Switchgear assemblies

Design parameters and service conditions for a switchgear assembly 13/342... 

Table 13.1 Rated voltages and frequencies for metal enclosed bus systems also applicable for switchgear assemblies...

The temperature rise limits of the various parts of a switchgear assembly during continuous operation at the rated current must conform to the values in Tables 14.5 and 14.6. 

The rating of an indoor or outdoor switchgear assembly is referred to at an ambient temperature of 40°C. For a higher ambient temperature the rating of the assembly will be reduced in the same proportion as for the busbar systems and as shown in Table 28.3. 

Table 13.12 Derating for higher altitudes for metal enclosed switchgear assemblies and bus systems...

Since it is not practical to manufacture a llameproof enclosure due to its size and bulk and the number of knockouts and openings on the doors for switches, metering, indicators, and pushbuttons (PBs) etc., it is common practice to locate the.se assemblies some distance from the affected area in a separate well-ventilated room. Depending upon the location and intensity ol contamination, it may be permissible to meet the requirement by using a pressurized enclosure by maintaining a positive pressure inside the enclosure similar to that for motors (Section 7.1.3..3). When there arc many switchgear assemblies, the room itself can be pressurized, which is safer and easier. Small enclosures, however, such as a PB station, switch or a switch fuse unit or an individual starter unit etc., which can be easily made of MS plates or cast iron, as discussed in Section 7.13, can be mounted in the hazardous area while the main MCC can be installed in the control room, away from the contaminated area and from where the process can be monitored. 

The rating of cuiTcnt-carrying equipment (switchgear assemblies, such as for the main bus system), devices (breakers, switches and contactors) and components (connecting links and wiring etc.) is defined by two parameters ... 

The mechanical endurance of the current-carrying parts of all the equipment, bus system, deviees and components, used in a particular circuit as well as the load-bearing members and supports on which they are mounted. The electrical parts of a device (breakers and switches, etc.) are the responsibility of the component manufacturers. The manufacturer of the switchgear assembly is responsible for the busbar systems, metallic links and wires. 

The bus system of a switchgear assembly, its interconnecting links and wires are the protected type components, whereas an interrupter (breaker, switch or a fuse) may be a protecting or protected type, depending upon their application and location in the circuit. A contactor and an OCR are therefore protected devices in the same context, for they provide no short-time protection. A protecting device may become protected when it is also provided with a back-up protection. 

The fault ctirrents also develop electrodynamic foi ces, Fii, as in equation (28.4) due to the sub-transient d.c. component. These forces play an important role in the meehanical design of the interrupting device, the load-bearing and mounting structuies for the interrupter and the bus system, and the hardware used in a switchgear assembly. All such mechanical parts, supports and hardw-are should be adequate to withstand such forces when they arise, A procedure to arrive at the ideal size of the current-carrying components, mounting structure, type of supports and hardware cte, is discussed in detail in Example 28.12. 

In the cubicle construction of a switchgear assembly the busbar chamber is normally located at the top of the assembly and runs through the length of it. It is usually suitable for extension, through fish joints at either end, if required at a later date. For installations having top cable entry, the busbar chamber may also be located at the bottom of the assembly or the depth of the panel increased, with an additional shroud between the top busbar chamber and cable chamber. From these main busbars are tapped the vertical buses for each vertical panel. Manufacturers may adopt different practices for horizontal and vertical busbar arrangements to economize on their cost of production. We illustrate the most common types of busbar arrangements. 

The switchgear assembly, its components and the bus system must be designed for the rated voltage and frequency. 

In HT switchgear assemblies provide a surge arrester or a lightning arrester, wherever necessary. Also refer to Section 17.11. 

Figure 13.48(b) A typical installation of a low-rating switchgear assembly on a cable trench... 

Verification of dielectric properties, limited to power frequency voltage withstand test. This test is neither mandatory nor recommended, but may be required if a modification is carried out in the switchgear assembly at site. 

Insulation levels, power frequency and impulse withstand voltages for metal-enclosed switchgear assemblies... 

ANSI C-37/20C specifies this rating only for metal-clad switchgear assemblies and not for metal-enclosed bus systems,... 

Wet test While an indoor type switchgear assembly requires only a dry power frequency voltage withstand test, the outdoor type switchgear assembly also needs a wet test under wet conditions to check the external insulation. For the test procedure refer to lEC 60060-1. 

The ambient temperature should be measured during the last quarter of the test by at least three thermometers or thermocouples placed equally around the switchgear assembly, at almost the centre level and at about I metre from the body of the enclosure. The ambient temperature to be considered must be the average of these readings and should be within 10-40°C. To ensure that the ambient temperature is unaffected by ntagnetic field, alcohol thermometers must be used and not mercury thermometers. 

During the test the main busbars are fed at the rated current, for which the switchgear assembly is designed. They are heated naturally and therefore no resistance of the main bus need be measured. The busbars are shorted at one end and the current is fed from the other through a variable-current injection set at a reduced voltage of 3-10 V, or enough to achieve the rated current. The arrangement saves on power requirement and consum-... 

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