Press: Withdrawable technology based on Ri4Power

In order to achieve high-availability switchgear, Elpro has now developed a new system - ENSAS 5000 - based on Rittal's Ri4Power, which has been extended by the addition of withdrawable outgoing sections. Full assemblies such as motor starters can be easily replaced in the event of service work being carried out, without the unit having to be shut down.

In order to be independent of the licenses and product policies of other companies with the new system, and after conducting European market research, Elpro decided on Rittal as its system partner in enclosure technology. Customers who choose a switchgear installation based on the tested and machine-independent Ri4Power system benefit from the fact that they remain sovereign in their choice of switchgear manufacturer.

The modular Ri4Power system, upon which the withdrawable technology is based, allows an internal separation of the individual sections, as well as a partitioning of the cable connection space. The withdrawable modules developed by Elpro are available in a variety of heights on a 75 mm pitch pattern. The largest modules with six height units (U) are 450 mm high. A total of 22 modules per enclosure are possible with the smallest height. Rated current can be up to 5,000 A, and the entire system is type tested to IEC 61439-1/-2.

A patented technology is used for the withdrawable equipment, in which the contacts to the busbars are made not at the far end of the withdrawable equipment - as with other currently available systems - but laterally. For this purpose, a contact system is mounted on the withdrawable equipment that is introduced into the corresponding counterpart in the enclosure by means of a special rail guide.

The advantage of this system is that the modules can be slid effortlessly into the enclosure. The contact is made with a lever on the front panel. If withdrawable equipment is removed from the enclosure, an automatic shutter system ensures that the busbars are covered to prevent accidental contact.

The busbars are encapsulated over their entire length, so ensuring that the system is free of arcing faults. Using the lever, the withdrawable equipment can be placed in the "Test", "Operation" or "Separate" positions, which can each be mechanically latched and locked.

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Rittal GmbH & Co. KG

Rittal GmbH & Co. KG, which has its headquarters in Herborn, Germany, is one of the world's leading system suppliers for housing and enclosure technologies, power distribution systems, system climate control and IT infrastructure. Customers from all sectors of industry, from mechanical and plant engineering, as well as from the IT and telecoms market, are making use of system solutions from Rittal.

Its broad product range also includes complete solutions for modular and energy-efficient data centres: from innovative security concepts for data systems (formerly known as Litcos) through to physical data and system security for IT infrastructures (formerly known as Lampertz). The leading software providers Eplan and Mind8 - Rittal subsidiaries - are supplementing the Rittal product portfolio with interdisciplinary engineering solutions.

Founded in 1961, Rittal is now active worldwide with 13 production sites, 63 subsidiaries and 40 agencies. With 9,000 employees worldwide, Rittal is the largest company of the proprietor-run Friedhelm Loh Group of Haiger, Germany. The entire group employs more than 10,500 people and generated revenues of more than € 2.2 billion in 2008. Further information at www.rittal.com and www.friedhelm-loh-group.de.