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A PPLI C ATI O N N OTE

World’s most powerful rail

frequency converter
Record-breaking system
helps boost energy supply
to German rail network
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ABB has delivered the world’s most powerful

rail frequency converter system to E.ON,
the leading German utility. The converter
station is located at the Datteln railway hub,
and is capable of supplying up to 413 MW
(megawatt) to the German railways.

— The challenge
E.ON is building a new coal-fired power plant
Project at Datteln in northwestern Germany, to replace
highlights an existing one that has reached the end of its
economic and technical lifecycle. The 303 MW
plant was originally built in the 1960s to solely
Four converter blocks each feed DB Energie’s traction power system,
rated at 103 MW providing a 110 kV (kilovolt), 16.7 Hz (Hertz),
single-phase supply. A powerful and efficient
railway power supply converter station was
High-level control ensures to be constructed at the site of the new power
optimized operation plant in order to cope with an increased demand
of 413 MW.

Built-in overload capability

ABB’s solution
ensures maximum efficiency
To meet E.ON’s railway power supply needs, ABB
has provided a turnkey rail frequency converter
system. Rated at 413 MW and equipped with the
Grid code compliance
most advanced power electronics, the system
without line filters
efficiently converts electricity from the country’s
three-phase high-voltage grid, with a rated fre-
Maintenance under full load quency of 50 Hz, to the 16.7 Hz required by the
conditions (one block redundant) single-phase 110 kV grid of Deutsche Bahn.

The system consists of four identical converter

Reliable IGCT* technology blocks to provide steady power supply. Designed
to ensure exceptionally high levels of system
availability and reliability, it enables maintenance
* Integrated Gate-Commutated Thyristor work to be carried out on one of the converter
blocks without compromising the conversion ca-
pacity of the entire plant.
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As part of the turnkey contract, ABB was respon- railway, and of subsequently re-synchronizing
sible for the design, engineering, installation and with the rest of the railway grid after the
commissioning of the system. Key components disturbance has been cleared.
of the containerized solution include transform-
ers and static frequency converters (SFC) as well Key features and benefits
as control and cooling systems. • Higher system availability
• Reduced maintenance costs (no rotating parts)
Technical data – Rail SFC for E.ON in Datteln, • Improved efficiency over entire power range
Germany • Controlled bi-directional active power transfer
System SFC • Proven fault ride-through (FRT) functionalities
Type PCS 6000 Rail • Reliable black-start and island mode operation
Traction power • Reactive power compensation of the public and
Application
supply, railway grid
110 kV mains
• Prepared for active power flow control
power supply
• Grid synchronization capability with converter
Installation Outdoor
in operation
Ambient temperature range -20°C ... +40°C
• Standardized container modules
Number of units 4
• Comprehensive life-cycle services and support
3-ph AC 50 Hz /
Frequency
1-ph AC 16.7 Hz
Available configurations
Grid three-phase system 3-ph AC 400 kV
• Modular system for ratings from
Traction system voltage 16.7 Hz 1-ph AC 110 kV
15 MW to 120 MW
Active power 16.7 Hz per 134 MW
converter (overload)
• Indoor and outdoor solutions
• Mobile solutions
Cos phi 16.7 Hz 1.0
• Direct feed to AT-line (auto transformer)
Converter cooling Water / air
catenary systems
• Direct catenary feed solutions
ABB’s rail static frequency converter solutions • Feed to centralized railway grid
ABB can draw on a long history of SFC technology, (110 kV / 132 kV) solutions
providing reliable railway interconnections since
1994. The success of ABB’s rail SFCs is based on
continuous development and technological inno-
vation. Its medium-voltage rail SFC solution al-
lows the connection of three-phase public grids
to single-phase railway power grids, at rated fre-
quencies of 16.7, 25, 50 or 60 Hz. The SFC not only
acts as a voltage and reactive power source, but
is also able to handle the smooth and interrup-
tion-free transition from interconnected system
— operation to island mode in case of disturbances
Inside view of a rail SFC
container delivtered
in the grid. Furthermore, it is capable of acting as
to E.ON’s Datteln site sole power supply to an isolated section of the

—
Rail frequency
converter system
installed at E.ON’s
Datteln site, Germany
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www.abb.com/facts

For more information please contact:

ABB Switzerland Ltd

FACTS - Power Converter Solutions
CH-5300 Turgi, Switzerland
Phone: +41 58 589 32 35
Fax: +41 58 589 20 90

Note
We reserve the right to make technical changes
or modify the contents of this document
without prior notice. With regard to purchase
orders, the agreed particulars shall prevail.
ABB does not accept any responsibility
whatsoever for potential errors or possible
lack of information in this document.

We reserve all rights in this document in the

subject matter and illustrations contained
therein. Any reproduction- in whole or in
parts- is forbidden without ABB’s prior
written consent.
1KHA001511 REV A 14.11.2017

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Specifications subject to change without notice.