Mass infrastructure development requires an electrical solution that is not only beyond the capabilities of off-the-shelf offerings but also specific and detailed engineering solutions, utilizing unique operational needs, environmental limitations, and performance criteria. Custom medium voltage switchgear is the highest level of electrical engineering achievement, where specialized design skills are applied to meet the rigorous project demands in order to provide infrastructure solutions with a service life of decades.
The nature of the modern industrial procedures, power generation plants and the power distribution network requires switchgear systems capable of facilitating individual voltage values, fault current values, and operating features that, quite literally, cannot be found with standardized equipment designs. These specialized installations combine superior protection programs, special enclosures, and unique operational characteristics that maximize performance of a specific application.
Modern custom medium voltage switchgear projects include both mining projects which may need explosion-proof enclosures and data centers that may need unprecedented reliability and accuracy. All applications have different engineering issues, which need a close familiarity with the basic electrical concepts, as well as industry specific needs in order to create the best solutions.
The Engineering Foundation of Custom Solutions
Customization of medium voltage metal enclosed switchgear begins with comprehensive project based analysis of project requirements, environmental conditions, and operating objectives. Typical switchgear designs are often not suitable to meet the unusual voltage levels, fault current ratings and operating conditions required by large scale installations, and require special engineering solutions that consider all aspects of system operation.
On-site environmental factors are very crucial to the customization requirement, particularly where they are installed in extreme climatic conditions or geographical locations that cannot be reached easily. Higher or lower temperatures, humidity changes, altitude factors, and seismic needs all necessitate unique design adaptations that will provide dependable performance over the duration of the equipment life.
Fault current analysis is a fundamentally important basis to design custom switchgear as large-scale projects do have fault current levels that are well above the standard equipment ratings. Special purpose interrupting equipment, special structural design, and coordinated protection programs would be needed to reliably respond to such a high fault condition.
Advanced Protection Integration
Individual protection schemes are one of the most advanced areas of electric switchgear customization, as the standard protection features need to be supplemented by special algorithms and specific coordination conditions, and project-specific working logic. Such systems frequently combine a variety of protection capabilities in individual devices and still achieve the selectivity and reliability required in critical infrastructure systems.
Tailor installed solutions are increasingly challenging to apply arc flash reduced methodologies as the standard calculational techniques can be inappropriate to some aberrant system designs or fault clearance procedures. Special arc-resistant designs, increased specifications to personal protective equipment, and changed or adapted work procedures are common features of custom solutions and designed to minimize exposure of personnel.
Special issues when integrating the communication and control system are found when dealing with unique switchgear projects, where standard communications protocols must be tailored to accommodate specialized SCADA systems, specialized data requirements, and project-specific operational interfaces. These integrations typically require bespoke software and dedicated hardware systems that ensure the successful functionality of the system.
Project-Specific Design Considerations
The needs of large-scale projects may necessitate unusual switchgear settings to meet unusual voltages, unusual grounding, or unusual operational behavior that cannot be fulfilled by standard product offerings. Specific medium voltage switchgear solutions should be designed to accommodate these special requirements without compromising the reliability and safety of an important infrastructure installation.
Customization requirements are often driven by space constraints, especially in urban installations or retrofit projects where space constraints based on available infrastructure require small scale designs or odd shapes. Bespoke solutions are capable of maximizing space usage with custom layouts and integrated designs coupled with novel mounting setups that make in-house space the most efficient and productive.
The needs of operational accessibility can differ greatly according to the type of installations, affecting not only maintenance access design but also operational interface settings. Tailor-made switchgear packages can feature special access controls, remote operation and easy-to-use designs that provide the greatest efficiency in operation over the long term.
Environmental Adaptation Strategies
They may require special enclosure designs, increased anti-corrosion, and special ventilating designs that can sustain normal working in severe ambient conditions. Bespoke designs may use marine grade materials, special finishes, and superior sealing mechanisms that resist environmental degradation of internal components.
With renewed understanding of the vulnerability of the infrastructure during natural disasters, seismic considerations have become the frontline in the design of custom switchgears. Individual solutions may include an upgraded structural design, special mounting and adjustable interconnections to make the system seismic earthquake resistant.
A custom installation is one such area where temperature control has been especially troublesome due to the likelihood of failure or inconvenience in utilizing common means of ventilation. Specific cooling and thermal controls, and temperature regulators that ensure safe use under severe thermal conditions may be added to the custom systems.
Manufacturing Excellence and Quality Assurance
The switchgear suppliers who provide custom solutions should have far greater manufacturing capacity than the standard product lines. Custom manufacturing of switchgears requires specialized fabrication equipment, a large test capability, and quality assurance program that ensures all custom installations are fabricated to the rigorous specifications required by large scale constructions.
Custom switchgear installation Factory acceptance testing Programs normally include a complete testing program to confirm all facets of system functionality, protection operation and mechanical operation. These testing programs usually involve specific test equipment, test procedures unique to the test and long testing schedules that fully establish system performance prior to shipment.
A custom project would typically be documented more than a product and would contain more detailed engineering drawings, detailed test reports and special maintenance procedures that would lead to long term operational success. This documentation should frequently address various stakeholder needs without losing the technical description that is required to operate and maintain the system successfully.
Advanced Testing Methodologies
Custom switchgear installations will often have specialized test procedures that can be used in dielectric testing, either to test a unique voltage, unusual configuration, or special insulation system. To offer custom solutions that would meet the relevant insulation performance, as well as special design features, special test equipment or different test procedures may be required.
Thermal testing is of critical concern when working with custom installations where the standard thermal performance may not be sufficient to meet a particular task or operating condition. Custom-designed solutions can require official thermal analysis, test procedures and concrete thermal verification to assure adequate operation under all of the intended operating conditions.
Special interlocks, unique mechanical settings, and custom operating mechanisms all undergo mechanical testing that is thoroughly checked in a validation program to ensure reliable operation over the predicted service life of the equipment. These testing programs can involve custom test fixtures and special procedures to rigorously test mechanical performance.
Integration with Existing Infrastructure
Efforts to retrofit existing facilities with custom medium voltage switchgear pose special challenges that must be carefully coordinated between the new and existing system. Custom solutions are often needed to accommodate an existing cable layout, possibly space limitations, and operational requirements that are key contributors to design approaches and implementation plans.
Individual installations of switchgear are also to be aligned with individual protective equipment and the individual protective equipment is also to be analyzed and programmed to full capacity with special settings to provide the desired behavior of the system and eliminate selectivity in the entire electrical system. This may prove to be particularly complex when the new digital protection mechanisms are integrated with the antique electromechanical mechanisms.
Integration of communication systems frequently involves the need to develop custom interfaces to support an existing SCADA system, specialized control requirements and other unique data communication requirements. These integrations may include special purpose protocol converters, custom software, and large scale system testing to gain the confidence that communication and control will be successful.
Phased Implementation Strategies
High scale custom switchgear developments may need staged implementation strategies that limit or reduce operational impact and provide enhanced system performance and capability. These implementation strategies are very sensitive, need special temporary configurations and step by step cutover procedures to allow operations to be carried on during the installation process.
Custom installation commissioning processes often have long schedules and involve special testing protocols that carefully verify the functionality of the entire system. These processes must regularly support special operation requirements, special testing and detailed documentation requirements that support long-term operational success.
Operational and maintenance training initiatives prove to be especially significant with custom installations where standard operations may not apply. Specialized training programs are typically needed to ensure that employees will use the special system settings and specialized equipment effectively and maintain them.
Economic Optimization and Value Engineering
Economical analysis of any custom switchgear project must be extensive in regard to both the start-up cost and the continuous operation costs, the maintenance requirement and performance benefit during the complete life of the product. Customization of LV MV electrical switchgear can provide a strong long-term payback even in areas where it increases initial cost through more reliable product, better performance, or lower operation costs.
Value engineering techniques may be used to streamline custom switchgear designs by finding ways to cut costs without compromising critical performance attributes. These approaches require intimate understanding of both the technical requirements and financial constraints in order to identify options that will most effectively deliver value throughout the project life-cycle.
Custom installations may be particularly relevant to the life cycle cost analysis because design peculiarities can contribute considerably to the long-term operation and maintenance costs. The total ownership costs must also be estimated in the context of the availability of spare parts, the complexity of maintenance, and the effectiveness of operation.
Risk Management Strategies
With custom switchgear projects, technical risk assessment involves thorough consideration of design risk, manufacturing risk, and operational risk which can affect the success of the project. These tests must consider the complexity of the individual solutions and come up with mitigation measures that will ensure the project is implemented successfully.
Custom projects that require extensive design and manufacturing schedules can make schedule risk management critical to the project. There should be risk mitigation measures to overcome delays without compromising the quality and performance requirements.
The performance risk assessment should consider the possibility of tailor solutions to the entire set performance requirements in all the foreseen operating conditions. This assessment must be properly analyzed and tested to deliver healthy long-term performance.
Future Technology Integration
The new breed of custom switchgears are reaping the benefits of a still higher level of surveillance technologies and embedded predictive maintenance as well as the benefits of the smart grid that lead to the optimum functioning and reliability of the circuit. The reason why such technologies should be checked and incorporated into custom designs is that they should be short in already existing systems that are short and long-term when they are used respectively.
Custom switchgear installations have also gained a certain level of cybersecurity relevance because these systems are becoming more of a network and integrated with facility networks. Tailored solutions should be provided with the relevant level of security and still be designed to support the connectivity needed to utilize advanced monitoring and controls.
Digital transformation efforts are transforming custom switchgear capabilities with integration of IoT sensors, artificial intelligence, and higher-level analytics. These technologies can not only provide a deeper understanding of how systems operate than ever before but can also enable predictive maintenance programs that can assist in maximising operational efficiency.
Sustainability and Environmental Considerations
The environmental impact assessment of custom projects involving switchgear systems needs to be done considering both efficiency of operation of the project as well as manufacturing effects, choice of materials, and disposal of equipment. Sustainable materials, energy efficient designs and recyclable parts can be integrated into custom solutions to reduce environmental impact over the lifecycle of equipment.
Energy efficiency optimization is particularly important in large-scale installations where even a small increase in efficiency will lead to significant savings in operations. Depending on the established methods of loss reduction, optimal design, energy management characteristics which can be integrated into the overall system to ensure maximum efficiency of the system, custom solutions can be created.
Reductions in carbon footprint can be incorporated into a custom switchgear design by selecting materials, optimizing transportation, and improving operational efficiency that reduces the total environmental footprint across the life of equipment.
Conclusion
Enabling large-scale projects of up to 1000 V to perform optimally, with maximum reliability and efficiency, is achievable through the strategic implementation of custom medium voltage switchgear solutions, where standard equipment configurations would not be sufficient to do so. These modern engineering solutions meet the project requirements, and offer the long-term serviceability and performance the critical infrastructure applications would demand.
The achievement of complex infrastructure projects involves electrical partners that are cognizant of not only the basic engineering fundamentals but also the specifications of massive installations. Advanced protection systems, special environmental adaptation, and customer-specific operational features combine to produce infrastructure solutions that provide high-performance over the duration of operation.
Over 75 years, IET has proven to be the East African leading engineering manufacturer of complex custom switchgear projects in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. We have design capabilities that are comprehensive, have a long history of manufacturing relationships with major suppliers around the world, and you know that we are going to deliver your custom medium voltage metal enclosed switchgear needs with the knowledge and experience that you can not find anywhere. Contact IET today to learn how our specialized engineering skills and extensive regional experience can turn your challenging infrastructure ventures into performance success stories that yield decades of proven performance.