Substation Designing

S. BHUVANESWARI
AP/EEE
Dr. MGR EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Syllabus
UNIT I INTRODUCTION TO SUBSTATION AND ITS TYPES 9 Hrs
Need for Substation – Budgeting – Traditional & Innovative Substation Design – Site Selection and
Acquisition- Station Design – Station Construction – Station Commissioning- bas bar arrangements in
Switchyard

UNIT II GAS INSULATED SUBSTATION 9 Hrs

Sulfur Hexafluoride – Construction – Circuit Breaker – Current and Voltage Transformers – Disconnect and
Ground Switches – Interconnecting Bus – Air, Power Cable and Direct Transformer Connections – Surge
Arrester – Control System – Gas monitoring System – Gas compartments and Zones – Electrical & Physical
Arrangement – Grounding – Testing – Installation – Operation and Interlocks – Economics.

UNIT III AIR-INSULATED SUBSTATIONS 9 Hrs

Introduction – Single and Double Bus Arrangement – Main and Transfer Bus Arrangement – Double Bus-
Single Breaker Arrangement – Ring Bus Arrangement – Breaker and a Half Arrangement – Comparison of
Configurations
.
UNIT IV HIGH VOLTAGE POWER ELECTRONIC SUBSTATION 9 Hrs
High Voltage Power Equipments - Converter Station(HVDC) – FACTS Controllers – Control & Protection
System – Losses and cooling – Civil works – Reliability and Availability – Future Trends

UNIT V SUBSTATION INTEGRATION AND AUTOMATION 9 Hrs

Definitions and Terminology – Open Systems- Architecture Functional Data paths – Substation Integration
and Automation Systems – New Vs Existing Substations – Equipment conditioning Monitoring – Substation
Integration and Automation Technical issues – Protocol Fundamentals and Considerations – Communication
Protocol Application Areas
Books
Text Books:
1. John D, Mc Donald (2007), Electric Power Substations
Engineering, 2nd Ed, CRC Press
2. Sunil, S, Rao (2010), Switchgear Protection and Power
Systems, 4th Ed. Khanna Publishers

Reference Books:
1. Khedkar, MK , Dhole, GM, Electric Power Distribution
Automation, University Science Press
2. Satnam, PS and Gupta PV, Substation Design & Equipment,
Dhanpat Rai Publications
Unit – 1 Basics of Substation
Definition
A substation is an installation at which
electricity is received from one or more
power stations for conversion from AC to
DC, reducing the voltage, or switching
before distribution by a low-tension
network.
Substation
• The most integral part of a power utilities’
electric system, with electric systems being
comprised of power generation, transmission,
and distribution systems.
• It includes power transformers, potential or
voltage transformers, current transformers,
electrical bus, breakers, switches, and so on.
• Function: Either stepping up or stepping down
the supply voltage depending on whether it is a
generating substation or
transmission/distribution substation.
Generating and Transmission
Substation
• Generating substations step up the voltage from the
generator’s lower voltage to a higher voltage which is more
economical for transmitting electric power over longer
distances with less power losses caused by the impedance of
transmission lines.
• Transmission substations take the incoming higher voltage
from transmission lines and step them down to a lower
voltage for distribution systems, which is in preparation for
end user customers.
Switching station
• A switching station is different from a substation
since it does not have a power transformer and
does not transform the voltage supply.
• Within a switching station, the voltage coming in
the station equals the voltage going out.
• A switching station is comprised of various
switches and breakers that are used to help
control the power flow.
Power Substations
• Power Substations are filled with large and very expensive
equipment.
• A power utilities’ greatest expense in substations is the power
transformer.
• Other items and equipment involved in designing substations
which are less expensive than power transformers are:
• circuit breakers,
• potential/current transformers,
• electric bus,
• steel structures, foundations,
• control house,
• protection & controls (P&C),
• relaying/IEDs,
• SCADA,
• control cables,
• fencing,
• grounding,
• real estate, etc.
Operating voltage levels
• Substations can also operate at
many different voltage levels. The
most common voltage levels are:
765kV, 500kV, 345kV, 230kV,
161kV, 115kV, 69kV, 46kV, 33kV,
25kV, 12kV, and 4kV.
SS 3D yard View
Need for new substation
• The electric load growth in an area
has increased by consumers - new
growth in businesses, industries,
residential, etc.
• To replace an outdated, aging
substation that is obsolete and has
reached its end-of-life.
 Planning for a New Power
Substation
• Conduct planning meetings for the new power substation.
• Perform load flow power studies.
• Determine the substation size and total footprint required (with equipment),
including transmission right of way (ROW).
• Determine substation configuration (Single Bus, Main/Transfer Bus, Ring Bus,
etc.).
• Allocate required funds for real estate purchase, planning, engineering,
construction, implementation, etc..
• Determine the location or area and acquire the real estate including ROW.
• Create the substation project with scheduled milestones and in-service date.
• Assign the project team resources with in-house staff, external
staff/contractors, or contract entire project as a turnkey solution, engineer-
procure-construct (EPC) option, etc.
• Begin engineering & design of substation drawing package and deliverables.
• Perform a final design review meeting along with a pre-construction
meeting.
• Finally construct, test, and implement new substation.
ROW
• It is a land set two path of the center
of transmission line.
• Right of Way also name
as transmission corridor and this corridor
maintain from private or government
authorities who do the maintenance
works
Minimum Distance from the Center line
of the Circuit to the edge of the active
transmission line
Substation automation
•Substation automation is the act of
automatically controlling the substation via
instrumentation and control devices.
•Substation automation refers to using data
from Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED’s),
control and automation capabilities within the
substation, and control commands from
remote users using SCADA to control power-
system (switchyard) devices.
Need for automation
Substation automation system is commonly
used to control, protect and monitor a
substation.
The advances in electronic, information and
communications technology changes in the
way substations are operated.
Uses of Substation Automation
• Substation Automation (SA) is a system to enable
an electric utility to remotely monitor, control
and coordinate the distribution components
installed in the substation
• Substation automation goes beyond traditional
SCADA to provide added capability and
information that can further improve operations
and maintenance, increase system and staff
efficiencies, and leverage and defer major capital
investments.
Background
• The construction of new substations
and the expansion of existing facilities
are commonplace projects in electric
utilities. However, due to its
complexity, very few utility employees
are familiar with the complete
process that allows these projects to
be successfully completed
Major types of electric
substations
• Switchyard at a generating station connect the generators
to the utility grid and also provide off-site power to the
plant
• Engineered and constructed by the power plant
designers and are subject to planning, finance, and
construction efforts different from those of routine
substation projects.
• Customer substation, functions as the main source of
electric power supply for one particular business customer
• The technical requirements and the business case for
this type of facility depend highly on the customer’s
requirements, more so than on utility needs
Types
• System station provide only switching facilities (no power
transformers) whereas others perform voltage
conversion as well
• Serve as the end points for transmission lines
originating from generating switchyards and provide
the electrical power for circuits that feed transformer
stations.
• Distribution station provide the distribution circuits that
directly supply most electric customers.
• located close to the load centers
Types based on Equipments used
• Outdoor type with air-insulated equipment
• Indoor type with air-insulated equipment
• Outdoor type with gas-insulated equipment
• Indoor type with gas-insulated equipment
• Mixed technology substations
• Mobile substations
System requirements
• Load growth
• System stability
• System reliability
• System capacity

Customer requirements
• Additional load
• Power quality
• Reliability
• Customer relations
• Customer complaints
• Neighborhood impact
Budgeting
• Need to be created or expanded in order to move large
blocks of energy around the system as necessary and
where do they need to be located
• Determinations have to be made as to the suitability of
former designs for the area
• Sometimes during expansion former designs be
unsuitable for the area involved, then alternative designs
need to be pursued.
• In the case of bulk power substations, the equipment
and land costs can differ greatly from standard designs.
Budgeting
• Distribution stations are the most common on most
systems and closest to the customers, redesign is less
likely to be required than screening or landscaping, so
costs do not vary greatly.
• Having established the broad requirements for the new
station, such as voltages, capacity, number of feeders,
etc., the issue of funding should then be addressed
• Preliminary equipment layouts and engineering
evaluations are also undertaken at this stage to develop
ballpark costs, which then have to be evaluated in the
corporate budgetary justification system.
Budgeting
• Preliminary manpower forecasting including identification of
the nature and extent of any work that the utility may need to
contract out.
• This budgeting process will involve evaluation of the project in
light of corporate priorities and provide a general overview of
cost and other resource requirements.
• Cost estimating also entails cash forecasting; for planning
purposes, forecasts per year are sufficient.
FINANCING
• Once finalized, the process of obtaining funding for the project must
be started.
• Preliminary detailed designs are required to develop firm pricing.
• Coordination between business units is necessary to develop
accurate costs and to develop a realistic schedule with detailed
manpower forecasting in many areas.
• The resource information has to be compiled in the format
necessary to be submitted to the corporate capital estimate system
and internal presentations must be conducted to sell the project to
all levels of management.
• There may be necessary to obtain funding to develop the capital
estimate when the cost to develop the preliminary designs is beyond
normal departmental budgets, or if unfamiliar technology is
expected to be implemented.
Financing
• This can also occur on large, complex projects or when a
major portion of the work will be contracted.
• It may also be necessary to obtain early partial funding in
cases where expensive, long lead-time equipment may need
to be purchased such as large power transformers.
Traditional and Innovative
Substation Design
• Substation engineering is a complex multidiscipline
engineering function. It could include the following
engineering disciplines:
• Environmental
• Civil
• Mechanical
• Structural
• Electrical—high voltage
• Protection and controls
• Communications
Traditional
• Traditionally, high-voltage substations
are engineered based on
preestablished layouts and concepts
and usually conservative
requirements
• may restrict the degree of freedom of
introducing new solutions
Innovative design
• The functional requirements such as system and customer
requirements and develops alternative design solutions.
• System requirements include elements of rated voltage, rated
frequency, existing system configuration (present and future),
connected loads, lines, generation, voltage tolerances (over and
under), thermal limits, short-circuit levels, frequency tolerances
(over and under), stability limits, critical fault clearing time, system
expansion, and interconnection.
• Customer requirements include environmental consideration
(climatic, noise, aesthetic, spills, and right-of-way), space
consideration, power quality, reliability, availability, national and
international applicable standards, network security, expandability,
and maintainability.
• Carefully selected design criteria could be developed to reflect the
company philosophy. This would enable, when desired,
consideration and incorporation of elements such as life cycle cost,
environmental impact, initial capital investment, etc., into the design
process.
• Design solutions could then be evaluated based on preestablished
evaluation criteria that satisfy the company interests and policies.
Site Selection and Acquisition
• A footprint of the station has been developed, including the
layout of the major equipment.
• A decision on the final location of the facility can now be
made and various options can be evaluated.
• Final grades, roadways, storm water retention, and
environmental issues are addressed at this stage, and required
permits are identified and obtained.
• Community and political acceptance must be achieved and
details of station design are negotiated in order to achieve
consensus.
Contd…
• Other federal permits may also be necessary, such as those for
aircraft warning lights for any tall towers or masts in the
station.
• Permit applications are subject to unlimited bureaucratic
manipulation and typically require multiple submissions and
could take many months to reach conclusion.
• The following site evaluation criteria could be used:
• Economical evaluation
• Technical evaluation
• Community acceptance
Economical evaluation
• The level of affordability,
• return on investment,
• initial capital cost, and
• life cycle cost
Technical evaluation
• Land: choose areas that minimize the need for earth
movement and soil disposal.
• Water: avoid interference with the natural drainage network.
• Vegetation: choose low-productivity farming areas or
uncultivated land.
• Protected areas: avoid any areas or spots listed as protected
areas.
• Community planning: avoid urban areas, development land, or
land held in reserve for future development.
Technical evaluation
• Community involvement: engage community in the approval
process.
• Topography: flat but not prone to flood or water stagnation.
• Soil: suitable for construction of roads and foundations; low
soil resistivity is desirable.
• Access: easy access to and from the site for transportation of
large equipment, operators, and maintenance teams.
• Line entries: establishment of line corridors (alternatives:
multi-circuit pylons, UG lines).
• Pollution: risk of equipment failure and maintenance costs
increase with pollution level.
Community acceptance
• Adopt a low profile layout with rigid buses supported on
insulators over solid shape steel structures
• Locate substations in visually screened areas (hills, forest),
other buildings, and trees
• Use gas-insulated switchgear (GIS)
• Use colors, lighting
• Use underground egresses as opposed to overhead
Site design
• The final detailed designs can be developed along with all the
drawings necessary for construction.
• The electrical equipment and all the other materials can now
be ordered and detailed schedules for all disciplines
negotiated.
• Final manpower forecasts must be developed and coordinated
with other business units.
• It is imperative that all stakeholders be aware of the design
details and understand what needs to be built and by when to
meet the in-service date.
• Once the designs are completed and the drawings published,
the remaining permits can be obtained.
Various design elements
• Basic layout
• a. Stage development diagram
• b. Bus configuration to meet single line requirements
• c. Location of major equipment and steel structures based on
single line diagram
• d. General concept of station e. Electrical and safety clearances f.
Ultimate stage
• Design
• a. Site preparation
• i. Drainage and erosion, earth work, roads and access, and fencing
• b. Foundations
• i. Soils, concrete design, and pile design
• Structures
• i. Materials, finishes, and corrosion control
• Buildings
• i. Control, metering, relaying, and annunciation buildings—types
such as masonry, prefabricated, etc.
• ii. Metalclad switchgear buildings
• iii. GIS buildings
• Mechanical systems
• i. HVAC
• ii. Sound enclosure ventilation
• iii. Metalclad switchgear or GIS building ventilation
• iv. Fire detection and protection
• v. Oil sensing and spill prevention
• Buswork
• i. Rigid buses
• ii. Strain conductors—swing, bundle collapse
• iii. Ampacity
• iv. Connections
• v. Phase spacing
• vi. Short-circuit forces
• Insulation
• i. Basic impulse level and switching impulse level
• Station insulators
• i. Porcelain post type insulators
• ii. Resistance graded insulators
• iii. Polymeric post insulators
• iv. Station insulator hardware
• v. Selection of station insulator—TR—ANSI and CSA standard
• vi. Pollution of insulators—pollution levels and selection of
leakage distance
• Suspension insulators
• i. Characteristics
• ii. Porcelain suspension insulators
• iii. Polymeric suspension insulators
• iv. Suspension insulators hardware
• v. Selection of suspension insulators
• vi. Pollution of insulators—pollution levels and selection of
leakage distance
• Clearances
• i. Electrical clearances
• ii. Safety clearances
• Overvoltages
• i. Atmospheric and switching overvoltages
• ii. Overvoltage protection—pipe and rod gaps, surge arresters
• iii. Atmospheric overvoltage protection—lightning protection
(skywires, lightning rods)
• Grounding
• i. Function of grounding system
• ii. Step, touch, mesh, and transferred voltages
• iii. Allowable limits of body current
• iv. Allowable limits of step and touch voltages
• v. Soil resistivity
• vi. General design guidelines
• Neutral systems
• i. Background of power system grounding
• ii. Three- and four-wire systems
• iii. HV and LV neutral systems
• iv. Design of neutral systems
• Station security
• i. Physical security [5]
• ii. Electronic security
Station Construction
• With permits in hand and drawings published, the
construction of the station can begin.
• Site logistics and housekeeping can have a significant impact
on the acceptance of the facility.
• Parking for construction personnel, traffic routing, truck
activity, trailers, fencing, and mud and dirt control along with
trash and noise can be major irritations for neighbors, so
attention to these details is essential for achieving community
acceptance.
• All the civil, electrical, and electronic systems are installed at
this time. Proper attention should also be paid to site security
during the construction phase not only to safeguard the
material and equipment but also to protect the public.
Station Commissioning
• Once construction is complete, testing of various systems can
commence and all punch list items addressed.
• To avoid duplication of testing, it is recommended to develop
an inspection, testing, and acceptance plan (ITAP).
• Elements of ITAP include
• Factory acceptance tests (FATs)
• Product verification plan (PVP)
• Site delivery acceptance test (SDAT)
• Site acceptance tests (SATs)
Contd..
• Final tests of the completed substation in a partially energized
environment to determine acceptability and conformance to
customer requirements under conditions as close as possible
to normal operation conditions will finalize the in-service tests
and turnover to operations.
• Public relations personnel can make the residents and
community leaders aware that the project is complete and the
station can be made functional and turned over to the
operating staff.