Gas Insulated Substation & Switchgear: Asif Eqbal: Electrical & Electronics Engineer
Gas Insulated Substation & Switchgear: Asif Eqbal: Electrical & Electronics Engineer
Gas Insulated Substation & Switchgear: Asif Eqbal: Electrical & Electronics Engineer
This presentation covers the technical requirements and design aspects of a gas-insulated
substation (GIS) as per governing standards of GIS substations.
Governing standard of GIS substation are:
1. IEEE Standard C37.123-1996 (Rev-2002)- IEEE Guide to Specifications for Gas-Insulated,
Electric Power Substation Equipment.
2. IEEE Standard 1300–1996, Guide for Cable Connections for Gas-Insulated Substations.
3. Components inside GIS switchgears (CB, CT, PT and Disconnecters) are governed by
their respective IEC standard. Prominent among them is IEC 62271-203, 200, 100
4. ASTM D2472–1992, Specification for Sulfur Hexafluoride.
5. NEMA CC 1–1993, Electric Power Connectors for Substations.
Conventional substations (AIS)
Power generating stations may be hydro, thermal or nuclear. Depending upon the availability of
resources these stations are constructed at different places. These places may not be nearer to load
centers where the actual consumption of power takes place. So it is necessary to transmit these
huge power blocks from generating station to their load centers.
Long and high voltage transmission networks are needed for this purpose. Power is generated at
medium voltage level. It is economical to transmit power at high voltage level. Distribution of
electrical power is done at lower voltage levels or as specified by consumer requirement.
For maintaining proper voltage levels at transmission and distribution level and for providing greater
stability a number of electrical transformation and switching setups have to be created in between
generating station and consumer ends. These transformation and switching setups are generally
known as electrical substations.
There are various ways to classify a substation. Based on purpose substation may be transmission
substation, distribution substation etc….Based on nature of dielectric medium a substation is of two
types AIS and GIS
Conventional substations
(AIS)……continued
2. Large dimensions due to statutory clearances and poor dielectric strength of air. For a typical
400/220 kV Substation, the area requirement for switchyard is around 30 to 35 acres with I-type
layout for 400 kV system and double main and transfer bus arrangement for 220 kV system.
3. Life of steel structures degrades. Saline and other types of industrial pollution cause corrosion in
supporting structures and protective coating may be required.
4. Seismic instability. All the AIS equipment needs to be type tested individually for respective seismic
zone under which AIS site falls.
5. Large planning & execution time. For above mentioned site selection process large planning and
thereafter execution time is required.
6. Regular maintenance of the substation and its equipment is required.
Need for GIS
1. Non availability of sufficient space. It is very much required to establish a substation at load
center. Establishing a substation at load center is quite economical and profitable in following
ways:
Reduction in length of feeders
Improvement of the quality of voltage regulation due to short length feeders
Generally main load center of any place is situated at very congested place where, sufficient land for
establishing conventional AIS is very hardly available. This problem can be solved by using gas
insulated switchgear technology. Total space required for a GIS is 10% of that needed for a
conventional substation.
2. Difficult climatic and seismic conditions at site, like high altitude and atmospheric pollution
3. Aesthetically “superior” to air insulated substations
4. The higher the voltage, the more favorable gas insulated technology becomes. The footprint of
765kV conventional substation is enormous, and GIS technology allows a significant size
reduction. GIS technology can be used for installations in areas where the cost of real estate is
appreciable.
5. Overcomes or decreases the magnitude of limitations of AIS site selection.
Introduction to GIS
Disconnecter:
Disconnectors or isolators are used for electrical isolation of circuit parts
Disconnect switches can be three-pole, group-operated, or single-pole
operated,
They are slow acting and operating at off load
Disconnectors must be carefully designed and tested to be able to break small
charging current without generating too-high over voltage.
Design features & Technical
requirement
Voltage transformer:
Variable location on feeder and busbar.
Integrated disconnecting facility for GIS and power cable testing without
dismantling and gas handling.
Flexible gas compartment allocation for optimal service oriented gas
supervision.
The following should be specified and considered in selection of the voltage
transformer.
I. Number of secondary windings
II. Number of taps in each secondary winding
III. Ratio of primary voltage to each secondary winding voltage
IV. Thermal rating of each secondary winding
V. Thermal rating of primary winding
VI. Accuracy class
Design features & Technical
requirement
Local control cubicle:
LCC is the interface cubicles to all secondary systems of a substation which are represent a
station control and protection.
LCC includes control and alarm functions as well as the correct distribution of auxiliary
power supply for the relevant GIS bay.
In general, each cabinet should contain the following equipment for control, indication and
protection of switches, circuit breakers, and associated components:
1. One control switch for each three-phase circuit breaker.
2. One remote-local switch for each three-phase circuit breaker.
3. One open-close control switch for each motor-operated grounding switch.
4. One open-close control switch or push-button for each motor-operated grounding switch.
5. One or two red light-emitting diodes or mechanical semaphore and one green for each circuit
breaker, each disconnect and grounding switch, or contact position indication on the mimic
diagram.
6. Control switches for ac and dc supply to each compartment.
Design features & Technical
Local control cubicle requirement
7. A mimic diagram showing connections of all furnished equipment and showing location
of all gas zones.
8. An annunciator panel with retransmit contacts.
9. Terminal blocks and terminations for each gas density relay.
10. Terminal blocks and terminations for electrical interlock contacts.
11. Terminal blocks and terminations for alarm and miscellaneous remote-control circuits.
12. Terminal blocks and terminations for all instrument transformer leads. A lead should be
installed and terminated for each tap of a multi-ratio current transformer and all
secondary winding taps for voltage transformers.
13. Terminal blocks and terminations for all required spare contacts.
Design features & Technical
requirement
Current transformer:
In the single phase enclosed Core of CT is located outside the enclosure & inside
for three phase gas compartment to reduce access of moisture and to suppress
gas-tight bushings for secondary connections.
CT current rating is 120%of rated primary current
Number of cores is decided based on metering and protection requirement
Design features & Technical requirement
Cable connection:
Transient enclosure voltage TEV or Transient ground potential rise TGPR can be a very
serious EMC and personnel safety problem. Voltage rise on grounded shields of several kV
at distances up to several km have been observed in early days.
Such transient voltages on the “grounded” enclosure arise from an internal collapse of
voltage in the SF6 gas, internal re-strikes across circuit breaker or disconnect switch
contacts, or flashover of external insulation close to GIS, e.g., and air-SF6 bushing.
Internal voltage collapse produces travelling waves, in both directions, from the point of
breakdown. Such transients are often called VFTO (very fast transient over voltages).
At the points of discontinuity (changes in surge impedance) these VFTO waves get
reflected and refracted. Such points are junctions of transmission lines, air/SF6 bushing,
GIS/cable connections, ground leads connecting the enclosure to the earthing
grid/mat/plate, or a ZnO arrester.
Growth of GIS substation
Future trends in GIS
GIS generate no noise & have no radio interference, being located closure to
load centers, easy solution for mountain areas where ice & snow are major
problems and due to many other advantages described in this presentation GIS
is necessary for Extra HV & Ultra HV substations.