EE35TSubstationDesignandLayout

TheFirstStepindesigningaSubstationistodesignanEarthingandBondingSystem.

EarthingandBonding
Thefunctionofanearthingandbondingsystemistoprovideanearthingsystemconnectiontowhich
transformerneutralsorearthingimpedancesmaybeconnectedinordertopassthemaximumfaultcurrent.The
earthingsystemalsoensuresthatnothermalormechanicaldamageoccursontheequipmentwithinthe
substation,therebyresultinginsafetytooperationandmaintenancepersonnel.Theearthingsystemalso
guaranteeseqipotentialbondingsuchthattherearenodangerouspotentialgradientsdevelopedinthesubstation.

Indesigningthesubstation,threevoltagehavetobeconsidered.

1.TouchVoltage:Thisisthedifferenceinpotentialbetweenthesurfacepotentialandthepotentialatanearthed
equipmentwhilstamanisstandingandtouchingtheearthedstructure.

2.StepVoltage:Thisisthepotentialdifferencedevelopedwhenamanbridgesadistanceof1mwithhisfeet
whilenottouchinganyotherearthedequipment.

3.MeshVoltage:Thisisthemaximumtouchvoltagethatisdevelopedinthemeshoftheearthinggrid.

SubstationEarthingCalculationMethodology
Calculationsforearthimpedancesandtouchandsteppotentialsarebasedonsitemeasurementsofground
resistivityandsystemfaultlevels.Agridlayoutwithparticularconductorsisthenanalysedtodeterminethe
effectivesubstationearthingresistance,fromwhichtheearthingvoltageiscalculated.

Inpractice,itisnormaltotakethehighestfaultlevelforsubstationearthgridcalculationpurposes.Additionally,
itisnecessarytoensureasufficientmarginsuchthatexpansionofthesystemiscateredfor.

Todeterminetheearthresistivity,probetestsarecarriedoutonthesite.Thesetestsarebestperformedindry
weathersuchthatconservativeresistivityreadingsareobtained.

EarthingMaterials

1.Conductors:Barecopperconductorisusuallyusedforthesubstationearthinggrid.Thecopperbars
themselves
usuallyhaveacrosssectionalareaof95squaremillimetres,andtheyarelaidatashallowdepth
of0.250.5m,in37msquares.Inadditiontotheburiedpotentialearthgrid,aseparateabove
ground
earthingringisusuallyprovided,towhichallmetallicsubstationplantisbonded.

2.Connections:Connectionstothegridandotherearthingjointsshouldnotbesolderedbecausetheheat
generated
duringfaultconditionscouldcauseasolderedjointtofail.Jointsareusuallybolted,andinthis
case,the
faceofthejointsshouldbetinned.

3.EarthingRods:Theearthinggridmustbesupplementedbyearthingrodstoassistinthedissipationofearth
fault
currentsandfurtherreducetheoverallsubstationearthingresistance.Theserodsareusually
madeof
solidcopper,orcoppercladsteel.

4.SwitchyardFence
Earthing:Theswitchyardfenceearthingpracticesarepossibleandareusedbydifferentutilities.
Theseare:

(i)Extendthesubstationearthgrid0.5m1.5mbeyondthefenceperimeter.Thefenceisthen
bondedtothegridatregularintervals.
(ii)Placethefencebeyondtheperimeteroftheswitchyardearthinggridandbondthefence
toits
ownearthingrodsystem.Thisearthingrodsystemisnotcoupledtothemainsubstation
earthing
grid.

LayoutofSubstation
ThelayoutofthesubstationisveryimportantsincethereshouldbeaSecurityofSupply.Inanidealsubstation
allcircuitsandequipmentwouldbeduplicatedsuchthatfollowingafault,orduringmaintenance,aconnection
remainsavailable.Practicallythisisnotfeasiblesincethecostofimplementingsuchadesignisveryhigh.
Methodshavebeenadoptedtoachieveacompromisebetweencompletesecurityofsupplyandcapital
investment.Therearefourcategoriesofsubstationthatgivevaryingsecuritiesofsupply:

Category1:Nooutageisnecessarywithinthesubstationforeithermaintenanceorfaultconditions.
Category2:Shortoutageisnecessarytotransfertheloadtoanalternativecircuitformaintenanceorfault
conditions.
Category3:Lossofacircuitorsectionofthesubstationduetofaultormaintenance.
Category4:Lossoftheentiresubstationduetofaultormaintenance.

DifferentLayoutsforSubstations
SingleBusbar

Thegeneralschematicforsuchasubstationisshowninthefigurebelow.
Withthisdesign,thereisaneaseofoperationofthesubstation.Thisdesignalsoplacesminimumrelianceon
signallingforsatisfactoryoperationofprotection.Additionallythereisthefacilitytosupporttheeconomical
operationoffuturefeederbays.

Suchasubstationhasthefollowingcharacteristics.

Eachcircuitisprotectedbyitsowncircuitbreakerandhenceplantoutagedoesnotnecessarilyresultin
lossofsupply.
Afaultonthefeederortransformercircuitbreakercauseslossofthetransformerandfeedercircuit,one
ofwhichmayberestoredafterisolatingthefaultycircuitbreaker.
Afaultonthebussectioncircuitbreakercausescompleteshutdownofthesubstation.Allcircuitsmaybe
restoredafterisolatingthefaultycircuitbreaker.
Abusbarfaultcauseslossofonetransformerandonefeeder.Maintenanceofonebusbarsectionor
isolatorwillcausethetemporaryoutageoftwocircuits.
Maintenanceofafeederortransformercircuitbreakerinvolveslossofthecircuit.
Introductionofbypassisolatorsbetweenbusbarandcircuitisolatorallowscircuitbreakermaintenance
facilitieswithoutlossofthatcircuit.

MeshSubstation
Thegenerallayoutforafullmeshsubstationisshownintheschematicbelow.

Thecharacteristicsofsuchasubstationareasfollows.

Operationoftwocircuitbreakersisrequiredtoconnectordisconnectacircuit,anddisconnectioninvolves
openingofamesh.
Circuitbreakersmaybemaintainedwithoutlossofsupplyorprotection,andnoadditionalbypass
facilitiesarerequired.
Busbarfaultswillonlycausethelossofonecircuitbreaker.Breakerfaultswillinvolvethelossofa
maximumoftwocircuits.
generally,notmorethantwiceasmanyoutgoingcircuitsasinfeedsareusedinordertorationalisecircuit
equipmentloadcapabilitiesandratings.

OneandahalfCircuitBreakerlayout
Thelayoutofa11/2circuitbreakersubstationisshownintheschematicbelow.

Thereasonthatsuchalayoutisknownasa11/2circuitbreakerisduetothefactthatinthedesign,thereare9
circuitbreakersthatareusedtoprotectthe6feeders.Thus,11/2circuitbreakersprotect1feeder.Some
characteristicsofthisdesignare:

Thereistheadditionalcostofthecircuitbreakerstogetherwiththecomplexarrangement.
Itispossibletooperateanyonepairofcircuits,orgroupsofpairsofcircuits.
Thereisaveryhighsecurityagainstthelossofsupply.

PrincipleofSubstationLayouts
Substationlayoutconsistsessentiallyinarranginganumberofswitchgearcomponentsinanorderedpattern
governedbytheirfunctionandrulesofspatialseparation.

SpatialSeparation

EarthClearance:thisistheclearancebetweenlivepartsandearthedstructures,walls,screensandground.
PhaseClearance:thisistheclearancebetweenlivepartsofdifferentphases.
IsolatingDistance:thisistheclearancebetweentheterminalsofanisolatorandtheconnectionsthereto.
 SectionClearance:thisistheclearancebetweenlivepartsandtheterminalsofaworksection.Thelimits
ofthisworksection,ormaintenancezone,maybethegroundoraplatformfromwhichthemanworks.

Separationofmaintenancezones

Twomethodsareavailableforseparatingequipmentinamaintenancezonethathasbeenisolatedandmade
dead.

1.Theprovisionofasectionclearance
2.Useofaninterveningearthedbarrier

Thechoicebetweenthetwomethodsdependsonthevoltageandwhetherhorizontalorverticalclearancesare
involved.

Asectionclearanceiscomposedofathereachofaman,takenas8feet,plusanearthclearance.
Forthevoltageatwhichtheearthclearanceis8feet,thespacerequiredwillbethesamewhetherasection
clearanceoranearthedbarrierisused.

HENCE:

Separationbyearthedbarrier=EarthClearance+50mmforbarrier+EarthClearance

Separationbysectionclearance=2.44m+Earthclearance

Forverticalclearancesitisnecessarytotakeintoaccountthespaceoccupiedbytheequipmentandthe
needforanaccessplatformathighervoltages.
Theheightoftheplatformistakenas1.37mbelowthehighestpointofwork.

EstablishingMaintenanceZones

Somemaintenancezonesareeasilydefinedandtheneedforthemisselfevidentasisthecaseofacircuit
breaker.Thereshouldbeameansofisolationoneachsideofthecircuitbreaker,andtoseparateitfromadjacent
liveparts,whenisolated,eitherbysectionclearancesorearthbarriers.

ElectricalSeparations

Togetherwithmaintenancezoning,theseparation,byisolatingdistanceandphaseclearances,ofthe
substationcomponentsandoftheconductorsinterconnectingthemconstitutethemainbasisofsubstation
layouts.

Thereareatleastthreesuchelectricalseparationsperphasethatareneededinacircuit:

1.Betweentheterminalsofthebusbarisolatorandtheirconnections.
2.Betweentheterminalsofthecircuitbreakerandtheirconnections.
3.Betweentheterminalsofthefeederisolatorandtheirconnections.

ComponentsofaSubstation
Thesubstationcomponentswillonlybeconsideredtotheextentwheretheyinfluencesubstationlayout.

CircuitBreakers
Therearetwoformsofopencircuitbreakers:
1.DeadTankcircuitbreakercompartmentisatearthpotential.
2.LiveTankcircuitbreakercompartmentisatlinepotential.

Theformofcircuitbreakerinfluencesthewayinwhichthecircuitbreakerisaccommodated.Thismaybeone
offourways.

GroundMountingandPlinthMounting:themainadvantagesofthistypeofmountingareits
simplicity,easeoferection,easeofmaintenanceandeliminationofsupportstructures.Anadded
advantageisthatinindoorsubstations,thereisthereductionintheheightofthebuilding.Adisadvantage
howeveristhattopreventdangertopersonnel,thecircuitbreakerhastobesurroundedbyanearthed
barrier,whichincreasesthearearequired.
RetractableCircuitBreakers:thesehavetheadvantageofbeingspacesavingduetothefactthat
isolatorscanbeaccommodatedinthesameareaofclearancethathastobeallowedbetweenthe
retractablecircuitbreakerandthelivefixedcontacts.Anotheradvantageisthatthereistheeaseand
safetyofmaintenance.Additionallysuchamountingiseconomicalsinceatleasttwoinsulatorsperphase
arestillneededtosupportthefixedcircuitbreakerplugcontacts.
SuspendedCircuitBreakers:athighervoltagestensioninsulatorsarecheaperthanpostorpedestal
insulators.Withthistypeofmountingthelivetankcircuitbreakerissuspendedbytensioninsulatorsfrom
overheadstructures,andheldinastablepositionbysimilarinsulatorstensionedtotheground.Thereis
theclaimedadvantageofreducedcostsandsimplifiedfoundations,andthestructuresusedtosuspendthe
circuitbreakersmaybeusedforotherpurposes.

CurrentTransformers

CT'smaybeaccommodatedinoneofsixmanners:

OverCircuitBreakerbushingsorinpedestals.
Inseparateposttypehousings.
Overmovingbushingsofsometypesofinsulators.
Overpowertransformersofreactorbushings.
Overwallorroofbushings.
Overcables.

Inallexceptthesecondofthelist,theCT'soccupyincidentalspaceanddonotaffectthesizeofthelayout.The
CT'sbecomemoreremotefromthecircuitbreakerintheorderlistedabove.AccommodationofCT'sover
isolatorbushings,orbushingsthroughwallsorroofs,isusuallyconfinedtoindoorsubstations.

Isolators

Theseareessentiallyoffloaddevicesalthoughtheyarecapableofdealingwithsmallchargingcurrentsof
busbarsandconnections.Thedesignofisolatorsiscloselyrelatedtothedesignofsubstations.Isolatordesignis
consideredinthefollowingaspects:

SpaceFactor
InsulationSecurity
Standardisation
EaseofMaintenance
Cost

Sometypesofisolatorsinclude:

HorizontalIsolationtypes
VerticalIsolationtypes
 MovingBushingtypes

ConductorSystems

Anidealconductorshouldfulfilthefollowingrequirements:

Shouldbecapableofcarryingthespecifiedloadcurrentsandshorttimecurrents.
Shouldbeabletowithstandforcesonitduetoitssituation.Theseforcescompriseselfweight,andweight
ofotherconductorsandequipment,shortcircuitforcesandatmosphericforcessuchaswindandice
loading.
Shouldbecoronafreeatratedvoltage.
Shouldhavetheminimumnumberofjoints.
Shouldneedtheminimumnumberofsupportinginsulators.
Shouldbeeconomical.

Themostsuitablematerialfortheconductorsystemiscopperoraluminium.Steelmaybeusedbuthas
limitationsofpoorconductivityandhighsusceptibilitytocorrosion.

Inanefforttomaketheconductorideal,threedifferenttypeshavebeenutilized,andtheseinclude:

FlatsurfacedConductors
StrandedConductors
TubularConductors

Insulation

Insulationsecurityhasbeenratedveryhighlyamongtheaimsofgoodsubstationdesign.Extensiveresearchis
doneonimprovingflashovercharacteristicsaswellascombatingpollution.Increasedcreepagelength,
resistanceglazing,insulationgreasingandlinewashinghavebeenusedwithvaryingdegreesofsuccess.

PowerTransformers

EHVpowertransformersareusuallyoilimmersedwithallthreephasesinonetank.Autotransformerscanoffer
advantageofsmallerphysicalsizeandreducedlosses.Thedifferentclassesofpowertransformersare:

o.n.:Oilimmersed,naturalcooling
o.b.:Oilimmersed,airblastcooling
o.f.n.:Oilimmersed,oilcirculationforced
o.f.b.:Oilimmersed,oilcirculationforced,airblastcooling

Powertransformersareusuallythelargestsingleiteminasubstation.Foreconomyofserviceroads,
transformersarelocatedononesideofasubstation,andtheconnectiontoswitchgearisbybareconductors.
Becauseofthelargequantityofoil,itisessentialtotakeprecautionagainstthespreadoffire.Hence,the
transformerisusuallylocatedaroundasumpusedtocollecttheexcessoil.

Transformersthatarelocatedandacellshouldbeenclosedinablastproofroom.

OverheadLineTerminations

Twomethodsareusedtoterminateoverheadlinesatasubstation.

Tensioningconductorstosubstationstructuresorbuildings
 Tensioningconductorstogroundwinches.

Thechoiceisinfluencedbytheheightoftowersandtheproximitytothesubstation.

Thefollowingclearancesshouldbeobserved:

VOLTAGELEVEL MINIMUMGROUNDCLEARANCE
lessthan66kV 6.1m
66kV110kV 6.4m
110kV165kV 6.7m
greaterthan165kV 7.0m