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EE35T - Substation Design and Layout
The First Step in designing a Substation is to design an Earthing and Bonding Sstem.
Earthing and Bonding
The Iunction oI an earthing and bonding system is to provide an earthing system connection to which
transIormer neutrals or earthing impedances may be connected in order to pass the maximum Iault current.
The earthing system also ensures that no thermal or mechanical damage occurs on the equipment within the
substation, thereby resulting in saIety to operation and maintenance personnel. The earthing system also
guarantees eqipotential bonding such that there are no dangerous potential gradients developed in the
substation.
In designing the substation, three voltage have to be considered.
1. Touch Voltage: This is the diIIerence in potential between the surIace potential and the potential at an
earthed
equipment whilst a man is standing and touching the earthed structure.
2. Step Voltage: This is the potential diIIerence developed when a man bridges a distance oI 1m with his Ieet
while not touching any other earthed equipment.
3. Mesh Voltage: This is the maximum touch voltage that is developed in the mesh oI the earthing grid.

Substation Earthing Calculation Methodology
Calculations Ior earth impedances and touch and step potentials are based on site measurements oI ground
resistivity and system Iault levels. A grid layout with particular conductors is then analysed to determine the
eIIective substation earthing resistance, Irom which the earthing voltage is calculated.
In practice, it is normal to take the highest Iault level Ior substation earth grid calculation purposes.
Additionally, it is necessary to ensure a suIIicient margin such that expansion oI the system is catered Ior.
To determine the earth resistivity, probe tests are carried out on the site. These tests are best perIormed in
dry weather such that conservative resistivity readings are obtained.
Earthing Materials
1. Conductors: Bare copper conductor is usually used Ior the substation earthing grid. The copper bars
themselves
usually have a cross-sectional area oI 95 square millimetres, and they are laid at a shallow
depth
oI 0.25-0.5m, in 3-7m squares. In addition to the buried potential earth grid, a separate
above ground
earthing ring is usually provided, to which all metallic substation plant is bonded.
2. Connections: Connections to the grid and other earthing joints should not be soldered because the heat
generated
during Iault conditions could cause a soldered joint to Iail. Joints are usually bolted, and in
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this case, the
Iace oI the joints should be tinned.
3. Earthing Rods: The earthing grid must be supplemented by earthing rods to assist in the dissipation oI
earth Iault
currents and Iurther reduce the overall substation earthing resistance. These rods are
usually made oI
solid copper, or copper clad steel.
4. Switchard Fence
Earthing: The switchyard Ience earthing practices are possible and are used by diIIerent utilities.
These are:
(i) Extend the substation earth grid 0.5m-1.5m beyond the Ience perimeter. The Ience is
then
bonded to the grid at regular intervals.
(ii) Place the Ience beyond the perimeter oI the switchyard earthing grid and bond the
Ience to its
own earthing rod system. This earthing rod system is not coupled to the main
substation earthing
grid.

Layout oI Substation
The layout oI the substation is very important since there should be a Security oI Supply. In an ideal
substation all circuits and equipment would be duplicated such that Iollowing a Iault, or during maintenance, a
connection remains available. Practically this is not Ieasible since the cost oI implementing such a design is
very high. Methods have been adopted to achieve a compromise between complete security oI supply and
capital investment. There are Iour categories oI substation that give varying securities oI supply:
Category 1: No outage is necessary within the substation Ior either maintenance or Iault conditions.
Category 2: Short outage is necessary to transIer the load to an alternative circuit Ior maintenance or
Iault conditions.
Category 3: Loss oI a circuit or section oI the substation due to Iault or maintenance.
Category 4: Loss oI the entire substation due to Iault or maintenance.
DiIIerent Layouts Ior Substations
Single Busbar
The general schematic Ior such a substation is shown in the Iigure below.
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With this design, there is an ease oI operation oI the substation. This design also places minimum reliance on
signalling Ior satisIactory operation oI protection. Additionally there is the Iacility to support the economical
operation oI Iuture Ieeder bays.
Such a substation has the Iollowing characteristics.
Each circuit is protected by its own circuit breaker and hence plant outage does not necessarily result
in loss oI supply.
A Iault on the Ieeder or transIormer circuit breaker causes loss oI the transIormer and Ieeder circuit,
one oI which may be restored aIter isolating the Iaulty circuit breaker.
A Iault on the bus section circuit breaker causes complete shutdown oI the substation. All circuits may
be restored aIter isolating the Iaulty circuit breaker.
A busbar Iault causes loss oI one transIormer and one Ieeder. Maintenance oI one busbar section or
isolator will cause the temporary outage oI two circuits.
Maintenance oI a Ieeder or transIormer circuit breaker involves loss oI the circuit.
Introduction oI bypass isolators between busbar and circuit isolator allows circuit breaker maintenance
Iacilities without loss oI that circuit.
Mesh Substation
The general layout Ior a Iull mesh substation is shown in the schematic below.
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The characteristics oI such a substation are as Iollows.
Operation oI two circuit breakers is required to connect or disconnect a circuit, and disconnection
involves opening oI a mesh.
Circuit breakers may be maintained without loss oI supply or protection, and no additional bypass
Iacilities are required.
Busbar Iaults will only cause the loss oI one circuit breaker. Breaker Iaults will involve the loss oI a
maximum oI two circuits.
generally, not more than twice as many outgoing circuits as inIeeds are used in order to rationalise
circuit equipment load capabilities and ratings.
One and a half Circuit Breaker laout
The layout oI a 1 1/2 circuit breaker substation is shown in the schematic below.
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The reason that such a layout is known as a 1 1/2 circuit breaker is due to the Iact that in the design, there are
9 circuit breakers that are used to protect the 6 Ieeders. Thus, 1 1/2 circuit breakers protect 1 Ieeder. Some
characteristics oI this design are:
There is the additional cost oI the circuit breakers together with the complex arrangement.
It is possible to operate any one pair oI circuits, or groups oI pairs oI circuits.
There is a very high security against the loss oI supply.
Principle oI Substation Layouts
Substation layout consists essentially in arranging a number oI switchgear components in an ordered pattern
governed by their Iunction and rules oI spatial separation.
Spatial Separation

Earth Clearance: this is the clearance between live parts and earthed structures, walls, screens and
ground.
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Phase Clearance: this is the clearance between live parts oI diIIerent phases.
Isolating Distance: this is the clearance between the terminals oI an isolator and the connections
thereto.
Section Clearance: this is the clearance between live parts and the terminals oI a work section. The
limits oI this work section, or maintenance zone, may be the ground or a platIorm Irom which the man
works.
Separation of maintenance ones
Two methods are available Ior separating equipment in a maintenance zone that has been isolated and made
dead.
1. The provision oI a section clearance
2. Use oI an intervening earthed barrier
The choice between the two methods depends on the voltage and whether horizontal or vertical clearances
are involved.
A section clearance is composed oI a the reach oI a man, taken as 8 Ieet, plus an earth clearance.
For the voltage at which the earth clearance is 8 Ieet, the space required will be the same whether a
section clearance or an earthed barrier is used.
HENCE:
Separation by earthed barrier Earth Clearance 50mm Ior barrier Earth Clearance
Separation by section clearance 2.44m Earth clearance
For vertical clearances it is necessary to take into account the space occupied by the equipment and
the need Ior an access platIorm at higher voltages.
The height oI the platIorm is taken as 1.37m below the highest point oI work.
Establishing Maintenance Zones
Some maintenance zones are easily deIined and the need Ior them is selI evident as is the case oI a circuit
breaker. There should be a means oI isolation on each side oI the circuit breaker, and to separate it Irom
adjacent live parts, when isolated, either by section clearances or earth barriers.

Electrical Separations
Together with maintenance zoning, the separation, by isolating distance and phase clearances, oI the
substation components and oI the conductors interconnecting them constitute the main basis oI
substation layouts.
There are at least three such electrical separations per phase that are needed in a circuit:
1. Between the terminals oI the busbar isolator and their connections.
2. Between the terminals oI the circuit breaker and their connections.
3. Between the terminals oI the Ieeder isolator and their connections.

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Components oI a Substation
The substation components will only be considered to the extent where they inIluence substation layout.
Circuit Breakers
There are two Iorms oI open circuit breakers:
1. Dead Tank - circuit breaker compartment is at earth potential.
2. Live Tank - circuit breaker compartment is at line potential.
The Iorm oI circuit breaker inIluences the way in which the circuit breaker is accommodated. This may be
one oI Iour ways.
Ground Mounting and Plinth Mounting: the main advantages oI this type oI mounting are its
simplicity, ease oI erection, ease oI maintenance and elimination oI support structures. An added
advantage is that in indoor substations, there is the reduction in the height oI the building. A
disadvantage however is that to prevent danger to personnel, the circuit breaker has to be surrounded
by an earthed barrier, which increases the area required.
Retractable Circuit Breakers: these have the advantage oI being space saving due to the Iact that
isolators can be accommodated in the same area oI clearance that has to be allowed between the
retractable circuit breaker and the live Iixed contacts. Another advantage is that there is the ease and
saIety oI maintenance. Additionally such a mounting is economical since at least two insulators per
phase are still needed to support the Iixed circuit breaker plug contacts.
Suspended Circuit Breakers: at higher voltages tension insulators are cheaper than post or pedestal
insulators. With this type oI mounting the live tank circuit breaker is suspended by tension insulators
Irom overhead structures, and held in a stable position by similar insulators tensioned to the ground.
There is the claimed advantage oI reduced costs and simpliIied Ioundations, and the structures used to
suspend the circuit breakers may be used Ior other purposes.
Current Transformers
CT's may be accommodated in one oI six manners:
Over Circuit Breaker bushings or in pedestals.
In separate post type housings.
Over moving bushings oI some types oI insulators.
Over power transIormers oI reactor bushings.
Over wall or rooI bushings.
Over cables.
In all except the second oI the list, the CT's occupy incidental space and do not aIIect the size oI the layout.
The CT's become more remote Irom the circuit breaker in the order listed above. Accommodation oI CT's
over isolator bushings, or bushings through walls or rooIs, is usually conIined to indoor substations.

Isolators
These are essentially oII load devices although they are capable oI dealing with small charging currents oI
busbars and connections. The design oI isolators is closely related to the design oI substations. Isolator design
is considered in the Iollowing aspects:
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Space Factor
Insulation Security
Standardisation
Ease oI Maintenance
Cost
Some types oI isolators include:
Horizontal Isolation types
Vertical Isolation types
Moving Bushing types
Conductor Sstems
An ideal conductor should IulIil the Iollowing requirements:
Should be capable oI carrying the speciIied load currents and short time currents.
Should be able to withstand Iorces on it due to its situation. These Iorces comprise selI weight, and
weight oI other conductors and equipment, short circuit Iorces and atmospheric Iorces such as wind
and ice loading.
Should be corona Iree at rated voltage.
Should have the minimum number oI joints.
Should need the minimum number oI supporting insulators.
Should be economical.
The most suitable material Ior the conductor system is copper or aluminium. Steel may be used but has
limitations oI poor conductivity and high susceptibility to corrosion.
In an eIIort to make the conductor ideal, three diIIerent types have been utilized, and these include:
Flat surIaced Conductors
Stranded Conductors
Tubular Conductors
Insulation
Insulation security has been rated very highly among the aims oI good substation design. Extensive research is
done on improving Ilashover characteristics as well as combating pollution. Increased creepage length,
resistance glazing, insulation greasing and line washing have been used with varying degrees oI success.

Power Transformers
EHV power transIormers are usually oil immersed with all three phases in one tank. Auto transIormers can
oIIer advantage oI smaller physical size and reduced losses. The diIIerent classes oI power transIormers are:
o.n.: Oil immersed, natural cooling
o.b.: Oil immersed, air blast cooling
o.I.n.: Oil immersed, oil circulation Iorced
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o.I.b.: Oil immersed, oil circulation Iorced, air blast cooling
Power transIormers are usually the largest single item in a substation. For economy oI service roads,
transIormers are located on one side oI a substation, and the connection to switchgear is by bare conductors.
Because oI the large quantity oI oil, it is essential to take precaution against the spread oI Iire. Hence, the
transIormer is usually located around a sump used to collect the excess oil.
TransIormers that are located and a cell should be enclosed in a blast prooI room.

Overhead Line Terminations
Two methods are used to terminate overhead lines at a substation.
Tensioning conductors to substation structures or buildings
Tensioning conductors to ground winches.
The choice is inIluenced by the height oI towers and the proximity to the substation.
The Iollowing clearances should be observed:


VOLTAGE LEVEL MINIMUM GROUND CLEARANCE
less than 66kV 6.1m
66kV - 110kV 6.4m
110kV - 165kV 6.7m
greater than 165kV 7.0m