What Is A Compact Substation?

Summary

Many of us are familiar with the electrical substation transformer. They are part of the massively organised distribution system along with an electrical generation. The functions of a substation are carried even by a compact substation but they aren't huge and come with lower handling costs and site installation expenses. The various substation manufacturers in India agree with the expanding scene for the need for more effective electricity distribution networks, for which the range of types of substations should also expand. In today's time, the market is expanding for the client's choices now. For instance, there is now the availability of package substation manufacturer in India which prioritise the requirements of the clients. The expectations of the clients should be met with standard quality and long-lasting products. This is visible in the trend of clients dealing in the buy of a compact substation in close proximity such as a Delhi client will not usually extend beyond the compact substation manufacturers in Noida. In this article, we will know in detail about the compact substations.

Article

The organisation of society today involves a lot of changes. The most prominent change is the scientific advancement we as a society have progressed to. Take an example of electricity, there was a day when the discovery of fire was a huge discovery victory and to this day, we have seen a massive transformation. Our lives today are rolled around electricity. From morning to night and then again, the night to morning, we are under the advantages of electricity. If we witness a power cut for a few minutes, it is no more a slight inconvenience, it is a difficult task to work with.

Those huge black wires over the rooftops are the passage of electricity. They transmit electricity to the cities, residential units, industrial places all from a substation. A substation is those amalgamations of wires, metallic jungle, towers at the edge of the cities. The reach of human development majorly, in terms of number has brought them closer to even the city limits. An electrical substation consists of a well-planned distribution system, a transformer, and a source of electrical generation.

Sometimes, substations are required in some conditions but space does not allow for a normal electrical substation to be set up. In such circumstances, the substation is engineered in a compact size to fit a single housing unit, these substations are known as 'compact substations'.

Components:

A compact substation should be complete to have the mechanics for performing with ease. An MV switchgear, a transformer, and an LV switchboard are the basic component of a compact substation.

• MV Switchgear

It is basically a high voltage switch or a breaker which has free standing SF6 insulated ring switch plus, vacuum circuit breaker. The voltage range is usually fixed at 12KV. To ease the operations, the MV switchgear has indicators for both the voltage presence and earth faults.

• Transformer

There is a varied range of voltage levels which can be administered by the transformer. This component majorly depends upon the requirements of the client for the electric current in the distribution system.

• LV switchboard

This is a piece of distribution equipment which has a range of low voltage. The incoming range of MCCB type is 1600 A whereas for outgoing feeders it is marked at 400A.

Advantages of the Compact Substation

Most of the times, the very compact size of these substations is the reason for its recommendation. Let's read in detail about the merits of a compact substation.

• Costs

Huge and bulky pieces of equipment enhance the handling cost of the entire system. In case of a compact substation, handling costs are comparatively also, the site installation cost with respect to a compact substation is low.

• Space issues

As we discussed in the starting of this section, compact substation fits in with space problems. It has to be set up in a safe position, and then, it is good to work.

• Field assembly

The field assembly of a usual electrical substation can be time-consuming and physically exhausting. In this comparison, the compact substations are a win-win situation.

• Safety mechanism

A compact substation has a clear separation between all of its three units or else there are chances of error which can lead to serious personal and economic losses. In addition to that, the accessibility to these substations is only guaranteed through lockable doors.

Types of compact substation

The type of compact substation mainly rests upon the design and setup. Here, we will know about two kinds of compact substation.

• Unitized substation

When a unit such as a housing unit needs the mechanism of a substation, a compact substation can be employed here. Their efficient size and smooth working are good for the client's requirements.

• Pad-mounted transformer

Not all experts in the field would categorize the pad mounted transformers as a compact substation. But there are reasons which also justify the agreement to count pad mounted transformers as a compact substation, namely the size of the compact substation.