The electrical installations of factories, workshops, greenhouses and industrial complexes require precise and standard protection systems due to the presence of high-power and sensitive equipment. The smallest fault in the power grid can cause damage to electric motors, switchboards, PLCs, automation equipment and machinery, and even create a fire or electrocution hazard. For this reason, the correct use of protection equipment in industrial electricity is considered one of the most important parts of the design and implementation of industrial electricity facilities.
Choosing protective equipment is not limited to buying a switch or fuse. Load type, power consumption, voltage level, short circuit current, environmental conditions, power distribution method and equipment sensitivity should be checked before selection. The basic design of this part makes when an error occurs, only the defective part is removed from the circuit and other parts of the set continue to operate without interruption.
Technical and engineering group of Smart Power by providing specialized services in the field of industrial electricity, design and implementation of electrical systems, switchboards, protection and industrial automation can help industries and production complexes in the selection and implementation of protective equipment according to the needs of the project.
What is protective equipment in industrial electricity?
Protective equipment in industrial electricity means a set of parts and systems that are used to identify, limit or interrupt abnormal conditions in the power grid. Overcurrent, short circuit, overvoltage, voltage drop, overload, ground fault and various fluctuations are among the conditions that can disrupt the performance of an industrial system.
In a standard project, protective equipment should be considered in different parts of the network from the power input to distribution boards, control boards and consumer circuits. Coordination between these equipments is very important; Because if the protection is designed in an inappropriate way, a small error may cause a power cut in a large part of the factory.
Why is it important to use protective equipment in industrial electricity?
Industrial power networks usually have heavy loads and expensive equipment. Three-phase motors, compressors, pumps, CNC machines, furnaces, control panels and automation equipment may be damaged if they receive improper current or voltage.
One of the most important advantages of using protective equipment in industrial electricity is reducing the possibility of damage to the equipment. The protection system can detect abnormal conditions in a short period of time and disconnect the circuit from the power supply.
On the other hand, proper protection plays an important role in employee safety. A grounding fault, cable damage or insulation failure can create a risk of electric shock. The correct use of protective switches, earth system and fault detection equipment can reduce the probability of such incidents.
Also, proper protection increases the stability of the network. In a factory, a sudden stoppage of the production line can create a significant cost. Therefore, the design of the protection system should be done with the aim of increasing safety and reducing unnecessary shutdowns.
The most important protective equipment in industrial electricity
Different equipments are used to protect industrial networks and each one has a specific task. The selection of equipment should be done based on the project specifications.
fuses
Fuse is one of the simplest and oldest protection equipment in industrial electricity. This equipment cuts off the flow path if the current exceeds the allowed limit.
Fuses are used in various circuits and can be used to protect cables, control equipment and some consumers. One of the advantages of the fuse is its simple structure and reasonable cost; But after the performance, it usually needs to be replaced.
Miniature switch or MCB
The miniature switch is used in many distribution and control circuits and has the ability to protect against overcurrent and short circuit.
MCB selection should be done based on rated current, breaking characteristic, breaking capacity and type of consumer. Using an unbalanced switch can cause premature operation or insufficient circuit protection.
Automatic compact circuit breaker or MCCB
MCCB is one of the important equipment in industrial switchboards and is used for higher currents than many miniature switches.
These keys are used in the input of panels, distribution circuits and machine feeding lines. The possibility of setting some protection parameters in different MCCB models makes them more flexible for industrial projects.
Air switch or ACB
In projects where there are high currents, air circuit breakers or ACBs can be used as the main protective equipment in low pressure switchboards.
ACB is usually used at the entrance of main switchboards and high capacity power distribution systems and can have multiple protection features.
Overload relay
Overload relay is used to protect the motor against overload conditions. The correct selection of the relay should be done based on the rated current of the motor and circuit specifications.
Phase control relay
Interruption of one of the phases, shifting of phases or unbalanced phases can disrupt the performance of three-phase motors. The phase control relay is used to detect some of these conditions.
In production lines where three-phase motors play an important role, the use of phase control equipment can prevent many damages caused by improper network conditions.
Overvoltage and undervoltage protection
Some industrial equipment are sensitive to voltage changes. Voltage-related protection equipment can detect conditions such as voltage drop or rise and issue a shutdown or protection command if the parameters exceed the set range.
Protection relays
Protective relays play an important role in more complex industrial networks. These equipments check the electrical parameters and if an error is detected, they send the necessary command to the power switch.
Protective relays can be used to protect against overcurrent, ground fault, voltage faults and other conditions.
Short circuit protection
Short circuit is one of the most dangerous electrical faults in industrial networks. In this situation, a lot of current may pass through the fault path and cause damage to cables, equipment, and electrical panels.
For short-circuit protection, the breaking capacity of switches and fuses must be compatible with the possible short-circuit current level. Choosing a key that does not have enough cutting capacity cannot provide adequate protection.
For this reason, it is very important to calculate and check the network before choosing protective equipment.
Overload protection
Overload occurs when the current consumption of a device or circuit exceeds the permissible value for a certain period of time. In electric motors, overload can increase the temperature and reduce the life of the motor.
Overload relays and some protection switches can be used to handle these conditions. The correct setting of the equipment is also very important; Because setting too sensitive may cause unnecessary interruptions and setting too high will not provide enough protection.
The role of earth system in industrial electricity protection
Earth system is one of the important safety components in industrial electrical installations. The main purpose of earth is to create a suitable path for the fault current and help the protection equipment to function.
In the event of a body connection fault, the proper earthing system can create conditions where the fault current passes through the predicted path and the protection equipment works faster.
Earth system design should be done according to the type of project, network structure, existing equipment and safety requirements. Improper implementation of the earth may cause the protection system to not perform optimally at the right time.
Protection against power surges
Voltage fluctuations are another common problem in industrial networks. Increasing or decreasing voltage can damage electronic equipment and some machines.
In systems where there are PLCs, controllers, measuring equipment and sensitive electronic equipment, checking power quality becomes more important.
The method of choosing protective equipment in industrial electricity
The selection of protective equipment should be based on an engineering process. The first step is to know the network and consumers.
1. Determining the network voltage
First, the voltage level of the system must be determined. The equipment used in different networks are different in terms of structure and technical specifications.
2. Calculation of consumption current
Rated current of each circuit is one of the most important factors in choosing protective equipment. The capacity of the switch, fuse, and cable must be compatible with the expected current.
3. Check the short circuit current
The breaking capacity of the protective equipment must be proportional to the possible short-circuit current at the installation point. This issue is especially important in main panels and industrial networks.
4. Attention to the type of load
The type of load is also very important in choosing equipment. Electric motors, resistive loads, electronic equipment and lighting systems behave differently in the network.
For example, the motor at the moment of starting may consume more current than its rated current. Therefore, the choice of protective equipment should also consider these conditions.
5. Check environmental conditions
6. Protection coordination
One of the important design principles is coordination or selectivity between protective equipment. The goal is that in the event of an error, the protective equipment closest to the error location will operate.
For example, if a motor has a short circuit, it is better to protect the same circuit and not cut off the power of the entire factory.
The difference between protective equipment in industrial and building electricity
Although the general principles of electrical protection in buildings and industry are similar, industrial networks are usually much more complex and powerful.
In the factory, several switchboards, large motors, transformers, generators, production lines and automation equipment may operate at the same time. Therefore, the protection system must be designed in a hierarchical and coordinated manner.
Also in industry, issues such as short-circuit current, protection coordination, power quality, motor protection and control equipment protection become more important.
Common mistakes when choosing protective equipment
One of the most common mistakes is choosing equipment based only on rated current. While parameters such as disconnection capacity, type of load, network specifications and environmental conditions should also be checked.
Another mistake is to use protective equipment without coordination between different parts of the network. If the settings of the equipment are not coordinated with each other, a large part of the system may be out of the circuit when an error occurs.
Also, choosing a brand or model based solely on low price can create more costs in the long run. Construction quality, reliability, technical services and the possibility of supplying parts should also be considered when choosing.
The role of Smart Power in the implementation of protection systems
Designing and correct implementation of protective equipment in industrial electricity requires network knowledge and practical experience. Technical and engineering group of Smart Power, focusing on industrial electricity services, can be in different stages of a project, from examining basic needs to designing, selecting equipment and implementing electrical systems alongside industrial complexes.
This service can be especially important in projects such as factories, workshops, greenhouses and complexes that need industrial electricity and automation.
A suitable protection system should be designed according to the project; Therefore, before buying the equipment, it is necessary to check the maps, electrical loads, network capacity and working conditions. Using the services of an expert technical group such as Technical and Engineering Group of Smart Power can help reduce design errors and choose equipment according to the needs of the project.
summary
Protection equipment in industrial electricity are an integral part of a safe and stable electrical network. Fuses, MCB, MCCB and ACB switches, protective relays, overload relays, phase control relays, voltage protection equipment and earth system each have a specific task in protecting the network and equipment.
The selection of this equipment should be based on network voltage, current consumption, type of load, short circuit current, environmental conditions and protection coordination. A principled choice, in addition to increasing safety, can prevent damage to expensive equipment and unwanted stoppage of production lines.
If you need to design and implement an electrical system, switchboard, protection or industrial automation for your factory, workshop or industrial project, Smart Power Technical and Engineering Group can be a specialized option to review project needs and provide engineering solutions.
