Electrical substation

A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions. Electric power may flow through several substations between generating plant and consumer, and its voltage may change in several steps. A substation that has a step-up transformer increases the voltage while decreasing the current, while a step-down transformer decreases the voltage while increasing the current for domestic and commercial distribution. The word substation comes from the days before the distribution system became a grid. The first substations were connected to only one power station, where the generators were housed, and were subsidiaries of that power station.

Elements of a substation
Substations generally have switching, protection and control equipment, and transformers. In a large substation, circuit breakers are used to interrupt any short circuits or overload currents that may occur on the network. Smaller distribution stations may use recloser circuit breakers orfuses for protection of distribution circuits Substations may be on the surface in fenced enclosures, underground, or located in special-purpose buildings. Where a substation has a metallic fence, it must be properly grounded (UK: earthed) to protect people from high voltages that may occur during a fault in the network. Earth faults at a substation can cause a ground potential rise. Currents flowing in the Earth's surface during a fault can cause metal objects to have a significantly different voltage than the ground under a person's feet; this touch potential presents a hazard of electrocution

Transmission substation
A transmission substation connects two or more transmission lines. The simplest case is where all transmission lines have the same voltage. In such cases, the substation contains high-voltage switches that allow lines to be connected or isolated for fault clearance or maintenance. A transmission station may have transformers to convert between two transmission voltages, voltage control/power factor correction devices such as capacitors, reactors or static VAr compensators and equipment such as phase shifting transformers to control power flow between two adjacent power systems

Distribution substation
A distribution substation transfers power from the transmission system to the distribution system of an area. It is uneconomical to directly connect electricity consumers to the main transmission network, unless they use large amounts of power, so the distribution station reduces voltage to a value suitable for local distribution.

The input for a distribution substation is typically at least two transmission or subtransmission lines. Input voltage may be, for example, 115 kV, or whatever is common in the area. The output is a number of feeders. Distribution voltages are typically medium voltage, between 2.4 and 33 kV depending on the size of the area served and the practices of the local utility. The feeders run along streets overhead (or underground, in some cases) and power the distribution transformers at or near the customer premises. In addition to transforming voltage, distribution substations also isolate faults in either the transmission or distribution systems. Distribution substations are typically the points of voltage regulation, although on long distribution circuits (of several miles/kilometers), voltage regulation equipment may also be installed along the line.

Collector substation
In distributed generation projects such as a wind farm, a collector substation may be required. It somewhat resembles a distribution substation although power flow is in the opposite direction, from many wind turbines up into the transmission grid. Usually for economy of construction the collector system operates around 35 kV, and the collector substation steps up voltage to a transmission voltage for the grid. The collector substation can also provide power factor correction if it is needed,

Overhead power line

Overhead power transmission lines are classified in the electrical power industry by the range of voltages: Low voltage less than 1000 volts, used for connection between a residential or small commercial customer and the utility. Medium Voltage (Distribution) between 1000 volts (1 kV) and to about 33 kV, used for distribution in urban and rural areas. High Voltage (subtransmission less than 100 kV; subtransmission or transmission at voltage such as 115 kV and 138 kV), used for sub-transmission and transmission of bulk quantities of electric power and connection to very large consumers. Extra High Voltage (transmission) over 230 kV, up to about 800 kV, used for long distance, very high power transmission. Ultra High Voltage higher than 800 kV.

Structures
Structures for overhead lines take a variety of shapes depending on the type of line. Structures may be as simple as wood poles directly set in the earth, carrying one or more cross-arm beams to

support conductors, or "armless" construction with conductors supported on insulators attached to the side of the pole. Tubular steel poles are typically used in urban areas. High-voltage lines are often carried on lattice-type steel towers or pylons. For remote areas, aluminium towers may be placed by helicopters. Concrete poles have also been used. available, but their high cost restricts application. Each structure must be designed for the loads imposed on it by the conductors.
[1] [1]

Poles made of reinforced plastics are also

The weight of the

conductor must be supported, as well as dynamic loads due to wind and ice accumulation, and effects of vibration. Where conductors are in a straight line, towers need only resist the weight since the tension in the conductors approximately balances with no resultant force on the structure.

Insulators
Insulators must support the conductors and withstand both the normal operating voltage and surges due to switching and lightning. Insulators are broadly classified as either pin-type, which support the conductor above the structure, or suspension type, where the conductor hangs below the structure. The invention of the strain insulator was a critical factor in allowing higher voltages to be used. At the end of the 19th century, the limited electrical strength of telegraph-style pin insulators limited the voltage to no more than 69,000 volts. Up to about 33 kV (69 kV in North America) both types are [1] commonly used. At higher voltages only suspension-type insulators are common for overhead conductors. Insulators are usually made of wet-process porcelain or toughened glass, with increasing use of glass-reinforced polymer insulators. However, with rising voltage levels and changing climatic conditions, polymer insulators (silicone rubber based) are seeing increasing usage. HOUSE SUPPLYWiring system in India-

Type(s) of plug / socket[3]

Voltage[3] Frequency[3]

Comments

C, D, M

230 V

50 Hz

Residential power supplied in India is two wire 240 volts, permitted variation 6%, and maximum load 40 amperes. Frequency 50 Hz

HIGH TENSION WIRES

High tension wires are used in the transmission lines in transmission tower as the surface area is high which means more resistance .We keep V high thereby I is less. Therefore R is less. Line loss decreases strongly with increasing voltage. I = P/V Ploss = I^2*R Ploss =P^2*R/V^2

Power loss due to wire resistance increased as the square of current and therefore decreases as the square of voltage at fixed power.

WIRE SUPPLY (OVERHEAD TRANSMISSION LINE)

Bare conductors are used for overhead transmission. ACSR(aluminium conductor steel reinforced) cables are generally used as conductors. Aluminium is used as the conductor ,steel is used to reinforce or strengthen the wires. ACSR conductors provide dependable performance for many years under adverse conditions Al --- efficient conductivity Steelhigh tensile strength The cables are constructed as per standard ASTMB232,DIN48204 As per ASTMB232 AREA ------- Al 201 mm^2 Steel 11 mm^2

Approximate diameter ----- 18.85 mm Linear mass ------ 642 kg/km Rated tensile strength ----- 4399 daN ACSR cables are generally twisted together so as to facilitate bending, avoiding breaking during bending.