BASICS OF SWITCHGEAR

Trip Coil
Circuit
Breaker Battery

Tripping circuit

C.T. Relay operating

Relay Coil circuit

Sensing circuit
 Course Objective

• After completing this course the participant should be

acquainted with knowledge of switchgear and its
components
• Understanding the sub-station and its equipments
 Intended Takeaway by
Participants
Functional importance of
• Electrical distribution system
• Understanding sub-station and its equipments
• Fuse as protecting device
• Switchgear and classification
• Faults and classification
• Switchgear components and their functioning
 Contents

• Pre-assessment test
• Electrical distribution
• Sub-stations
• Fuse
• Switchgear
 Definition
 Classification
 Functioning
• Conclusion
• Post-assessment test
Electrical Distribution
 Distribution System in India

11kV 11/132 kV 132/400 or 750 kV 400/132 or 66 kV

Gen

Transmission
Step up 1 Step up 2 Step down 1
Consumer 1 Step down 3 Step down 2
Utilization

Consumer 2

Consumer 3
66/11or 22 kV
Consumer 4 11or 22 KV/ 433 V, 3ph, Star
Distribution
 Sub-Stations

Sub station may be defined as an assembly of apparatus

which connects the power house and a general consumer.
Different types of Sub Stations :-
• Step-up sub-station
• Primary grid sub-station
• Secondary grid sub-station
• Distribution sub-station
• Bulk supply sub-station
• Industrial sub-station
 Sub-Stations (Continued..)

Essential Equipments of a Sub station :-

• Transformer
• Circuit Breakers
• Protective Fuses
• Control Gear (CT, PT, Relays etc.)
• Current carrying equipment
• Insulators
• Cables and terminations
• Switch boards
• Control Room
 Sub-Stations (Continued..)
Lightning Arrestor
Incoming through Arcing Horn Contacts
XLPE Cable

Conductor
H.T. Step-down
Transformer

L.T.

Insulators

G.O.D.

Single line diagram of a generalized H.T. Sub station :-

 FUSE (As a protecting device)

Why a fuse blows ?

Because of ……….
• Extra Voltage ?
• Extra Current ?
• Extra Power ?
• Extra Energy ?
• Transients ?
• ????????
 FUSE (As a protecting device)
(Continued..)

There are two types of fuses.

• Re-wireable Fuse or Kit-Kat Fuse
• HRC (High Rupturing Capacity) Fuse
 Push Type
 Screw Type
 FUSE (As a protecting device)
(Continued..)

HRC Fuse

Indicator Fuse Wire

Tinned Copper Fuse Wire
Table
S.W.G. Current rating of Fusing Current
Fuse in Amps. Approx.
40 1.5 3
39 2.5 4
38 3.0 5
37 3.5 6
36 4.5 7
35 5.0 8
34 5.5 9
33 6.0 10
32 7.0 11
31 8.0 13
30 8.5 13
29 10 16
28 12 18
27 13 23
Tinned Copper Fuse Wire Table
(Continued..)

S.W.G. Current rating of Fusing Current

Fuse in Amps. Approx.
26 14 28
25 15 30
24 17 33
23 20 38
22 24 48
21 29 58
20 34 70
19 38 81
18 45 106
17 65 135
16 73 166
15 78 197
14 102 230
13 130 295
 What is Switchgear ?

Switchgear is a general term covering a wide range of

equipment concerned with switching and protection of
electrical circuit
Switchgear is an essential part of power system and also
that of any electrical circuit.
The switching devices are used to make or break the
circuits in healthy or in abnormal conditions
 Switchgear Classification

Depending on the voltage Rating and local condition

• Indoor:- V<= 33 K.V
• Outdoor :- V >= 33 KV preferred
• But in heavily polluted areas, indoor equipment may be
preferred even for higher voltages
• Indoor Housed in a metal casing, Metal clad switchgear
Outdoor Installed under sky
 Fault

A fault in an electrical equipment is defined as a defect in

its electrical circuit due to which the current is diverted to
the un-intended path.
Generally caused by breaking of conductors or failure of
insulation
Other causes
• Mechanical failure
• Accidents
• Excessive stresses
 Fault Classification

• Open circuit - most common fault

• Single line to ground fault - most common fault
• Line to line fault
• Double line to ground fault
• Three phase fault – Dead short circuit
• Three phase to ground fault – Rare fault
Faults cannot be eliminated but can be minimized
 What are Abnormal Conditions
?
• Voltage and current unbalance
• Over voltages
• Under frequency
• Temp. rise
• Instability
• Reversal of power
• Power swings
 Switchgear Components

• Switches
• Fuses
• Circuit breakers
• Relays
• Isolators
• Lightening arresters
• Current transformers
• Potential transformers
 Functioning of Switchgear

Some of the abnormal conditions are not severe enough.

Relaying is arranged to give an alarm
In condition of continuation of an abnormality, fault can be
serious and faulty part should be disconnected. This is
performed by protective relaying
The protective relays are connected in secondary circuit of
CT and PT. The relay senses the abnormal condition and
closes the trip circuit of the associated circuit breaker
 Transients

During the fault the voltage and currents undergo

continuous changes and the phenomenon is called as
transient. Circuit breaker operates in this transient
period
Transient period-
• Sub transient period (CB does not operate)
• Transient period
 What is Circuit Breaker ?

A circuit Breaker is a switching and current interrupting

device in a switchgear. The circuit breaker serves two basic
purposes
• Switching during normal operating conditions for the purpose
of operations and maintenance
• Switching during abnormal conditions such as short circuits
and interrupting fault currents
 Circuit Breaker (Continued..)

Different types of circuit breakers

• Miniature circuit breaker : MCB
• Molded case circuit breaker : MCCB
• Minimum oil CB : MOCB
• Bulk oil CB : BOCB
• Air circuit breaker : ACB
• Air Blast Circuit Breaker : ABCB
• Earth leakage CB : ELCB
• Sulphur Hexa Fluoride : SF6
 CHANGING TRENDS In
Switchgear Technologies

• High reliability
• Long maintenance-free life
• Usage of low energy mechanisms
• Air insulated to gas insulated SW. GR.
• Highly integrated switch-gear
• Controlled switching
• Extremely low cost
• Very short delivery times
• Speedy new product developments
• Extensive use of computerised softwares
• For new product developments
 Switchgear Components

Isolators- Isolators are disconnecting switches that are

used for disconnecting the circuit in no load (no current)
condition. They are installed near circuit breakers

Lightning arrestors- They divert the over voltages to earth

and protect the equipment from over voltages

CTs and PTs- These are used for transforming the voltage
and currents to a lower value for the purpose of
measurement, protection and control
 Switchgear Components
(Continued..)

Electrical interlocks- They are provided to ensure the

following sequencing of operation.
• While opening 1. Circuit breaker
2. Isolator
3. Earthing switch
• While closing 1. Earthing switch
2. Isolator
3. Circuit breaker
Indicators- Indications are provides on panels by means
of panel mountable lamps.
 INSTRUMENT
TRANSFORMERS
These transformers are designed for
• Measurement of high Voltage & high Current
• Isolation of the circuit
Their Salient feature is accurate transformation ratio (K)
 CURRENT TRANSFORMERS
(CT)
These are used with low range ammeters (as Shown) to
measure very high current in the main circuits

Primary of CT Secondary of CT

Load

This is a step up type of

transformer. The Secondary of
this transformer should never be
A left open under any
circumstances.

Shorting Switch
 POTENTIAL
TRANSFORMERS (PT)
They are used with standard low range voltmeters usually
(110 V or 230 V) for the measurement of very high voltage
in main circuit.
Secondary of PT

V
Load

This is a step down type of

transformer.
 Relays

Definition:- Relay is a device which detects an abnormal

fault condition by constantly measuring the electrical
quantities which are different under normal and faulty
conditions.
Essential Parts of a Relay
System
Trip Coil
Circuit
Breaker Battery

Tripping circuit

C.T. Relay Relay operating

Coil circuit

Sensing circuit
Operation of a Relay

Trip Coil

Circuit Breaker

Battery

C.T. Relay Coil

Healthy system
Operation of a Relay (Continued..)

Trip Coil
Circuit
Breaker
Battery

C.T. Relay Coil

Fault occurs
Operation of a Relay (Continued..)

Trip Coil
Circuit
Breaker
Battery

C.T.
Relay Coil
senses & operates
the fault

Fault
Operation of a Relay (Continued..)

Trip Coil
Circuit
Breaker
Battery

NO Gets Closed

C.T.
Relay Coil
senses
Operates
the fault

Fault
Operation of a Relay (Continued..)

Trip Coil
Circuit
Breaker +
I Battery sends
current to the
_ Trip Coil

C.T. Relay Coil

Fault
Operation of a Relay (Continued..)
Trip Coil attracts the plunger
Circuit
Breaker
I +
Battery
_

C.T. Relay Coil

Fault
Operation of a Relay (Continued..)

Sparking Trip Coil attracts the plunger

Circuit +
Breaker Battery
breaks
the circuit _

C.T. Relay Coil

Faulty circuit is isolated

Operation of a Relay (Continued..)

Trip Coil
Circuit
Breaker Battery

Tripping Circuit

C.T. Relay
Coil
Relay Operating
Circuit
Sensing Circuit
Operation of a Relay (Continued..)

3 ph.supply

Main contacts Aux.contacts

Coil of the
contactor

NO NC
Operation of a Relay (Continued..)

3 ph. supply
Main contacts
Aux.contacts

Coil of the
contactor

NO NC
Operation of a Relay (Continued..)
3 ph. supply
Main contacts Aux.contacts

Coil of the
contactor

NO NC
Operation of a Relay (Continued..)
3 ph. Supply
Main contacts
Aux.contacts

Coil of the
contactor

To the Load NO closes and NC opens

 We Have Learnt…….

• Electrical distribution system

• Sub-stations
• Fuses
• Faults
• Switchgear