Product Overview

The ABB REF615 HBFDACADNAA1BCN1XE is a dedicated feeder protection and control relay designed for protection, control, measurement, and supervision of overhead lines and cable feeders in utility and industrial power distribution systems. This relay belongs to ABBs Relion product family and is part of the 615 protection and control product series. It is engineered to serve radial, looped, and meshed distribution networks, with or without distributed power generation integration. The REF615 series is characterized by its compact design and withdrawable plug-in unit configuration, which enables swift installation, testing, and maintenance without interrupting connected circuits.

The relay offers an extensive range of protection and control functionalities, supporting both conventional instrument transformers and modern sensor inputs. It features a large graphical display capable of showing customizable single-line diagrams, accessible locally or through an easy-to-use web-browser-based human-machine interface. The REF615 is built to comply with the latest IEC 61850 standard for communication and interoperability of substation automation devices, ensuring seamless integration into modern digital substations.

Technical Specifications

Protection and Control Functionality

The ABB REF615 HBFDACADNAA1BCN1XE integrates comprehensive protection algorithms into a single compact unit. Directional and non-directional overcurrent protection provides reliable fault detection for both phase and earth faults across various network configurations. The extensive earth-fault protection portfolio includes unique multi-frequency admittance-based protection, which delivers higher sensitivity and selectivity compared to conventional methods, particularly beneficial for compensated or high-impedance grounded networks. Voltage, frequency, and power-based protection functions enable complete monitoring of power quality parameters, including under-voltage, over-voltage, under-frequency, over-frequency, and reverse power conditions.

Optional advanced features include fast and accurate fault location for short circuits and earth faults, arc protection with high-speed outputs for rapid fault clearing, and advanced fault recording capabilities for post-event analysis. The relay supports both sensor inputs and conventional instrument transformers, offering flexibility for new installations and retrofit projects. Ready-made standard configurations with tailoring capabilities allow for fast and easy setup, reducing engineering time and commissioning effort.

Key Features and Benefits

Applications

The ABB REF615 HBFDACADNAA1BCN1XE is ideally suited for a wide range of feeder protection applications in utility distribution substations, industrial power systems, wind farms, and renewable energy plants. It provides reliable protection for overhead lines and cable feeders in radial, looped, and meshed network configurations. The relay is equally effective in networks with or without distributed power generation, making it an excellent choice for modern smart grid applications where bidirectional power flow and distributed energy resources are present. Typical applications include primary and secondary distribution substations, industrial plant feeders, mining operations, data center power distribution, and critical infrastructure protection.

Standards and Certifications

The REF615 series is designed and tested to meet international standards including IEC 60255 for measuring relays and protection equipment, IEC 61000 for electromagnetic compatibility, and IEC 60068 for environmental testing. The relay complies with ANSI/IEEE C37.90 for protective relay applications. Its withdrawable design meets the requirements for safe maintenance access without de-energizing the protected circuit.