SWITCHGEAR

PRESENTED BY AJAY KUMAR NIKUNJ EMP NO-100326

Presentation outline
Basics of switchgear

Components and Classification

Basic design aspects

Breakers, relays and fuses

What is a Switchgear ?
The apparatus used for Switching, Controlling and Protecting the Electrical Circuits and equipment.

Need of Switchgear :
* Switching during normal operating conditions for the purpose of Operation and Maintenance. * Switching during Faults and Abnormal conditions and interrupting the fault currents.

PARTS OF SWITCHGEAR
Switching device

Power circuit

Control circuit

Measurement and display

Protection

Switching devices :

Circuit breakers / contactors

Isolators Earthing switch

Control Circuit :
service / test /isolated position selectors Tripping and closing circuit Spring charging, anti pumping arrangement Supply monitoring , space heaters , indications Measurement : Ammeter, voltmeter, energy meter Protection : Relays, CT, PT,

SWITCHGEAR Various symbols

Isolator / Disconnecting switch

Circuit Breaker

Earthing switch

Lightening Arrestor

CT

PT

Ammeter

Voltmeter

CLASSIFICATION OF SWITCHGEARS : Method of arc quenching : Bulk oil, Min. oil, Air Break, Air Blast, SF6 , Vacuum Working voltage : 440 v, 6.6 kV, 11 kV, 400 kV etc.

SOME INTERLOCKS :
Check synchronisation for closing Master relay contacts for trip and close HV & LV Breaker interlocks Main / Reserve supply change over

Swgr: Basic Design Aspects

The Auxiliary power system in a power plant must form a RELIABLE source of power to all unit and Station auxiliaries. The basic function of Switchgear is to control supply of electric power and to protect the equipment in the event of abnormal conditions.Hence the Switchgears have to be RELIABLE , SAFE, and ADEQUATE .

33 KV, 11 KV, 6.6 KV and 3.3 KV Switchgears

Swgr: Basic Design Aspects

Circuit Breakers of either SF6 or Vacuum type. They shall comprise of three separate identical single pole interrupting units operated through a common shaft by a sturdy mechanism.

Relays

Relay

A device that detects the fault and initiates the operation of the Circuit breaker to isolate the defective element from the of the system.

Requirements of Protecting relaying :

Selectivity - Ability to select the faulty part and isolate that part without disturbing the rest of the system. Speed - Ability to disconnect the faulty part at the earliest possible time. Sensitivity - Ability of the relay to operate with low value of actuating quantity. Reliability - Ability of the system to operate under pre-determined conditions

Simplicity - Should be simple so that it can be easily maintained. - The simpler the protection scheme, the greater is the reliability Economy - Availability at lower cost.

Classification of Relays based on Design

RELAYS

Electromagnetic & Electro thermal

Static

Microprocessor based Numerical

* Attracted Armature * Induction disc * Printed disc dynamometer * Permanent magnet * Moving coil * Polarised moving Iron * Bimetallic Strip

* Relay consists of Electronic circuitry such as Transistors, ICs, Diodes etc * Uses VLSI technology * Can be Programmed

Circuit Breakers

Main Parts of a Circuit Breaker :

* Fixed Contact

* Movable Contact
* Operating Mechanism and control circuit * Arc extinguishing medium

Fault clearing process :

During any Fault.. * Fault impedance will be low, so fault current will increase and relay senses this increase in current. * Relay contacts closes and sends trip signal to circuit breaker and the trip coil of the circuit breaker will get energized. * Operating mechanism of the circuit breaker will operate and separate the contacts. * Arc will be initiated between the contacts and it is extinguished by suitable methods.

Arcing phenomenon :
- When a fault occurs, heavy current flows through the contacts of the circuit breaker before they are opened by the protective system. - At the instant when the contacts begin to separate, the contact area decreases rapidly and current density (I/A) increases and hence rise in temperature.
-The heat produced is sufficient to ionise the medium between the contacts. This ionised medium acts as conductor and an arc is struck between the contacts. - The potential difference between the contacts is very small and is sufficient to maintain the arc. - The current flow depends upon the Arc resistance.

 Various types of CBs :

(i) Miniature CB (ii) Air Break CB (iii) Air Blast CB (iv) Oil CB (v) SF6 CB (vi) Vacuum CB

Bulk Oil CB Minimum Oil CB

Characteristics of Fuse element :

- Low melting point. (Tin, Lead)
- High conductivity (Silver, Copper) - Free from deterioration due to Oxidation (Silver) - Low cost (Lead, Tin, Copper) Outstanding feature of a Fuse element is that it isolates the circuit well before the fault current reaches its first peak current. This gives the fuse a great advantage over a Circuit breaker since the most severe thermal and electromagnetic effects of Short-circuit currents (which occurs at the peak value of the Prospective current) are not experienced with fuses.

 Types of Fuses :
LV fuses
Semi-enclosed rewirable fuse : - consists of porcelain base and a fuse carrier. - used where low currents are to be interrupted. - used in domestic and lighting applications HRC cartridge fuse : - consists of heat resistant ceramic body and the cartridge is filled with filler material such as chalk, plaster of Paris, quartz or marble dust which acts as arc quenching and cooling medium. - when fuse element (silver) melts, high resistance substance is formed due to the chemical reaction between the silver vapor and the filling powder. Thus Arc is quenched.

HV fuses
(i) Expulsion type :
- consists of hollow tube made of synthetic-resin bonded paper in which fuse wire is placed - when fuse element melts, it causes decomposition of the inner coating of the tube resulting in formation of gases which extinguishes the arc. - used in the level of 11 KV, 250 MVA and generally used for protection of distribution transformers. (ii) Drop-out fuse : - Expulsion type fuse. - when fuse melts, the fuse element carrying tube drops down due to gravity, so that, can be spotted easily.

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