GB2331412A - Electrical power distribution substation - Google Patents

Abstract

The substation has multiphase bus bars 10, 20 arranged physically parallel to one another, a plurality of bays (301-310, Fig.1), such as 303, at an outer side of bus bar 10 and bays (311-320), such as 313, at an outer side of bus bar 20, with the bays paired so that each of the bays (301-310) is opposite a respective one of the bays (311-320). For each pair of bays, such as 303 and 313, bay 303 can be connected to bus bar 10 by a pantograph type disconnector 503, and bay 313 can be connected to bus bar 20 by a pantograph type disconnector 603. Disconnectors 503 and 603 can be connected to one another by a rotating centre post type disconnector 703, so that bay 303 can also be connected to bus bar 20 via disconnectors 703, 603, and bay 313 can also be connected to bus bar 10 via disconnectors 703, 503. This arrangement is unable independently to couple bay 303 to bus bar 20 and simultaneously couple bay 313 to bus bar 10, but it does provide gains in terms of costs and required ground space. Each bay also has a circuit breaker 40 for isolating the bay from the bus bars during repair and maintenance, and a disconnector 41 for isolating circuit breaker 40 from a connection 42 to a transmission line or transformer. Bus bar coupling circuit breakers (50, Figs.1,3) and disconnectors (501, 502) allow the bus bars 10, 20 to be connected to one another. Each bus bar 10, 20 is also divided into sections by circuit breakers (Fig.1).

Description

2331412 1 A SUBSTATION The present invention relates in general to the

field of electricity transmission and distribution and in particular to a substation for use as part of an electricity distribution network.

A prior art substation layout known as a back to back layout comprises, in one typical example, two common conductors (known as bus bars) physically arranged to lie substantially parallel to one another along at least part of their lengths. A plurality of connection sites (known as bays) are coupleable through disconnectors to both bus bars. Each bay receives an external circuit such as a is transformer or a transmission line. By selectively opening or closing the disconnectors, each bay is coupled to either bus bar. Further, disconnectors are commonly provided at intervals along the length of each bus bar so that sections may be isolated from each other, and the two bus bars are commonly coupled via a circuit breaker and disconnectors so that one or more sections of the first bus bar may be coupled to one or more sections of the second bus bar.

The substation is designed and laid out such that any part of the substation may be isolated to allow safe conduct of, for example, maintenance or repair work.

Also, it is desired to provide a high degree of flexibility and choice of configurations for routing power through the substation. However, increasing flexibility increases the number of items of equipment required. Each piece of equipment is expensive in terms of capital cost and adds to the maintenance and repair costs of the substation, Further, it is desired to minimise the ground space required for each substation in order to reduce land costs.

An aim of the present invention is to provide a substation having an arrangement and layout which minimises ground space and equipment costs, whilst retaining flexibility.

According to the present invention there is provided 10 a substation, comprising:

a first bus bar and a second bus bar; a plurality of bays, each bay being coupleable to said is first bus bar and said second bus bar; a first disconnector for coupling a first bay of said plurality of bays to said first bus bar; a second disconnector for coupling a second bay of said plurality of bays to said second bus bar; and a third disconnector for coupling said first bay to said second bus bar, and for coupling said second bay to said first bus bar.

Preferably, said first, second and third disconnectors are arranged in series with said third disconnector between said first and said second disconnectors.

Preferably, said first and said second disconnectors are pantograph type disconnectors for connecting an input line or lines to a bus bar arrangement running transversely thereacross. Preferably, said third disconnector is a rotating post type disconnector, preferably a rotating centre post or a rotating end post disconnector.

Preferably, each bay comprises: a circuit input for connecting to, for example, a distribution or transmission line; a circuit disconnector for isolating said circuit input; a circuit breaker, and a bus bar disconnector being said first or said second disconnector.

Preferably, said plurality of bays are arranged in pairs, each pair comprising a bay as said first bay and a bay as said second bay.

Preferably, said bus bars are arranged to be longitudinally parallel. Preferably, the or each said f irst bay is arranged to a f irst side of said f irst bus 0 0 0 C- c bar opposite to a second side adjacent said second bus bar, and preferably the or each said second bay is arranged to lie on a f irst side of said second bus bar opposite to a second side adjacent to said first bus bar.

Preferably, the or each said first and second disconnectors are vertically operating semi-pantograph disconnectors arranged underneath said first and second 25 bus bars respectively.

Preferably, the or each said third disconnector is arranged to lie between said first and second bus bars, and on a line, preferably, between respective first and 30 second disconnectors.

Preferably, said substation further comprises circuit breakers between said first and second bus bars for coupling said first and second bus bars. Further, each 4 - said bus bar is preferably divided into sections by one or more circuit breakers.

The substation has a number of advantages in that where the third disconnector is common to both the first and second bays and shared by them, a significant saving in equipment cost is made over a traditional design using one disconnector per bay per bus bar. Further, the bus bars may be arranged linearly in parallel, without any need for the second bus bar to wrap around the first bus bar, as is required in a traditional design. Therefore, a significant saving in ground space is made, reducing the overall ground size of the substation with benefits in terms of capital cost and environmental impact. Further, the substation is significantly simplified for maintenance and repair. Further still, the substation has a simple linear arrangement that is aesthetically pleasing.

A further important advantage of the substation is that the first and second bays forming the or each pair may' be coupled together via the first and second disconnectors and through the third disconnector, without any connection to the first or second bus bar. operationally, this allows power supply to be maintained through the substation even when both bus bars are out of use for operational reasons or for repairs or routine maintenance.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a preferred substation layout; Figure 2 is an elevational view of a typical section through opposing bays; and C, 0 - z 1 z Figure 3 is an elevational view showing a section 5 through a bus coupler.

Referring to Figure 1, a preferred substation layout is shown having two bus bars 10 and 20 arranged to lie substantially parallel along their longitudinal axes. The substation is configured "back to back" with a first plurality of bays 301 to 310 arranged to one side of the first bus bar 10, and a second plurality of bays 311 to 320 arranged to lie outside the second bus bar 20. The bus bars are conveniently arranged to lie in pairs with each of the first plurality of bays 301 to 310 opposite a corresponding bay of the second plurality of bays 311 to 320.

Each bay is provided with input terminals 30 for connection to a circuit such as a transmission line or a transformer. The bays and the bus bars are configured according to the needs of any particular substation, as will be familiar to the skilled person. For example, greater or fewer bays may be provided than those shown and the bus bars may lie according to the needs of a particular site, such as to avoid an obstacle.

Referring now to Figure 2, an opposing pair of bays 303 and 313 will be described in more detail.

In Figure 2, a first bay 303 is shown to the left of a first bus bar 10 having, in this example, three conductors one for each phase. Underneath the first bus bar 10 is shown a first vertical pantograph type disconnector 503 for coupling the first bay 303 to the first bus bar 10 when the pantograph arms are raised and disconnecting when lowered. The pantograph disconnector 503 comprises three pantograph units, again one for each phase.

A second bay 313 is shown to the right of the second bus bar 20 coupled to a second pantograph type disconnector 603 for connecting the second bay 313 to the second bus bar 20 when raised and disconnecting when 10 lowered.

In the space between the first and second bus bars 10 and 20 and connected between the first and second disconnectors 503 and 603 is a third disconnector 703 for coupling the first disconnector 503 to the second disconnector 603. In the example shown, the third disconnector 703 is a rotating centre post type disconnector.

In use, with the third disconnector 703 open, the first bay 303 may be connected to the first bus bar 10 through the first disconnector 503, and the second bay 313 connected to the second bus bar 20 through the second disconnector 603.

With the third disconnector 703 closed, both bays 303 and 313 can be connected to the first bus bar 10 by raising the first disconnector 503, and/or connected to the second bus bar 20 by raising the.second disconnector 603.

This arrangement is unable to independently couple the first bay 303 to the second bus bar 20 and simultaneously independently couple the second bay 313 to the first bus bar 10. However, this loss of flexibility is offset by the significant gains in terms of costs and efficiency of this layout.

Each piece of equipment may be safely isolated for repair or maintenance. The first bay 303 is provided with a circuit breaker 40 for switching the circuit on or off from the bus bars, and provided with a circuit disconnector 41, in this case a rotating centre post disconnector for isolating the circuit breaker 40 from a circuit coupled to a circuit input 42. The first bay 303 is connected to first disconnector 503 for isolating the circuit from bus bar 10 and the second bus bar disconnector 703 for isolating the circuit from bus bar 20.

is In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, bay 303 is intended for connection to a local distribution line, and bay 313 is intended for connection to a high load distribution line.

Figure 3 shows a circuit breaker 50 located between first and second bus bars 10 and 20 and coupled thereto by disconnectors 501 and 502. Conveniently, the bus coupling circuit breaker 50 is located in the space between the first and second bus bars, and ideally in line with the third disconnectors 703. There is a significant cost saving in locating these elements between the bus bars 10 and 20 as opposed to location to either side with longer runs of copperwork then being required. Further, the substation has a visual simplicity that minimises impact on the surrounding area----The substation layout is spacious, which improves access and reduces environmental impact.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of method or process so disclosed.

any any any

Claims (15)

1. A substation, comprising:

a first bus bar and a second bus bar; a plurality of bays, each bay being coupleable to said first bus bar and said second bus bar; a first disconnector for coupling a first bay of said plurality of bays to said first bus bar; a second disconnector for coupling a second bay of said plurality of bays to said second bus bar; and is a third disconnector for coupling said first bay to said second bus bar, and for coupling said second bay to said first bus bar.

2. A substation as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third disconnector is arranged in series between said first disconnector and said second disconnector, for coupling said first disconnector to said second disconnector.

3. A substation as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first bay is operatively coupled to said second bus bar through, in series, said first disconnector, said third disconnector, and said second disconnector.

4. A substation as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein said second bay is operatively coupled to said first bus bar through, in series, said second disconnector, said third disconnector and said first disconnector.

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5. A substation according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said first disconnector and said second disconnector are each pantograph type disconnectors for connecting an input line or lines to a bus bar arrangement 5 running transversely thereacross.

6. A substation as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said third disconnector is a rotating post type disconnector.

7. A substation as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein each bay of said plurality of bays comprises:

a circuit input for connecting to an external line; is a circuit disconnector for isolating said circuit input; a circuit breaker; and a bus bar disconnector arranged to form said first disconnector or said second disconnector.

8. A substation as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, wherein said plurality of bays are arranged in pairs, each pair comprising a bay arranged to form said first bay and a bay arranged to form said second bay.

9. A substation as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein said f irst bus bar and said second bus bar are arranged to lie substantially parallel.

10. A substation as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the or each said first bay is arranged adjacent 11 - one side of said f irst bus bar, and the or each said second bay is arranged adjacent said second bus bar.

11. A substation as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the or each said first disconnector and the or each said second disconnector are each vertically operating semi-pantograph disconnectors arranged underneath said first bus bar and said second bus bar, respectively.

12. A substation as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the or each said third disconnecter is arranged to lie between said first and second bus bars.

13. A substation as claimed in any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the or each said third disconnector is arranged to lie on a line between the or a respective one of said plurality of first disconnectors, and the or a respective one of said plurality of second disconnectors.

14. A substation as claimed in any of claims 1 to 13, further comprising a circuit breaker for coupling said first bus bar to said second bus bar.

14. A substation as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14, wherein said f irst bus bar and said second bus bar are each divided in to sections by one or more circuit breakers.

15. A substation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.