified to UBC zone 4, more severe,
condition

● Tests carried out in EERTC (Earthquake Engineering

Research & Test Centre), witnessed and results agreed by
seismic experts of Shimizu Corporation Japan

● Both mechanical (bending and twisting) and dynamic

tests (simulation of several historical earthquakes
including Kobe Japan 1995, Ojiya Japan 2004, El
Centro USA 1940, Building Construction
Wave Japan) performed and passed
● Learning points achieved on recommendation of
supports – consult factory for further info
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 Full 14 type tests
in
IEC60439-1/2 ed.3.1 2005

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14 type tests in IEC 60439-2 ed.3.1: 2005

Note:

1) Edition 3.1 2005, 8.2.9 requires the glow-wire test at a temperature of 960C instead of 850C in Edition 3.0 2000

2) Edition 3.1 2005, 8.2.4 has more clear regulation that the resistance phase to PE measured after the short circuit
withstand test shall not exceed by more than 10% the value before test. Ed.3.0 ask to compare the resistance
before and after the test as indication in the remark.

3) 8.2.11 is not applicable

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3 fire-related type tests (IEC60439-1/2)

● 8.2.9 - Verification of the resistance of

insulating materials to abnormal heat and
fire

● Purpose and importance of this test

● To verify the insulating material of busway will not
burn or cause the burning when affected by
abnormal heat or by fire with the degree of 9600C
(the insulating material need to retain current-
carrying parts) or 6500C(other than former material).
● Test arrangement
● Use glow-wire to approach the sample, the
duration is 30 seconds. There shall be no obvious
and continuous flame or the flame shall extinguish
within 30 seconds when moving away the glow-wire.

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3 fire-related type tests (IEC60439-1/2)

● 8.2.14 - Verification of resistance to flame-

propagation

● Purpose and importance of this test

● To verify the resistance to flame propagation. The
fire resistant busway helps to prevent the flame
propagation and fire spread, save time for people
to run away from the fire
● Test arrangement
● Three standard busbar trunking units of the same
type are placed at regular intervals on a vertical
ladder into a fire test rig; every busbar trunking
shall present a different side orientation to the
burner flame impact. After burning has ceased, the
busbar trunking enclosures should be wiped clean.
All soot is to be ignored if, when wiped off, the
original surface is undamaged. If it does not ignite
or the maximum extent of the charred portion
(external or internal) of the busbar trunking has not
reached a height exceeding 2.5m above the
bottom edge of the burner, the system is deemed
has having passed the test.

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3 fire-related type tests (IEC60439-1/2)

● 8.2.15 - Verification of fire resistance in

building penetrations

● Purpose and importance of this test

● Verify the fire resistance in building penetration. The
fire resistant busway can resist the smoke spread and
penetration; prevent the further spread of fire, save time
for people to run away from the fire. Suitable for the
busway designed to prevent the spread of fire with
specified time (60min, 120min, 180min, 240min)
● Test is performed according to ISO834

● Test arrangement
● A representative busbar trunking fire-proof unit sample
shall be mounted as used in building practice on a test
floor, made of concrete. A fire seal shall be used to fill
the void around the busbar trunking enclosure passing
through the hole of the test floor. When performing the
test, a set of thermocouples shall be located on the
unexposed side of the sample to record the surface
temperatures of the busbar trunking enclosure
● Required no smoke & temperature rise on unexposed
surface couldn’t exceed 180K (Maximum) and 140K
(Average)
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 KEMA KEUR
and
ASTA Diamond
(1)

listed

(1) ASTA Diamond license being approved by ASTA

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KEMA KEUR and ASTA Diamond
● Full range of I-Line and Canalis carries KEMA KEUR and
ASTA Diamond safety marks

● A product carrying the marks is ensured by KEMA / ASTA

that it is safe and is produced identical to those originally
tested. Product and production location under surveillance
of KEMA / ASTA

● Critical for busway than other electrical product as semi-

standard, variety of lengths

● General KEMA or ASTA type test is a one-time test on a

single specimen of sample. KEMA or ASTA is not responsible
for the conformity of the production with the specimen tested.
No safety marks

● Full type tests in accordance with latest (2005) IEC version

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 Mylar® Insulation

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Mylar® insulation
● Mylar®, sourced from USA/Europe, is a registered brand of Dupont, so
popular and widely used that it is regarded as one category of
insulation material (Coca-Cola = Coke)

● Over 40+ years of installation of I-Line and Canalis still in use. Quality
and performance guaranteed by BOTH Schneider Electric and Dupont

● Properties and performance controlled by Dupont, not played around at

busbar factory

● Environmentally friendly, detachable and recyclable after service life

● Halogen free and self-extinguished. IEC60439-1/2, 8.2.9 is a dedicated

test “Verification of the resistance of insulating materials to abnormal
heat and fire”
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Epoxy insulation (1)
● Epoxy is not a brand but a type of material - insulation
is the most critical material for sandwich busway (c.f.
engine for aircraft)

● 1 layer. “pin hole” is common with epoxy technology,

covered by PVC/PET tapes

● Not recommended by IEC60439-2:

"7.4.2.1 Protection by insulation of live parts
.… NOTE Examples are electrical components embedded in insulation,
cables. Paints, varnishes, lacquers and similar products alone are generally
not considered to provide an adequate insulation for protection against
electric shock in normal service.“
● For sandwich type busway, there is no air between the conductors, meaning epoxy or mylar are used as a
primary insulation. Since Epoxy belongs to the family mentioned in the "NOTE" of IEC60439, IEC
recommends not to use this
● Schneider Electric uses a lot of epoxy for a lot of electrical equipment, but only as a secondary insulation
(primary insulation can be air between conductors)

● Non recyclable, non environmentally friendly

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Epoxy insulation (2)
● Special service condition (on specification of a world-leading, epoxy-
pioneered busway manufacturer in USA)

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 Complete Schneider Electric Solution
from
transformer to sub main distribution,
fully coordinated using our
ACB and MCCB

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Complete Schneider Electric Solution
Busway Plug-in unit
equipped with
Power Meter

I-Line-Trihal transformer tap

Trihal transformer
RM6 + T200I
Remote control modular
cubicles

Prisma
Blokset

Okken NSX Circuit Breaker

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 Major Project References
of
Copper Contact Busway

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More than 30 years application experience
worldwide
● The Molecular fusion technology is applied on the busway of
which amp rating more than 250A
● In Europe, 90% high power busway utilize Molecular fusion
technology.

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Nord Villepinte Convention center

● Project Name: Nord Villepinte Convention center

● Location : North Paris
● Area: 210,000m2
● General information: one of the biggest exhibition
centers in Europe. Schneider copper contact
busway have been installed and operated for
more than 25 years.
● Completion date: 1982 December
● Scheme: double fishbone
● Maximum capacity: 3200A
● Single run: 183 meter

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Moscow Ostankino Tower
● Project Name: Moscow Ostankino tower
● Location : Moscow
● General information: tallest TV tower in
Europe, the biggest swing is more than 20
meters. In the year 2000, Aug, a serious
fire accident occurred because of the cable
overload. From that day on, they all use
Schneider new copper contact busway.
● Completion date: 2002, September
● Scheme: double main trunking
● Maximum capacity: 1600A
● Total length: 540 meter (270m x 2)

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