SWITCHYARD LAYOUTS

&
EQUIPMENT
What is a Switchyard (Sub Station)?
It is a switching station which has the following credits :-

Main link between Generating station and Transmission

system, which has a large influence on the security of the
supply.
Step-up and/or Step-down the voltage levels depending
upon the Network requirement.
Switching ON/OFF Reactive Power Control devices, which
has effect on Quality of power.
 Classification of substations:-
The substation may be classified according to service,
mounting, function and type of apparatus.

1) Service:- a) Static b) Converting AC to DC.

2) Mounting:- a) Indoor b) Outdoor c) Pole Mounting.
3) Type of apparatus:- a) Transformer b) Rotary converter
c) Rectifier d) Motor / Generator 5) Frequency changer
4) Function:- a) EHV Transformer b) Industrial S/S c) PF
Correction d) Frequency changer

I. Indoor sub stations:- Gas Insulated Sub stations.

II. Out door sub stations:- Air Insulated sub stations.
 Switching Schemes
I. Depending upon the voltage level, reliability and
equipment, the sub stations are classified as:
II. The classification is differ on Number of buses, sections
and No. of breakers.

1)Single sectionalized bus

2)Main and transfer bus
3)Sectionalised Main bus with transfer bus
4)Sectionalised double main and transfer bus
5)Double main and Transfer Bus.
6)Double Bus Scheme with single breaker.
7)Ring bus
8)One and a half breaker scheme
9)Double bus, double breaker scheme
Sectionalized Single Bus-bar system

I/C Feeders

CB

Bus-bar

Isolators

O/G Feeders
MAIN & TRANSFER BUS-132 KV SYSTEM AT RSTPS
SECTIONALISED MAIN & TRANSFER BUS
SECTIONALISED DOUBLE MAIN & TRANSFER BUS
Double main and Transfer Single line Diagram
Transfer Bus 400 KV

Main Bus II

Main Bus I

Bus
Isolator

CB
CB CB

Transfer Bus
Bay

GT
20.5/400KV

Gen Bay Feeder Bay

 RING BUS SCHEME
This is not a commonly used
arrangement at present. The ring
bus arrangement has the
CB
advantage of requiring only one
breaker for each circuit and any
one breaker can be taken out for
service for overhaul without de-
energising any one of the lines.

A failure of a bus insulator

will interrupt service to a single
line only. The disadvantage of
this arrangement is that it is
necessary to trip two circuit
breakers to isolate a faulted Line
which makes the relaying quite
complex.
G1 G2
 Ring Bus system

Bus

CB

O/G feeder

I/C Supply
O/G feeder
ONE AND HALF BREAKER SCHEME
DOUBLE BUS AND DOUBLE BREAKER SCHEME
Line-2
BUS-I

CB

ISOLATOR

BUS-II

Line -1 Line -3
 Comparison of Configurations

Configuration Reliability Cost Area

requirement
Single bus Least Least ( 1.0) Least

Main and transfer Least Moderate (1.16) Low area

Double bus, single Moderate Moderate (1.78) Moderate

breaker
Double bus, double High High (2.0) Greater
breaker

Breaker-and-a-half High Moderate (1.57) Greater

 INSULATION LEVELS & CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS
AT DIFFERENT VOLTAGE LEVELS

INSULATION LEVELS HIGHEST MINIMUM GROUN SECTIO HEIGH

NOMINAL SYSTEM CLEARANCE D NAL T OF
SYSTEM VOLTAGE CLEAR CLEAR SUPPO
VOLTAGE LIGHTNIN SWITCHI POWER KV BETWEEN BETWE ANCE ANCE RTS
KV G NG FREQU PHASE EN (MM) (MM) (mm)
IMPULSE SURGE ENCY AND PHASES
LEVEL LEVEL IMPULS EARTH (MM)
(kVp) (kVp) E (MM)
LEVEL
(kVrms)

33 170 - 275 36 320 320 3700 2800 2500

66 325 - 460 72.5 630 630 4000 3000 2500
132 650 - 630 145 1300 1300 4600 3500 2500
220 1050 - 830 245 2100 2100 5500 4300 2500
400 1425 1050 420 3500 4000 8000 6500 2500
765 2100 1550 800 -- -- -- 10300 2500
 Switching schemes/Bus bar arrangement at RSTPS:-

400 KV System:
One and half breaker scheme is provided for 200 MW Generator feeders,
400KV outgoing lines and Tie Transformer feeders.
Double bus double breaker scheme is provided for 500 MW Generator
feeders.

132 KV System:
Main and transfer bus scheme is provided
400 KV TRANSMISSION LINES AT RSTPS :-
1. Ramagundam Nagarjunasagar circuit – 1
2. Ramagundam Nagarjunasagar circuit – 2 ( 267 Km length )

3. Ramagundam Hyderabad circuit – 1

4. Ramagundam Hyderabad circuit – 2 ( 189 Km length )

5. Ramagundam Hyderabad circuit – 3

6. Ramagundam Hyderabad circuit – 4 ( 189 Km length )

7. Ramagundam Khammam circuit – 1 Single line( 202 Km length )

8. Ramagundam Chandrapur circuit – 1 HVDC back to back.

9. Ramagundam Chandrapur circuit – 2 Intergrid double circuit lines
( 180 Km length )
10. Ramagundam Ditchpally circuit – 1 Single line (156 Km)
 220 KV TRANSMISSION LINES AT RSTPS

1. NTPC - AP Transco line – 1 Through 400 KV / 220 KV

2. NTPC - AP Transco line – 2 250 MVA AT # 3 & 4
3. NTPC- AP Transco Line – 3 Through 400 KV / 220 KV
315 MVA AT # 5

132 KV TRANSMISSION LINES

1. NTPC - AP Transco Line – 1 Through 400 KV / 132 KV

2. NTPC- AP Transco Line – 2 200 MVA AT # 1 & 2
 Switchyard equipments and Components:-

 Power Transformer (ICT’s)

 Switch Gears
 Circuit Breaker
 Isolators/ Disconnectors
 Instrument Transformer (Current Transformers).
Voltage Transformer / Capacitor Voltage Transformers)
 Surge Arrestors

Post Insulators and supporting structures

 Wave Traps
 Reactive Power compensating device
 Conductors / Auxiliary Items
I. Transformer:-
Depending up on the function, Transformer and its auxiliaries may
included in switchyard are

 Generator Transformer
 Inter Connecting Transformer
– Auto Transformer
– Two / Three winding transformer
 Single phase / three phase type
 Cooling Arrangement (ONAN,OFAF, etc.)
 Tap Changer
– On Load Tap Changer
– Off Circuit Tap Changer
 II. Circuit Breaker:-
Circuit Breaker is a mechanical device capable of
 making, carrying and breaking currents under normal
circuit conditions and
 making, carrying for a specified time and breaking currents
under specified abnormal circuit conditions such as those of
short circuit.
Circuit Breaker Classifications:-
I. Depending on Interrupting medium:-
(Bulk oil, minimum oil, Air blast, SF6, Vacuum)
II. Depending on Operating mechanism:-
Pneumatic
Hydraulic
Spring
Combination of above
 III. Other components:-

 With or without Closing Resistor

 Grading Capacitor (Voltage distribution across breaker) – 400kV
& above
Closing Resistor:-

1) Mainly used in 400 Kv and above.

2) Closure resistance limit the over voltages that may occur when
line is switched in.

Grading Capacitor:- Grading capacitor is used to ensure uniform

voltage distribution across the interrupter and
is connected in parallel to it.
 CIRCUIT BREAKERS IN RSTPS

MAKE VOLTAGE OPER:MEC: ARC EXT: No. of

RATING(KV) MEDIUM Breakers

AEG 400 CENTERALISED AIR SF6

COMPRESSOR SYSTEM
10 Nos.
NGEF 220&400 INDIVIDUAL AIR SF6
COMPRESSOR SYSTEM 1 No. (220KV)

BHEL 220&400 HYDRAULIC SF6

21 Nos.
ABB 220&400 INDIVIDUAL AIR SF6
COMPRESSOR SYSTEM 8+2

BHEL 132 MOTORISED OIL

SPRING OPERATION 5 Nos.
CIRCUIT BREAKERS IN RSTPS -Operating parameters

TYPE OF AEG NGEF BHEL (HYD) ABB

SYSTEM (COMMON (INDIVIDUAL (BAR) (INDIVIDUAL
COMP:) COMP:) COMP:)
(BAR) (BAR) (BAR)

OPERATING 37 37 325 31.5

PR:

A/R LOCK 34 34 300 30

OUT

OPERATION 30 31 253 23
LOCK OUT

SAFTEY 42 42 ------- 33
VALVE OPEN
CIRCUIT BREAKERS IN RSTPS -Operating parameters

MAKE RATED GAS LOWER ALARM FUNCTIONALO

PRESSURE IN KSC CKOUT

AEG 8.0 7.0 6.5

NGEF 8.0 7.0 6.5

BHEL 7.7 6.8 6.5

ABB 7.0 6.2 6.0

Auto Reclosure of Circuit Breaker:-

This is only used in EHV Lines.

In EHV lines 90% of faults are by lightening, birds or tree branches.
Fault will occur and can be cleared by opening CB’s at both ends.
Helpful in transient faults.
Circuit breakers will close as soon as the arc is extinguished.
Gives continuity in service.
High speed single shot auto reclose.
Min time for de ionizing is 0.2S, so the time designed for safe arc is 0.3S.
CB’s at both ends should close simultaneously to avoid loss of
synchronism.
III. ISOLATORS :

Isolator is an off load device provided in conjunction with circuit

breaker to disconnect the equipment or the section, which is to be
isolated from all other live parts.
The Isolators provided in the switchyard are of central break
type.
The operation of isolators can be done from control room
(remote) or local. Motorised operation for opening & closing of
isolator is provided, however isolators can also be opened &
closed manually in the event of non availability of motorised
operation.
IV. EARTH SWITCH :

Earth switch is mounted on the isolator base on the line side or

breaker side depending upon the position of the isolator.
The earth switch usually comprises of a vertical break switch
arm with the contact, which engages with the isolator contact on
the line side.
Earth switch is required to discharge the trapped charges on the
line or equipment ( under shut own ) to earth for maintaining
safety.
Earth switch can be operated only from local either by electrical
operation or manually.
V. CURRENT TRANSFORMER ( CT )

Current Transformers are provided to step down the current to

low values (1A/5A) suitable for measuring, protection and control
Instruments.
Current Transformers also isolate measuring and protective
devices from high system voltage.
CTs in the switchyard consist of five secondary cores. Core 1 &
2 are used for bus bar protection, 4 & 5 are for main 1 & 2
protection and core 3 is for measuring instruments.
VI. CAPACITIVE VOLTAGE TRANSFORMER:-

•Primary voltage is applied to a series of capacitors

group. The voltage across one of the capacitor is taken to
aux PT. The secondary of the aux PT is taken for
measurement and protection.

 Secondary voltages (110 V AC) for metering purpose.

VOLTAGES FOR PROTECTIVE RELAYS
VOLTAGES FOR SYNCHRONIZING
DISTURBANCE RECORDERS AND EVENT LOGS
OVERFLUX RELAYS
PLCC
 VII. Wave Traps:-

Wave trap is used for

Protection of the substation
equipment from high frequency
waves and communication
between the Substations
 Transmission Line
S/S-1 S/S-2

Wave Wave
Trap Trap

To control room To control room

of S/S-1 of S/S-2

* Wave trap is used for Protection of the transmission line and

communication between the Substations.
* VHF signal is transmitted from one end to the another through the
same power line.
* Sends inter-trip signal to the other end CBs so that fault can be isolated
at the earliest time.
VIII. SHUNT REACTOR:-

Long lines when lightly loaded, the receiving end voltage

raises, due to Ferranti effect.
Shunt Reactors produce lagging MVAR there by control the
receiving end voltages during lightly loaded conditions.
Shunt reactors also limit the short circuit fault levels.
Therefore, shunt reactors are provided on both the ends of
Nagarjuna Sagar Line – 1 & 2, as the length of these lines
being about 267 Km.
IX. SURGE / LIGHTNING ARRESTERS :

Surge Arresters are provided to ground the over voltage surges

caused by switching and lighting surges.
Surge Arresters provide leakage path to the ground whenever
the system voltage raises above the specified value.
They are equipped with surge monitors which measures the
leakage currents and a counter to record the number of surges
taken place.
X. BUSBAR :-
Bus bar is an Aluminium tube of 4” IPS having wall thickness of
0.4” rated for 3000 A.
All incoming and outgoing feeders are connected in a schematic
way to enable smooth operation and maintenance of equipment
with out any interruption to the system.
The optimum power and distance over which the following voltages
Adopted are as given below:

MW Kms
66 KV 10-13 50-60
132 KV 40-50 100-120
220 KV 120-150 200-250
400 KV 500-600 500-650