Product Overview
SM6 is a modular metal-enclosed air-insulated medium-voltage switchgear family manufactured by Schneider Electric, supporting rated voltages up to 36 kV. It adopts SF₆ gas-sealed breaking units or vacuum breaking technology, with a designed service life of 30 years. More than 1 700 000 SM6 cubicles have been deployed worldwide.
The whole range is fully factory-tested, no mandatory site tests are required after delivery. The product supports on-site upgrade and extension, and is well-suited for factory-built outdoor prefabricated substations.
SM6 is EcoStruxure-ready. Intelligent connected components including TH110 thermal sensors, CL110 environmental sensors and SC110 are available for condition-based asset management and predictive maintenance. For private-market orders, TH110 thermal sensors are pre-fitted on cable termination parts by factory default.
Major protection relays compatible:
• Easergy P3 / Sepam multi-function protection relays
• VIP self-powered protection relays
• PowerMeter metering units
It supports local & remote indication and operation, and can be integrated into mainstream monitoring & SCADA systems.
Key Product Characteristics
2.1 Internal Arc Withstand Capability
Compliant with IEC 62271-200. Two internal-arc classification grades are available:
• IAC A-FL: 3-sides internal-arc protection
SM6-24: 12.5 kA 1 s /16 kA 1 s /20 kA 1 s
SM6-36: 16 kA 1 s
• IAC A-FLR: 4-sides internal-arc protection (SM6-24 only)
12.5 kA 1 s /16 kA 1 s /20 kA 1 s
Gas exhaust options: downwards exhaust (all versions); upwards exhaust (SM6-24 only).
2.2 Safety Design
1. Three-position switch mechanism (Close / Open / Earth) with built-in mechanical interlocks to prevent mal-operation; earthing disconnector possesses full short-circuit closing capacity.
2. Anti-rebound operating lever, positive mechanical position indicators, compartmentalized cabinet structure.
3. Voltage Presence Indication System (VPIS) complying with IEC 62271-206.
4. Mechanical & electrical interlocks to avoid incorrect operations; padlock points for locking operating shafts.
5. SF₆ breaking modules are “sealed-for-life” gas-filled enclosures; leakage rate below 0.1% over 30-year lifespan.
2.3 Electrical Ratings
• Rated voltage Ur: 7.2 kV / 12 kV /17.5 kV /24 kV /36 kV
• Rated current Ir: 400 A-630 A-1250 A
• Short-time withstand current (1 s): 12.5 kA /16 kA /20 kA /25 kA
• Breaking technologies:
– SF₆ switch-disconnector; SF1 / SFset SF₆ circuit-breaker
– Evolis vacuum circuit-breaker; vacuum contactor for motor-starter duties.
2.4 Mechanical & Environmental Specifications
• Cabinet dimensions: width 375-1500 mm; height 1600-2250 mm; depth 840-1400 mm. All cable connections are front-accessible.
• Operating ambient conditions (indoor installation):
– Ambient temperature: −5 °C ~ +40 °C
– Altitude: ≤1000 m (derating required for higher altitude)
– Relative humidity: monthly average ≤90 %; 24-h average ≤95 %
– Seismic performance (option): up to 0.5 g horizontal /0.4 g vertical, compliant with IEEE-693-2005, EN 60068-3-3.
• Degree of protection: Cabinet IP3X; between compartments IP2X(SM6-24)/IP2XC(SM6-36); mechanical impact IK08 (SM6-24), IK07 (SM6-36).
• Mean Time To Failure (cumulative MTTF):
– SM6-24: 3890 years
– SM6-36: 6259 years
2.5 Digital & Connectivity Features
Two scalable IoT-enabled solution tiers for SM6 Connected:
Enabled (default for private-market units)
Factory-installed TH110 thermal sensors. Free Android-based Easergy Thermal Connect mobile APP with Zigbee dongle for on-demand thermal spot-checking; 1 °C measurement accuracy. No extra site WiFi infrastructure required.
Enabled Plus (optional upgrade)
24/7 continuous real-time monitoring: thermal monitoring, cabinet ambient monitoring (CL110), circuit-breaker condition monitoring, fast internal-arc fault detection. Supports local HMI alarming, pre-alarming, Modbus-TCP interface for SCADA integration, optional GSM SMS alert, nearby safe-distance control function. Compatible with EcoStruxure Power Advisor / Asset Advisor cloud analytics services for predictive maintenance.
2.6 Modular Functional Unit Types
SM6 consists of interchangeable modular cubicle units to build complete MV substations:
1. Switching units: IM / IMC / IMB / IMM switch-disconnector; NSM-cables / NSM-busbars for automatic transfer system.
Protection units:
– Fuse-switch: QM / QMC / QMB / PM
– SF₆ circuit-breaker: DM1-A / DM1-D / DM1-M / DM1-S / DM1-W / DM1-Z / DM2
– Vacuum circuit-breaker: DMV-A / DMV-D / DMVL-A / DMVL-D (Evolis)
– Vacuum contactor motor-starter: CVM series
3. Metering & measurement: CM / CM2 voltage transformer cubicles; GBC-A / GBC-B combined current-voltage measurement cubicles.
4. Auxiliary functions: GAM / GAM2 incoming cable unit; GBM connection unit; GIM intermediate bus unit; SM disconnector; EMB busbar earthing unit; TM auxiliary MV/LV transformer unit, etc.
2.7 Environmental & Quality Attributes
• Production sites certified to ISO 14001 environmental-management standard. Up to 98 % of cabinet materials can be recycled. Schneider provides SF₆ gas end-of-life recovery & recycling service.
• Design & manufacturing certified to ISO 9001. Every unit goes through routine factory tests: sealing test, gas-filling-pressure test, operating-speed test, switching-torque measurement, dielectric test, dimensional conformance check.
• Supported BIM 3D object models and TraceParts 2D/3D CAD drawings for engineering design work-flow.
Application & Usage Scenarios
1. MV/LV transformer substations for public distribution networks (utility power-grid applications).
2. Industrial medium-voltage distribution substations: factories, process plants, mining facilities.
3. Critical-load facilities: airports, hospitals, data-centers, tunnels, large commercial complexes, stadiums, universities.
4. Prefabricated / container-type outdoor substations (SM6 is optimized for factory-built outdoor substation integration).
5. Infrastructure projects: rail transport, water-supply pumping stations, oil-and-gas sites.
6. Ring-main distribution networks, main incoming & sectionalizing bays, motor-feeders, transformer-feeders, metering bays, bus-section applications up to 36 kV AC indoor installation.
Notes: SM6 is designed for indoor installation as primary condition; outdoor deployment must be inside factory-built prefabricated substation housings.
