Substation Design & Operation

Introduction

This GLOMACS Substation Design & Operation training course has been designed to provide a clear and perfect understanding of transmission & zone substation primary and secondary systems.

Power systems are comprised of transmission, distribution, and generation. In order to control the line losses and voltage drop percentages within these systems, power companies and industrial consumers normally design and install substations at different locations and at different voltage levels, which facilitate not only the monitoring and instrumentation of system parameters, but also they will help companies, utilities, and industrial loads to bring under control and improve their power factor, demand factor, load factor, tele-protection, overload, fault clearance times, critical and essential loads, and equipment ratings.

The primary system component covers the installation, commissioning, testing, maintenance, operation and design of switchgears and switchyards, power transformers, service transformers, switching devices (circuit breakers, disconnect switches, earthing switches, etc.), gantry towers, cable trenches and cable ducts, and substation buildings. The primary component also discusses clearance distances, cable and transformer sizing, lightning/switching impulse/power frequency protection (surge arresters and surge diverters), basic insulation level (BIL), instrument transformer types, substation geotech and feasibility studies, substation location, and load studies. In this training seminar the participants will have the opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of different busbar configurations and build up single line diagrams and layout diagrams as the main tools for system analysis. The participants will also have the opportunity to determine the system voltage profile together with the technical specifications of switchgears, outdoor circuit breakers and busbars, power cables, etc.

The secondary system component covers the installation, commissioning, testing, maintenance, operation and design of protection relays, fuses, circuit breakers, reclosers, sectionalizers/load break switches, fault recorders, and other protection, control, and instrumentation devices. The secondary system component also discusses some popular protection and control logics, SCADA systems, COMMS protocols and applications, intertripping techniques, overload control, load shedding, automation and remote control, earthing systems, batteries and battery chargers, AC and DC auxiliary systems and panels, power factor compensation (PFC) techniques, power quality issues (such as harmonics, voltage flicker, sag, swell, etc.), and the impacts and applications of embedded generation. In this training course, the participants will have the opportunity to calculate fault currents and system impedances by means of Per Unit system, and practice power system circuitry analysis, fault root cause analysis, propose appropriate protection schemes and choose suitable CT’s, VT’s, and relays for different scenarios through industry-based practical worked examples and mini projects to achieve an optimized and coordinated operation of control and protection devices in typical complex power systems.

This training course will highlight:

• Substation construction, installation, and operation
• Power system protection
• Substation equipment selection and specifications
• Substation automation
• Substation earthing systems

Objectives

At the end of this training course, you will learn how to:

• Determine the location and busbar configuration of a typical substation
• Propose specifications for major substation equipment
• Create single line, layout, and schematics diagrams
• Select fit-for-the-purpose protection relays and other related devices
• Calculate fault levels and loadings of feeders and branches
• Analyze protection logics and coordination between protection devices

Training Methodology

This Electrical Engineering training course will be presented by means of Power Point slides through which all the required theory and equations will be provided. This training course also includes case studies where the participants are required to take part in class activities including system analysis, calculations, relay settings, etc. The instructor will also use training videos for better understanding of the participants. The participants will be progressively assessed during the training course via quizzes, questions, assignments, and worked examples.

Organisational Impact

On successful completion, the organizational impact would be:

• Develop a structured approach and understanding of substation types and functions
• Build up a systematic approach to substation planning and feasibility studies
• Correct selection of substation busbar configuration to ensure flexible switching and loading
• Calculation of fault levels, propose protection settings, and demonstrate protection coordination
• Become familiar with substation construction challenges and solutions
• Practice on substation equipment sizing/rating and the associated calculations

Personal Impact

Participants from different sectors of engineering companies will enormously benefit from this GLOMACS training course because they will become more familiar with:

• Power system analysis including load and fault studies
• Role of zone substations and their associated protection and control gears
• Theoretical concepts and practical equations of earthing and power system protection
• Power system switching & operation