SWITCHGEARS

DEFINITION  For higher voltages (over about 66 kV),

switchgear is typically mounted outdoors and
A switchgear is composed of electrical
insulated by air, although this requires a large
disconnect switches, fuses or circuit breakers used to
amount of space.
control, protect and isolate electrical equipment.  Gas-insulated switchgear saves space
Switchgear is used both to de-energize equipment to compared with air-insulated equipment,
allow work to be done and to clear faults although the equipment cost is higher.
downstream. This type of equipment is directly linked  Oil insulated switchgear presents an oil spill
to the reliability of the electricity supply. hazard.
Typically, switchgear in substations are located  Switches may be manually operated or have
on both the high- and low-voltage sides of large motor drives to allow for remote control.
power transformers. The switchgear on the low-
voltage side of the transformers may be located in a
building, with medium-voltage circuit breakers for CIRCUIT BREAKER TYPES
distribution circuits, along with metering, control, and  Oil Circuit Breakers
protection equipment. For industrial applications, a ▫ Rely upon vaporization of some of the
transformer and switchgear line-up may be combined oil to blast a jet of oil along the path
in one housing, called a unitized substation (USS). of the arc.
▫ The vapor released by the arcing
consists of hydrogen gas, forming a
COMPONENTS bubble.
▫ This highly compressed gas bubble
 Power conducting components, such as
around the arc prevents re-striking of
switches, circuit breakers, fuses, and lightning
the arc after current reaches zero
arrestors, that conduct or interrupt the flow
crossing of the cycle. The oil circuit
of electrical power.
 Control systems such as control panels, breaker is one of the oldest type of
current transformers, potential transformers, circuit breakers.
▫ The oil circuit breaker is one of the
protective relays, and associated circuitry,
oldest type of circuit breakers.
that monitor, control, and protect the power
conducting components.

FUNCTIONS

 One of the basic functions of switchgear is

protection, which is interruption of short-
circuit and overload fault currents while
maintaining service to unaffected circuits.
 Switchgear also provides isolation of circuits
from power supplies.
 Switchgear is also used to enhance system
availability by allowing more than one source
to feed a load. Cutaway model of an oil-filled high-voltage circuit
breaker

 Air Circuit Breakers

HOUSING ▫ Air circuit breakers may use
compressed air (puff) or the magnetic
 Switchgear for lower voltages may be entirely
force of the arc itself to elongate the
enclosed within a building.
arc.
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▫ Circuit breakers are usually able to medium work on the same principles
terminate all current flow very as a sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) breaker.
quickly: typically, between 30 ms and ▫ Because SF6 is a greenhouse gas
150 ms depending upon the age and more potent than CO2, by switching
construction of the device. from SF6 to CO2 it is possible to
 Gas Circuit Breakers reduce the greenhouse gas emissions
▫ Gas (SF6) circuit breakers sometimes by 10 tons during the product
stretch the arc using a magnetic field, lifecycle.
and then rely upon the dielectric
strength of the SF6 gas to quench the
stretched arc. APPLICATION
 Hybrid Switchgear
▫ Hybrid switchgear is a type which The Ring Main Units are used in underground
combines the components of cable distribution network at the load connection and
traditional air-insulated switchgear junction points of a ring-type distribution network.
(AIS) and SF6 gas-insulated Ring Main Units are also suited for use in the
switchgear (GIS) technologies. It is following applications:
characterized by a compact and  Compact secondary substations
modular design, which encompasses  Wind power plants
several different functions in one  Solar power plants
module.  Small industries
 Vacuum Circuit Breakers  Hotels, office buildings, residential housing
▫ Circuit breakers with vacuum complex, shopping centers, business centers,
interrupters have minimal arcing hospitals, airports etc.
characteristics (as there is nothing to
ionize other than the contact
material), so the arc quenches when it ADVANTAGES OF USING SWITCHGEARS
is stretched by a small amount (<2–8
mm). The ring main unit is an innovative solution
▫ Near zero current the arc is not hot that makes it easier to manage the numerous
enough to maintain a plasma, and challenges of electrical distribution. RMU is an all-in-
current ceases; the gap can then one solution and is safe, easy to install and
withstand the rise of voltage. maintenance free switchgear helping the utilities
▫ Vacuum circuit breakers are improve reliability & uptime of the network and
frequently used in modern medium- reduce the operational costs.
voltage switchgear to 40,500 volts.
 Feature-Rich Compact Designs
▫ Unlike the other types, they are
▫ Ring Main Unit is an SF6 insulated
inherently unsuitable for interrupting
compact Switchgear equipped with
DC faults.
SF6 Switch disconnector and vacuum
▫ The reason vacuum circuit breakers
circuit breaker. Its compact design
are unsuitable for breaking high DC
requires least possible space to install
voltages is that with DC there is no
and operate.
"current zero" period. The plasma arc
 Time and Cost Savings
can feed itself by continuing to gasify
▫ RMU is a complete switchgear and is
the contact material.
easy to install, saving installation and
commissioning time. Independent of
climate and resistant to
 Carbon Dioxide Circuit Breakers environmental conditions, the
▫ Breakers that use carbon dioxide as
operation and maintenance costs of
the insulating and arc extinguishing these units are also low.
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 Safety and Performance ▫ Fuses – Kept horizontally in phase-

▫ Modern compact design and latest independent compartments and are
technology of the RMU ensure installed in a fuse holder carriage
complete safety, connectivity, ▫ Fuse Holder Compartment – provides
reliability, and efficiency. insulation and sealing against
 Smart Capabilities pollution, temperature changes and
▫ When fitted with Intelligent adverse weather conditions. The
Electronic Devices and movement of the fuse striker is
Communication capabilities the RMU transmitted to the tripping
is easy to integrate with Distribution mechanism from the inside
Management System and in building ▫ Diaphragm – safely directs the output
a Smart Grid solution. of the gases in the event of an
internal arc
▫ Manometer – controls the pressure of
PARTS OF CGM COSMOS SWITCHGEAR the insulating gas
 Driving Mechanism:
 Tank: ▫ Used to perform making and
▫ Busbar – Connects the single phase breaking operations in the Medium
bushings from the outside of the Voltage circuits
cubicle to the breaking elements  Base:
within ▫ Cable Compartment – located in the
▫ Switching Elements / Switch- lower front section of the cubicle, has
Disconnector – incorporates the a cover interlocked with the earthing
functions of switch, disconnector and switch, allowing access to the MV
earthing switch in a single three cables
position unit  Other Parts:
▫ Breaking Elements / Circuit-Breaker – ▫ Ormalink – This connects the
based on vacuum switch- different modules to one another
disconnector technology; the open ▫ Mimic Diagrams – includes the
contact gap or across isolating position indicating the devices
distance is ensured with the series ▫ Bushings – the MV cables from the
connection of a switch-disconnector outside are connected with this
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