PRIMARY DISTRIBUTION

NOORNABI SHAIKH
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

MUET
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Primary Distribution
Part of electric utility system which is between the distribution grid and the distribution transformer (PMT) is
called primary distribution system. It is made of circuits known as primary feeders or primary distribution
feeders.

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Primary Distribution System Include Three Basic Types:

1. Radial System
2. Loop or Ring main System
3. Primary Network

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1. RADIAL TYPE PRIMARY FEEDER
▬ THE radial type system is the simplest and the
lowest – cost and therefore most commonly used.
▬ The main primary feeder branches into various
primary laterals which in turn separates into
several sub-laterals to serve all the distribution
transformers.
▬ This system contains low service continuity. A
fault at any location on the radial primary feeder
causes a power outage for every consumer on the
feeder unless the fault can be isolated from the
source by a disconnecting device such as fuse,
sectionalizer, disconnect switch, or recloser.
▬ Most common, simplest and lowest cost.

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Modified Radial – Type Primary Feeder

Figure shows a modified radial – type primary

feeder with a tie and sectionalizing switches to
provide fast restoration of service to customers
by switching un - faulted sections of the feeder
to an adjacent primary feeder or feeders.
The fault can be isolated by opening the
associated disconnecting devices on each side
of the faulted section.

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Radial type primary with express feeder and backfeed

Figure shows a radial primary feeder

with express feeder and backfeed.
The section of the feeder between the
substation and the load center of the
service area is called an express
feeder.
No sub - feeders or laterals allowed to
be tapped off the express feeder.
However a sub - feeder is allowed to
provide a backfeed toward the
substation from the load center.

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Radial Type Phase Area Feeder
In this system each phase of the 3 – phase
feeder serves its own service area.
Each dot represents a balanced 3 – phase
load lumped at that location.

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2. LOOP – TYPE PRIMARY FEEDER
▬ Loops through the feeder load area and returns back to the bus.
▬ The loop can function with tie disconnect switches or breakers
Normally Open or Normally Closed.
▬ The size of conductor is kept same throughout the loop. It is
selected to carry its normal load plus the load of the other half of
the loop.
▬ This arrangement provides two parallel paths from the
substation to the load when the loop is operated with normally
open tie breakers or disconnect switches.
▬ A primary fault causes the feeder breaker to be open. The
breaker will remain open until the fault is isolated from both
directions.
▬ The loop type primary feeder arrangement is especially
beneficial to provide service for loads where high service
reliability is important.
▬ In general, a separate feeder breaker on each end of the loop is
preferred, despite the cost involved.

The parallel feeder paths can also be connected to separate bus sections in the substation and supplied from separate
transformers. In addition to main feeder loops, normally open lateral loops are also used, particularly in underground systems.
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3. PRIMARY NETWORK
A system of interconnected feeders supplied by a number of
substations.
The radial primary feeders can be tapped off the
interconnecting tie feeders. They can also be served directly
from the substations. Each tie feeder has two associated
circuit breakers at each end in order to have less load
interrupted due to a tie – feeder fault.
This system supplies a load from several directions. Proper
location of transformers to heavy – load centers and
regulation of the feeders at the substation buses provide
adequate voltage at utilization points.
▪ In general, the losses in a primary network are lower than
those in a comparable radial system due to load division.
▪ The reliability and the quality of service of the primary –
network arrangement is much higher than the radial and
loop arrangements. However, it is more difficult to design
and operate than the radial or loop systems.
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