THE CHALLENGE

Enel Global Infrastructures and Networks S.r.l. is looking for an automated solution that is capable of performing reconstruction tasks on medium voltage (MV) cables. These tasks include re-insulation, re-screening, and re-jacketing, thereby ensuring normal operation of the cables. The velocity and the ease of use from the device will be evaluated in a positive way, but these must not influence the component reliability.

Submissions should address the following Solution Requirements.

The proposed solutions must:

• Work with the following types of MV cables with cross-sections from 35 to 630 mm2:
  • XLPE insulated cables with reduced and full insulation thickness, with aluminum tape or copper wire screen ;
  • HTPE insulated cables with aluminum tape or copper wire screen ;
  • EPR insulated cables with copper wire screen ;
  • Nice to have: Single-core impregnated paper insulated cables with lead shield;
• Perform terminations, splices and joints;
  • MV Terminations: A cable termination could be considered as a device able to provide electric stress control for the cable insulation shield, complete external leakage insulation between conductor and ground, a seal to prevent the entrance of the external environment into the cable providing a proper metallic connection (Lug);
  • MV Joint: A cable joint could be considered as two conductors connected through a suitable mechanical connector, then re-insulated, re-screened and re-jacketed with proper material and applied over a suitably prepared surface. Whenever possible, jointing cables is normally avoided. However, splicing is often a necessity;
• Be easy to handle and transportable;
  • Size range: as small as possible in order to be easy to handle it manually;
  • Weight range: as light as possible in order to be easy to handle it manually. The critical conditions reported on ISO 11228 could be considered as reference;
• Be supplied by the following:
  • 12 V DC power supply (either directly or by a 230 V AC/DC converter included in the scope of supply);
  • Built-in 12 V DC battery with operating autonomy for at least 6 installations and with power and battery status indicator showing the number of installations remaining to be performed;
  • NOTE: 230 V AC power supply or other solutions are accepted for the development phase;
• Be safe for the operator;
  • The instrument shall be equipped with intrinsic safety interlocking systems to ensure operator safety at all times; There shall be emergency stop buttons, easily accessible by the operator from every side of the equipment he is working on;
  • In addition, a minimum degree of protection of IP 53 must be guaranteed (must be able to operate safely in the rain);
  • All working phases must be directly or indirectly monitored (for example with micro-cameras) and must be confirmed by the operator (one by one or also giving cumulative confirmation for all phases);
• Comply with applicable laws and reference standards in the following countries;
  • Brazil:
    • NR—10 – Segurança em instalações e serviços em eletricidade;
  • Chile:
    • Reglamento de seguridad de las instalaciones eléctricas destinadas a la producción, transporte, prestación de servicios complementarios, sistemas de almacenamiento y distribución de energía eléctrica y todos sus Pliegos Técnicos;
  • Colombia:
    • RETIE – Reglamento Técnico de Instalaciones Eléctricas;
  • Peru:
    • CNE – Código Nacional de Electricidad – Suministro 2011;
  • Italy:
    • D.Lgs n. 81 of the 9th of April 2008 and subsequent modifications;
    • Nota Operativa PVR001 – Rev. 2 – Ott. 2012 - Gestione Garanzie dei materiali di ENEL Distribuzione;
  • Spain;
    • R.D. 614/2001, de 8 de junio, sobre disposiciones mínimas para la protección de la salud y seguridad de los trabajadores frente al riesgo eléctrico;
    • R.D. 337/2014, de 9 de mayo, por el que se aprueban el Reglamento sobre condiciones técnicas y garantías de seguridad en instalaciones eléctricas de alta tensión y sus Instrucciones Técnicas Complementarias ITC-RAT 01 a 23;
    • R.D. 223/2008, de 15 de febrero, por el que se aprueban el Reglamento sobre condiciones técnicas y garantías de seguridad en líneas eléctricas de alta tensión y sus instrucciones técnicas complementarias ITC-LAT 01 a 09;
  • Romania:
    • NTE 001/03/00 – Normativ privind alegerea izolației, coordonarea izolației și protecția instalațiilor electroenergetice împotriva supratensiunilor;
    • NTE 003/04/00 – Normativ pentru construcția liniilor electrice aeriene de energie electrică cu tensiuni peste 1000 V;

PROJECT DELIVERABLES

The submitted proposal should contain two parts: 

1.      Collaboration Proposal including:

a.      A technical description of a solution with an explanation of how the Solver proposes to address all of the Solution Requirements. The Solver can withhold proprietary details, if necessary, but should provide convincing evidence for Enel Global Infrastructures and Networks S.r.l. to appreciate the merits of the approach and to allow for a feasibility evaluation.

b.      A brief discussion of capabilities, facilities/equipment, and relevant expertise for executing the proposed solution. The Solver should explain what they can provide and what might be required from the Seeker. For example: “I can construct a prototype, but I would need the Seeker to help with scale up and distribution”;

c.      An overview of the proposed path forward (materials, deliverables, timelines, cost estimates);

d.      Data, patent, journal references, or any additional material that supports the proposed solution.

2.      General Information about the Solver including:

a.      The key contact person for this Challenge (including phone number and email address). 

b.      Organization/Company/University name and address (including website, if available)

(NOTE: For most Challenges, Solvers are not allowed to include personal contact information; however, for an eRFP Challenge, it is required.)

[NOTE: Only proposals from Solvers who have the ability to work as a collaboration partner will be considered.]

Challenge rules

All proposers are invited to read carefully the Challenge and the Regulation of this Challenge, attached below in the Attachments section, before submitting a solution.

By submitting a solution, they automatically accept the attached Regulations other than the Terms of Use of this platform.

Eligibility

The employees of Enel Global Infrastructures and Networks S.r.l. and of the other Companies of the Enel Group who are involved in the organization and management of the Competition or admitted to the Open Innovability^® Portal back office, as well as their spouses or partners and their relatives up to the fourth degree, are not eligible for participation in this Challenge.

Also, employees of the companies of the Enel Group who have worked in the technical sector of medium voltage cables and that work, in the moment of the Challenge, on cable repair, or their spouses, partners or any of their relatives up to the fourth grade determined according to Italian law are not eligible for the participation in this Challenge.

Without prejudice to the article 5.5 of the Terms of Use, the obligation to grant the IP rights set in this article does not apply if the winning solution is proposed by an employee of an Enel company, unless the employee is the owner of the solution according to the relevant national law.

Explain your proposal clearly in English, attach documents (max 5 files, 25MB total size) if needed.

Challenge and reward

This is an electronic Request-for-Partners (eRFP) Challenge; the Solver will need to submit a written proposal to be evaluated by the Seeker with a goal of establishing a possible collaboration.

Deadline

Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (Central European Time) on January 31, 2022.

Late submissions will not be considered.

Specific regulation in the CSA attached at the bottom of this page.

What happens next?

After the Challenge deadline, the Seeker will complete the review process and make a decision with regards to the Winning Solution(s). All Solvers that submit a proposal will be notified on the status of their submissions; however, no detailed evaluation of individual submissions will be provided.

Enel will evaluate the proposal using the following criteria:

• Overall scientific and technical feasibility of the proposed solution;
• Economic potential of concept (e.g. Total Cost of Ownership);
• Business potential for Enel;
• Novelty and creativity;
• Potential for proprietary position (i.e., is the technology novel or protectable);
• User's capabilities and related experience;
• Realism of the proposed solution;
• Maturity level of the proposal.

In case the reward includes "Collaboration with Enel", once suitable solution/s have been identified, Enel will reserve the opportunity to start a collaboration, by way of example, all or part of the following activities:

• Test execution;
• Supply of prototypes (if an equipment);
• Installation and site tests;
• Follow up and monitoring of the proposed idea behavior.

Upon completion of the evaluation, you will receive feedback.

In case of success, an Enel contact person will get in touch with you to discuss the next steps.

The final award for this Challenge is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the verification process, including acceptance of the Challenge-Specific Agreement (CSA) that is the regulation for this Challenge.

The verification process includes obtaining the following from the Solver: signed affidavit (based on the CSA), employee waiver (if applicable), and proof of identify.

ABOUT INNOCENTIVE

InnoCentive collaborates with Enel to manage this Challenge.

InnoCentive is the global innovation marketplace where creative minds solve some of the world's most important problems for cash awards up to $1 million. Commercial, governmental and humanitarian organizations engage with InnoCentive to solve problems that can impact humankind in areas ranging from the environment to medical advancements.