What is it
Protection mechanisms of the electrical system limit the degree and duration of a disruption to the services being provided by the system and minimize the damage of the individual components involved. The coordination aspect of the study includes a short-circuit analysis to determine the current and voltage properties of the system, these help decide the optimum settings and characteristics required of the protective devices.
Disruptions to operational functions may be a result of equipment failure, human error or an adverse event, whatever the cause may be, competent protection and coordination designs will reduce the likelihood of these issues. Specialized protective schemes that coordinate with the basic protection of the system may also be applied. These are specialized for certain parts of the electric system such as conductor protection, generator protection, motor protection, transformer protection, service supply-line protection and bus and switchgear protection.
Why is it needed
Changes or upgrades in an electric system can cause unwanted effects on the protective mechanisms in place. These can be due to power company changes, facility expansion or the addition of electrical equipment. A Protection and Coordinations Study will help update the protective scheme to accommodate for any changes and ensure proper coordination of the protective devices. Optimal protection and coordination will prevent downtime, prevent damage to the equipment, increase operating efficiency, increase system reliability and minimize hazards to personnel.
How can we help
Our team will collect data pertaining to short-circuit studies, determine the manufacturing characteristics of all protective devices, prepare time current curves. Based on the results from co-ordination study our team will analyze the trip settings of different protective devices to establish optimum settings that will:
- Limit the extent and duration of service interruption,
- Minimize impact of equipment failure
Protect system from human error or adverse natural events