Knowledge Boost | What Exactly Is the Difference Between a Substation, Transformer Station, Open-Enclosed Substation, and Distribution Room?
SUBSTATION
Definition:
A substation is a facility designed to transform voltage levels. To transmit the electrical power generated by power plants to distant locations, the voltage must be increased to high voltage. Upon reaching the vicinity of users, the voltage is then reduced as needed. This process of voltage transformation is accomplished by substations. The primary equipment in a substation includes switches and transformers.
A substation primarily involves high-voltage to medium-voltage or high-voltage to lower-level high-voltage power transformation. Substations occupy a relatively large area, with varying sizes depending on different voltage levels and capacities. Hence, it is sometimes referred to as a transformer station.
Location:
From the perspective of power supply economy, the substation should be located near the load center. From a production standpoint, the substation should not hinder production or internal transportation, and the transportation of substation equipment itself should also be convenient. From a safety perspective, the substation should avoid flammable and explosive areas.
The substation should be located on the upwind side of the unit. Within enterprises, it is not advisable to place it in areas prone to dust and fiber accumulation. The substation must not be situated in densely populated areas. The site selection and construction of the substation should also take into account requirements for fire extinguishing, corrosion prevention, pollution prevention, water resistance, rain protection, snow protection, earthquake resistance, and measures to prevent small animals from entering.
Function:
A substation is a facility designed to alter voltage levels. To transmit electrical power generated by power plants over long distances, the voltage must be increased to high voltage and then reduced near the end-users as needed. This voltage transformation process is accomplished by substations. The primary equipment in a substation includes switches and transformers. Depending on their scale, substations may be referred to as power stations or distribution rooms.
A substation is a facility where various equipment is assembled to cut off or connect, alter, or adjust voltage. In the power system, substations serve as the convergence points for transmission and distribution. They are primarily categorized into: step-up substations, main grid substations, secondary substations, and distribution substations.
A substation is a power facility in the electrical system that transforms voltage, receives and distributes electrical energy, controls the flow of power, and adjusts voltage levels. It connects power grids of various voltage levels through its transformers.
The equipment in a substation that serves to transform voltage is the transformer. In addition, substation equipment includes switchgear for opening and closing circuits, busbars for collecting current, current and Voltage Transformers for metering and control, relay protection devices, lightning protection devices, dispatch communication devices, and more. Some substations also have reactive power compensation equipment. The main equipment and connection methods of a substation vary depending on their functions.
The transformer is the primary equipment in a substation, categorized into double-winding transformers, triple-winding transformers, and autotransformers. An autotransformer, for instance, shares a winding between high and low voltage phases, with a tap drawn from the middle of the high-voltage winding to serve as the output for the low-voltage winding. The voltage is directly proportional to the number of turns in the winding, while the current is inversely proportional to the number of turns.
Transformer Station
Definition:
A substation is a place in the power system where the voltage and current of electrical energy are transformed, concentrated, and distributed. To ensure the quality of electrical energy and the safety of equipment, voltage adjustment, power flow control, and protection of transmission and distribution lines and major electrical equipment need to be carried out in the substation. It can be divided into power substations and traction substations (for electric railways and trams) according to their purposes.
Function:
The electricity generated by power plants generally does not exceed one or two thousand volts. If it is directly transmitted over long distances, the line current will be very high, causing significant energy loss on the line, which is not economical, and the transmission power of the line is very low. So it is necessary to use transformers to raise the voltage to tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of volts to reduce the line current.
In order to connect power lines of different distances and powers into the grid and increase overall safety, multiple substations are needed to match and connect lines of different levels.
Similarly, after high-voltage electricity is transmitted to the destination, in order to meet the needs of different users, it needs to be stepped down to several levels such as 10500V, 6300V, and 400V (i.e. 380/220V), so in practical applications, so many substations are needed.
Switching Station
Definition:
Switching station: Its function is to deliver a power supply from the substation to several areas or different buildings that require electricity through multiple switchgear installed in the "switching station". The voltage remains unchanged.
Simply put, it is to "split" one power source into multiple power sources. For example, if there are 10 enterprises in a certain development zone that require 10KV power supply, a switch station will be set up with one incoming line of 10KV, and then 10 identical 10KV power supplies will be provided to the 10 enterprises.
Location:
High load locations such as stations, freight yards, electric locomotive depots, and hub stations.
Function:
Segmenting the power supply arm to reduce the scope of accidents and improve the reliability and flexibility of power supply; Reduce the complexity of substations; Without changing the voltage level, only expanding the number of feeder circuits is equivalent to a distribution station.
Distribution Room
Definition:
A distribution room, also known as a distribution station, is defined in national standards as a high-voltage distribution device that only functions for opening, closing, and distributing electrical energy, without a main transformer on the busbar. The voltage level of the distribution room is below 35KV, and there are switches, transformers, capacitors, and related protective measuring devices installed inside.
Simply put, building a house, placing transformers and incoming/outgoing cabinets, etc., becomes a large-scale distribution room (room), consisting of multiple transformers, high voltage cabinets, low voltage cabinets, etc. It is an independent place for transforming and distributing electrical energy, or an area within a building.
The difference between a public distribution room and a dedicated distribution room is that:
In terms of permissions, the dedicated distribution room is independently managed by the owner; The public distribution room is managed by the power supply bureau.
In terms of load distribution, the load supplied by the dedicated distribution room is the electricity used by public facilities and equipment in the community, such as fire pumps, domestic pumps, fans, elevators, public lighting, and supporting commercial equipment; The load supplied by the public distribution room is exclusively for residential electricity use.
Box-type Transformer
Definition:
Box type transformer is a traditional transformer designed in a box type housing, which has the characteristics of small size, light weight, low noise, low loss, and high reliability. Widely used in residential communities, commercial centers, light stations, airports, factories and mines, enterprises, hospitals, schools and other places.
Box type transformer is not just a transformer, it is equivalent to a small substation, belonging to the distribution station, directly providing power to users. Including high voltage room, transformer room, low voltage room; The high voltage room is the power supply side, usually with 35 kV or 10 kV incoming lines, including high voltage busbars, Circuit Breakers or fuses, voltage transformers, lightning arresters, etc. The transformer room is filled with transformers, which are the main equipment of the box transformer. The low voltage room has low voltage busbars, low voltage circuit breakers, metering devices, lightning arresters, etc., which lead out lines from the low voltage busbars to supply power to users.
Location:
Widely used in commercial and residential areas, apartments, public places, squares, streets, etc., suitable for outdoor, indoor installation and use.
Function:
Box type substations are used in high-rise residential buildings, luxury villas, square parks, residential communities, small and medium-sized factories, mines, oil fields, and temporary construction sites for receiving and distributing electrical energy in the distribution system.