Ensuring power quality in substation with new generation switchgears

Ripunjay M Parikh, Director Sales, Power Distribution, Eaton India. In an interview with EPR Magazine.

For the industry to function, it requires a high quality, stable power supply. Furthermore, Eaton’s Ripunjay M Parik believes that power quality in grids and substations should be meticulously maintained.

What is the present market for HV, MV, and LV switchgear for substations? 

The electrical and switchgear sector in India continues to expand at a healthy pace. While growth slowed slightly in 2020, it rebounded strongly in 2021, and we expect the markets to continue to rise in the coming year and beyond. Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear are big business in India. In India, the present low voltage switchgear and control gear markets, as well as the MV switchgear markets, total about 11,000 crores.  

At Eaton, we offer a wide range of innovative low voltage switchgear, controlgear, and MV switchgear that help meet the demands of India’s ever-growing need for power.  

What are the advantages and impacts of the latest and new products and technologies on the voltage fluctuation in a power substation?

The industry requires a high-quality, stable power supply for its functioning. Moreover, the quality of power in the grids and substations should be thoroughly maintained. The quality of loads will influence the overall quality of power and has the potential to generate harmonics in the system, which can result in power losses as well as fluctuations in the system voltages. 

Switchgear is an important part of an electrical installation that is not only responsible for switching the loads in an electrical system but also plays a critical role in monitoring the power quality. Further, switching switchgear can also lead to potential surges in the electrical networks. Today, the switchgears offer total coordination and discrimination, which ensures that only the upstream circuit breakers closest to the fault trip, thereby resulting in a minimum outage and reducing load variations to a minimum.

The new generation of switchgear offers internal arc compliance, which ensures that in the event of an arc fault, the fault is contained to the specific feeder only and does not result in cascading tripping of the entire system. New developments include arc flash detection systems, which can detect potential arc faults optically much in advance, thereby protecting the system much in advance before it can result in a major fault, thereby offering safety to plant and personnel. Another important aspect of the MV and high-voltage devices in the substation is the health of the insulation systems, which can result in unwanted breakdowns. Eaton offers a proven solution with a Partial Discharge monitoring system (insulgard), which can provide continuous online monitoring of the insulation health of critical devices like transformers, generators, and insulators, which ensures that the system is always up and avoids leakages.

Another key development for medium voltage switchgear used in the distribution system is the need for SF6-free technology. While SF6 is a proven insulating medium, it is known to cause severe damage to the environment if released into the atmosphere. Eaton offers unique solid insulated switchgear (SIS), XIRIA, which is SF6-free and at the same time offers a highly compact footprint due to its patented solid insulation technology. This ensures truly environmentally friendly, maintenance free, and safe MV switchgear. XIRIA is available now in 24Kv up to 1250A, 25KA-3 sec (12KV), and has more than 100,000 units already installed across the globe.

MOP and SECI are now pushing the use of ESS (energy storage) to compensate for the unbalance and fluctuations in peak loads. These are being talked about in big numbers, and Eaton is fully geared up to support generation and behind-the-meter solutions for industries, infra, hospitals, airports, and data centres.

Which maintenance activities are required to maintain operational efficiency in switchgears?

The new generation of switchgear is highly reliable and offers minimal maintenance and very high uptime. It is important that the operating guidelines mentioned by the manufacturers are followed, and adequate safety measures are implemented. The new generation of switchgear comes with intelligent protection relays and communication devices that can offer advanced diagnostics and alarms that can provide warnings in abnormal conditions. In addition to this, other good practises can include maintaining a dust free clean environment in the substation areas and training by OEMs for the operators on efficiently handling the switchgear.

Due to its transition from old age methodology to state-of the-art communicable and automated switchgear, India has scarce skills in the electrical field and especially in switchgear. The skill is in high demand. We recommend training and opening more certification courses for switchgear operation and maintenance across our utilities and industries. This would help long-term.

What are your offerings for substation/transmission?

Eaton offers a complete basket of MV and LV switchgear used for power transmission and distribution. The product covers the complete smart and conventional ring main units (both SIS and SF6, insulated) and MV AIS switchgear. Eaton can also provide solutions for containerized substations (CSS), which build MV switchgear and transformer LV switchgear in compact containers. Eaton also offers typetested MV and LV switchgear solutions. On the low voltage side, Eaton offers a comprehensive range of switchgear (ACBs, MCCBs), final distribution products (MCBs, RCDs, AFDD, DBs), and controlgear (contactors, motor protection circuit breakers, VFDs, automation products, and control devices).