No. 3, 19 Sayyad Shirazi St, Mashhad, Iran.
051-38824146
Persian
Behso Niro Shargh company
The implementation of any substation
project generally follows four main phases:
Studies & Design.
Procurement.
Civil Construction & Erection.
Equipment Installation & Wiring.
Inspection, Testing & Commissioning.
Now, we will explain each of these phases for different voltage levels.
project generally follows four main phases:
Studies & Design.
Procurement.
Civil Construction & Erection.
Equipment Installation & Wiring.
Inspection, Testing & Commissioning.
Now, we will explain each of these phases for different voltage levels.
1. Execution of a High-Voltage (HV) Substation
These projects are the largest and most complex type and their execution can take several years.
Execution Stages:
1.Studies and Design:
Technical studies: conducting detailed studies such as load flow, short-circuit, and protection coordination using software like ETAP.
Grounding system design: designing the earth grid network using specialized software like CDEGS. This stage is critical for safety.
Layout design: determining the exact location of all equipment (transformers, switches, etc.), cable routing, and busbars.
Foundation and structural design: designing heavy foundations for transformers, support structures for disconnects, and panel foundations.
2.Equipment Procurement:
Ordering heavy equipment with long lead times such as power transformers, high-voltage circuit breakers, and GIS (Gas-Insulated Switchgear).
Factory Acceptance Test (FAT): the engineering team visits the manufacturer's factory to verify the correct operation and quality of the equipment before shipment.
3.Construction and Civil Works:
Site preparation: excavation, leveling, and fencing of the site area.
Earth grid execution: digging deep trenches, installing earth rods and copper mats, and connecting them with exothermic welding.
Foundation construction: pouring massive concrete foundations for transformers and structures.
Control room construction: building the command room to house protection panels, control systems, and the SCADA system.
Steel structure installation: erecting towers and structures for mounting disconnects, busbars, and lightning arresters.
4.Equipment Installation and Wiring:
Transformer installation: using very heavy cranes to place the transformer on its foundation. Connecting radiators, the tap changer, and oil piping.
Switch and disconnect installation: installing Circuit Breakers (air-insulated or GIS), Disconnectors (Isolators), and Current/Voltage Transformers (CT/VT) on structures or inside GIS compartments.
Busbar installation: installing and connecting aluminum or copper busbars between equipment.
Cabling: pulling a large number of power cables (with high cross-sections), control cables (for signals), and communication cables (for SCADA) in dedicated trenches. Installing terminal boxes.
5.Inspection, Testing, and Commissioning:
Final inspection (Pre-commissioning Check): inspecting all connections, wiring, and insulation levels.
Site Acceptance Test (SAT): this critical phase includes numerous tests:
Insulation Resistance Test (Megger Test): on transformers, cables, and switches.
Turns Ratio Test: For transformers, CTs, and VTs.
Contact Resistance Test (Microhm Test): for switch and busbar connections.
Functional Test (Primary & Secondary Injection Test): to ensure the correct operation of protection relays. In the secondary injection test, simulated current and voltage signals are injected into the relay to check its operation.
Control Circuit Check: ensuring the correct operation of open/close commands for the switches.
Final Commissioning (Energization): after obtaining permission, voltage is gradually introduced to the substation from the source. First, the busbar is energized, followed by different sections. All parameters are closely monitored.
2. Execution of a Medium-Voltage (MV) Substation
These substations are often built as compact or package units. The execution stages are similar to a high-voltage substation but on a smaller scale and faster.
Specific Features of MV Substation Execution:
Substation Type: choosing between pole-mounted (aerial), ground-mounted (in concrete or metal enclosures), or indoor (inside a building) substations.
Medium-Voltage Switchgear: these panels often come as prefabricated, pre-assembled units from the factory. Execution mainly involves placing these "cubicles" in location and connecting them to each other.
Transformer: dry-type transformers for indoor substations or oil-immersed for outdoor ones.
Grounding System: a simpler earth grid, but still essential.
Testing: similar tests are performed but with lighter equipment (insulation tests, secondary injection tests for relays, switch operation tests).
3. Execution of a Low-Voltage (LV) Substation / Distribution Board
This substation is essentially the final distribution panel. Its execution is mostly summarized as wiring and panel installation.
Execution stages (typically inside buildings):
Location planning:
determining the panel installation location based on design drawings.
Panel enclosure installation:
mounting the main panel frame or enclosure on the wall or recessed into a wall (for flush-mounted panels).
Internal equipment installation:
placing Air Circuit Breakers (ACB), Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCB), contactors, relays, and control circuits on the DIN rails inside the panel.
Internal panel wiring:
connecting all equipment inside the panel to each other with control wires of appropriate cross-section. This task requires high precision, order, and adherence to wiring principles.
Input and output cabling:
Input: connecting the main incoming cable from the transformer or main meter to the terminals of the panel's main switch.
Output: connecting the outgoing cables to the terminals of the output breakers to supply various loads (sockets, lighting, motors).
Labeling:
Attaching clear and legible labels to all switches, terminals, and cables. This is essential for future troubleshooting and service.
Testing and Commissioning:
Insulation Test: between phases and earth.
Phase Sequence Test: for three-phase loads.
Switch Functional Test: ensuring the correct on/off operation of all switches.
Earth Loop Impedance Test: to ensure the correct operation of short-circuit protection.
These projects are the largest and most complex type and their execution can take several years.
Execution Stages:
1.Studies and Design:
Technical studies: conducting detailed studies such as load flow, short-circuit, and protection coordination using software like ETAP.
Grounding system design: designing the earth grid network using specialized software like CDEGS. This stage is critical for safety.
Layout design: determining the exact location of all equipment (transformers, switches, etc.), cable routing, and busbars.
Foundation and structural design: designing heavy foundations for transformers, support structures for disconnects, and panel foundations.
2.Equipment Procurement:
Ordering heavy equipment with long lead times such as power transformers, high-voltage circuit breakers, and GIS (Gas-Insulated Switchgear).
Factory Acceptance Test (FAT): the engineering team visits the manufacturer's factory to verify the correct operation and quality of the equipment before shipment.
3.Construction and Civil Works:
Site preparation: excavation, leveling, and fencing of the site area.
Earth grid execution: digging deep trenches, installing earth rods and copper mats, and connecting them with exothermic welding.
Foundation construction: pouring massive concrete foundations for transformers and structures.
Control room construction: building the command room to house protection panels, control systems, and the SCADA system.
Steel structure installation: erecting towers and structures for mounting disconnects, busbars, and lightning arresters.
4.Equipment Installation and Wiring:
Transformer installation: using very heavy cranes to place the transformer on its foundation. Connecting radiators, the tap changer, and oil piping.
Switch and disconnect installation: installing Circuit Breakers (air-insulated or GIS), Disconnectors (Isolators), and Current/Voltage Transformers (CT/VT) on structures or inside GIS compartments.
Busbar installation: installing and connecting aluminum or copper busbars between equipment.
Cabling: pulling a large number of power cables (with high cross-sections), control cables (for signals), and communication cables (for SCADA) in dedicated trenches. Installing terminal boxes.
5.Inspection, Testing, and Commissioning:
Final inspection (Pre-commissioning Check): inspecting all connections, wiring, and insulation levels.
Site Acceptance Test (SAT): this critical phase includes numerous tests:
Insulation Resistance Test (Megger Test): on transformers, cables, and switches.
Turns Ratio Test: For transformers, CTs, and VTs.
Contact Resistance Test (Microhm Test): for switch and busbar connections.
Functional Test (Primary & Secondary Injection Test): to ensure the correct operation of protection relays. In the secondary injection test, simulated current and voltage signals are injected into the relay to check its operation.
Control Circuit Check: ensuring the correct operation of open/close commands for the switches.
Final Commissioning (Energization): after obtaining permission, voltage is gradually introduced to the substation from the source. First, the busbar is energized, followed by different sections. All parameters are closely monitored.
2. Execution of a Medium-Voltage (MV) Substation
These substations are often built as compact or package units. The execution stages are similar to a high-voltage substation but on a smaller scale and faster.
Specific Features of MV Substation Execution:
Substation Type: choosing between pole-mounted (aerial), ground-mounted (in concrete or metal enclosures), or indoor (inside a building) substations.
Medium-Voltage Switchgear: these panels often come as prefabricated, pre-assembled units from the factory. Execution mainly involves placing these "cubicles" in location and connecting them to each other.
Transformer: dry-type transformers for indoor substations or oil-immersed for outdoor ones.
Grounding System: a simpler earth grid, but still essential.
Testing: similar tests are performed but with lighter equipment (insulation tests, secondary injection tests for relays, switch operation tests).
3. Execution of a Low-Voltage (LV) Substation / Distribution Board
This substation is essentially the final distribution panel. Its execution is mostly summarized as wiring and panel installation.
Execution stages (typically inside buildings):
Location planning:
determining the panel installation location based on design drawings.
Panel enclosure installation:
mounting the main panel frame or enclosure on the wall or recessed into a wall (for flush-mounted panels).
Internal equipment installation:
placing Air Circuit Breakers (ACB), Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCB), contactors, relays, and control circuits on the DIN rails inside the panel.
Internal panel wiring:
connecting all equipment inside the panel to each other with control wires of appropriate cross-section. This task requires high precision, order, and adherence to wiring principles.
Input and output cabling:
Input: connecting the main incoming cable from the transformer or main meter to the terminals of the panel's main switch.
Output: connecting the outgoing cables to the terminals of the output breakers to supply various loads (sockets, lighting, motors).
Labeling:
Attaching clear and legible labels to all switches, terminals, and cables. This is essential for future troubleshooting and service.
Testing and Commissioning:
Insulation Test: between phases and earth.
Phase Sequence Test: for three-phase loads.
Switch Functional Test: ensuring the correct on/off operation of all switches.
Earth Loop Impedance Test: to ensure the correct operation of short-circuit protection.