BASICS OF SWITCHGEAR

INTRODUCTION TO SWITCHGEAR

• A switchgear or electrical switchgear is a generic term which includes all the

switching devices associated with mainly power system protection.
• It also includes all devices associated with control, metering and regulating of
electrical power system. Assembly of such devices in a logical manner forms a
switchgear.
• We all familiar with low voltage switches and re-wirable fuses in our home. The
switch is used to manually open and close the electrical circuit in our home and
electrical fuse is used to protect our household electrical circuit from over current and
short circuit faults.
• In same way every electrical circuit including high voltage electrical power
system needs switching and protective devices. But in high voltage and extra
high voltage system, these switching and protective scheme becomes
complicated one for high fault current interruption in safe and secure way.

• In addition to that from commercial point of view every electrical power

system needs measuring, control and regulating arrangement. Collectively the
whole system is called switchgear and protection of power system.
TYPES OF SWITCHGEAR

• Low Voltage Switchgear up to 1kV

• Medium Voltage Switchgear 3kV to 36kV
• High Voltage Switchgear above 36-kV to 230kV
• Extra High Voltage above 230 kV
HIGH VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR (ABOVE 36-KV)

• The power system deals with voltage above 36KV, is referred as high voltage.
As the voltage level is high the arcing produced during switching operation is
also very high. So, special care to be taken during designing of high voltage
switchgear.
TYPES OF CIRCUIT BREAKER

• Air Blast Circuit Breaker

• Oil Circuit Breaker
• SF6 Circuit Breaker
• Vacuum Circuit Breaker (Rarely Use)
AIR BLAST CIRCUIT BREAKER
OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER
SF6 CIRCUIT BREAKER
VACUUM CIRCUIT BREAKER
(RARELY USE)
MEDIUM VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR

• From 3KV to 36KV switchgear system is categorized as medium voltage

switchgear or MV switchgear. They may metal enclosed indoor type, metal
enclosed outdoor type.

• The interruption medium of this switchgear may be oil, SF6 and vacuum. The
main requirement of MV power network is to interrupt current during faulty
condition irrespective of what type of CB is used in the MV switchgear system.
TYPES OF CIRCUIT BREAKER:

• Vacuum Circuit Breaker (Mostly Use)

• Oil Circuit Breaker (Rarely Use)
• SF6 Circuit Breaker (Rarely Use)
LOW VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR
Generally electrical switchgear rated up to 1 KV is termed as low voltage switchgear.
The term LV Switchgear includes low voltage circuit breakers, switches, off load
electrical isolators, HRC fuses, earth leakage circuit breaker, miniature circuit breakers
(MCB) and molded case circuit breakers (MCCB) etc i.e. all the accessories required to
protect the LV system.

Feeders
Different feeders are connected to the feeder bus to feeds different loads like, motor
loads, lighting loads, industrial machinery loads, air conditioner loads etc. All feeders
are protected by switchgear and in addition to that, depending upon the types of load
connected to the feeders, the different switchgear devices are chosen for different
feeders.
In LV switchgear system, electrical appliances are protected against
short circuit and over load conditions by electrical fuses or electrical
circuit breaker.

However, the human operator is not adequately protected against the

faults occurs inside the appliances. The problem can be overcome by
using earth leakage circuit breaker. This operates on low leakage
current.
The earth leakage circuit breaker can detect leakage current as low as
30 mA and is capable of disconnecting the appliance in less than 100
msec.
TYPES OF CIRCUIT BREAKER:

• MCBs 1P, 2P, 3P & 4P,

• ELCB 2P & 4P
• MPCB 3P
• MCCB 1P, 2P, 3P & 4P,
• ACB 3P & 4P,
LV CIRCUIT BREAKERS
TYPES OF LV PANELS:

• LV Panel
• PFI Panel
• ATS Panel
• Synch Panel
• MCC Panel
• Power & Lighting Distribution Board
LV PANEL
PFI PANEL
ATS PANEL
SYNCHRONIZATION PANEL
MCC PANEL
POWER & LIGHTING DISTRIBUTION BOARD
TYPE TESTED PANELS:

Definition A low voltage switchgear and control gear

assembly conforming to an established type or system
without deviations, from the typical assembly Tests.
7-TYPE TESTS

• Temperature rise
• Dielectric properties
• Short-circuit withstand strength
• Effectiveness of the protective circuit
• Clearances and creepage distances
• Mechanical operation
• Degree of protection
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTIONS