How to Choose the Best Switchgear for Your Facility’s Needs
Switchgear selection is an important element in designing an electrical control system. It is crucial to opt for switchgear that can endure the voltage and current of the system, as well as ambient or external elements that may exist. It is important to look at certain factors for the best switchgear for your facility’s needs. Choosing the wrong switchgear can result in decreased performance, equipment damage and even accidents.
To know the switchgear
The initial focus of switchgear is to protect electrical systems from possible issues like short circuits, overloads, and ground faults. This could be accomplished by the combined operation of various components including circuit breakers, relays, transformers, and other switching and controlling equipment. Selection of best switchgear careful analysis of both protection and control aspects. Therefore, it is important to be vigilant throughout the selection process. If yo want more about switchgear, visit our switchgear company dubai.
Selection of switchgear
In between the selection and installation process, there are many factors to be considered that include cost, space consideration, and many more. Here are some guidelines for how to approach the switchgear selection process.
Obtain stakeholder viewpoints: Get feedback from all parties involved in the assignment. if it is a new installation or even for making modifications to the existing one. Each stakeholder would provide ideas about the type of switchgear for the project. Therefore, it is always advised to seek opinions from stakeholders. The switchgear selected will significantly affect the entire project, so it is crucial to make a wise decision.
Understand the needs: Having a proper knowledge of the operating environment for your switchgear unit or assembly, which consists of factors such as environment, humidity, and level of dust, also have an understanding regarding the limitations of the installation site in terms of both indoor and outdoor spaces. Other factors such as the amount of power, voltage level, type of loads, and load cycle are also basics of information to be gathered when selecting switchgear.
- Current capacity: One of the factors to look into is the current capacity of the switchgear. The power requirement varies according to the size and type of equipment
- Safety: It is important to ensure that the switchgear meets safety standards which could avoid risks and accidents.
- Ease of maintenance: Choose switch gears which are easy to maintain and repair.
- Review the cost: Before purchasing check for initial cost and ongoing cost for maintenance, replacement cost, etc.
- Type of switchgear: The type of switchgear you select for your project is essential as it impacts the overall performance. Air-insulated switchgear is a cost-effective option, but it needs more maintenance compared to GIS. In addition, it will not provide the same resistance to environmental elements like dust, salt, and chemicals. Even though Gas insulated switchgear is more expensive than Air-insulates, the advantages it offers are several. One of the benefits of gas-insulated switchgear is that it requires less space and maintenance, as it is not exposed to environmental factors like dust and chemicals.
In high-voltage applications, it is possible to use gas-insulated switchgear, which also provides an extended lifetime than air-insulated switchgear(AIS).
- Circuit breaker: Choosing the appropriate circuit breaker for your system is important. contemplating switchgear with a relatively high voltage rating, the interrupting medium of the breaker will be of major significance. The different types of switchgear are:
- Air circuit breaker
- Gas circuit breaker
- Oil circuit break
- Vacuum circuit breaker
Switchgear configuration: Switchgear types vary in terms of their design, purpose, safety, and more. Open air breakers, single and double busbar configurations, draw-out types, front access, and metal clad are some of the switchgear design options. The choice of switchgear differs according to the preferences. For example, if the prioritization is for space front access switchgear would be a better option while for the ease of maintenance draw-out switchgear is the better option. Certain switchgear designs give importance to safety by segmenting the switchgear into a grounded enclosure. It is necessary to keep all the factors while selecting switchgear.To find out more about Voltronix Switchgear, Contact us.