Substation

SUBSTATION

SUBSTATION - A station in the power transmission

system at which electric power is transformed to a
conveniently used form. The station may consist of
transformers, switches, circuit breakers and other
auxiliary equipment.
Its main function is to receive energy transmitted at
high voltage from the generating station, by either
step-up or step-down the voltage to a value
appropriate for local use and provide facilities for
switching.
Substations have some additional functions. Its provide
points where safety devices may be installed to
disconnect circuits or equipment in the event of
trouble.
Some substation, such as power plant switchyard are
simply switching stations where different connections
can be made between various transmission lines.

Typical Components of a Power

Plant Substation (Switchyard)
CONNECT

A - Busbar

CONNECT & DIS-CONNECT

B - Disconnector

CONNECT, DIS-CONNECT & DETECT

C - Circuit Breaker

DETECT & TRANSFORM

D - Current Transformer

DETECT & TRANSFORM

E - Voltage Transformer

PROTECT & SAFETY

F - Earthing Switch

PROTECT

G - Surge Arrestor

1. BUSBAR
BUSBAR (or bus, for short) is a term we use for a
main bar or conductor carrying an electric current
to which many connection may be made.
Buses are merely convenient means of connecting
switches and other equipment into various
arrangements.
The usual arrangement of connections in most
substations permit working on almost any piece of
equipment without interruption to incoming or
outgoing feeders.
In the switchyard or substation, buses are open to
the air. Aluminium or copper conductors supported
on porcelain insulators, carry the electric energy
from point to point.

Busbars
(long heavy
tube type)

2. DISCONNECTS
DISCONNECT is an easily removed piece of the
actual conductor of a circuit.
The purpose of disconnects is to isolate equipment.
Disconnects are not used to interrupt circuits; they
are no-load devices.
A typical use of disconnects is to isolate a circuit
breaker by installing one disconnect on either side
of the circuit breaker (in series with the breaker).
Operation of disconnects is one of the most
important and responsible jobs of a power plant
operator. One error in isolation of equipment, or
the accidental grounding of line equipment, can be
a fatal mistake.

Disconnect Switch
( moving contact rod (A) &
contacts with flexible
fingers (B) )

B
A

3. CIRCUIT BREAKER
CIRCUIT BREAKER is used to interrupt circuits while
current is flowing through them.
The making and breaking of contacts in a Oil type
circuit breaker are done under oil, this oil serves to
quench the arc when the circuit is opened.
The operation of the breaker is very rapid when
opening. As with the transformer, the high voltage
connections are made through bushings. Circuit
breakers of this type are usually arranged for remote
electrical control from a suitably located switchboard.
Some recently developed circuit breakers have no oil,
but put out the arc by a blast of compressed air; these
are called air circuit breakers. Another type encloses
the contacts in a vacuum or a gas (sulfur hexafluoride,
SF6) which tends to self maintain the arc.

Circuit Breakers
( Connected in a typical 3phase circuit )

Position
Indicator

Operating
Mechanism
Panel

4. CURRENT TRANSFORMER
CURRENT
TRANSFORMER

Current
transformer are used with ammeters, watt
meters, power-factor meters, watt-hour
meters,
compensators,
protective
and
regulating relays and the trip coil of circuit
breakers. One current transformer can be
used to operate several instruments,
provided that the combined burden does
not exceed that for which the transformer is
designed and compensated. The current
transformer is connected directly in series
with the line.

5. VOLTAGE TRANSFORMER
VOLTAGE TRANSFORMER also know as potential
transformer, are used with volt-meters, wattmeters,
watt-hour meters, power-factor meters, frequency
meters,
synchroscopes
and
synchronizing
apparatus, protective and regulating relays and the
no-voltage and over-voltage trip coils of automatic
circuit breakers. One transformer can be used for a
number of instruments at the same time if the total
current taken by the instrument does not exceed
that for which the transformer is designed and
compensated. The ordinary voltage transformer is
connected across the line, and the magnetic flux in
the core depends upon the primary voltage

6. EARTHING SWITCH

EARTHING SWITCH also known as ground disconnect,

which used to connects the equipment to a grid of
electrical conductors buried in the earth on the station
property.
It is intended to protect people working on the grounded
equipment. It does this by completing a circuit path,
thereby reducing the voltage difference between the
equipment and its surroundings.
For safety reasons, it is important that ground
disconnects and all associated connections have good
contact and low resistance.
It is also important that the protective ground not be
accidentally remove, that is why all the earthing
switches, disconnect switches and circuit breakers are all
interlocked to each other and proper/correct sequencing
must be followed.

7. SURGE ARRESTOR
SURGE ARRESTOR are devices used to provide the
necessary path to ground for such surges, yet prevent
any power current from following the surge. An ideal
arrester must therefore have the following properties:
1. Ability to remove the surge energy from the line in a
min. time.
2. High resistive to flow of power current.
3. A valve action automatically allowing surge to pass
and then closing up so as not to permit power current
to flow to ground.
4. Always ready to perform.
5. Performance such that no system disturbances are
introduced by its operation.
6. Economically feasible

 OVERHEAD GROUND WIRE by a ground wire

is meant a wire, generally of steel, supported
from the top of transmission-line towers and
solidly grounded at each tower.
It is considered a preventive device, but it
does not entirely prevent the formation of
travelling waves on a line.

Furthermore, those lines which are not

equipped with ground wires will be subjected
to disturbances which produce surges that
must be allowed to escaped to ground, or the
apparatus connected to the line must be
strong enough to reflect or absorb these
surges until they are entirely damped out.

PREVENTIVE
MAINTENANCE
BUSBARS & OVERHEAD GROUND WIRE

At least once a year

Visual Inspection & Examination of all wiring connectors.
Check Insulator , clean or apply HVIC if necessary.
Check the physical condition of bus (cables or bars)
For ground wire, check or test the grounding system.

DISCONNECT & EARTHING SWITCHES

At least once a month
Visual Inspection.
Check heating resistor located at its control panel for proper
functioning.
At least once a year
Clean contacts of disconnectors as well as earthing switches and
apply electrical contact grease , if necessary.

 Check disconnectors and earthing switches, joints and bearings

of the operating linkages for deformed bearing points.
Check flexible connections of earthing switches.
Check all screwed joints for tight fit.
Clean insulators if necessary, when an excessive amount of dirt
has accumulated.
Carry-out the maintenance of operating mechanism.

VOLTAGE TRANSFORMER
At least once a month
Inspect the voltage divider to be sure that no oil leak or serious
accumulation of soot, dust or salt composite is present.
Inspect the intermediate voltage transformer and check the
minimum permissible oil level.
At least once a year
Check all screwed joints & contact for tight fit.
Clean insulators if necessary, when an excessive amount of dirt
has accumulated.

CURRENT TRANSFORMER
At least once a month
Visual Inspection to check oil level and defects or possible oil leaks.
At least once a year
Check all screwed joints & contact for tight fit.
Clean insulators if necessary, when an excessive amount of dirt has
accumulated.
Check primary and secondary connectors and conduct necessary
tightening.
Note: Never open a secondary winding of a CT while on service.

SURGE ARRESTOR
At least once a year
Visual Inspection & Examination of all wiring connectors.
Check Insulator and metal circular ring, clean or apply HVIC if
necessary.
Check the physical condition of bus (cables or bars)

 For ground wire, check or test the grounding system.

Note: Arrestors should never be touched unless completely
disconnected from all live lines and equipment and effectively
connected to ground at the line side of the arrestor.

What is a
SUBSTATION

?
23

Lets deal with

them one at a
time.

What is a
substation?
what does it
do?
These

howare
does it
excellent
work?
questions!

24

What is a
substation?
An electrical
substation takes
electricity from a
very high voltage
and lowers it to
the voltage we
use in our homes
& businesses
25

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

What is a
substation?
Water comes from
the
water
Think
of it plant
like ain
very
big pipes
connector
for (taller
than
a nio), yet
it comes
different
sized
out
in pipes.
your cocina or
water
bao in much
smaller pipes.
26

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

What does a
substation do?
Electricity is
made at a very
high, powerful
voltage. A
substation safely
changes the
electricity from
very high voltage
to lower voltage
27

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

How does a
substation
work?
Transformers
step down the
electricity from
the high voltage
needed to
economically
transmit the
electricity.
28

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

How does a
substation
work?
There are also
complex circuit
breakers,
switches, relays,
and capacitors.

29

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

How does a
substation
work?
Substations
have HUGE
power poles to
bring in the
high voltage
electricity.
These would be
more than 200
30

How does a
substation
work?

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

These are the

power lines on
Troost.

31

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

How does a
substation
work?
Substations
operate without
any workers onsite.
Substations are
monitored by
remote control.
32

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

How does a
substation
work?
Because these
are very
dangerous
activities and no
workers are
present, they
have automated
emergency gear.
33

How does a
substation
work?
There are
detectors for fire
and line breaks.

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

There is
automatic fire
suppression.
34

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

How does a
substation
work?
KCP&L workers
will come
occasionally to do
maintenance
work on the
substation.
35

A quick picture of how

substation works

36

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

Can a
substation
Theharm
short me?
answer
is YES!
Thats why there
are fences around
them. They can
electrocute
people.
37

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

Can a
substation
harm me?
Poisonous
and
corrosive
chemicals are
inside the
substation.

38

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

Can a
substation
harm me?
All substations
emit invisible
electrical waves.
Some scientists
believe these
[Not
all scientists
agree
about
waves
harm
us.
this, including those at
KCP&L.]

39

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

Can a
substation
harm
That
buzzme?
you
hear at the start
of these slides is
similar to the
constant buzz
from a substation.
This can cause to
headaches.
40

The electrical substation in

the 1800 block of Allen Street
is similar to this one.

So why do we
have
substations?
We
need them to
cheaply transfer
electricity.
Substations are a
part of what we
call essential
infrastructure.
41

Introduction
These are special type of transformers
used for the measurement of
voltage, current, power and energy.
As the name suggests, these
transformers are used in conjunction
with the relevant instruments such
as ammeters, voltmeters, watt
meters and energy meters.
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Types of Instrument
Transformer
Such transformers are of two types :
1.Current Transformer (or Series Transformer)
2.
Potential
Transformer
(or
Parallel
Transformer)
Current transformers are used when the
magnitude of AC currents exceeds the safe
value of current of measuring instruments.
Potential transformers are used where the
voltage of an AC circuit exceeds 750 V as it is
not possible to provide adequate insulation
on measuring instruments for voltage more
than this.
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Uses of Instrument
Transformer
It is used for the
following two as:
1.To insulate the high voltage circuit
from the measuring circuit in order to
protect the measuring instruments
from burning
2.To make it possible to measure the high
voltage with low range voltmeter and
high current with low range ammeter.
These instrument transformers are also used
in controlling and protecting circuits, to
operate relays, circuit breakers etc. The
working of these transformers are similar as
18/03/2013
that of ordinary transformers.

Use of Instrument
Transformer
Measurement of current as CT
The primary winding is so connected
that the current to be measured
passes through it and the secondary
is connected to the ammeter .
The function of CT is to step down
the current.

18/03/2013

Instrument Transformer as
CT

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Use of Instrument
Transformer
Measurement of voltage by PT
The primary winding is connected to
the voltage side to be measured and
secondary to the voltmeter.
The function of PT is to steps
down the voltage to the level of
voltmeter.

18/03/2013

Instrument Transformer as
PT

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Advantages of Instrument
Transformer
1. The measuring instruments can be
placed for away from the high
voltage side by connecting long
wires
to
the
instrument
transformer. This ensures the safety
of instruments as well as the operator.
2. This instrument transformers can be
used to extend the range of
measuring instruments like ammeters
and voltmeters.
18/03/2013

Advantages of Instrument
Transformer
3. The power loss in instrument
transformers is very small as
compared to power loss due to the
resistance of shunts and multipliers.
4. By using current transformer with
tong tester, the current in a heavy
current circuit can be measured.
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Disadvantages of Instrument
Transformer
1. The only main draw back is that
these instruments can not be used
in DC circuits.

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Symbols for one line Diagram

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