A substation needs to have a number of electrical equipment if it is to successfully transfer electrical power from the point at which it’s generated to the consumers. This equipment is assembled together in order to create a complete and functional substation. If you would like to know what this equipment is, read on to see some of the main ones outlined.
Lightning Arrestors
These are an extremely important part of a substation. Their function is to protect the other equipment in the substation from the high voltage which could damage them. They also limit both the amplitude as well as the duration of the current’s flow. They are connected between the earth and line and are meant to divert current to earth in case of a current surge. This keeps both the conductors and insulators safe and there are different types depending on the specific purpose they need to fulfill.
Instrument Transformers
These are static devices that are used to reduce higher voltages and currents to make them practical and safe for use and that can be measured with traditional instruments. There are two types and they’re used to actuate AC protective relay.
Power Transformers
These step up the voltage for transmission at the generating station and also step down the voltage for distribution at the main step-down transformer substations. There are different transformers available depending on the rating of voltage they are to be used with.
Wave Traps
This is a piece of equipment that’s placed on incoming lines so it can trap high-frequency waves. This is important because high-frequency waves from remote substations disturb waves of both current and voltage. On trapping high-frequency waves, the wave trapper diverts these waves to a telecom panel where some are actually used for communication.
Bus Bars
This is a type of conductor that carries an electrical current and to which many connections are made. In this sense, it acts as a junction for outgoing and incoming electrical currents. If there’s a fault in the bus bar, every circuit equipment that’s connected to it must be tripped so it gives total isolation in the shortest time possible. This protects conductors from getting damaged by extreme heat.
Circuit Breakers
Circuit breakers in substations are a kind of electrical switch that close or open the electrical circuit in case a fault occurs in the system. They consist of two moving contacts which remain closed or off in normal use. When a fault occurs in the system, a relay sends a command to trip the circuit breaker and this moves its contacts apart and damage is thus avoided in the circuit.
Insulators
Any substation that has a team of knowledgeable technicians who have experience in the workings of a substation must have functional insulators. Their work is to help eliminate the risk of short circuits and harm to the people working at the substation in close proximity to the equipment outlined above. They also fix and insulate bus bar systems. There are different types in use depending on the exact purpose they’re needed for.
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These are just some of the equipment you can find in your local substation. To ensure that you’re accountable and uphold safety and effective working at your substation, it’s important to know each piece of equipment you will need as well as its job.