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in the future?
by Jean-Marc Biasse
Table of contents
Introduction .............................................................................................. 2
Brief history of the technologies used in medium voltage
switchgear and control gear ...................................................................... 4
Evolution of the single-line diagrams .......................................................... 8
Future switchgear for MV consumer sites
and switching substations .......................................................................... 11
Conclusion ............................................................................................... 14
MV switchgear white paper | 02
What will MV switchgear look like in the future?
Introduction
The electricity industry is conservative. Among the reasons for this is the fact
that the lifetime of medium voltage and high voltage switchgear is around
40 years. Transmission system operators (TSOs) and distribution network
operators (DNOs) need stability. Maintenance and repair of such long-life
devices needs to be ensured. And of course, work is easier for service crews if
there is no change in technology.
However, some drastic evolutions appear about
every 20 years.
MV switchgear white paper | 04
What will MV switchgear look like in the future?
Brief history of the technologies
used in medium voltage switchgear
and controlgear
In a substation are found all three categories of components of protection
chains: sensors, protection relays and circuit breakers (CBs).
Traditionally, the design of these components has evolved independently, but
with some constraints at interfaces to ensure interoperability.
Protection relays are particularly sensitive to the type of signal coming from
current transformers. Some association are possible; others are not. For
example, you may connect old technology 5A CTs to most modern protection
relays, but the opposite connecting an LPCT to an old electromechanical
relay is impossible.
Electrical switchgear need an insulation medium for two different functions: current
breaking and isolation between conductors or between conductors and earth.
For current breaking, the available technologies are air, oil, SF6, and vacuum.
To isolate conductors, the same technologies may be used plus solid insulation.
All elements of a medium voltage
installation are subject to evolution
Available technologies for
electrical switchgear
Voltage level Switching media
Insulation
medium
Circuit- breaking Load- breaking
High voltage
SF6, vacuum
NA
SF6, air
Medium voltage
SF6, vacuum
Air, oil,
SF6, vacuum
Air, oil,
Air, SF6,
solids, oil,
Table 1: Insulation media
05 | MV switchgear white paper
What will MV switchgear look like in the future?
The frst technology used for breaking in CBs was air. These CBs were big
because the principle of breaking was a large expansion of the arc and noisy
because of the breaking in the air. They needed much maintenance and, for
that reason, were withdrawable (Fig 1).
In an effort to reduce the footprint, oil CBs came next (Fig 2). However,
they also needed much maintenance, for example to change oil after some
operations. Additionally, oil breakers are not safe to operate because of the
fre risk. Oil CB failures can easily result in a fatal accident among operators
and the public.
In the late sixties came SF6 and vacuum circuit-breakers. Both technologies
brought many similar advantages.
They are compact thanks to vacuum or SF6 insulation. They are much safer,
drastically reducing fre risk. They became more and more reliable. Electrical
endurance has been increased, thus CBs were able to perform a much higher
number of fault and load breakings. As a consequence of the improved
reliability, maintenance is less and less required and we can consider that
state-of-the-art CBs are now almost maintenance-free.
Often, they remain withdrawable because of installation in traditional metal-
enclosed panels.
From 1930 to 1950, most of the MV switchboards were in fact an assembly
of fxed components in an electrical room connected to visible busbars. Only
simple wire fencing prevented to access the live parts.
Then, because of more safety awareness, switching components and busbars
were integrated in metal-enclosed cubicles. Doors and sheet plates and frames
were earthed to avoid any accident from direct or indirect contact with live
parts. Busbars and connections were air insulated.
There were several generations of metal-enclosed air-insulated switchgear (AIS)
cubicles. The frst generation, from 1950 to 1970, integrated withdrawable air
or oil CBs. The second generation, from 1970 to 1990, integrated withdrawable
SF6 and vacuum CBs. Another step in safety was introduced in the current,
third generation of metal-enclosed cubicles, which began in 1990. This new
generation introduced internal arc withstand capability to protect people
standing in front of the switchboard in case of an extremely rare internal fault.
Generally, CBs are withdrawable and installed in cassette to allow wall mounting
and front access cables. But more recently, in the 1990s, fxed CBs were also
used. This change was possible with modern highly reliable CBs and new
testing facilities of the protection relays.
Evolution of circuit-breaker technologies
Evolution of primary distribution switchboard technologies
1. Merlin Gerin