Specifications

for
MV Switchgear
upto 13.8 kV
1.
 Specification for medium voltage
distribution switchgear
2. Introduction

This specification covers the technical requirements for fixed, indoor, extensible type metalclad
switchgear, comprising 200. 630 & 1250A circuit breakers, 630A and 1250A bus section circuit
breakers and associated components.

3. Scope of Works

The work shall comprise the design, manufacture, type and routine testing, supply and delivery of
the completed equipment.

Each manufacturer shall submit a data sheet with the tender containing single line diagram of the
panel showing protection, metering and indication, outline dimensions and detailed technical
description of protection, control, CT’s and VT’s, indication and instrumentation. The manufacturer
shall also provide schematic diagrams of the equipment offered and shall be able to produce type
test certificates for all tendered products if so requested. Failure to do so shall result in the tender
being disqualified.

4. Standards

All equipment shall be designed and manufactured to the latest revision of the following British
Standards except where specifically defined otherwise:-

BS5311 - High Voltage AC Breakers

BS5463 - High Voltage AC Breakers
BS5227 - Metal Enclosed Switchgear & Control Gear
EATS41-36 - UK Electricity Association Technical Specification for
Distribution Switchgear*

* All suppliers shall be able to provide copies of the certificate issued by the EA approvals panel to
confirm compliance with this standard if so requested.

5. Ratings

Busbar current - 630/1250 Amps for 3 seconds

Short time withstand current (main & earth)
Making current (main & earth)
Normal current rating CB
Normal current rating isolator
Rated voltage
Service voltage
Rated BIL
- 25kA for 3 seconds
- 67.5kA peak.
- 200A / 630A / 1250A
- 200A / 630A / 1250A
- 13.8kV
- 3.3, 6.6, 11, 13.8kV
- 95kV

6. Construction

6.1. General

The equipment shall be of the indoor, extensible, metalclad, vacuum insulated, fixed type,
fabricated from a minimum of 2mm sheet steel. The maximum panel width shall be 500mm
for an incomer / feeder and 1000mm for a bus section. The panels shall have an ingress
protection of no less than IP3X. All busbar, CT and VT chamber covers shall be removable
for installation. The LV cabinet shall be mounted no greater than 1.6m from ground level
and contain all instrumentation, metering and protection devices. A separate wall mounted
relay panel may be supplied for an incoming panel.

The equipment fascia shall have a comprehensive, unambiguous mimic system which
clearly indicates the position of the series isolator and vacuum circuit breaker. The fascia will
 have a screen printed mimic comprising white line marking on a black / dark gray
background and be marked ‘Circuit breaker’ or ‘Bus-section’ to identify the device type.

The vacuum circuit breaker and series isolator labeling must indicate: circuit breaker main
‘On’, ‘Off’, and series isolator ‘Main select’, ‘isolated’, ‘earth select’ and be located within the
mimic white lining indicating the selected circuit, to clearly indicate the status of the contact
arrangement. The use of a single ‘O’ and ‘I’ to indicate the contacts status is not permitted
on the panel mimic. The mimic shall indicate that the main or earth circuit has been
selected.

For circuit breaker units the main spring condition shall be indicated by means of a label with
the wording ‘Springs charged’ and ‘Springs free’. Indication must take place through a single
window for both cases and both labels must not be visible at the same time.

Selection between MAIN and EARTH for the circuit breaker is to be achieved by means of a
mechanically operated interlock. The position may be locked by means of an EATS 41-36
standard padlock in either the earth or main position. There must be labeling on the sliding
lever to indicate the Main or Earth position.

A mechanically driven operation counter shall be fitted on the front of the unit.

The label colouring must be as follows;

Springs charged - black lettering on yellow background

Springs free - black lettering on white background
On - white lettering on red background
Off - white lettering on green background
Earth on - black lettering on yellow background

Selection between MAIN and EARTH for both the switches and circuit breaker is to be
achieved by means of a mechanically operated sliding lever situated on the equipment
fascia. Once selected, the position may be locked by means of an EATS 41-36 standard
padlock in either the earth or main position. There must be labeling on the sliding lever to
indicate the Main or Earth position.

A mechanically driven operation counter shall be fitted on the front of the unit.

6.2. Main HV Cable Box

The HV cable box shall comply with EATS 41-36 shall be suitable for accepting 1 x 3 core /
3 x 1 core cable on the 630A units and 2 x 3 core / 6 x 1 core on the 1250 Amp units, as
standard from bellow. Inverted cable boxes shall be available as an option for accepting
main cable entry from above.

Cable terminations shall not necessitate the need for a cable basement, the switchgear shall
be installed in front of a conventional cable trench. To reduce the chance of the HV cable
glands protruding into the cable trench there shall be minimum clearance of 220mm from
the top of the trench to the bottom of the gland plate.

All cable termination’s shall be of the dry type.

6.3. Busbar End Cable Box

It shall be possible to bolt a simple type BECB on the RHS or LHS of the switchboard for
accepting up to 2 x 3 core / 6 x 1 core cable approaching from above or below. The box
shall be suitable for dry type termination’s.

6.4. Pilot Cable Box

Each unit shall be equipped with a top entry pilot cable box mounted at the rear of the unit,
complete with all associated terminals and wiring for remote operation of the equipment.
The manufacturer shall be able to supply a terminal wiring diagram at time of tender if so
requested.
6.5. Circuit Breaker

The circuit breaker shall utilise vacuum interrupters for the insulating medium. The vacuum
bottles and switchgear panel shall be manufactured by the same company. The contact
arrangement shall be of the ON or OFF type with the open contacts of the vacuum circuit
breaker shall not provide an isolating distance, a separate in line off load isolator shall be
utilised to provide a means of isolation. It shall not be possible to switch directly from main
on to earth on under any circumstances.

The circuit breaker shall have an endurance of 10,000 operations upto and including load
current and 100 operations at maximum fault current.

6.6. Demounting of the circuit breaker

In the unlikely event that it is necessary, it shall be possible to remove the circuit breaker,
complete with mechanism and vacuum interrupters, without disturbing the adjacent panels.
The manufacturer shall provide real time video evidence to prove that this can be achieved
within 30 minutes, operation and maintenance manuals or method statements detailing the
process shall not be acceptable.

6.7. Series Isolator

The series isolator shall consist of sealed for life controlled air device housed in a cast resin
enclosure. The cast resin enclosure shall be provided with a full earth screen to eliminate
electrical stresses. The busbar connection from the isolator shall be fully encapsulated with
single point fixing and connected with EPDM rubber connections. Fully earthed screened
busbars and cable termination’s shall be available as an option for use in harsh
environments to reduce the possibility of a fault.

The series isolator shall be suitable for 2,000 of load operations.

6.8. Current transformers

The CT’s shall be of the bar primary ring type and it shall be possible to change the CT’s on
site if necessary.

6.9. Circuit voltage transformers

The VT’s shall be of the air insulated, fixed, cast resin 3 x single phase type with a
secondary voltage of 110V. The VT’s shall have a burden of 50VA and be of class 0.5 / 3p.
Each VT shall be suitable for fitting 1 x 3.15 Amp HV fuse.
The fuses shall be housed in an individual cast resin encapsulated carrier and shall be easily
removable for HV pressure testing via access from the front of the panel.

Circuit VT’s shall be mounted within the panel housing with no additional panel width.
Busbar VT’s shall be housed in a dedicated panel for busbar related metering and or
protection.

6.10. Voltage presence indication (VPIS)

Permanent live line indication shall be offered as standard on all panels. They shall be of
the Voltage Presence Indication System (VPIS) design to IEC 61958. In addition to the
permanent indication a test socket shall be provided suitable for accepting 4mm banana
style sockets which can be used for verifying the indicator and phasing out between panels.
The Pfisterer test device shall operate with these test sockets without the need for an
interface connector.
 A bus section panel shall have both right and left hand side busbar voltage presence
indication.

6.11. Secondary Wiring

All secondary wiring and components shall comply with EA 50-18. Secondary wiring shall
comprise stranded 1.5 mm2 or 2.5mm2 PVC wire coloured ‘black’. Wire end termination’s
shall be BICC crimped connector type and terminal boards plus CT/VT test terminals shall
be of Klippon manufacture. Secondary MCB’s shall be of the MERLIN GERIN type. 240V
AC terminals shall be segregated and shrouded.

6.12. Mechanism

The mechanism shall be self lubricating, requiring minimal maintenance and manufactured
from plated / treated steel, phosphor bronze and other corrosion resistive materials. The
operating handle shall be of an integral racket design with a multi stroke action to charge the
mechanism. Directly driven flags from the mechanism shall provide visual indications of
circuit breaker springs charged, CB main on/off closing and tripping of the circuit breaker
mechanism shall be by means of mechanical push buttons on the front of the unit.

CB: - Stored energy operation by means of energy stored in a motor -

charged spring with manual and electrical release.
Disconnector: - Interlocked dependant manual

6.13. Internal Arc

The equipment shall be designed, tested and manufactured to prevent any faults occurring
in service. However, in the extremely unlikely event of fault, the unit shall be internal arc
tested to prevent injury to the operator personnel. The equipment shall be type tested in
accordance with EATS41-36, that defines which chambers of the metalclad enclosure shall
be internal arc rated to IEC 298. The internal arc performance of the equipment chambers
shall be 100% of the rated breaking capacity of the circuit breaker.

7. Indication and Labels

7.1. Rating Label

The equipment shall be fitted with a permanently fixed, non fading rating label which is
located at the front of the equipment within easy view of the operator. The label will comply
with EATS 41-36 with regard to the content of the information.

7.2. Circuit labels

The equipment will be fitted with removable circuit labels which may be engraved with
suitable inscriptions by the customer. The circuit labels shall comply with EATS 41-36
providing black lettering on a white background. The labels shall be positioned within easy
viewing of the operator and fitted to none removable covers on the equipment.

7.3. Phase Indication

Phase indication by indelible, coloured and numbered markers for cabling and test purposes
are provided on non removable covers adjacent to the equipment terminals.

7.4. Language

The language used for all labeling shall be English, unless otherwise agreed within the
contract.
8. Installation and Operational Requirements

8.1. Cable Sizes

CB: 3 phase cable max. core size 300mm sq.

Cable sizes larger than those detailed above may be agreed with the manufacturer.

8.2. Cable Termination’s

Type: Air using cable termination kits - heat shrink or cold termination (optional)
Approved manufacturers: Raychem; Sigmaform; Pirelli

8.3. Earthing

Housing: One earthing point is to be provided at the rear of the unit, to allow connection to
station earth. All panel earth’s are terminated to this point. Flexible shunts connect the
cable glands to the equipment main earth.

8.4. Operation - Circuit breaker

The circuit breaker closing springs shall be charged by means of a multi stroke fixed handle.

All operations shall be carried out from the front of the unit.

Closing of the circuit breaker shall be by means of a mechanical close button on the front of
the unit or electrical closing coil. Closing of the mechanism shall charge the circuit breaker
opening springs allowing the closing springs to be re-charged for auto closing duty.

Tripping of the circuit breaker shall be achieved by a mechanical trip push button on the
front of the unit or electrical trip coil.

The closing and opening springs are compressed to their working length before energy is
transferred to the contact system.

The mechanism cannot be stopped once spring assistance has taken place and must be
fully opened or closed before further operations are allowed.

The circuit breaker mechanism can be closed electrically by means of an electrical motor
(optional extra) which charge the closing springs as indicated within the circuit breaker
operation above.

8.5. Operation – Series Isolator

The series isolator shall be operated from the front of the unit and shall consist purely of an
off load device. The unit shall be interlocked without the use of external keys to ensure that
the dependant manual mechanism can only be operated when the vacuum circuit breaker is
in the main off position.

8.6. Operation – Circuit Earthing

Circuit earthing shall be achieved through to operation of the series isolator from the isolated
position to circuit earth and then the vacuum circuit breaker closing thus earthing the circuit.
The circuit earth shall be fully rated.
8.7. Cable Earth / Test

Cable earth/test terminal access is only allowed with the switch in the earth on position.
This allows the earth connecting bar to be removed for test.

8.8. Manual Trip / Close Pushbuttons

The trip/close pushbuttons shall be padlockable. It shall be possible to either the trip or
close or both manual push buttons with a single padlock.