MANUAL BUSBAR CHANGE

Name

: W.M.G.B. Wijerathne

Reg. No

: 2013-158-CL1

Date of Performance

: 16-07-2106

INTRODUCTION
Busbars are an important part of switchgear systems. Their function is to provide a collecting point for
in-coming electrical energy and to distribute this energy to where it may be required. In this way, one
supply can provide energy to several outputs. Large switchgear systems often have two supply sources
and provide outputs to a correspondingly large number of consumers. These switchgear systems can
be pure distribution systems, or when transformers are included with the directly-served consumers,
they are then known as power transforming stations.
The safety in the supply of electrical energy is dependent, among other factors, on a clear construction
of the switchgear system and an orderly layout of the operator console of the control unit. Switching
errors must at all costs be avoided; then only power switch modules can be used for switching voltage
carrying circuits; straightforward isolating circuit breakers are not suitable here.
Larger systems and those for supplying particularly important switchgear systems, employ double
busbars.
The aims of the laboratory exercise assembly introduced here, are:

Recognize the fundamental assembly of Switchgear systems

Appreciate the difference between circuit breakers and power switches
Recognize the task of double bus bars
Analyze the current distribution in Switchgear systems
Practice the correct sequence of switching operations
Switch the outputs without any danger to man or machine
Change busbars without any danger to man or machine
First think, then act (error switching can be very expensive)
Note: switch units are always drawn in their switched off state

For examining the basic relationships in switchgear systems, an exercise assembly as illustrated in Fig.
3 is introduced where all the switching processes described in section 2 can be practiced.

THEORY

PROCEDURE
1. Single Busbar Operation With One Supply Source
1.1 Single Busbar Operation with 1 supply source: Switching ON
1.2 Single Busbar Operation : Switch OFF, E.g. switching off a load
2. Single Busbar Operation With Two Supply Sources
2.1 Single Busbar Operation with two supply transformers : Switch ON
2.2 Single Busbar Operation with two supply transformers : Switch OFF
3. Double Busbar Operation With Two Supply Sources
3.1 Double busbar operation with 2 supply sources : Switch ON
3.2 Double busbar operation with 2 supply sources : Switch OFF
4. Busbar Change-over Without Supply Interruption
4.1 Duoble busbar operation with 2 supply sources-Busbar Change-over without interruption to supply

OBSERVATIONS