Eaton's Power Xpert FMX passes ENA assessment

The ENA is recognised by government regulators and the EU commission, and it is instrumental in addressing safety issues across the energy sector and produces a wide range of industry standards. In order to pass an ENA assessment, Eaton had to first receive sponsorship from two ENA member companies, which include National Grid and the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) companies, and only once agreed, the Power Xpert FMX product range could then be submitted for assessment.

Eaton’s Power Xpert FMX range comprises metal-enclosed single-busbar switchgear that uses air and solid insulation and is available in IEC 12 kV and 24 kV versions with ratings up to 2,000 A. The products in the range are designed around Eaton’s proven vacuum interrupters, which require no maintenance and are certified for 30,000 operation cycles. In this range of switchgear, the interrupters are switched by a novel and patented electromagnetic operating mechanism that provides an optimised force/stroke characteristic without the need for complicated and potentially unreliable mechanical linkages.

The use of vacuum interrupters and solid insulation means that FMX switchgear is much more environmentally friendly than MV switchgear that uses SF6 gas as an insulant. The cost of ownership is also significantly reduced, as regular testing of gas pressure or other routine maintenance is not required and there is no high end-of-life cost associated with ultimately disposing of the equipment.

The compact nature of the FMX switchgear has a panel width of just 500 mm and has provision for cable connections to be made from the front, enabling the equipment to be mounted in close proximity to a back wall. This makes FMX switchgear economical in its use of floor space, and easy to accommodate in even the most restricted of environments.