Three Switchgear Power Systems
A switchgear power system is a power system consisting of circuit breakers, fuses and disconnect switches. Switchgear is classified according to the insulation system it employs. There are therefore three types of switchgear power systems, Oil, gas and vacuum switchgear power system. An oil switchgear power system depends on vaporization of oil to blast a jet of oil through the arc. A gas switchgear system depends on the strength of gas usually SF6 in quenching the arc. Switchgears can also be classified in many other different ways. Current rating, interrupting rating, voltage class, construction type operation method and current type are some of the criteria that can be used to classify switchgear power systems.
The key role of a switchgear power system is to protect power loads. This is achieved while in the process of supplying power, by interrupting short circuits and also by protecting from power overloads. It provides isolation of circuits. switchgear power systems allows for the feeding of a load with more than a single source. This way the switchgear power system enhances system availability.
A switchgear power system also offers safety. By employing trapped key interlocking system, it provides quite a predefined scenario as far as operations are concerned. Indoor switchgear is also tested for internal; arc containment. This enables switching large currents. Cables to the switchgear are fitted with temperature sensors charged with monitoring any temperature build up that could occur. In the case of SF6 switchgear, an alarm that warns of loss of pressure is fitted. If the pressure is too low, it’s designed in a manner that operations are halted.
The place where the switchgear is going to be used contributes a lot in the decision making on which one to the type to install. Given that the oil insulated has a possibility of leaking; it is not advisable for used in environments where an oil spill is too hazardous to be contained. In the case of industrial application, a transformer may be coupled with a transformer in one enclosure or housing hence a unitized substation.
Due to their safety features, switchgear power systems have slowly replaced the knife switches. Knife switches were mounted on mounted marble or asbestos insulating panels. In the event power levels escalated, manually operated switches were rendered too dangerous for anything other than isolation de-energizing. The demand for a circuit that could conveniently do that led to the wide spread of the switchgear power system.
A switchgear power system has proved very necessary in the operations of any other consumer with a lot of loads. That means it’s not only restricted to industries alone. This is because of the fact that even in the event of short circuit, only the power to the affected circuit will cease being fed while all the other circuits will continue being fed. This ensures that operations are not halted in all parts of the production areas in the company. It also reduces the effort that could have been used in diagnosis in identifying which circuit is affected.
