Security of electricity supply is largely dependent on substation design. Substations are constructed to step down electricity from a high voltage transmission system to electricity with lower voltage so that it can be supplied to homes, businesses, industries, and various other places where it is needed because the electricity that is available at the electricity towers is quite high in voltage. Substations that are properly constructed will have the required parts and systems in a configuration that supports and achieves this goal to make the supply secure. We see three factors as being particularly important for designing substations. Earthing and bonding come in first. Design layout, second. Systems and components come last. Transformers, Circuit Switches, Breakers, Transmitters, and Capacitors are examples of what are primarily used in substation designs.
A substation is essential for swiftly identifying and isolating transmission system issues. Thousands of people may go without electricity if major substations experience overload or short-circuit currents. The connection between the transmission and distribution systems is made by electrical substations. Additionally, they mitigate, and filter voltage fluctuations brought on, say, by an increasing load.
These substations can be classified into three kinds. A “Step-up substation” raises the voltage from generators (often at power plants) to enable effective transmission of electricity. The second type of substation is called a “Step-down substation,” and it lowers transmission line voltage to a level known as sub transmission voltage, which is occasionally employed for industrial reasons. And last, a “Distribution substation,” which uses a distribution transformer to drop the sub transmission voltage even further so that it can be used to meet the majority of industrial, commercial, and residential demands before power is finally sent to the load.
When constructing a substation, there are 8 steps to consider. First is selection of a substation switching system. Second, is to prepare a key plan that can show the location of all components of a substation. Third, is selection and ordering of equipment. Fourth, is to get engineering support for licensing and permitting. Fifth, is to include civil and structural design. Sixth, is to create an electrical layout design. Seventh, is to incorporate a control design. Lastly, is to obtain construction support. The design of a substation must consider functionality, maintainability, costs, safety, and the reliability and quality of the power supply. The two most crucial aspects of the substation’s design are the protection of human life and the preservation of property.
So, who designs these substations? A substation designer is the person to call for this kind of duty. They oversee designing electrical substation facilities for internal projects, which includes site and bus work layouts, grounding, foundations, controls, protection, metering, and equipment drawings. They work with the project team and other clients to finalize the schematics and develop design plans for power substations. They are also in charge of estimating building costs and the use of equipment.
Looking for the right substation design service? It’s important to note the factors to consider when searching for one. There should be licensed engineers and must be supervised by an accredited institution like the RPEQ (Professional Engineer of Queensland). This is to ensure that the people you will work with will perform according to the Professional Engineers Act 2002 (QLD). Having made sure that you work with licensed and registered professionals, you can surely expect the smoothness in your project operations from start to end!
