Power Distribution Systems

and Its Characteristics I

Distribution System Characteristics

The Electric Power System is usually divided into

three segments, which are generation,
transmission, and distribution.

In a broad definition, the distribution system is

that part of the electric utility system between the
bulk power source and the customers’ service
switches.

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 Distribution System Characteristics

Distribution System

A distribution system includes the following

components

1. Sub-transmission system;
2. Distribution substations;
3. Distribution primary feeders;
4. Distribution transformers;
5. Secondary circuits;

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Distribution System
Some distribution system engineers define the distribution
system as that part of the electric utility system between
the distribution substations and the consumers’ service
entrance.

Distribution Substation
Distribution substations consist of an almost
infinite number of designs considerations:
„ Load density;
„ High side voltage;
„ Low side voltage;
„ Land availability
„ Reliability requirements;
„ Load growth;
„ Voltage drop
„ Emergency conditions;
„ Cost and losses

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Distribution Substation
A Typical distribution substation arrangement.

Distribution Substation
The voltage of the high side bus can be anywhere from
34.5 kV all the way to 345 kV and beyond.
The average or preferred high side voltage level is
approximately 115 to 138 kV.
The average substation consists of two transformers with
an impedance of approximately 10 percent (0.1 p.u.).

The low voltage bus in a multiple transformer substation is

usually split (contains a normally open breaker or switch)
to alleviate circulating currents as well as reduce the short
circuit current seen by the system.

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Distribution Substation
Normally, Two or more feeders are connected to
each bus through a feeder breaker.
On smaller substations where short circuit levels
are lower, a re-closer is sometimes used instead of
a breaker.
Short circuit levels at the terminals of the low
voltage bus are generally kept at 12 000 amperes
or less although there are many systems where
much higher levels can be found.

Distribution Substation
A typical substation may include the following
equipment:
„ Power transformers
„ Circuit breakers
„ Disconnecting switches
„ Station buses and insulators
„ Current limiting reactors
„ Shunt reactors
„ Current and potential transformers
„ Capacitor voltage transformers

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Distribution Substation
A typical substation may include the following
equipment:
„ Coupling capacitors
„ Series capacitors
„ Shunt capacitors
„ Grounding systems
„ Lightning arrestors/gaps
„ Line traps
„ Protective relays
„ Station batteries

Substation Bus Schemes

Selection of a particular substation

scheme is based the following factors:
„ Safety,
„ Reliability,
„ Economy,
„ Simplicity,
„ Other considerations,

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Substation Bus Schemes

The most commonly used substation

schemes include,
„ Single bus scheme
„ Double bus double breaker
„ Main and a transfer breaker
„ Double bus single breaker scheme
„ Ring bus scheme
„ Breaker and a half scheme

Single Bus Scheme

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Single Bus Scheme

Advantages
„ Lowest cost compared to other schemes
„ Simple

Disadvantages
„ Failure of any circuit breaker results in shutdown of entire
substation.
„ Difficult to do any maintenance.
„ Bus can’t be extended without completely de-energizing
substation.
„ Can be used only in places where loads can be interrupted
or have other supply arrangements.

Double Bus Double Breaker

Scheme

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Double bus Double Breaker
Scheme

Advantages
„ Each circuit has two dedicated breakers.
„ Has flexibility in permitting feeder to be connected to either
bus.
„ Any breaker can be taken out of service for maintenance.
„ High reliability.

Disadvantages
„ Most expensive
„ Lose half of the circuit for breaker failure if circuits are not
connected to both busses.

Main-and-Transfer Breaker
Scheme

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Main-and-Transfer Breaker
Scheme

Advantages
„ Low initial and ultimate cost.
„ Any breaker can be taken out of service for maintenance.
„ Potential devices may be used in the main bus for relaying.

Disadvantages
„ Requires one extra breaker for the bus tie.
„ Switching is somewhat complicated when maintaining a
breaker.
„ Failure of bus or any circuit breaker results in shutdown of
entire substation.

Double Bus Single Breaker

Scheme

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Double Bus Single Breaker
Scheme

Advantages
„ Permits some flexibility with two operating buses.
„ Either main bus can be isolated for maintenance.
„ Circuits can be transferred readily from one bus to the other
by use of bus-tie breaker bus selector disconnect switches.

Disadvantages
„ One extra breaker is required for the bus tie.
„ Four switches are required per circuit.

Double Bus Single Breaker

Scheme
Disadvantages (cont.)
„ Bus protection scheme many cause loss of substation when
it connected to that bus.
„ High exposure to bus faults.
„ Line breaker failure takes all circuits connected in that bus
out of service.
„ Bus-tie breaker failure takes entire substation out of service.

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Ring Bus Scheme

Ring Bus Scheme

Advantages
„ Low initial cost
„ Flexible operation for breaker maintenance
„ Any breaker can be removed for maintenance without
interrupting load.
„ Requires only one breaker per circuit.
„ Does not use main bus.
„ Each circuit is fed by two breakers.
„ All switching is done with breakers.

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Ring Bus Scheme
Disadvantages
„ For a fault during breaker maintenance period, the ring can
be separated into two sections.
„ Automatic recolsing and protective relaying rather complex.
„ If a single set of relay is used, the circuit must be taken out
of service to maintain the relays.
„ Requires potential devices on all circuits since there is no
definite potential reference point (These devices may be
required in all the cases for synchronizing, live line or
voltage indication.
„ Breaker failure on one of the circuits causes loss of one
additional circuit owing to operation of breaker failure
relaying.

Breaker-and-a half

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Breaker-and-a half
Advantages
„ Most flexible in operation
„ High reliability
„ Breaker failure of bus side breaker removes only one circuit
from service.
„ All switching is done with breakers.
„ Simple operation; no disconnect switching required for
normal operation.
„ Either main bus can be taken out for service at any time for
maintenance.
„ Bus failure doesn’t remove any feeder from circuits from
service.

Breaker-and-a half
Disadvantages
„ One and a half breaker per circuit.
„ Relaying and automatic reclosing are somewhat involved
since the middle breaker must be responsive to either of its
associated circuits.

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Substation Location
The location of the substation is dictated by the
following factors:
„ Voltage levels,
„ Voltage regulation consideration,
„ Sub-transmission costs,
„ Substation costs,
„ The cost of primary feeders, mains and distribution
transformers
„ Other factors (e.g.

Substation Location
However, to select an ideal location for a substation,
the following rules should be observed:
„ Locate substation as much as closer to load centers (e.g.
addition of load times distance from the substation is
minimum).
„ Locate substation such that proper voltage regulation can be
obtainable without taking extensive measures.
„ Locate substation such that it provides access for incoming
sub-transmission lines and out going primary feeders, also
allows for future growth.
„ Locate such that it allows future expansion of the substation
it self.

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Substation Location
However, to select an ideal location for a substation,
the following rules should be observed (cont.):
„ Locate substation such a manner that obey land use
regulations, local ordinances and neighbors.
„ Locate substation in such a way the number of customers
affected is minimum by any service discontinuity.
„ Other consideration, such as adaptability, emergency etc.

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