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7292019 RP12-3
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RP 12-3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND
INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
October 1994
Copyright copy The British Petroleum Company plc
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Copyright copy The British Petroleum Company plc
All rights reserved The information contained in this document is subject to the terms
and conditions of the agreement or contract under which the document was supplied to
the recipients organisation None of the information contained in this document shall
be disclosed outside the recipients own organisation without the prior written
permission of Manager Standards BP International Limited unless the terms of such
agreement or contract expressly allow
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BP GROUP RECOMMENDED PRACTICES AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR ENGINEERING
Issue Date October 1994
Doc No RP 12-3 Latest Amendment Date
Document Title
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND
INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
(Replaces BP Engineering CP 17 Pt 3)
APPLICABILITY
Regional Applicability International
SCOPE AND PURPOSE
This document describes the basic approach to electrical power system design which is
recommended for all BP operated sites It provides guidance only and actual practices
may vary to meet requirements of national or local regulations However in deviating
from the approaches detailed in this document security of supply factors may be created
which will need to be assessed in order to ensure fit for purpose power system design
AMENDMENTS
Amd Date Page(s) Description
___________________________________________________________________
CUSTODIAN (See Quarterly Status List for Contact)
ElectricalIssued by-
Engineering Practices Group BP International Limited Research amp Engineering Centre
Chertsey Road Sunbury-on-Thames Middlesex TW16 7LN UNITED KINGDOM
Tel +44 1932 76 4067 Fax +44 1932 76 4077 Telex 296041
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POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE i
CONTENTS
Section Page
FOREWORDiii
1 INTRODUCTION1
11 Scope 1
2 SYSTEM PARAMETERS1
21 Voltage1
22 Frequency 2
23 Rating 2
3 LOADS3
31 Rating and Diversity Factors 3
32 Types of Load4
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES5
41 General 542 Emergency Power Supply Equipment8
43 Reliability10
44 Primary Substation10
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation13
46 Synchronising 15
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems 16
5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS17
51 General 17
52 Single Radial18
53 Double Radial 1854 Triple Radial 19
55 Ring Fed Systems20
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems21
57 Power System Control 22
58 Electrical Distribution Substations25
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS 26
61 Fault Calculations 26
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings 28
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents29
64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems 317 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING32
71 General 32
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral33
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)33
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V and above) 34
75 Generator Earthing 35
76 Earthing Resistors37
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS 37
81 Motor Starting37
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82 Overvoltages38
83 Harmonics 40
84 Power Factor 42
9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES44
91 General 44
92 Conventional Studies 45
93 Special Studies48
FIGURE 1 (A)49
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION 49
FIGURE 1 (B) 50
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION 50
FIGURE 1 (C)51
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION 51
APPENDIX A52DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS52
APPENDIX B53
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS53
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FOREWORD
Introduction to BP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering
The Introductory Volume contains a series of documents that provide an introduction to theBP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering (RPSEs) In particular
the General Foreword sets out the philosophy of the RPSEs Other documents in the
Introductory Volume provide general guidance on using the RPSEs and background
information to Engineering Standards in BP There are also recommendations for specific
definitions and requirements
Value of this Recommended Practice
This document represents the accumulated practices of the BP Group for ensuring a high
degree of plant availability and electrical system integrity within the constraints for cost
effective engineering
Application
Text in italics is Commentary Commentary provides background information which supports
the requirements of the Recommended Practice and may discuss alternative optionsIt also
gives guidance on the implementation of any Specification or Approval actions specific
actions are indicated by an asterisk () preceding a paragraph number
This document may refer to certain local national or international regulations but the
responsibility to ensure compliance with legislation and any other statutory requirements lieswith the user The user should adapt or supplement this document to ensure compliance for
the specific application
Principal Changes from Previous Edition
This Recommended Practice is a major revision of BP CP 17 Pt 3 Power Systems Design
which was last issued in April 1986 It has been updated in the Way Forward Style to reflect
significant advances in power system design
Feedback and Further Information
Users are invited to feed back any comments and to detail experiences in the application of
BP RPSEs to assist in the process of their continuous improvement
For feedback and further information please contact Standards Group BP International or the
Custodian See Quarterly Status List for contacts
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1 INTRODUCTION
11 Scope
The BP Group RP 12 series of Recommended Practices specify generalrequirements for electrical systems equipment materials andinstallations This document specifies those items which apply generallyto power system design for systems with a highest nominal voltage of 36 kV
It is considered that most of the installations within the sphere of BP operations
would be 345kV or below However it has been found that even for voltages of
132 kV the same principles would tend to apply for industrial systems
12 Although the following items may form part of power systems in certain
activities of the BP Group their designs are not covered by this
document Where necessary the relevant international or national
standard must be applied to these elements of electrical systems
(i) Design of overhead line
(ii) Design of large power rectifier plant
(iii) Design aspects of electrical systems which are special to mine
winding plant earth-moving equipment conveying crushing
and associated metalliferous treatment plants
(iv) Electrical systems in ships
(v) Electrical systems for subsea installations
(vi) Electrical design of installations in commercial administrative
or domestic premises
The above exclusions are considered special in nature andor can be undertaken
more efficiently by directly adopting practice which is common in the area where
the installation is to be employed
2 SYSTEM PARAMETERS
21 Voltage
The most economical voltages shall be selected for a Power System
In general the voltages selected should accord with the economical voltage levels
for machines which are included in BP Group RP 12-11
In any existing installation the selection of voltage levels will be subject also to site
conditions The requirement for having the most economic system voltage is
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intended to ensure that an economic appraisal of alternative courses of action is
undertaken or has been considered
The nominal phase to phase voltage for systems where voltages exceed1000 V should be selected from those detailed in IEC 38 When the
phase to phase voltage is below 1000 V the appropriate nominal
voltage to meet the national standards of the site location should beused For greenfield sites or offshore locations where the possibilityof interconnection with an outside authority is low the use of non-standard voltages below 1000 V (eg 660 V) shall be based oneconomic considerations
In the UK the nominal LV voltage would be either 415 V or 440 V phase to phase
with a tolerance of plusmn 5 (Notwithstanding current legislation which may suggest
that nominal voltages will in future be 380 V plusmn 10 or the provisions of the
Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 which require voltage tolerances to be within plusmn
6 for voltages less than 132 kV) See also 451
Any deployment of non standard voltage systems should be based upon specificeconomic studies which take full account of the need to hold spares which may be
beyond normal stock levels
22 Frequency
The frequency selected for power systems will be either 50 or 60 Hzdepending on the national standards of the site location Where a site isto be remotely located and powered only from on-site generation thefrequency selected should be compatible with the frequency of supplyof the nearest local electrical supply source or public utility if it isenvisaged that future inter-connection is desirable Where future inter-
connection with other sources of electricity supply is not envisaged as being possible or where economic advantages outweigh the benefits infuture possible interconnections the frequency of supply shall beselected on economic considerations and on ease of obtaining suitableequipment
North Sea experience indicates that selecting 60 Hz frequency tends to offer
possible economic advantages and as European equipment (ie widely available
equipment) suppliers can gear their product range to this frequency and the
standard voltages within Europe such selection becomes more likely
23 Rating
(i) Power systems with a voltage in excess of 1000 V should be so
designed that the rms value of the ac component of the short-
circuit breaking current of circuit breakers designed to IEC 56
andor BP Group GS 112-9 should be selected from values
readily available from equipment manufacturers
The selection of 25 kA as a symmetrical short circuit breaking capacity
could be found to represent a general economic ceiling to the available
fault levels for equipment Where there will be economic advantage in
providing switchgear of higher ratings eg 40 kA then this would be
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encouraged In any case in a green field situation the Short Circuit
capability of the installation should be based upon economic grounds The
capability of switchgear should always be proven by test before being
accepted into full duty service Testing would be particularly important
where enhanced make fault levels or enhanced dc content at break levels
are required The requirements for testing is contained within BP Group
GS 112-9 however at the design stage account should be taken for anyneed for Type Testing See also 631
(ii) For power systems with a voltage less than 1000V the rms
value of the ac component of the short-circuit breaking current
of circuit breakers designed to IEC 947 andor BP Group GS
112-8 should not exceed 50 kA
See the commentary for (i) above Where economically viable the selection
of 80 kA or above rated switchgear is encouraged BP Group GS 112-8
includes testing requirements for LV circuit breakers
3 LOADS
31 Rating and Diversity Factors
311 Electrical equipment shall be rated to carry continuously the maximum
load associated with peak design production with an additional 10
contingency The ambient conditions at which this rating applies shall
be defined in equipment specifications and shall not be less than 40degC
maximum air temperature at an altitude not exceeding 1000 m
A load list would normally identify all process loads and would further identify the
power to be absorbed by the mechanical drive This would be adjusted for
efficiency of the electrical drive to arrive at a value of power to be drawn from the
electrical system Aggregated plant loading should be carried out in accordance
with 312 Beyond this estimate only one allowance of contingency should be taken
on the thus identified after diversity plant load Where a total system load is to be
estimated which includes a number of individual switchgear loads estimated in this
manner care should be taken to be assured of only one overall estimate for
contingency
The specification of maximum temperature and elevation are chosen in order to be
assured that equipment has sufficient capacity for the most arduous of likely
conditions albeit at a standard elevation However where the location is such that
it is clear that there is no possibility of reaching the standard 40degC level and there
is economic advantage in relaxing the temperature the actual maximum and
minimum temperatures should be specified Similarly if the elevation is above
1000m the actual elevation should be specified
312 Assessment of maximum load requirements of an installation shall allow
for diversity between various loads drives or plants Appropriate
factors shall consider the likelihood of loads drives production or
process trains coincidentally requiring peak demands and shall be based
on similar installations wherever possible
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It is considered important that power system loading estimates be based upon
absorbed demands for machine loads with appropriate allowances for efficiency
and power factor In addition the effect of diversity should be assessed preferably
by using a concept of intermittence or alternatively by the application of well
proven diversity factors In the absence of either of these methods an average
maximum loading expectation may be assessed by adding 50 of the intermittent
load (that controlled by level switches or by thermocouples or other control
devices) to the continuously running loads In addition to this aggregated load an
assessment of likely standby load operating should be made A maximum of
standby operation may be obtained by considering boiler outage (insufficient steam
for steam turbine drivers) or by a maximum product throughput condition
32 Types of Load
All loads shall be presented with clear definition of their types inaccordance with the following-
321 Basic Information
For each identified electrical load a description of the service should begiven together with an indication of whether the device is a machine or a static load
(i) Dynamic
These are electric motors driving rotating equipment
(ii) Static
These are non-moving types of electrical equipment such as lighting heating
supplies to rectifiers etc
The bulk of the loads on the majority of BP installations comprise dynamic loads
and the proportions of dynamic to static loads are generally in the ratio of 101
Where there are machines supplied by Variable Speed Drives these may exhibit
properties similar to those of some static loads viz constant power demand despite
voltage variations Their contribution to system fault level is limited by the power
electronic system in some cases to zero contribution
322 Essential Loads
These are loads which are important to the safety of the installation or the operational staff and which require power to permit a reasonablycontrolled shutdown in emergency They shall have a secondindependent power source and be generally associated with no break supplies In certain cases a short supply break may be acceptable if thisdoes not represent a hazard to safety
BP Group RP 12-5 contains advice concerning the categorisation of power supplies
suitable for control systems The concept of essential loads used here is fairly close
to the concept of Class A contained in that RP however the loads would not
require the level of duplication required for Class A systems Included in the
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concept of essential power system loads are such devices as Lub oil pumps for Gas
Turbines ventilation systems helipad lighting some floodlighting systems
navigational aids radio systems etc The term Essential used here was chosen to
align with the term Essential as defined in the IEE Recommendations for the
Electrical and Electronic Equipment of Mobile and Fixed Offshore Installations
It is noted that some loads which are essential by this definition may require the provision of Emergency Power Supply Facilities in order to meet Legislative
Requirements This is not inconsistent with the definition of Essential Loads used
here which is aimed at providing a convenient process for being assured that all
such critical loads are covered by the appropriate level of power supply (See
further Section 421)
323 Process Sensitive Loads
These are loads whose loss would affect continuity of plant operationresulting in loss of revenue but would not result in an unsafe situationarising Any decision to provide an alternative source of supply for these types of load shall be based on economic considerations
Included in this category are general lighting systems and process demands
It is sometimes possible particularly where process loadings are relatively low to
include sufficient into an emergency generator capacity to allow some processes to
continue on reduced capacity when main power generators are not available
There are no general rules for this type of provision except to emphasise that
application of such loads should not compromise any emergency services Each
case would be project specific
324 Non-sensitive Loads
Non-sensitive loads are those which do not form an importantcomponent of a production or process plant and their disconnectioncould be borne for relatively long periods with minimal or nuisancevalue They usually form a small proportion of the total connected loadand may have a single power source
Typical examples of these loads are the domestic part of accommodation offices
Workshops some water injection some potable water systems etc
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES
41 General
The power supply system shall be designed to provide safe andeconomical operation The safety aspects should cover both plant and
personnel Economic considerations shall cover capital maintenanceand running costs and include an assessment of the reliability andconsequent availability of the system The cost of improved power systems reliability should be weighed against the progressive potentialsavings due to decreased loss of production
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It is expected that for any significant power system design there will have been an
economic comparison of alternative arrangements Larger projects would be
expected to initiate a formal safety review and this process would ensure that the
basic safety needs of the project would be satisfied For smaller projects or plant
extensions where such a formal review may not be arranged the designer should
nonetheless consider safety aspects relating to the electrical system and produce an
outline document which presents these issues for the record
All negotiations with public utilities shall be the sole responsibility of BP
In as much as the arrangements with Public Authorities will form part of the long
term operational environment for the installation it is considered necessary that
the operator (assumed to be BP in the context of this document) is fully aware and
has the sole responsibility for the longer term compliance with the requirements
arising from any negotiations Such responsibility should not be delegated to a third
party unless the third party has an ongoing operational responsibility
It is considered that Contractors may request information from Public Utilities onbehalf of BP in pursuit of the determination of options relating to possible
installations or changes to existing installations but that in doing so it is made clear
that any formal agreement which arises from the information or investigation will
be with the operating company (BP)
The principal source of electrical supply for any location subject to therequirements of 411 to 413 shall be defined
The power supply arrangements are fundamental to any operating site and need to
feature strongly in the overall project concept A power supply philosophy
document which records the arrangements for power supply and the reasoning
associated with any selection is considered highly desirable A contractor mayhave part of his workscope associated with an evaluation and selection of power
supply arrangements in which case such a presentation is assured The selection of
the power supply arrangements may have formed part of a feasibility (or Statement
of Requirements) study which may have been produced by BP in which case the
definition of the power supply arrangements would form part of a contractors
specification
411 Electrical Import from a Public Utility
Where the principal source of electrical power is selected to be from a public utility the supply should be via duplicate feeders An exception
to this may be permitted for economic reasons where low power loadsare to be supplied and where a single feeder may be employed
It would be expected that there could be a costbenefit statement to justify the use of
single feeds Where the supply is low power and not essential for operations (eg
Cathodic Protection supplies) the justification is trivial however single supplies
with on site standby generation which will operate to supply full load in the event of
a main power supply failure may be an economic alternative to a duel supply
arrangement
Essential loads should always be provided for by on-site power supplyequipment
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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Copyright copy The British Petroleum Company plc
All rights reserved The information contained in this document is subject to the terms
and conditions of the agreement or contract under which the document was supplied to
the recipients organisation None of the information contained in this document shall
be disclosed outside the recipients own organisation without the prior written
permission of Manager Standards BP International Limited unless the terms of such
agreement or contract expressly allow
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BP GROUP RECOMMENDED PRACTICES AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR ENGINEERING
Issue Date October 1994
Doc No RP 12-3 Latest Amendment Date
Document Title
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND
INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
(Replaces BP Engineering CP 17 Pt 3)
APPLICABILITY
Regional Applicability International
SCOPE AND PURPOSE
This document describes the basic approach to electrical power system design which is
recommended for all BP operated sites It provides guidance only and actual practices
may vary to meet requirements of national or local regulations However in deviating
from the approaches detailed in this document security of supply factors may be created
which will need to be assessed in order to ensure fit for purpose power system design
AMENDMENTS
Amd Date Page(s) Description
___________________________________________________________________
CUSTODIAN (See Quarterly Status List for Contact)
ElectricalIssued by-
Engineering Practices Group BP International Limited Research amp Engineering Centre
Chertsey Road Sunbury-on-Thames Middlesex TW16 7LN UNITED KINGDOM
Tel +44 1932 76 4067 Fax +44 1932 76 4077 Telex 296041
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
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PAGE i
CONTENTS
Section Page
FOREWORDiii
1 INTRODUCTION1
11 Scope 1
2 SYSTEM PARAMETERS1
21 Voltage1
22 Frequency 2
23 Rating 2
3 LOADS3
31 Rating and Diversity Factors 3
32 Types of Load4
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES5
41 General 542 Emergency Power Supply Equipment8
43 Reliability10
44 Primary Substation10
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation13
46 Synchronising 15
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems 16
5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS17
51 General 17
52 Single Radial18
53 Double Radial 1854 Triple Radial 19
55 Ring Fed Systems20
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems21
57 Power System Control 22
58 Electrical Distribution Substations25
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS 26
61 Fault Calculations 26
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings 28
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents29
64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems 317 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING32
71 General 32
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral33
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)33
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V and above) 34
75 Generator Earthing 35
76 Earthing Resistors37
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS 37
81 Motor Starting37
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82 Overvoltages38
83 Harmonics 40
84 Power Factor 42
9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES44
91 General 44
92 Conventional Studies 45
93 Special Studies48
FIGURE 1 (A)49
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION 49
FIGURE 1 (B) 50
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION 50
FIGURE 1 (C)51
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION 51
APPENDIX A52DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS52
APPENDIX B53
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS53
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FOREWORD
Introduction to BP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering
The Introductory Volume contains a series of documents that provide an introduction to theBP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering (RPSEs) In particular
the General Foreword sets out the philosophy of the RPSEs Other documents in the
Introductory Volume provide general guidance on using the RPSEs and background
information to Engineering Standards in BP There are also recommendations for specific
definitions and requirements
Value of this Recommended Practice
This document represents the accumulated practices of the BP Group for ensuring a high
degree of plant availability and electrical system integrity within the constraints for cost
effective engineering
Application
Text in italics is Commentary Commentary provides background information which supports
the requirements of the Recommended Practice and may discuss alternative optionsIt also
gives guidance on the implementation of any Specification or Approval actions specific
actions are indicated by an asterisk () preceding a paragraph number
This document may refer to certain local national or international regulations but the
responsibility to ensure compliance with legislation and any other statutory requirements lieswith the user The user should adapt or supplement this document to ensure compliance for
the specific application
Principal Changes from Previous Edition
This Recommended Practice is a major revision of BP CP 17 Pt 3 Power Systems Design
which was last issued in April 1986 It has been updated in the Way Forward Style to reflect
significant advances in power system design
Feedback and Further Information
Users are invited to feed back any comments and to detail experiences in the application of
BP RPSEs to assist in the process of their continuous improvement
For feedback and further information please contact Standards Group BP International or the
Custodian See Quarterly Status List for contacts
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1 INTRODUCTION
11 Scope
The BP Group RP 12 series of Recommended Practices specify generalrequirements for electrical systems equipment materials andinstallations This document specifies those items which apply generallyto power system design for systems with a highest nominal voltage of 36 kV
It is considered that most of the installations within the sphere of BP operations
would be 345kV or below However it has been found that even for voltages of
132 kV the same principles would tend to apply for industrial systems
12 Although the following items may form part of power systems in certain
activities of the BP Group their designs are not covered by this
document Where necessary the relevant international or national
standard must be applied to these elements of electrical systems
(i) Design of overhead line
(ii) Design of large power rectifier plant
(iii) Design aspects of electrical systems which are special to mine
winding plant earth-moving equipment conveying crushing
and associated metalliferous treatment plants
(iv) Electrical systems in ships
(v) Electrical systems for subsea installations
(vi) Electrical design of installations in commercial administrative
or domestic premises
The above exclusions are considered special in nature andor can be undertaken
more efficiently by directly adopting practice which is common in the area where
the installation is to be employed
2 SYSTEM PARAMETERS
21 Voltage
The most economical voltages shall be selected for a Power System
In general the voltages selected should accord with the economical voltage levels
for machines which are included in BP Group RP 12-11
In any existing installation the selection of voltage levels will be subject also to site
conditions The requirement for having the most economic system voltage is
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intended to ensure that an economic appraisal of alternative courses of action is
undertaken or has been considered
The nominal phase to phase voltage for systems where voltages exceed1000 V should be selected from those detailed in IEC 38 When the
phase to phase voltage is below 1000 V the appropriate nominal
voltage to meet the national standards of the site location should beused For greenfield sites or offshore locations where the possibilityof interconnection with an outside authority is low the use of non-standard voltages below 1000 V (eg 660 V) shall be based oneconomic considerations
In the UK the nominal LV voltage would be either 415 V or 440 V phase to phase
with a tolerance of plusmn 5 (Notwithstanding current legislation which may suggest
that nominal voltages will in future be 380 V plusmn 10 or the provisions of the
Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 which require voltage tolerances to be within plusmn
6 for voltages less than 132 kV) See also 451
Any deployment of non standard voltage systems should be based upon specificeconomic studies which take full account of the need to hold spares which may be
beyond normal stock levels
22 Frequency
The frequency selected for power systems will be either 50 or 60 Hzdepending on the national standards of the site location Where a site isto be remotely located and powered only from on-site generation thefrequency selected should be compatible with the frequency of supplyof the nearest local electrical supply source or public utility if it isenvisaged that future inter-connection is desirable Where future inter-
connection with other sources of electricity supply is not envisaged as being possible or where economic advantages outweigh the benefits infuture possible interconnections the frequency of supply shall beselected on economic considerations and on ease of obtaining suitableequipment
North Sea experience indicates that selecting 60 Hz frequency tends to offer
possible economic advantages and as European equipment (ie widely available
equipment) suppliers can gear their product range to this frequency and the
standard voltages within Europe such selection becomes more likely
23 Rating
(i) Power systems with a voltage in excess of 1000 V should be so
designed that the rms value of the ac component of the short-
circuit breaking current of circuit breakers designed to IEC 56
andor BP Group GS 112-9 should be selected from values
readily available from equipment manufacturers
The selection of 25 kA as a symmetrical short circuit breaking capacity
could be found to represent a general economic ceiling to the available
fault levels for equipment Where there will be economic advantage in
providing switchgear of higher ratings eg 40 kA then this would be
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encouraged In any case in a green field situation the Short Circuit
capability of the installation should be based upon economic grounds The
capability of switchgear should always be proven by test before being
accepted into full duty service Testing would be particularly important
where enhanced make fault levels or enhanced dc content at break levels
are required The requirements for testing is contained within BP Group
GS 112-9 however at the design stage account should be taken for anyneed for Type Testing See also 631
(ii) For power systems with a voltage less than 1000V the rms
value of the ac component of the short-circuit breaking current
of circuit breakers designed to IEC 947 andor BP Group GS
112-8 should not exceed 50 kA
See the commentary for (i) above Where economically viable the selection
of 80 kA or above rated switchgear is encouraged BP Group GS 112-8
includes testing requirements for LV circuit breakers
3 LOADS
31 Rating and Diversity Factors
311 Electrical equipment shall be rated to carry continuously the maximum
load associated with peak design production with an additional 10
contingency The ambient conditions at which this rating applies shall
be defined in equipment specifications and shall not be less than 40degC
maximum air temperature at an altitude not exceeding 1000 m
A load list would normally identify all process loads and would further identify the
power to be absorbed by the mechanical drive This would be adjusted for
efficiency of the electrical drive to arrive at a value of power to be drawn from the
electrical system Aggregated plant loading should be carried out in accordance
with 312 Beyond this estimate only one allowance of contingency should be taken
on the thus identified after diversity plant load Where a total system load is to be
estimated which includes a number of individual switchgear loads estimated in this
manner care should be taken to be assured of only one overall estimate for
contingency
The specification of maximum temperature and elevation are chosen in order to be
assured that equipment has sufficient capacity for the most arduous of likely
conditions albeit at a standard elevation However where the location is such that
it is clear that there is no possibility of reaching the standard 40degC level and there
is economic advantage in relaxing the temperature the actual maximum and
minimum temperatures should be specified Similarly if the elevation is above
1000m the actual elevation should be specified
312 Assessment of maximum load requirements of an installation shall allow
for diversity between various loads drives or plants Appropriate
factors shall consider the likelihood of loads drives production or
process trains coincidentally requiring peak demands and shall be based
on similar installations wherever possible
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It is considered important that power system loading estimates be based upon
absorbed demands for machine loads with appropriate allowances for efficiency
and power factor In addition the effect of diversity should be assessed preferably
by using a concept of intermittence or alternatively by the application of well
proven diversity factors In the absence of either of these methods an average
maximum loading expectation may be assessed by adding 50 of the intermittent
load (that controlled by level switches or by thermocouples or other control
devices) to the continuously running loads In addition to this aggregated load an
assessment of likely standby load operating should be made A maximum of
standby operation may be obtained by considering boiler outage (insufficient steam
for steam turbine drivers) or by a maximum product throughput condition
32 Types of Load
All loads shall be presented with clear definition of their types inaccordance with the following-
321 Basic Information
For each identified electrical load a description of the service should begiven together with an indication of whether the device is a machine or a static load
(i) Dynamic
These are electric motors driving rotating equipment
(ii) Static
These are non-moving types of electrical equipment such as lighting heating
supplies to rectifiers etc
The bulk of the loads on the majority of BP installations comprise dynamic loads
and the proportions of dynamic to static loads are generally in the ratio of 101
Where there are machines supplied by Variable Speed Drives these may exhibit
properties similar to those of some static loads viz constant power demand despite
voltage variations Their contribution to system fault level is limited by the power
electronic system in some cases to zero contribution
322 Essential Loads
These are loads which are important to the safety of the installation or the operational staff and which require power to permit a reasonablycontrolled shutdown in emergency They shall have a secondindependent power source and be generally associated with no break supplies In certain cases a short supply break may be acceptable if thisdoes not represent a hazard to safety
BP Group RP 12-5 contains advice concerning the categorisation of power supplies
suitable for control systems The concept of essential loads used here is fairly close
to the concept of Class A contained in that RP however the loads would not
require the level of duplication required for Class A systems Included in the
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concept of essential power system loads are such devices as Lub oil pumps for Gas
Turbines ventilation systems helipad lighting some floodlighting systems
navigational aids radio systems etc The term Essential used here was chosen to
align with the term Essential as defined in the IEE Recommendations for the
Electrical and Electronic Equipment of Mobile and Fixed Offshore Installations
It is noted that some loads which are essential by this definition may require the provision of Emergency Power Supply Facilities in order to meet Legislative
Requirements This is not inconsistent with the definition of Essential Loads used
here which is aimed at providing a convenient process for being assured that all
such critical loads are covered by the appropriate level of power supply (See
further Section 421)
323 Process Sensitive Loads
These are loads whose loss would affect continuity of plant operationresulting in loss of revenue but would not result in an unsafe situationarising Any decision to provide an alternative source of supply for these types of load shall be based on economic considerations
Included in this category are general lighting systems and process demands
It is sometimes possible particularly where process loadings are relatively low to
include sufficient into an emergency generator capacity to allow some processes to
continue on reduced capacity when main power generators are not available
There are no general rules for this type of provision except to emphasise that
application of such loads should not compromise any emergency services Each
case would be project specific
324 Non-sensitive Loads
Non-sensitive loads are those which do not form an importantcomponent of a production or process plant and their disconnectioncould be borne for relatively long periods with minimal or nuisancevalue They usually form a small proportion of the total connected loadand may have a single power source
Typical examples of these loads are the domestic part of accommodation offices
Workshops some water injection some potable water systems etc
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES
41 General
The power supply system shall be designed to provide safe andeconomical operation The safety aspects should cover both plant and
personnel Economic considerations shall cover capital maintenanceand running costs and include an assessment of the reliability andconsequent availability of the system The cost of improved power systems reliability should be weighed against the progressive potentialsavings due to decreased loss of production
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It is expected that for any significant power system design there will have been an
economic comparison of alternative arrangements Larger projects would be
expected to initiate a formal safety review and this process would ensure that the
basic safety needs of the project would be satisfied For smaller projects or plant
extensions where such a formal review may not be arranged the designer should
nonetheless consider safety aspects relating to the electrical system and produce an
outline document which presents these issues for the record
All negotiations with public utilities shall be the sole responsibility of BP
In as much as the arrangements with Public Authorities will form part of the long
term operational environment for the installation it is considered necessary that
the operator (assumed to be BP in the context of this document) is fully aware and
has the sole responsibility for the longer term compliance with the requirements
arising from any negotiations Such responsibility should not be delegated to a third
party unless the third party has an ongoing operational responsibility
It is considered that Contractors may request information from Public Utilities onbehalf of BP in pursuit of the determination of options relating to possible
installations or changes to existing installations but that in doing so it is made clear
that any formal agreement which arises from the information or investigation will
be with the operating company (BP)
The principal source of electrical supply for any location subject to therequirements of 411 to 413 shall be defined
The power supply arrangements are fundamental to any operating site and need to
feature strongly in the overall project concept A power supply philosophy
document which records the arrangements for power supply and the reasoning
associated with any selection is considered highly desirable A contractor mayhave part of his workscope associated with an evaluation and selection of power
supply arrangements in which case such a presentation is assured The selection of
the power supply arrangements may have formed part of a feasibility (or Statement
of Requirements) study which may have been produced by BP in which case the
definition of the power supply arrangements would form part of a contractors
specification
411 Electrical Import from a Public Utility
Where the principal source of electrical power is selected to be from a public utility the supply should be via duplicate feeders An exception
to this may be permitted for economic reasons where low power loadsare to be supplied and where a single feeder may be employed
It would be expected that there could be a costbenefit statement to justify the use of
single feeds Where the supply is low power and not essential for operations (eg
Cathodic Protection supplies) the justification is trivial however single supplies
with on site standby generation which will operate to supply full load in the event of
a main power supply failure may be an economic alternative to a duel supply
arrangement
Essential loads should always be provided for by on-site power supplyequipment
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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BP GROUP RECOMMENDED PRACTICES AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR ENGINEERING
Issue Date October 1994
Doc No RP 12-3 Latest Amendment Date
Document Title
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND
INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
(Replaces BP Engineering CP 17 Pt 3)
APPLICABILITY
Regional Applicability International
SCOPE AND PURPOSE
This document describes the basic approach to electrical power system design which is
recommended for all BP operated sites It provides guidance only and actual practices
may vary to meet requirements of national or local regulations However in deviating
from the approaches detailed in this document security of supply factors may be created
which will need to be assessed in order to ensure fit for purpose power system design
AMENDMENTS
Amd Date Page(s) Description
___________________________________________________________________
CUSTODIAN (See Quarterly Status List for Contact)
ElectricalIssued by-
Engineering Practices Group BP International Limited Research amp Engineering Centre
Chertsey Road Sunbury-on-Thames Middlesex TW16 7LN UNITED KINGDOM
Tel +44 1932 76 4067 Fax +44 1932 76 4077 Telex 296041
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CONTENTS
Section Page
FOREWORDiii
1 INTRODUCTION1
11 Scope 1
2 SYSTEM PARAMETERS1
21 Voltage1
22 Frequency 2
23 Rating 2
3 LOADS3
31 Rating and Diversity Factors 3
32 Types of Load4
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES5
41 General 542 Emergency Power Supply Equipment8
43 Reliability10
44 Primary Substation10
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation13
46 Synchronising 15
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems 16
5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS17
51 General 17
52 Single Radial18
53 Double Radial 1854 Triple Radial 19
55 Ring Fed Systems20
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems21
57 Power System Control 22
58 Electrical Distribution Substations25
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS 26
61 Fault Calculations 26
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings 28
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents29
64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems 317 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING32
71 General 32
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral33
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)33
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V and above) 34
75 Generator Earthing 35
76 Earthing Resistors37
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS 37
81 Motor Starting37
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82 Overvoltages38
83 Harmonics 40
84 Power Factor 42
9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES44
91 General 44
92 Conventional Studies 45
93 Special Studies48
FIGURE 1 (A)49
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION 49
FIGURE 1 (B) 50
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION 50
FIGURE 1 (C)51
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION 51
APPENDIX A52DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS52
APPENDIX B53
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS53
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FOREWORD
Introduction to BP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering
The Introductory Volume contains a series of documents that provide an introduction to theBP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering (RPSEs) In particular
the General Foreword sets out the philosophy of the RPSEs Other documents in the
Introductory Volume provide general guidance on using the RPSEs and background
information to Engineering Standards in BP There are also recommendations for specific
definitions and requirements
Value of this Recommended Practice
This document represents the accumulated practices of the BP Group for ensuring a high
degree of plant availability and electrical system integrity within the constraints for cost
effective engineering
Application
Text in italics is Commentary Commentary provides background information which supports
the requirements of the Recommended Practice and may discuss alternative optionsIt also
gives guidance on the implementation of any Specification or Approval actions specific
actions are indicated by an asterisk () preceding a paragraph number
This document may refer to certain local national or international regulations but the
responsibility to ensure compliance with legislation and any other statutory requirements lieswith the user The user should adapt or supplement this document to ensure compliance for
the specific application
Principal Changes from Previous Edition
This Recommended Practice is a major revision of BP CP 17 Pt 3 Power Systems Design
which was last issued in April 1986 It has been updated in the Way Forward Style to reflect
significant advances in power system design
Feedback and Further Information
Users are invited to feed back any comments and to detail experiences in the application of
BP RPSEs to assist in the process of their continuous improvement
For feedback and further information please contact Standards Group BP International or the
Custodian See Quarterly Status List for contacts
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1 INTRODUCTION
11 Scope
The BP Group RP 12 series of Recommended Practices specify generalrequirements for electrical systems equipment materials andinstallations This document specifies those items which apply generallyto power system design for systems with a highest nominal voltage of 36 kV
It is considered that most of the installations within the sphere of BP operations
would be 345kV or below However it has been found that even for voltages of
132 kV the same principles would tend to apply for industrial systems
12 Although the following items may form part of power systems in certain
activities of the BP Group their designs are not covered by this
document Where necessary the relevant international or national
standard must be applied to these elements of electrical systems
(i) Design of overhead line
(ii) Design of large power rectifier plant
(iii) Design aspects of electrical systems which are special to mine
winding plant earth-moving equipment conveying crushing
and associated metalliferous treatment plants
(iv) Electrical systems in ships
(v) Electrical systems for subsea installations
(vi) Electrical design of installations in commercial administrative
or domestic premises
The above exclusions are considered special in nature andor can be undertaken
more efficiently by directly adopting practice which is common in the area where
the installation is to be employed
2 SYSTEM PARAMETERS
21 Voltage
The most economical voltages shall be selected for a Power System
In general the voltages selected should accord with the economical voltage levels
for machines which are included in BP Group RP 12-11
In any existing installation the selection of voltage levels will be subject also to site
conditions The requirement for having the most economic system voltage is
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intended to ensure that an economic appraisal of alternative courses of action is
undertaken or has been considered
The nominal phase to phase voltage for systems where voltages exceed1000 V should be selected from those detailed in IEC 38 When the
phase to phase voltage is below 1000 V the appropriate nominal
voltage to meet the national standards of the site location should beused For greenfield sites or offshore locations where the possibilityof interconnection with an outside authority is low the use of non-standard voltages below 1000 V (eg 660 V) shall be based oneconomic considerations
In the UK the nominal LV voltage would be either 415 V or 440 V phase to phase
with a tolerance of plusmn 5 (Notwithstanding current legislation which may suggest
that nominal voltages will in future be 380 V plusmn 10 or the provisions of the
Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 which require voltage tolerances to be within plusmn
6 for voltages less than 132 kV) See also 451
Any deployment of non standard voltage systems should be based upon specificeconomic studies which take full account of the need to hold spares which may be
beyond normal stock levels
22 Frequency
The frequency selected for power systems will be either 50 or 60 Hzdepending on the national standards of the site location Where a site isto be remotely located and powered only from on-site generation thefrequency selected should be compatible with the frequency of supplyof the nearest local electrical supply source or public utility if it isenvisaged that future inter-connection is desirable Where future inter-
connection with other sources of electricity supply is not envisaged as being possible or where economic advantages outweigh the benefits infuture possible interconnections the frequency of supply shall beselected on economic considerations and on ease of obtaining suitableequipment
North Sea experience indicates that selecting 60 Hz frequency tends to offer
possible economic advantages and as European equipment (ie widely available
equipment) suppliers can gear their product range to this frequency and the
standard voltages within Europe such selection becomes more likely
23 Rating
(i) Power systems with a voltage in excess of 1000 V should be so
designed that the rms value of the ac component of the short-
circuit breaking current of circuit breakers designed to IEC 56
andor BP Group GS 112-9 should be selected from values
readily available from equipment manufacturers
The selection of 25 kA as a symmetrical short circuit breaking capacity
could be found to represent a general economic ceiling to the available
fault levels for equipment Where there will be economic advantage in
providing switchgear of higher ratings eg 40 kA then this would be
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encouraged In any case in a green field situation the Short Circuit
capability of the installation should be based upon economic grounds The
capability of switchgear should always be proven by test before being
accepted into full duty service Testing would be particularly important
where enhanced make fault levels or enhanced dc content at break levels
are required The requirements for testing is contained within BP Group
GS 112-9 however at the design stage account should be taken for anyneed for Type Testing See also 631
(ii) For power systems with a voltage less than 1000V the rms
value of the ac component of the short-circuit breaking current
of circuit breakers designed to IEC 947 andor BP Group GS
112-8 should not exceed 50 kA
See the commentary for (i) above Where economically viable the selection
of 80 kA or above rated switchgear is encouraged BP Group GS 112-8
includes testing requirements for LV circuit breakers
3 LOADS
31 Rating and Diversity Factors
311 Electrical equipment shall be rated to carry continuously the maximum
load associated with peak design production with an additional 10
contingency The ambient conditions at which this rating applies shall
be defined in equipment specifications and shall not be less than 40degC
maximum air temperature at an altitude not exceeding 1000 m
A load list would normally identify all process loads and would further identify the
power to be absorbed by the mechanical drive This would be adjusted for
efficiency of the electrical drive to arrive at a value of power to be drawn from the
electrical system Aggregated plant loading should be carried out in accordance
with 312 Beyond this estimate only one allowance of contingency should be taken
on the thus identified after diversity plant load Where a total system load is to be
estimated which includes a number of individual switchgear loads estimated in this
manner care should be taken to be assured of only one overall estimate for
contingency
The specification of maximum temperature and elevation are chosen in order to be
assured that equipment has sufficient capacity for the most arduous of likely
conditions albeit at a standard elevation However where the location is such that
it is clear that there is no possibility of reaching the standard 40degC level and there
is economic advantage in relaxing the temperature the actual maximum and
minimum temperatures should be specified Similarly if the elevation is above
1000m the actual elevation should be specified
312 Assessment of maximum load requirements of an installation shall allow
for diversity between various loads drives or plants Appropriate
factors shall consider the likelihood of loads drives production or
process trains coincidentally requiring peak demands and shall be based
on similar installations wherever possible
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It is considered important that power system loading estimates be based upon
absorbed demands for machine loads with appropriate allowances for efficiency
and power factor In addition the effect of diversity should be assessed preferably
by using a concept of intermittence or alternatively by the application of well
proven diversity factors In the absence of either of these methods an average
maximum loading expectation may be assessed by adding 50 of the intermittent
load (that controlled by level switches or by thermocouples or other control
devices) to the continuously running loads In addition to this aggregated load an
assessment of likely standby load operating should be made A maximum of
standby operation may be obtained by considering boiler outage (insufficient steam
for steam turbine drivers) or by a maximum product throughput condition
32 Types of Load
All loads shall be presented with clear definition of their types inaccordance with the following-
321 Basic Information
For each identified electrical load a description of the service should begiven together with an indication of whether the device is a machine or a static load
(i) Dynamic
These are electric motors driving rotating equipment
(ii) Static
These are non-moving types of electrical equipment such as lighting heating
supplies to rectifiers etc
The bulk of the loads on the majority of BP installations comprise dynamic loads
and the proportions of dynamic to static loads are generally in the ratio of 101
Where there are machines supplied by Variable Speed Drives these may exhibit
properties similar to those of some static loads viz constant power demand despite
voltage variations Their contribution to system fault level is limited by the power
electronic system in some cases to zero contribution
322 Essential Loads
These are loads which are important to the safety of the installation or the operational staff and which require power to permit a reasonablycontrolled shutdown in emergency They shall have a secondindependent power source and be generally associated with no break supplies In certain cases a short supply break may be acceptable if thisdoes not represent a hazard to safety
BP Group RP 12-5 contains advice concerning the categorisation of power supplies
suitable for control systems The concept of essential loads used here is fairly close
to the concept of Class A contained in that RP however the loads would not
require the level of duplication required for Class A systems Included in the
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concept of essential power system loads are such devices as Lub oil pumps for Gas
Turbines ventilation systems helipad lighting some floodlighting systems
navigational aids radio systems etc The term Essential used here was chosen to
align with the term Essential as defined in the IEE Recommendations for the
Electrical and Electronic Equipment of Mobile and Fixed Offshore Installations
It is noted that some loads which are essential by this definition may require the provision of Emergency Power Supply Facilities in order to meet Legislative
Requirements This is not inconsistent with the definition of Essential Loads used
here which is aimed at providing a convenient process for being assured that all
such critical loads are covered by the appropriate level of power supply (See
further Section 421)
323 Process Sensitive Loads
These are loads whose loss would affect continuity of plant operationresulting in loss of revenue but would not result in an unsafe situationarising Any decision to provide an alternative source of supply for these types of load shall be based on economic considerations
Included in this category are general lighting systems and process demands
It is sometimes possible particularly where process loadings are relatively low to
include sufficient into an emergency generator capacity to allow some processes to
continue on reduced capacity when main power generators are not available
There are no general rules for this type of provision except to emphasise that
application of such loads should not compromise any emergency services Each
case would be project specific
324 Non-sensitive Loads
Non-sensitive loads are those which do not form an importantcomponent of a production or process plant and their disconnectioncould be borne for relatively long periods with minimal or nuisancevalue They usually form a small proportion of the total connected loadand may have a single power source
Typical examples of these loads are the domestic part of accommodation offices
Workshops some water injection some potable water systems etc
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES
41 General
The power supply system shall be designed to provide safe andeconomical operation The safety aspects should cover both plant and
personnel Economic considerations shall cover capital maintenanceand running costs and include an assessment of the reliability andconsequent availability of the system The cost of improved power systems reliability should be weighed against the progressive potentialsavings due to decreased loss of production
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It is expected that for any significant power system design there will have been an
economic comparison of alternative arrangements Larger projects would be
expected to initiate a formal safety review and this process would ensure that the
basic safety needs of the project would be satisfied For smaller projects or plant
extensions where such a formal review may not be arranged the designer should
nonetheless consider safety aspects relating to the electrical system and produce an
outline document which presents these issues for the record
All negotiations with public utilities shall be the sole responsibility of BP
In as much as the arrangements with Public Authorities will form part of the long
term operational environment for the installation it is considered necessary that
the operator (assumed to be BP in the context of this document) is fully aware and
has the sole responsibility for the longer term compliance with the requirements
arising from any negotiations Such responsibility should not be delegated to a third
party unless the third party has an ongoing operational responsibility
It is considered that Contractors may request information from Public Utilities onbehalf of BP in pursuit of the determination of options relating to possible
installations or changes to existing installations but that in doing so it is made clear
that any formal agreement which arises from the information or investigation will
be with the operating company (BP)
The principal source of electrical supply for any location subject to therequirements of 411 to 413 shall be defined
The power supply arrangements are fundamental to any operating site and need to
feature strongly in the overall project concept A power supply philosophy
document which records the arrangements for power supply and the reasoning
associated with any selection is considered highly desirable A contractor mayhave part of his workscope associated with an evaluation and selection of power
supply arrangements in which case such a presentation is assured The selection of
the power supply arrangements may have formed part of a feasibility (or Statement
of Requirements) study which may have been produced by BP in which case the
definition of the power supply arrangements would form part of a contractors
specification
411 Electrical Import from a Public Utility
Where the principal source of electrical power is selected to be from a public utility the supply should be via duplicate feeders An exception
to this may be permitted for economic reasons where low power loadsare to be supplied and where a single feeder may be employed
It would be expected that there could be a costbenefit statement to justify the use of
single feeds Where the supply is low power and not essential for operations (eg
Cathodic Protection supplies) the justification is trivial however single supplies
with on site standby generation which will operate to supply full load in the event of
a main power supply failure may be an economic alternative to a duel supply
arrangement
Essential loads should always be provided for by on-site power supplyequipment
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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CONTENTS
Section Page
FOREWORDiii
1 INTRODUCTION1
11 Scope 1
2 SYSTEM PARAMETERS1
21 Voltage1
22 Frequency 2
23 Rating 2
3 LOADS3
31 Rating and Diversity Factors 3
32 Types of Load4
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES5
41 General 542 Emergency Power Supply Equipment8
43 Reliability10
44 Primary Substation10
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation13
46 Synchronising 15
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems 16
5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS17
51 General 17
52 Single Radial18
53 Double Radial 1854 Triple Radial 19
55 Ring Fed Systems20
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems21
57 Power System Control 22
58 Electrical Distribution Substations25
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS 26
61 Fault Calculations 26
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings 28
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents29
64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems 317 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING32
71 General 32
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral33
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)33
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V and above) 34
75 Generator Earthing 35
76 Earthing Resistors37
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS 37
81 Motor Starting37
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82 Overvoltages38
83 Harmonics 40
84 Power Factor 42
9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES44
91 General 44
92 Conventional Studies 45
93 Special Studies48
FIGURE 1 (A)49
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION 49
FIGURE 1 (B) 50
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION 50
FIGURE 1 (C)51
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION 51
APPENDIX A52DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS52
APPENDIX B53
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS53
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FOREWORD
Introduction to BP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering
The Introductory Volume contains a series of documents that provide an introduction to theBP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering (RPSEs) In particular
the General Foreword sets out the philosophy of the RPSEs Other documents in the
Introductory Volume provide general guidance on using the RPSEs and background
information to Engineering Standards in BP There are also recommendations for specific
definitions and requirements
Value of this Recommended Practice
This document represents the accumulated practices of the BP Group for ensuring a high
degree of plant availability and electrical system integrity within the constraints for cost
effective engineering
Application
Text in italics is Commentary Commentary provides background information which supports
the requirements of the Recommended Practice and may discuss alternative optionsIt also
gives guidance on the implementation of any Specification or Approval actions specific
actions are indicated by an asterisk () preceding a paragraph number
This document may refer to certain local national or international regulations but the
responsibility to ensure compliance with legislation and any other statutory requirements lieswith the user The user should adapt or supplement this document to ensure compliance for
the specific application
Principal Changes from Previous Edition
This Recommended Practice is a major revision of BP CP 17 Pt 3 Power Systems Design
which was last issued in April 1986 It has been updated in the Way Forward Style to reflect
significant advances in power system design
Feedback and Further Information
Users are invited to feed back any comments and to detail experiences in the application of
BP RPSEs to assist in the process of their continuous improvement
For feedback and further information please contact Standards Group BP International or the
Custodian See Quarterly Status List for contacts
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1 INTRODUCTION
11 Scope
The BP Group RP 12 series of Recommended Practices specify generalrequirements for electrical systems equipment materials andinstallations This document specifies those items which apply generallyto power system design for systems with a highest nominal voltage of 36 kV
It is considered that most of the installations within the sphere of BP operations
would be 345kV or below However it has been found that even for voltages of
132 kV the same principles would tend to apply for industrial systems
12 Although the following items may form part of power systems in certain
activities of the BP Group their designs are not covered by this
document Where necessary the relevant international or national
standard must be applied to these elements of electrical systems
(i) Design of overhead line
(ii) Design of large power rectifier plant
(iii) Design aspects of electrical systems which are special to mine
winding plant earth-moving equipment conveying crushing
and associated metalliferous treatment plants
(iv) Electrical systems in ships
(v) Electrical systems for subsea installations
(vi) Electrical design of installations in commercial administrative
or domestic premises
The above exclusions are considered special in nature andor can be undertaken
more efficiently by directly adopting practice which is common in the area where
the installation is to be employed
2 SYSTEM PARAMETERS
21 Voltage
The most economical voltages shall be selected for a Power System
In general the voltages selected should accord with the economical voltage levels
for machines which are included in BP Group RP 12-11
In any existing installation the selection of voltage levels will be subject also to site
conditions The requirement for having the most economic system voltage is
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intended to ensure that an economic appraisal of alternative courses of action is
undertaken or has been considered
The nominal phase to phase voltage for systems where voltages exceed1000 V should be selected from those detailed in IEC 38 When the
phase to phase voltage is below 1000 V the appropriate nominal
voltage to meet the national standards of the site location should beused For greenfield sites or offshore locations where the possibilityof interconnection with an outside authority is low the use of non-standard voltages below 1000 V (eg 660 V) shall be based oneconomic considerations
In the UK the nominal LV voltage would be either 415 V or 440 V phase to phase
with a tolerance of plusmn 5 (Notwithstanding current legislation which may suggest
that nominal voltages will in future be 380 V plusmn 10 or the provisions of the
Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 which require voltage tolerances to be within plusmn
6 for voltages less than 132 kV) See also 451
Any deployment of non standard voltage systems should be based upon specificeconomic studies which take full account of the need to hold spares which may be
beyond normal stock levels
22 Frequency
The frequency selected for power systems will be either 50 or 60 Hzdepending on the national standards of the site location Where a site isto be remotely located and powered only from on-site generation thefrequency selected should be compatible with the frequency of supplyof the nearest local electrical supply source or public utility if it isenvisaged that future inter-connection is desirable Where future inter-
connection with other sources of electricity supply is not envisaged as being possible or where economic advantages outweigh the benefits infuture possible interconnections the frequency of supply shall beselected on economic considerations and on ease of obtaining suitableequipment
North Sea experience indicates that selecting 60 Hz frequency tends to offer
possible economic advantages and as European equipment (ie widely available
equipment) suppliers can gear their product range to this frequency and the
standard voltages within Europe such selection becomes more likely
23 Rating
(i) Power systems with a voltage in excess of 1000 V should be so
designed that the rms value of the ac component of the short-
circuit breaking current of circuit breakers designed to IEC 56
andor BP Group GS 112-9 should be selected from values
readily available from equipment manufacturers
The selection of 25 kA as a symmetrical short circuit breaking capacity
could be found to represent a general economic ceiling to the available
fault levels for equipment Where there will be economic advantage in
providing switchgear of higher ratings eg 40 kA then this would be
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encouraged In any case in a green field situation the Short Circuit
capability of the installation should be based upon economic grounds The
capability of switchgear should always be proven by test before being
accepted into full duty service Testing would be particularly important
where enhanced make fault levels or enhanced dc content at break levels
are required The requirements for testing is contained within BP Group
GS 112-9 however at the design stage account should be taken for anyneed for Type Testing See also 631
(ii) For power systems with a voltage less than 1000V the rms
value of the ac component of the short-circuit breaking current
of circuit breakers designed to IEC 947 andor BP Group GS
112-8 should not exceed 50 kA
See the commentary for (i) above Where economically viable the selection
of 80 kA or above rated switchgear is encouraged BP Group GS 112-8
includes testing requirements for LV circuit breakers
3 LOADS
31 Rating and Diversity Factors
311 Electrical equipment shall be rated to carry continuously the maximum
load associated with peak design production with an additional 10
contingency The ambient conditions at which this rating applies shall
be defined in equipment specifications and shall not be less than 40degC
maximum air temperature at an altitude not exceeding 1000 m
A load list would normally identify all process loads and would further identify the
power to be absorbed by the mechanical drive This would be adjusted for
efficiency of the electrical drive to arrive at a value of power to be drawn from the
electrical system Aggregated plant loading should be carried out in accordance
with 312 Beyond this estimate only one allowance of contingency should be taken
on the thus identified after diversity plant load Where a total system load is to be
estimated which includes a number of individual switchgear loads estimated in this
manner care should be taken to be assured of only one overall estimate for
contingency
The specification of maximum temperature and elevation are chosen in order to be
assured that equipment has sufficient capacity for the most arduous of likely
conditions albeit at a standard elevation However where the location is such that
it is clear that there is no possibility of reaching the standard 40degC level and there
is economic advantage in relaxing the temperature the actual maximum and
minimum temperatures should be specified Similarly if the elevation is above
1000m the actual elevation should be specified
312 Assessment of maximum load requirements of an installation shall allow
for diversity between various loads drives or plants Appropriate
factors shall consider the likelihood of loads drives production or
process trains coincidentally requiring peak demands and shall be based
on similar installations wherever possible
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It is considered important that power system loading estimates be based upon
absorbed demands for machine loads with appropriate allowances for efficiency
and power factor In addition the effect of diversity should be assessed preferably
by using a concept of intermittence or alternatively by the application of well
proven diversity factors In the absence of either of these methods an average
maximum loading expectation may be assessed by adding 50 of the intermittent
load (that controlled by level switches or by thermocouples or other control
devices) to the continuously running loads In addition to this aggregated load an
assessment of likely standby load operating should be made A maximum of
standby operation may be obtained by considering boiler outage (insufficient steam
for steam turbine drivers) or by a maximum product throughput condition
32 Types of Load
All loads shall be presented with clear definition of their types inaccordance with the following-
321 Basic Information
For each identified electrical load a description of the service should begiven together with an indication of whether the device is a machine or a static load
(i) Dynamic
These are electric motors driving rotating equipment
(ii) Static
These are non-moving types of electrical equipment such as lighting heating
supplies to rectifiers etc
The bulk of the loads on the majority of BP installations comprise dynamic loads
and the proportions of dynamic to static loads are generally in the ratio of 101
Where there are machines supplied by Variable Speed Drives these may exhibit
properties similar to those of some static loads viz constant power demand despite
voltage variations Their contribution to system fault level is limited by the power
electronic system in some cases to zero contribution
322 Essential Loads
These are loads which are important to the safety of the installation or the operational staff and which require power to permit a reasonablycontrolled shutdown in emergency They shall have a secondindependent power source and be generally associated with no break supplies In certain cases a short supply break may be acceptable if thisdoes not represent a hazard to safety
BP Group RP 12-5 contains advice concerning the categorisation of power supplies
suitable for control systems The concept of essential loads used here is fairly close
to the concept of Class A contained in that RP however the loads would not
require the level of duplication required for Class A systems Included in the
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concept of essential power system loads are such devices as Lub oil pumps for Gas
Turbines ventilation systems helipad lighting some floodlighting systems
navigational aids radio systems etc The term Essential used here was chosen to
align with the term Essential as defined in the IEE Recommendations for the
Electrical and Electronic Equipment of Mobile and Fixed Offshore Installations
It is noted that some loads which are essential by this definition may require the provision of Emergency Power Supply Facilities in order to meet Legislative
Requirements This is not inconsistent with the definition of Essential Loads used
here which is aimed at providing a convenient process for being assured that all
such critical loads are covered by the appropriate level of power supply (See
further Section 421)
323 Process Sensitive Loads
These are loads whose loss would affect continuity of plant operationresulting in loss of revenue but would not result in an unsafe situationarising Any decision to provide an alternative source of supply for these types of load shall be based on economic considerations
Included in this category are general lighting systems and process demands
It is sometimes possible particularly where process loadings are relatively low to
include sufficient into an emergency generator capacity to allow some processes to
continue on reduced capacity when main power generators are not available
There are no general rules for this type of provision except to emphasise that
application of such loads should not compromise any emergency services Each
case would be project specific
324 Non-sensitive Loads
Non-sensitive loads are those which do not form an importantcomponent of a production or process plant and their disconnectioncould be borne for relatively long periods with minimal or nuisancevalue They usually form a small proportion of the total connected loadand may have a single power source
Typical examples of these loads are the domestic part of accommodation offices
Workshops some water injection some potable water systems etc
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES
41 General
The power supply system shall be designed to provide safe andeconomical operation The safety aspects should cover both plant and
personnel Economic considerations shall cover capital maintenanceand running costs and include an assessment of the reliability andconsequent availability of the system The cost of improved power systems reliability should be weighed against the progressive potentialsavings due to decreased loss of production
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It is expected that for any significant power system design there will have been an
economic comparison of alternative arrangements Larger projects would be
expected to initiate a formal safety review and this process would ensure that the
basic safety needs of the project would be satisfied For smaller projects or plant
extensions where such a formal review may not be arranged the designer should
nonetheless consider safety aspects relating to the electrical system and produce an
outline document which presents these issues for the record
All negotiations with public utilities shall be the sole responsibility of BP
In as much as the arrangements with Public Authorities will form part of the long
term operational environment for the installation it is considered necessary that
the operator (assumed to be BP in the context of this document) is fully aware and
has the sole responsibility for the longer term compliance with the requirements
arising from any negotiations Such responsibility should not be delegated to a third
party unless the third party has an ongoing operational responsibility
It is considered that Contractors may request information from Public Utilities onbehalf of BP in pursuit of the determination of options relating to possible
installations or changes to existing installations but that in doing so it is made clear
that any formal agreement which arises from the information or investigation will
be with the operating company (BP)
The principal source of electrical supply for any location subject to therequirements of 411 to 413 shall be defined
The power supply arrangements are fundamental to any operating site and need to
feature strongly in the overall project concept A power supply philosophy
document which records the arrangements for power supply and the reasoning
associated with any selection is considered highly desirable A contractor mayhave part of his workscope associated with an evaluation and selection of power
supply arrangements in which case such a presentation is assured The selection of
the power supply arrangements may have formed part of a feasibility (or Statement
of Requirements) study which may have been produced by BP in which case the
definition of the power supply arrangements would form part of a contractors
specification
411 Electrical Import from a Public Utility
Where the principal source of electrical power is selected to be from a public utility the supply should be via duplicate feeders An exception
to this may be permitted for economic reasons where low power loadsare to be supplied and where a single feeder may be employed
It would be expected that there could be a costbenefit statement to justify the use of
single feeds Where the supply is low power and not essential for operations (eg
Cathodic Protection supplies) the justification is trivial however single supplies
with on site standby generation which will operate to supply full load in the event of
a main power supply failure may be an economic alternative to a duel supply
arrangement
Essential loads should always be provided for by on-site power supplyequipment
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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82 Overvoltages38
83 Harmonics 40
84 Power Factor 42
9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES44
91 General 44
92 Conventional Studies 45
93 Special Studies48
FIGURE 1 (A)49
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION 49
FIGURE 1 (B) 50
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION 50
FIGURE 1 (C)51
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION 51
APPENDIX A52DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS52
APPENDIX B53
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS53
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FOREWORD
Introduction to BP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering
The Introductory Volume contains a series of documents that provide an introduction to theBP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering (RPSEs) In particular
the General Foreword sets out the philosophy of the RPSEs Other documents in the
Introductory Volume provide general guidance on using the RPSEs and background
information to Engineering Standards in BP There are also recommendations for specific
definitions and requirements
Value of this Recommended Practice
This document represents the accumulated practices of the BP Group for ensuring a high
degree of plant availability and electrical system integrity within the constraints for cost
effective engineering
Application
Text in italics is Commentary Commentary provides background information which supports
the requirements of the Recommended Practice and may discuss alternative optionsIt also
gives guidance on the implementation of any Specification or Approval actions specific
actions are indicated by an asterisk () preceding a paragraph number
This document may refer to certain local national or international regulations but the
responsibility to ensure compliance with legislation and any other statutory requirements lieswith the user The user should adapt or supplement this document to ensure compliance for
the specific application
Principal Changes from Previous Edition
This Recommended Practice is a major revision of BP CP 17 Pt 3 Power Systems Design
which was last issued in April 1986 It has been updated in the Way Forward Style to reflect
significant advances in power system design
Feedback and Further Information
Users are invited to feed back any comments and to detail experiences in the application of
BP RPSEs to assist in the process of their continuous improvement
For feedback and further information please contact Standards Group BP International or the
Custodian See Quarterly Status List for contacts
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1 INTRODUCTION
11 Scope
The BP Group RP 12 series of Recommended Practices specify generalrequirements for electrical systems equipment materials andinstallations This document specifies those items which apply generallyto power system design for systems with a highest nominal voltage of 36 kV
It is considered that most of the installations within the sphere of BP operations
would be 345kV or below However it has been found that even for voltages of
132 kV the same principles would tend to apply for industrial systems
12 Although the following items may form part of power systems in certain
activities of the BP Group their designs are not covered by this
document Where necessary the relevant international or national
standard must be applied to these elements of electrical systems
(i) Design of overhead line
(ii) Design of large power rectifier plant
(iii) Design aspects of electrical systems which are special to mine
winding plant earth-moving equipment conveying crushing
and associated metalliferous treatment plants
(iv) Electrical systems in ships
(v) Electrical systems for subsea installations
(vi) Electrical design of installations in commercial administrative
or domestic premises
The above exclusions are considered special in nature andor can be undertaken
more efficiently by directly adopting practice which is common in the area where
the installation is to be employed
2 SYSTEM PARAMETERS
21 Voltage
The most economical voltages shall be selected for a Power System
In general the voltages selected should accord with the economical voltage levels
for machines which are included in BP Group RP 12-11
In any existing installation the selection of voltage levels will be subject also to site
conditions The requirement for having the most economic system voltage is
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intended to ensure that an economic appraisal of alternative courses of action is
undertaken or has been considered
The nominal phase to phase voltage for systems where voltages exceed1000 V should be selected from those detailed in IEC 38 When the
phase to phase voltage is below 1000 V the appropriate nominal
voltage to meet the national standards of the site location should beused For greenfield sites or offshore locations where the possibilityof interconnection with an outside authority is low the use of non-standard voltages below 1000 V (eg 660 V) shall be based oneconomic considerations
In the UK the nominal LV voltage would be either 415 V or 440 V phase to phase
with a tolerance of plusmn 5 (Notwithstanding current legislation which may suggest
that nominal voltages will in future be 380 V plusmn 10 or the provisions of the
Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 which require voltage tolerances to be within plusmn
6 for voltages less than 132 kV) See also 451
Any deployment of non standard voltage systems should be based upon specificeconomic studies which take full account of the need to hold spares which may be
beyond normal stock levels
22 Frequency
The frequency selected for power systems will be either 50 or 60 Hzdepending on the national standards of the site location Where a site isto be remotely located and powered only from on-site generation thefrequency selected should be compatible with the frequency of supplyof the nearest local electrical supply source or public utility if it isenvisaged that future inter-connection is desirable Where future inter-
connection with other sources of electricity supply is not envisaged as being possible or where economic advantages outweigh the benefits infuture possible interconnections the frequency of supply shall beselected on economic considerations and on ease of obtaining suitableequipment
North Sea experience indicates that selecting 60 Hz frequency tends to offer
possible economic advantages and as European equipment (ie widely available
equipment) suppliers can gear their product range to this frequency and the
standard voltages within Europe such selection becomes more likely
23 Rating
(i) Power systems with a voltage in excess of 1000 V should be so
designed that the rms value of the ac component of the short-
circuit breaking current of circuit breakers designed to IEC 56
andor BP Group GS 112-9 should be selected from values
readily available from equipment manufacturers
The selection of 25 kA as a symmetrical short circuit breaking capacity
could be found to represent a general economic ceiling to the available
fault levels for equipment Where there will be economic advantage in
providing switchgear of higher ratings eg 40 kA then this would be
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encouraged In any case in a green field situation the Short Circuit
capability of the installation should be based upon economic grounds The
capability of switchgear should always be proven by test before being
accepted into full duty service Testing would be particularly important
where enhanced make fault levels or enhanced dc content at break levels
are required The requirements for testing is contained within BP Group
GS 112-9 however at the design stage account should be taken for anyneed for Type Testing See also 631
(ii) For power systems with a voltage less than 1000V the rms
value of the ac component of the short-circuit breaking current
of circuit breakers designed to IEC 947 andor BP Group GS
112-8 should not exceed 50 kA
See the commentary for (i) above Where economically viable the selection
of 80 kA or above rated switchgear is encouraged BP Group GS 112-8
includes testing requirements for LV circuit breakers
3 LOADS
31 Rating and Diversity Factors
311 Electrical equipment shall be rated to carry continuously the maximum
load associated with peak design production with an additional 10
contingency The ambient conditions at which this rating applies shall
be defined in equipment specifications and shall not be less than 40degC
maximum air temperature at an altitude not exceeding 1000 m
A load list would normally identify all process loads and would further identify the
power to be absorbed by the mechanical drive This would be adjusted for
efficiency of the electrical drive to arrive at a value of power to be drawn from the
electrical system Aggregated plant loading should be carried out in accordance
with 312 Beyond this estimate only one allowance of contingency should be taken
on the thus identified after diversity plant load Where a total system load is to be
estimated which includes a number of individual switchgear loads estimated in this
manner care should be taken to be assured of only one overall estimate for
contingency
The specification of maximum temperature and elevation are chosen in order to be
assured that equipment has sufficient capacity for the most arduous of likely
conditions albeit at a standard elevation However where the location is such that
it is clear that there is no possibility of reaching the standard 40degC level and there
is economic advantage in relaxing the temperature the actual maximum and
minimum temperatures should be specified Similarly if the elevation is above
1000m the actual elevation should be specified
312 Assessment of maximum load requirements of an installation shall allow
for diversity between various loads drives or plants Appropriate
factors shall consider the likelihood of loads drives production or
process trains coincidentally requiring peak demands and shall be based
on similar installations wherever possible
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It is considered important that power system loading estimates be based upon
absorbed demands for machine loads with appropriate allowances for efficiency
and power factor In addition the effect of diversity should be assessed preferably
by using a concept of intermittence or alternatively by the application of well
proven diversity factors In the absence of either of these methods an average
maximum loading expectation may be assessed by adding 50 of the intermittent
load (that controlled by level switches or by thermocouples or other control
devices) to the continuously running loads In addition to this aggregated load an
assessment of likely standby load operating should be made A maximum of
standby operation may be obtained by considering boiler outage (insufficient steam
for steam turbine drivers) or by a maximum product throughput condition
32 Types of Load
All loads shall be presented with clear definition of their types inaccordance with the following-
321 Basic Information
For each identified electrical load a description of the service should begiven together with an indication of whether the device is a machine or a static load
(i) Dynamic
These are electric motors driving rotating equipment
(ii) Static
These are non-moving types of electrical equipment such as lighting heating
supplies to rectifiers etc
The bulk of the loads on the majority of BP installations comprise dynamic loads
and the proportions of dynamic to static loads are generally in the ratio of 101
Where there are machines supplied by Variable Speed Drives these may exhibit
properties similar to those of some static loads viz constant power demand despite
voltage variations Their contribution to system fault level is limited by the power
electronic system in some cases to zero contribution
322 Essential Loads
These are loads which are important to the safety of the installation or the operational staff and which require power to permit a reasonablycontrolled shutdown in emergency They shall have a secondindependent power source and be generally associated with no break supplies In certain cases a short supply break may be acceptable if thisdoes not represent a hazard to safety
BP Group RP 12-5 contains advice concerning the categorisation of power supplies
suitable for control systems The concept of essential loads used here is fairly close
to the concept of Class A contained in that RP however the loads would not
require the level of duplication required for Class A systems Included in the
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concept of essential power system loads are such devices as Lub oil pumps for Gas
Turbines ventilation systems helipad lighting some floodlighting systems
navigational aids radio systems etc The term Essential used here was chosen to
align with the term Essential as defined in the IEE Recommendations for the
Electrical and Electronic Equipment of Mobile and Fixed Offshore Installations
It is noted that some loads which are essential by this definition may require the provision of Emergency Power Supply Facilities in order to meet Legislative
Requirements This is not inconsistent with the definition of Essential Loads used
here which is aimed at providing a convenient process for being assured that all
such critical loads are covered by the appropriate level of power supply (See
further Section 421)
323 Process Sensitive Loads
These are loads whose loss would affect continuity of plant operationresulting in loss of revenue but would not result in an unsafe situationarising Any decision to provide an alternative source of supply for these types of load shall be based on economic considerations
Included in this category are general lighting systems and process demands
It is sometimes possible particularly where process loadings are relatively low to
include sufficient into an emergency generator capacity to allow some processes to
continue on reduced capacity when main power generators are not available
There are no general rules for this type of provision except to emphasise that
application of such loads should not compromise any emergency services Each
case would be project specific
324 Non-sensitive Loads
Non-sensitive loads are those which do not form an importantcomponent of a production or process plant and their disconnectioncould be borne for relatively long periods with minimal or nuisancevalue They usually form a small proportion of the total connected loadand may have a single power source
Typical examples of these loads are the domestic part of accommodation offices
Workshops some water injection some potable water systems etc
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES
41 General
The power supply system shall be designed to provide safe andeconomical operation The safety aspects should cover both plant and
personnel Economic considerations shall cover capital maintenanceand running costs and include an assessment of the reliability andconsequent availability of the system The cost of improved power systems reliability should be weighed against the progressive potentialsavings due to decreased loss of production
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It is expected that for any significant power system design there will have been an
economic comparison of alternative arrangements Larger projects would be
expected to initiate a formal safety review and this process would ensure that the
basic safety needs of the project would be satisfied For smaller projects or plant
extensions where such a formal review may not be arranged the designer should
nonetheless consider safety aspects relating to the electrical system and produce an
outline document which presents these issues for the record
All negotiations with public utilities shall be the sole responsibility of BP
In as much as the arrangements with Public Authorities will form part of the long
term operational environment for the installation it is considered necessary that
the operator (assumed to be BP in the context of this document) is fully aware and
has the sole responsibility for the longer term compliance with the requirements
arising from any negotiations Such responsibility should not be delegated to a third
party unless the third party has an ongoing operational responsibility
It is considered that Contractors may request information from Public Utilities onbehalf of BP in pursuit of the determination of options relating to possible
installations or changes to existing installations but that in doing so it is made clear
that any formal agreement which arises from the information or investigation will
be with the operating company (BP)
The principal source of electrical supply for any location subject to therequirements of 411 to 413 shall be defined
The power supply arrangements are fundamental to any operating site and need to
feature strongly in the overall project concept A power supply philosophy
document which records the arrangements for power supply and the reasoning
associated with any selection is considered highly desirable A contractor mayhave part of his workscope associated with an evaluation and selection of power
supply arrangements in which case such a presentation is assured The selection of
the power supply arrangements may have formed part of a feasibility (or Statement
of Requirements) study which may have been produced by BP in which case the
definition of the power supply arrangements would form part of a contractors
specification
411 Electrical Import from a Public Utility
Where the principal source of electrical power is selected to be from a public utility the supply should be via duplicate feeders An exception
to this may be permitted for economic reasons where low power loadsare to be supplied and where a single feeder may be employed
It would be expected that there could be a costbenefit statement to justify the use of
single feeds Where the supply is low power and not essential for operations (eg
Cathodic Protection supplies) the justification is trivial however single supplies
with on site standby generation which will operate to supply full load in the event of
a main power supply failure may be an economic alternative to a duel supply
arrangement
Essential loads should always be provided for by on-site power supplyequipment
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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FOREWORD
Introduction to BP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering
The Introductory Volume contains a series of documents that provide an introduction to theBP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering (RPSEs) In particular
the General Foreword sets out the philosophy of the RPSEs Other documents in the
Introductory Volume provide general guidance on using the RPSEs and background
information to Engineering Standards in BP There are also recommendations for specific
definitions and requirements
Value of this Recommended Practice
This document represents the accumulated practices of the BP Group for ensuring a high
degree of plant availability and electrical system integrity within the constraints for cost
effective engineering
Application
Text in italics is Commentary Commentary provides background information which supports
the requirements of the Recommended Practice and may discuss alternative optionsIt also
gives guidance on the implementation of any Specification or Approval actions specific
actions are indicated by an asterisk () preceding a paragraph number
This document may refer to certain local national or international regulations but the
responsibility to ensure compliance with legislation and any other statutory requirements lieswith the user The user should adapt or supplement this document to ensure compliance for
the specific application
Principal Changes from Previous Edition
This Recommended Practice is a major revision of BP CP 17 Pt 3 Power Systems Design
which was last issued in April 1986 It has been updated in the Way Forward Style to reflect
significant advances in power system design
Feedback and Further Information
Users are invited to feed back any comments and to detail experiences in the application of
BP RPSEs to assist in the process of their continuous improvement
For feedback and further information please contact Standards Group BP International or the
Custodian See Quarterly Status List for contacts
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1 INTRODUCTION
11 Scope
The BP Group RP 12 series of Recommended Practices specify generalrequirements for electrical systems equipment materials andinstallations This document specifies those items which apply generallyto power system design for systems with a highest nominal voltage of 36 kV
It is considered that most of the installations within the sphere of BP operations
would be 345kV or below However it has been found that even for voltages of
132 kV the same principles would tend to apply for industrial systems
12 Although the following items may form part of power systems in certain
activities of the BP Group their designs are not covered by this
document Where necessary the relevant international or national
standard must be applied to these elements of electrical systems
(i) Design of overhead line
(ii) Design of large power rectifier plant
(iii) Design aspects of electrical systems which are special to mine
winding plant earth-moving equipment conveying crushing
and associated metalliferous treatment plants
(iv) Electrical systems in ships
(v) Electrical systems for subsea installations
(vi) Electrical design of installations in commercial administrative
or domestic premises
The above exclusions are considered special in nature andor can be undertaken
more efficiently by directly adopting practice which is common in the area where
the installation is to be employed
2 SYSTEM PARAMETERS
21 Voltage
The most economical voltages shall be selected for a Power System
In general the voltages selected should accord with the economical voltage levels
for machines which are included in BP Group RP 12-11
In any existing installation the selection of voltage levels will be subject also to site
conditions The requirement for having the most economic system voltage is
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intended to ensure that an economic appraisal of alternative courses of action is
undertaken or has been considered
The nominal phase to phase voltage for systems where voltages exceed1000 V should be selected from those detailed in IEC 38 When the
phase to phase voltage is below 1000 V the appropriate nominal
voltage to meet the national standards of the site location should beused For greenfield sites or offshore locations where the possibilityof interconnection with an outside authority is low the use of non-standard voltages below 1000 V (eg 660 V) shall be based oneconomic considerations
In the UK the nominal LV voltage would be either 415 V or 440 V phase to phase
with a tolerance of plusmn 5 (Notwithstanding current legislation which may suggest
that nominal voltages will in future be 380 V plusmn 10 or the provisions of the
Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 which require voltage tolerances to be within plusmn
6 for voltages less than 132 kV) See also 451
Any deployment of non standard voltage systems should be based upon specificeconomic studies which take full account of the need to hold spares which may be
beyond normal stock levels
22 Frequency
The frequency selected for power systems will be either 50 or 60 Hzdepending on the national standards of the site location Where a site isto be remotely located and powered only from on-site generation thefrequency selected should be compatible with the frequency of supplyof the nearest local electrical supply source or public utility if it isenvisaged that future inter-connection is desirable Where future inter-
connection with other sources of electricity supply is not envisaged as being possible or where economic advantages outweigh the benefits infuture possible interconnections the frequency of supply shall beselected on economic considerations and on ease of obtaining suitableequipment
North Sea experience indicates that selecting 60 Hz frequency tends to offer
possible economic advantages and as European equipment (ie widely available
equipment) suppliers can gear their product range to this frequency and the
standard voltages within Europe such selection becomes more likely
23 Rating
(i) Power systems with a voltage in excess of 1000 V should be so
designed that the rms value of the ac component of the short-
circuit breaking current of circuit breakers designed to IEC 56
andor BP Group GS 112-9 should be selected from values
readily available from equipment manufacturers
The selection of 25 kA as a symmetrical short circuit breaking capacity
could be found to represent a general economic ceiling to the available
fault levels for equipment Where there will be economic advantage in
providing switchgear of higher ratings eg 40 kA then this would be
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encouraged In any case in a green field situation the Short Circuit
capability of the installation should be based upon economic grounds The
capability of switchgear should always be proven by test before being
accepted into full duty service Testing would be particularly important
where enhanced make fault levels or enhanced dc content at break levels
are required The requirements for testing is contained within BP Group
GS 112-9 however at the design stage account should be taken for anyneed for Type Testing See also 631
(ii) For power systems with a voltage less than 1000V the rms
value of the ac component of the short-circuit breaking current
of circuit breakers designed to IEC 947 andor BP Group GS
112-8 should not exceed 50 kA
See the commentary for (i) above Where economically viable the selection
of 80 kA or above rated switchgear is encouraged BP Group GS 112-8
includes testing requirements for LV circuit breakers
3 LOADS
31 Rating and Diversity Factors
311 Electrical equipment shall be rated to carry continuously the maximum
load associated with peak design production with an additional 10
contingency The ambient conditions at which this rating applies shall
be defined in equipment specifications and shall not be less than 40degC
maximum air temperature at an altitude not exceeding 1000 m
A load list would normally identify all process loads and would further identify the
power to be absorbed by the mechanical drive This would be adjusted for
efficiency of the electrical drive to arrive at a value of power to be drawn from the
electrical system Aggregated plant loading should be carried out in accordance
with 312 Beyond this estimate only one allowance of contingency should be taken
on the thus identified after diversity plant load Where a total system load is to be
estimated which includes a number of individual switchgear loads estimated in this
manner care should be taken to be assured of only one overall estimate for
contingency
The specification of maximum temperature and elevation are chosen in order to be
assured that equipment has sufficient capacity for the most arduous of likely
conditions albeit at a standard elevation However where the location is such that
it is clear that there is no possibility of reaching the standard 40degC level and there
is economic advantage in relaxing the temperature the actual maximum and
minimum temperatures should be specified Similarly if the elevation is above
1000m the actual elevation should be specified
312 Assessment of maximum load requirements of an installation shall allow
for diversity between various loads drives or plants Appropriate
factors shall consider the likelihood of loads drives production or
process trains coincidentally requiring peak demands and shall be based
on similar installations wherever possible
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It is considered important that power system loading estimates be based upon
absorbed demands for machine loads with appropriate allowances for efficiency
and power factor In addition the effect of diversity should be assessed preferably
by using a concept of intermittence or alternatively by the application of well
proven diversity factors In the absence of either of these methods an average
maximum loading expectation may be assessed by adding 50 of the intermittent
load (that controlled by level switches or by thermocouples or other control
devices) to the continuously running loads In addition to this aggregated load an
assessment of likely standby load operating should be made A maximum of
standby operation may be obtained by considering boiler outage (insufficient steam
for steam turbine drivers) or by a maximum product throughput condition
32 Types of Load
All loads shall be presented with clear definition of their types inaccordance with the following-
321 Basic Information
For each identified electrical load a description of the service should begiven together with an indication of whether the device is a machine or a static load
(i) Dynamic
These are electric motors driving rotating equipment
(ii) Static
These are non-moving types of electrical equipment such as lighting heating
supplies to rectifiers etc
The bulk of the loads on the majority of BP installations comprise dynamic loads
and the proportions of dynamic to static loads are generally in the ratio of 101
Where there are machines supplied by Variable Speed Drives these may exhibit
properties similar to those of some static loads viz constant power demand despite
voltage variations Their contribution to system fault level is limited by the power
electronic system in some cases to zero contribution
322 Essential Loads
These are loads which are important to the safety of the installation or the operational staff and which require power to permit a reasonablycontrolled shutdown in emergency They shall have a secondindependent power source and be generally associated with no break supplies In certain cases a short supply break may be acceptable if thisdoes not represent a hazard to safety
BP Group RP 12-5 contains advice concerning the categorisation of power supplies
suitable for control systems The concept of essential loads used here is fairly close
to the concept of Class A contained in that RP however the loads would not
require the level of duplication required for Class A systems Included in the
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concept of essential power system loads are such devices as Lub oil pumps for Gas
Turbines ventilation systems helipad lighting some floodlighting systems
navigational aids radio systems etc The term Essential used here was chosen to
align with the term Essential as defined in the IEE Recommendations for the
Electrical and Electronic Equipment of Mobile and Fixed Offshore Installations
It is noted that some loads which are essential by this definition may require the provision of Emergency Power Supply Facilities in order to meet Legislative
Requirements This is not inconsistent with the definition of Essential Loads used
here which is aimed at providing a convenient process for being assured that all
such critical loads are covered by the appropriate level of power supply (See
further Section 421)
323 Process Sensitive Loads
These are loads whose loss would affect continuity of plant operationresulting in loss of revenue but would not result in an unsafe situationarising Any decision to provide an alternative source of supply for these types of load shall be based on economic considerations
Included in this category are general lighting systems and process demands
It is sometimes possible particularly where process loadings are relatively low to
include sufficient into an emergency generator capacity to allow some processes to
continue on reduced capacity when main power generators are not available
There are no general rules for this type of provision except to emphasise that
application of such loads should not compromise any emergency services Each
case would be project specific
324 Non-sensitive Loads
Non-sensitive loads are those which do not form an importantcomponent of a production or process plant and their disconnectioncould be borne for relatively long periods with minimal or nuisancevalue They usually form a small proportion of the total connected loadand may have a single power source
Typical examples of these loads are the domestic part of accommodation offices
Workshops some water injection some potable water systems etc
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES
41 General
The power supply system shall be designed to provide safe andeconomical operation The safety aspects should cover both plant and
personnel Economic considerations shall cover capital maintenanceand running costs and include an assessment of the reliability andconsequent availability of the system The cost of improved power systems reliability should be weighed against the progressive potentialsavings due to decreased loss of production
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It is expected that for any significant power system design there will have been an
economic comparison of alternative arrangements Larger projects would be
expected to initiate a formal safety review and this process would ensure that the
basic safety needs of the project would be satisfied For smaller projects or plant
extensions where such a formal review may not be arranged the designer should
nonetheless consider safety aspects relating to the electrical system and produce an
outline document which presents these issues for the record
All negotiations with public utilities shall be the sole responsibility of BP
In as much as the arrangements with Public Authorities will form part of the long
term operational environment for the installation it is considered necessary that
the operator (assumed to be BP in the context of this document) is fully aware and
has the sole responsibility for the longer term compliance with the requirements
arising from any negotiations Such responsibility should not be delegated to a third
party unless the third party has an ongoing operational responsibility
It is considered that Contractors may request information from Public Utilities onbehalf of BP in pursuit of the determination of options relating to possible
installations or changes to existing installations but that in doing so it is made clear
that any formal agreement which arises from the information or investigation will
be with the operating company (BP)
The principal source of electrical supply for any location subject to therequirements of 411 to 413 shall be defined
The power supply arrangements are fundamental to any operating site and need to
feature strongly in the overall project concept A power supply philosophy
document which records the arrangements for power supply and the reasoning
associated with any selection is considered highly desirable A contractor mayhave part of his workscope associated with an evaluation and selection of power
supply arrangements in which case such a presentation is assured The selection of
the power supply arrangements may have formed part of a feasibility (or Statement
of Requirements) study which may have been produced by BP in which case the
definition of the power supply arrangements would form part of a contractors
specification
411 Electrical Import from a Public Utility
Where the principal source of electrical power is selected to be from a public utility the supply should be via duplicate feeders An exception
to this may be permitted for economic reasons where low power loadsare to be supplied and where a single feeder may be employed
It would be expected that there could be a costbenefit statement to justify the use of
single feeds Where the supply is low power and not essential for operations (eg
Cathodic Protection supplies) the justification is trivial however single supplies
with on site standby generation which will operate to supply full load in the event of
a main power supply failure may be an economic alternative to a duel supply
arrangement
Essential loads should always be provided for by on-site power supplyequipment
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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1 INTRODUCTION
11 Scope
The BP Group RP 12 series of Recommended Practices specify generalrequirements for electrical systems equipment materials andinstallations This document specifies those items which apply generallyto power system design for systems with a highest nominal voltage of 36 kV
It is considered that most of the installations within the sphere of BP operations
would be 345kV or below However it has been found that even for voltages of
132 kV the same principles would tend to apply for industrial systems
12 Although the following items may form part of power systems in certain
activities of the BP Group their designs are not covered by this
document Where necessary the relevant international or national
standard must be applied to these elements of electrical systems
(i) Design of overhead line
(ii) Design of large power rectifier plant
(iii) Design aspects of electrical systems which are special to mine
winding plant earth-moving equipment conveying crushing
and associated metalliferous treatment plants
(iv) Electrical systems in ships
(v) Electrical systems for subsea installations
(vi) Electrical design of installations in commercial administrative
or domestic premises
The above exclusions are considered special in nature andor can be undertaken
more efficiently by directly adopting practice which is common in the area where
the installation is to be employed
2 SYSTEM PARAMETERS
21 Voltage
The most economical voltages shall be selected for a Power System
In general the voltages selected should accord with the economical voltage levels
for machines which are included in BP Group RP 12-11
In any existing installation the selection of voltage levels will be subject also to site
conditions The requirement for having the most economic system voltage is
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intended to ensure that an economic appraisal of alternative courses of action is
undertaken or has been considered
The nominal phase to phase voltage for systems where voltages exceed1000 V should be selected from those detailed in IEC 38 When the
phase to phase voltage is below 1000 V the appropriate nominal
voltage to meet the national standards of the site location should beused For greenfield sites or offshore locations where the possibilityof interconnection with an outside authority is low the use of non-standard voltages below 1000 V (eg 660 V) shall be based oneconomic considerations
In the UK the nominal LV voltage would be either 415 V or 440 V phase to phase
with a tolerance of plusmn 5 (Notwithstanding current legislation which may suggest
that nominal voltages will in future be 380 V plusmn 10 or the provisions of the
Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 which require voltage tolerances to be within plusmn
6 for voltages less than 132 kV) See also 451
Any deployment of non standard voltage systems should be based upon specificeconomic studies which take full account of the need to hold spares which may be
beyond normal stock levels
22 Frequency
The frequency selected for power systems will be either 50 or 60 Hzdepending on the national standards of the site location Where a site isto be remotely located and powered only from on-site generation thefrequency selected should be compatible with the frequency of supplyof the nearest local electrical supply source or public utility if it isenvisaged that future inter-connection is desirable Where future inter-
connection with other sources of electricity supply is not envisaged as being possible or where economic advantages outweigh the benefits infuture possible interconnections the frequency of supply shall beselected on economic considerations and on ease of obtaining suitableequipment
North Sea experience indicates that selecting 60 Hz frequency tends to offer
possible economic advantages and as European equipment (ie widely available
equipment) suppliers can gear their product range to this frequency and the
standard voltages within Europe such selection becomes more likely
23 Rating
(i) Power systems with a voltage in excess of 1000 V should be so
designed that the rms value of the ac component of the short-
circuit breaking current of circuit breakers designed to IEC 56
andor BP Group GS 112-9 should be selected from values
readily available from equipment manufacturers
The selection of 25 kA as a symmetrical short circuit breaking capacity
could be found to represent a general economic ceiling to the available
fault levels for equipment Where there will be economic advantage in
providing switchgear of higher ratings eg 40 kA then this would be
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encouraged In any case in a green field situation the Short Circuit
capability of the installation should be based upon economic grounds The
capability of switchgear should always be proven by test before being
accepted into full duty service Testing would be particularly important
where enhanced make fault levels or enhanced dc content at break levels
are required The requirements for testing is contained within BP Group
GS 112-9 however at the design stage account should be taken for anyneed for Type Testing See also 631
(ii) For power systems with a voltage less than 1000V the rms
value of the ac component of the short-circuit breaking current
of circuit breakers designed to IEC 947 andor BP Group GS
112-8 should not exceed 50 kA
See the commentary for (i) above Where economically viable the selection
of 80 kA or above rated switchgear is encouraged BP Group GS 112-8
includes testing requirements for LV circuit breakers
3 LOADS
31 Rating and Diversity Factors
311 Electrical equipment shall be rated to carry continuously the maximum
load associated with peak design production with an additional 10
contingency The ambient conditions at which this rating applies shall
be defined in equipment specifications and shall not be less than 40degC
maximum air temperature at an altitude not exceeding 1000 m
A load list would normally identify all process loads and would further identify the
power to be absorbed by the mechanical drive This would be adjusted for
efficiency of the electrical drive to arrive at a value of power to be drawn from the
electrical system Aggregated plant loading should be carried out in accordance
with 312 Beyond this estimate only one allowance of contingency should be taken
on the thus identified after diversity plant load Where a total system load is to be
estimated which includes a number of individual switchgear loads estimated in this
manner care should be taken to be assured of only one overall estimate for
contingency
The specification of maximum temperature and elevation are chosen in order to be
assured that equipment has sufficient capacity for the most arduous of likely
conditions albeit at a standard elevation However where the location is such that
it is clear that there is no possibility of reaching the standard 40degC level and there
is economic advantage in relaxing the temperature the actual maximum and
minimum temperatures should be specified Similarly if the elevation is above
1000m the actual elevation should be specified
312 Assessment of maximum load requirements of an installation shall allow
for diversity between various loads drives or plants Appropriate
factors shall consider the likelihood of loads drives production or
process trains coincidentally requiring peak demands and shall be based
on similar installations wherever possible
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It is considered important that power system loading estimates be based upon
absorbed demands for machine loads with appropriate allowances for efficiency
and power factor In addition the effect of diversity should be assessed preferably
by using a concept of intermittence or alternatively by the application of well
proven diversity factors In the absence of either of these methods an average
maximum loading expectation may be assessed by adding 50 of the intermittent
load (that controlled by level switches or by thermocouples or other control
devices) to the continuously running loads In addition to this aggregated load an
assessment of likely standby load operating should be made A maximum of
standby operation may be obtained by considering boiler outage (insufficient steam
for steam turbine drivers) or by a maximum product throughput condition
32 Types of Load
All loads shall be presented with clear definition of their types inaccordance with the following-
321 Basic Information
For each identified electrical load a description of the service should begiven together with an indication of whether the device is a machine or a static load
(i) Dynamic
These are electric motors driving rotating equipment
(ii) Static
These are non-moving types of electrical equipment such as lighting heating
supplies to rectifiers etc
The bulk of the loads on the majority of BP installations comprise dynamic loads
and the proportions of dynamic to static loads are generally in the ratio of 101
Where there are machines supplied by Variable Speed Drives these may exhibit
properties similar to those of some static loads viz constant power demand despite
voltage variations Their contribution to system fault level is limited by the power
electronic system in some cases to zero contribution
322 Essential Loads
These are loads which are important to the safety of the installation or the operational staff and which require power to permit a reasonablycontrolled shutdown in emergency They shall have a secondindependent power source and be generally associated with no break supplies In certain cases a short supply break may be acceptable if thisdoes not represent a hazard to safety
BP Group RP 12-5 contains advice concerning the categorisation of power supplies
suitable for control systems The concept of essential loads used here is fairly close
to the concept of Class A contained in that RP however the loads would not
require the level of duplication required for Class A systems Included in the
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concept of essential power system loads are such devices as Lub oil pumps for Gas
Turbines ventilation systems helipad lighting some floodlighting systems
navigational aids radio systems etc The term Essential used here was chosen to
align with the term Essential as defined in the IEE Recommendations for the
Electrical and Electronic Equipment of Mobile and Fixed Offshore Installations
It is noted that some loads which are essential by this definition may require the provision of Emergency Power Supply Facilities in order to meet Legislative
Requirements This is not inconsistent with the definition of Essential Loads used
here which is aimed at providing a convenient process for being assured that all
such critical loads are covered by the appropriate level of power supply (See
further Section 421)
323 Process Sensitive Loads
These are loads whose loss would affect continuity of plant operationresulting in loss of revenue but would not result in an unsafe situationarising Any decision to provide an alternative source of supply for these types of load shall be based on economic considerations
Included in this category are general lighting systems and process demands
It is sometimes possible particularly where process loadings are relatively low to
include sufficient into an emergency generator capacity to allow some processes to
continue on reduced capacity when main power generators are not available
There are no general rules for this type of provision except to emphasise that
application of such loads should not compromise any emergency services Each
case would be project specific
324 Non-sensitive Loads
Non-sensitive loads are those which do not form an importantcomponent of a production or process plant and their disconnectioncould be borne for relatively long periods with minimal or nuisancevalue They usually form a small proportion of the total connected loadand may have a single power source
Typical examples of these loads are the domestic part of accommodation offices
Workshops some water injection some potable water systems etc
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES
41 General
The power supply system shall be designed to provide safe andeconomical operation The safety aspects should cover both plant and
personnel Economic considerations shall cover capital maintenanceand running costs and include an assessment of the reliability andconsequent availability of the system The cost of improved power systems reliability should be weighed against the progressive potentialsavings due to decreased loss of production
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It is expected that for any significant power system design there will have been an
economic comparison of alternative arrangements Larger projects would be
expected to initiate a formal safety review and this process would ensure that the
basic safety needs of the project would be satisfied For smaller projects or plant
extensions where such a formal review may not be arranged the designer should
nonetheless consider safety aspects relating to the electrical system and produce an
outline document which presents these issues for the record
All negotiations with public utilities shall be the sole responsibility of BP
In as much as the arrangements with Public Authorities will form part of the long
term operational environment for the installation it is considered necessary that
the operator (assumed to be BP in the context of this document) is fully aware and
has the sole responsibility for the longer term compliance with the requirements
arising from any negotiations Such responsibility should not be delegated to a third
party unless the third party has an ongoing operational responsibility
It is considered that Contractors may request information from Public Utilities onbehalf of BP in pursuit of the determination of options relating to possible
installations or changes to existing installations but that in doing so it is made clear
that any formal agreement which arises from the information or investigation will
be with the operating company (BP)
The principal source of electrical supply for any location subject to therequirements of 411 to 413 shall be defined
The power supply arrangements are fundamental to any operating site and need to
feature strongly in the overall project concept A power supply philosophy
document which records the arrangements for power supply and the reasoning
associated with any selection is considered highly desirable A contractor mayhave part of his workscope associated with an evaluation and selection of power
supply arrangements in which case such a presentation is assured The selection of
the power supply arrangements may have formed part of a feasibility (or Statement
of Requirements) study which may have been produced by BP in which case the
definition of the power supply arrangements would form part of a contractors
specification
411 Electrical Import from a Public Utility
Where the principal source of electrical power is selected to be from a public utility the supply should be via duplicate feeders An exception
to this may be permitted for economic reasons where low power loadsare to be supplied and where a single feeder may be employed
It would be expected that there could be a costbenefit statement to justify the use of
single feeds Where the supply is low power and not essential for operations (eg
Cathodic Protection supplies) the justification is trivial however single supplies
with on site standby generation which will operate to supply full load in the event of
a main power supply failure may be an economic alternative to a duel supply
arrangement
Essential loads should always be provided for by on-site power supplyequipment
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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intended to ensure that an economic appraisal of alternative courses of action is
undertaken or has been considered
The nominal phase to phase voltage for systems where voltages exceed1000 V should be selected from those detailed in IEC 38 When the
phase to phase voltage is below 1000 V the appropriate nominal
voltage to meet the national standards of the site location should beused For greenfield sites or offshore locations where the possibilityof interconnection with an outside authority is low the use of non-standard voltages below 1000 V (eg 660 V) shall be based oneconomic considerations
In the UK the nominal LV voltage would be either 415 V or 440 V phase to phase
with a tolerance of plusmn 5 (Notwithstanding current legislation which may suggest
that nominal voltages will in future be 380 V plusmn 10 or the provisions of the
Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 which require voltage tolerances to be within plusmn
6 for voltages less than 132 kV) See also 451
Any deployment of non standard voltage systems should be based upon specificeconomic studies which take full account of the need to hold spares which may be
beyond normal stock levels
22 Frequency
The frequency selected for power systems will be either 50 or 60 Hzdepending on the national standards of the site location Where a site isto be remotely located and powered only from on-site generation thefrequency selected should be compatible with the frequency of supplyof the nearest local electrical supply source or public utility if it isenvisaged that future inter-connection is desirable Where future inter-
connection with other sources of electricity supply is not envisaged as being possible or where economic advantages outweigh the benefits infuture possible interconnections the frequency of supply shall beselected on economic considerations and on ease of obtaining suitableequipment
North Sea experience indicates that selecting 60 Hz frequency tends to offer
possible economic advantages and as European equipment (ie widely available
equipment) suppliers can gear their product range to this frequency and the
standard voltages within Europe such selection becomes more likely
23 Rating
(i) Power systems with a voltage in excess of 1000 V should be so
designed that the rms value of the ac component of the short-
circuit breaking current of circuit breakers designed to IEC 56
andor BP Group GS 112-9 should be selected from values
readily available from equipment manufacturers
The selection of 25 kA as a symmetrical short circuit breaking capacity
could be found to represent a general economic ceiling to the available
fault levels for equipment Where there will be economic advantage in
providing switchgear of higher ratings eg 40 kA then this would be
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encouraged In any case in a green field situation the Short Circuit
capability of the installation should be based upon economic grounds The
capability of switchgear should always be proven by test before being
accepted into full duty service Testing would be particularly important
where enhanced make fault levels or enhanced dc content at break levels
are required The requirements for testing is contained within BP Group
GS 112-9 however at the design stage account should be taken for anyneed for Type Testing See also 631
(ii) For power systems with a voltage less than 1000V the rms
value of the ac component of the short-circuit breaking current
of circuit breakers designed to IEC 947 andor BP Group GS
112-8 should not exceed 50 kA
See the commentary for (i) above Where economically viable the selection
of 80 kA or above rated switchgear is encouraged BP Group GS 112-8
includes testing requirements for LV circuit breakers
3 LOADS
31 Rating and Diversity Factors
311 Electrical equipment shall be rated to carry continuously the maximum
load associated with peak design production with an additional 10
contingency The ambient conditions at which this rating applies shall
be defined in equipment specifications and shall not be less than 40degC
maximum air temperature at an altitude not exceeding 1000 m
A load list would normally identify all process loads and would further identify the
power to be absorbed by the mechanical drive This would be adjusted for
efficiency of the electrical drive to arrive at a value of power to be drawn from the
electrical system Aggregated plant loading should be carried out in accordance
with 312 Beyond this estimate only one allowance of contingency should be taken
on the thus identified after diversity plant load Where a total system load is to be
estimated which includes a number of individual switchgear loads estimated in this
manner care should be taken to be assured of only one overall estimate for
contingency
The specification of maximum temperature and elevation are chosen in order to be
assured that equipment has sufficient capacity for the most arduous of likely
conditions albeit at a standard elevation However where the location is such that
it is clear that there is no possibility of reaching the standard 40degC level and there
is economic advantage in relaxing the temperature the actual maximum and
minimum temperatures should be specified Similarly if the elevation is above
1000m the actual elevation should be specified
312 Assessment of maximum load requirements of an installation shall allow
for diversity between various loads drives or plants Appropriate
factors shall consider the likelihood of loads drives production or
process trains coincidentally requiring peak demands and shall be based
on similar installations wherever possible
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It is considered important that power system loading estimates be based upon
absorbed demands for machine loads with appropriate allowances for efficiency
and power factor In addition the effect of diversity should be assessed preferably
by using a concept of intermittence or alternatively by the application of well
proven diversity factors In the absence of either of these methods an average
maximum loading expectation may be assessed by adding 50 of the intermittent
load (that controlled by level switches or by thermocouples or other control
devices) to the continuously running loads In addition to this aggregated load an
assessment of likely standby load operating should be made A maximum of
standby operation may be obtained by considering boiler outage (insufficient steam
for steam turbine drivers) or by a maximum product throughput condition
32 Types of Load
All loads shall be presented with clear definition of their types inaccordance with the following-
321 Basic Information
For each identified electrical load a description of the service should begiven together with an indication of whether the device is a machine or a static load
(i) Dynamic
These are electric motors driving rotating equipment
(ii) Static
These are non-moving types of electrical equipment such as lighting heating
supplies to rectifiers etc
The bulk of the loads on the majority of BP installations comprise dynamic loads
and the proportions of dynamic to static loads are generally in the ratio of 101
Where there are machines supplied by Variable Speed Drives these may exhibit
properties similar to those of some static loads viz constant power demand despite
voltage variations Their contribution to system fault level is limited by the power
electronic system in some cases to zero contribution
322 Essential Loads
These are loads which are important to the safety of the installation or the operational staff and which require power to permit a reasonablycontrolled shutdown in emergency They shall have a secondindependent power source and be generally associated with no break supplies In certain cases a short supply break may be acceptable if thisdoes not represent a hazard to safety
BP Group RP 12-5 contains advice concerning the categorisation of power supplies
suitable for control systems The concept of essential loads used here is fairly close
to the concept of Class A contained in that RP however the loads would not
require the level of duplication required for Class A systems Included in the
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concept of essential power system loads are such devices as Lub oil pumps for Gas
Turbines ventilation systems helipad lighting some floodlighting systems
navigational aids radio systems etc The term Essential used here was chosen to
align with the term Essential as defined in the IEE Recommendations for the
Electrical and Electronic Equipment of Mobile and Fixed Offshore Installations
It is noted that some loads which are essential by this definition may require the provision of Emergency Power Supply Facilities in order to meet Legislative
Requirements This is not inconsistent with the definition of Essential Loads used
here which is aimed at providing a convenient process for being assured that all
such critical loads are covered by the appropriate level of power supply (See
further Section 421)
323 Process Sensitive Loads
These are loads whose loss would affect continuity of plant operationresulting in loss of revenue but would not result in an unsafe situationarising Any decision to provide an alternative source of supply for these types of load shall be based on economic considerations
Included in this category are general lighting systems and process demands
It is sometimes possible particularly where process loadings are relatively low to
include sufficient into an emergency generator capacity to allow some processes to
continue on reduced capacity when main power generators are not available
There are no general rules for this type of provision except to emphasise that
application of such loads should not compromise any emergency services Each
case would be project specific
324 Non-sensitive Loads
Non-sensitive loads are those which do not form an importantcomponent of a production or process plant and their disconnectioncould be borne for relatively long periods with minimal or nuisancevalue They usually form a small proportion of the total connected loadand may have a single power source
Typical examples of these loads are the domestic part of accommodation offices
Workshops some water injection some potable water systems etc
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES
41 General
The power supply system shall be designed to provide safe andeconomical operation The safety aspects should cover both plant and
personnel Economic considerations shall cover capital maintenanceand running costs and include an assessment of the reliability andconsequent availability of the system The cost of improved power systems reliability should be weighed against the progressive potentialsavings due to decreased loss of production
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It is expected that for any significant power system design there will have been an
economic comparison of alternative arrangements Larger projects would be
expected to initiate a formal safety review and this process would ensure that the
basic safety needs of the project would be satisfied For smaller projects or plant
extensions where such a formal review may not be arranged the designer should
nonetheless consider safety aspects relating to the electrical system and produce an
outline document which presents these issues for the record
All negotiations with public utilities shall be the sole responsibility of BP
In as much as the arrangements with Public Authorities will form part of the long
term operational environment for the installation it is considered necessary that
the operator (assumed to be BP in the context of this document) is fully aware and
has the sole responsibility for the longer term compliance with the requirements
arising from any negotiations Such responsibility should not be delegated to a third
party unless the third party has an ongoing operational responsibility
It is considered that Contractors may request information from Public Utilities onbehalf of BP in pursuit of the determination of options relating to possible
installations or changes to existing installations but that in doing so it is made clear
that any formal agreement which arises from the information or investigation will
be with the operating company (BP)
The principal source of electrical supply for any location subject to therequirements of 411 to 413 shall be defined
The power supply arrangements are fundamental to any operating site and need to
feature strongly in the overall project concept A power supply philosophy
document which records the arrangements for power supply and the reasoning
associated with any selection is considered highly desirable A contractor mayhave part of his workscope associated with an evaluation and selection of power
supply arrangements in which case such a presentation is assured The selection of
the power supply arrangements may have formed part of a feasibility (or Statement
of Requirements) study which may have been produced by BP in which case the
definition of the power supply arrangements would form part of a contractors
specification
411 Electrical Import from a Public Utility
Where the principal source of electrical power is selected to be from a public utility the supply should be via duplicate feeders An exception
to this may be permitted for economic reasons where low power loadsare to be supplied and where a single feeder may be employed
It would be expected that there could be a costbenefit statement to justify the use of
single feeds Where the supply is low power and not essential for operations (eg
Cathodic Protection supplies) the justification is trivial however single supplies
with on site standby generation which will operate to supply full load in the event of
a main power supply failure may be an economic alternative to a duel supply
arrangement
Essential loads should always be provided for by on-site power supplyequipment
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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encouraged In any case in a green field situation the Short Circuit
capability of the installation should be based upon economic grounds The
capability of switchgear should always be proven by test before being
accepted into full duty service Testing would be particularly important
where enhanced make fault levels or enhanced dc content at break levels
are required The requirements for testing is contained within BP Group
GS 112-9 however at the design stage account should be taken for anyneed for Type Testing See also 631
(ii) For power systems with a voltage less than 1000V the rms
value of the ac component of the short-circuit breaking current
of circuit breakers designed to IEC 947 andor BP Group GS
112-8 should not exceed 50 kA
See the commentary for (i) above Where economically viable the selection
of 80 kA or above rated switchgear is encouraged BP Group GS 112-8
includes testing requirements for LV circuit breakers
3 LOADS
31 Rating and Diversity Factors
311 Electrical equipment shall be rated to carry continuously the maximum
load associated with peak design production with an additional 10
contingency The ambient conditions at which this rating applies shall
be defined in equipment specifications and shall not be less than 40degC
maximum air temperature at an altitude not exceeding 1000 m
A load list would normally identify all process loads and would further identify the
power to be absorbed by the mechanical drive This would be adjusted for
efficiency of the electrical drive to arrive at a value of power to be drawn from the
electrical system Aggregated plant loading should be carried out in accordance
with 312 Beyond this estimate only one allowance of contingency should be taken
on the thus identified after diversity plant load Where a total system load is to be
estimated which includes a number of individual switchgear loads estimated in this
manner care should be taken to be assured of only one overall estimate for
contingency
The specification of maximum temperature and elevation are chosen in order to be
assured that equipment has sufficient capacity for the most arduous of likely
conditions albeit at a standard elevation However where the location is such that
it is clear that there is no possibility of reaching the standard 40degC level and there
is economic advantage in relaxing the temperature the actual maximum and
minimum temperatures should be specified Similarly if the elevation is above
1000m the actual elevation should be specified
312 Assessment of maximum load requirements of an installation shall allow
for diversity between various loads drives or plants Appropriate
factors shall consider the likelihood of loads drives production or
process trains coincidentally requiring peak demands and shall be based
on similar installations wherever possible
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It is considered important that power system loading estimates be based upon
absorbed demands for machine loads with appropriate allowances for efficiency
and power factor In addition the effect of diversity should be assessed preferably
by using a concept of intermittence or alternatively by the application of well
proven diversity factors In the absence of either of these methods an average
maximum loading expectation may be assessed by adding 50 of the intermittent
load (that controlled by level switches or by thermocouples or other control
devices) to the continuously running loads In addition to this aggregated load an
assessment of likely standby load operating should be made A maximum of
standby operation may be obtained by considering boiler outage (insufficient steam
for steam turbine drivers) or by a maximum product throughput condition
32 Types of Load
All loads shall be presented with clear definition of their types inaccordance with the following-
321 Basic Information
For each identified electrical load a description of the service should begiven together with an indication of whether the device is a machine or a static load
(i) Dynamic
These are electric motors driving rotating equipment
(ii) Static
These are non-moving types of electrical equipment such as lighting heating
supplies to rectifiers etc
The bulk of the loads on the majority of BP installations comprise dynamic loads
and the proportions of dynamic to static loads are generally in the ratio of 101
Where there are machines supplied by Variable Speed Drives these may exhibit
properties similar to those of some static loads viz constant power demand despite
voltage variations Their contribution to system fault level is limited by the power
electronic system in some cases to zero contribution
322 Essential Loads
These are loads which are important to the safety of the installation or the operational staff and which require power to permit a reasonablycontrolled shutdown in emergency They shall have a secondindependent power source and be generally associated with no break supplies In certain cases a short supply break may be acceptable if thisdoes not represent a hazard to safety
BP Group RP 12-5 contains advice concerning the categorisation of power supplies
suitable for control systems The concept of essential loads used here is fairly close
to the concept of Class A contained in that RP however the loads would not
require the level of duplication required for Class A systems Included in the
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concept of essential power system loads are such devices as Lub oil pumps for Gas
Turbines ventilation systems helipad lighting some floodlighting systems
navigational aids radio systems etc The term Essential used here was chosen to
align with the term Essential as defined in the IEE Recommendations for the
Electrical and Electronic Equipment of Mobile and Fixed Offshore Installations
It is noted that some loads which are essential by this definition may require the provision of Emergency Power Supply Facilities in order to meet Legislative
Requirements This is not inconsistent with the definition of Essential Loads used
here which is aimed at providing a convenient process for being assured that all
such critical loads are covered by the appropriate level of power supply (See
further Section 421)
323 Process Sensitive Loads
These are loads whose loss would affect continuity of plant operationresulting in loss of revenue but would not result in an unsafe situationarising Any decision to provide an alternative source of supply for these types of load shall be based on economic considerations
Included in this category are general lighting systems and process demands
It is sometimes possible particularly where process loadings are relatively low to
include sufficient into an emergency generator capacity to allow some processes to
continue on reduced capacity when main power generators are not available
There are no general rules for this type of provision except to emphasise that
application of such loads should not compromise any emergency services Each
case would be project specific
324 Non-sensitive Loads
Non-sensitive loads are those which do not form an importantcomponent of a production or process plant and their disconnectioncould be borne for relatively long periods with minimal or nuisancevalue They usually form a small proportion of the total connected loadand may have a single power source
Typical examples of these loads are the domestic part of accommodation offices
Workshops some water injection some potable water systems etc
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES
41 General
The power supply system shall be designed to provide safe andeconomical operation The safety aspects should cover both plant and
personnel Economic considerations shall cover capital maintenanceand running costs and include an assessment of the reliability andconsequent availability of the system The cost of improved power systems reliability should be weighed against the progressive potentialsavings due to decreased loss of production
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It is expected that for any significant power system design there will have been an
economic comparison of alternative arrangements Larger projects would be
expected to initiate a formal safety review and this process would ensure that the
basic safety needs of the project would be satisfied For smaller projects or plant
extensions where such a formal review may not be arranged the designer should
nonetheless consider safety aspects relating to the electrical system and produce an
outline document which presents these issues for the record
All negotiations with public utilities shall be the sole responsibility of BP
In as much as the arrangements with Public Authorities will form part of the long
term operational environment for the installation it is considered necessary that
the operator (assumed to be BP in the context of this document) is fully aware and
has the sole responsibility for the longer term compliance with the requirements
arising from any negotiations Such responsibility should not be delegated to a third
party unless the third party has an ongoing operational responsibility
It is considered that Contractors may request information from Public Utilities onbehalf of BP in pursuit of the determination of options relating to possible
installations or changes to existing installations but that in doing so it is made clear
that any formal agreement which arises from the information or investigation will
be with the operating company (BP)
The principal source of electrical supply for any location subject to therequirements of 411 to 413 shall be defined
The power supply arrangements are fundamental to any operating site and need to
feature strongly in the overall project concept A power supply philosophy
document which records the arrangements for power supply and the reasoning
associated with any selection is considered highly desirable A contractor mayhave part of his workscope associated with an evaluation and selection of power
supply arrangements in which case such a presentation is assured The selection of
the power supply arrangements may have formed part of a feasibility (or Statement
of Requirements) study which may have been produced by BP in which case the
definition of the power supply arrangements would form part of a contractors
specification
411 Electrical Import from a Public Utility
Where the principal source of electrical power is selected to be from a public utility the supply should be via duplicate feeders An exception
to this may be permitted for economic reasons where low power loadsare to be supplied and where a single feeder may be employed
It would be expected that there could be a costbenefit statement to justify the use of
single feeds Where the supply is low power and not essential for operations (eg
Cathodic Protection supplies) the justification is trivial however single supplies
with on site standby generation which will operate to supply full load in the event of
a main power supply failure may be an economic alternative to a duel supply
arrangement
Essential loads should always be provided for by on-site power supplyequipment
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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It is considered important that power system loading estimates be based upon
absorbed demands for machine loads with appropriate allowances for efficiency
and power factor In addition the effect of diversity should be assessed preferably
by using a concept of intermittence or alternatively by the application of well
proven diversity factors In the absence of either of these methods an average
maximum loading expectation may be assessed by adding 50 of the intermittent
load (that controlled by level switches or by thermocouples or other control
devices) to the continuously running loads In addition to this aggregated load an
assessment of likely standby load operating should be made A maximum of
standby operation may be obtained by considering boiler outage (insufficient steam
for steam turbine drivers) or by a maximum product throughput condition
32 Types of Load
All loads shall be presented with clear definition of their types inaccordance with the following-
321 Basic Information
For each identified electrical load a description of the service should begiven together with an indication of whether the device is a machine or a static load
(i) Dynamic
These are electric motors driving rotating equipment
(ii) Static
These are non-moving types of electrical equipment such as lighting heating
supplies to rectifiers etc
The bulk of the loads on the majority of BP installations comprise dynamic loads
and the proportions of dynamic to static loads are generally in the ratio of 101
Where there are machines supplied by Variable Speed Drives these may exhibit
properties similar to those of some static loads viz constant power demand despite
voltage variations Their contribution to system fault level is limited by the power
electronic system in some cases to zero contribution
322 Essential Loads
These are loads which are important to the safety of the installation or the operational staff and which require power to permit a reasonablycontrolled shutdown in emergency They shall have a secondindependent power source and be generally associated with no break supplies In certain cases a short supply break may be acceptable if thisdoes not represent a hazard to safety
BP Group RP 12-5 contains advice concerning the categorisation of power supplies
suitable for control systems The concept of essential loads used here is fairly close
to the concept of Class A contained in that RP however the loads would not
require the level of duplication required for Class A systems Included in the
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concept of essential power system loads are such devices as Lub oil pumps for Gas
Turbines ventilation systems helipad lighting some floodlighting systems
navigational aids radio systems etc The term Essential used here was chosen to
align with the term Essential as defined in the IEE Recommendations for the
Electrical and Electronic Equipment of Mobile and Fixed Offshore Installations
It is noted that some loads which are essential by this definition may require the provision of Emergency Power Supply Facilities in order to meet Legislative
Requirements This is not inconsistent with the definition of Essential Loads used
here which is aimed at providing a convenient process for being assured that all
such critical loads are covered by the appropriate level of power supply (See
further Section 421)
323 Process Sensitive Loads
These are loads whose loss would affect continuity of plant operationresulting in loss of revenue but would not result in an unsafe situationarising Any decision to provide an alternative source of supply for these types of load shall be based on economic considerations
Included in this category are general lighting systems and process demands
It is sometimes possible particularly where process loadings are relatively low to
include sufficient into an emergency generator capacity to allow some processes to
continue on reduced capacity when main power generators are not available
There are no general rules for this type of provision except to emphasise that
application of such loads should not compromise any emergency services Each
case would be project specific
324 Non-sensitive Loads
Non-sensitive loads are those which do not form an importantcomponent of a production or process plant and their disconnectioncould be borne for relatively long periods with minimal or nuisancevalue They usually form a small proportion of the total connected loadand may have a single power source
Typical examples of these loads are the domestic part of accommodation offices
Workshops some water injection some potable water systems etc
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES
41 General
The power supply system shall be designed to provide safe andeconomical operation The safety aspects should cover both plant and
personnel Economic considerations shall cover capital maintenanceand running costs and include an assessment of the reliability andconsequent availability of the system The cost of improved power systems reliability should be weighed against the progressive potentialsavings due to decreased loss of production
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It is expected that for any significant power system design there will have been an
economic comparison of alternative arrangements Larger projects would be
expected to initiate a formal safety review and this process would ensure that the
basic safety needs of the project would be satisfied For smaller projects or plant
extensions where such a formal review may not be arranged the designer should
nonetheless consider safety aspects relating to the electrical system and produce an
outline document which presents these issues for the record
All negotiations with public utilities shall be the sole responsibility of BP
In as much as the arrangements with Public Authorities will form part of the long
term operational environment for the installation it is considered necessary that
the operator (assumed to be BP in the context of this document) is fully aware and
has the sole responsibility for the longer term compliance with the requirements
arising from any negotiations Such responsibility should not be delegated to a third
party unless the third party has an ongoing operational responsibility
It is considered that Contractors may request information from Public Utilities onbehalf of BP in pursuit of the determination of options relating to possible
installations or changes to existing installations but that in doing so it is made clear
that any formal agreement which arises from the information or investigation will
be with the operating company (BP)
The principal source of electrical supply for any location subject to therequirements of 411 to 413 shall be defined
The power supply arrangements are fundamental to any operating site and need to
feature strongly in the overall project concept A power supply philosophy
document which records the arrangements for power supply and the reasoning
associated with any selection is considered highly desirable A contractor mayhave part of his workscope associated with an evaluation and selection of power
supply arrangements in which case such a presentation is assured The selection of
the power supply arrangements may have formed part of a feasibility (or Statement
of Requirements) study which may have been produced by BP in which case the
definition of the power supply arrangements would form part of a contractors
specification
411 Electrical Import from a Public Utility
Where the principal source of electrical power is selected to be from a public utility the supply should be via duplicate feeders An exception
to this may be permitted for economic reasons where low power loadsare to be supplied and where a single feeder may be employed
It would be expected that there could be a costbenefit statement to justify the use of
single feeds Where the supply is low power and not essential for operations (eg
Cathodic Protection supplies) the justification is trivial however single supplies
with on site standby generation which will operate to supply full load in the event of
a main power supply failure may be an economic alternative to a duel supply
arrangement
Essential loads should always be provided for by on-site power supplyequipment
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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concept of essential power system loads are such devices as Lub oil pumps for Gas
Turbines ventilation systems helipad lighting some floodlighting systems
navigational aids radio systems etc The term Essential used here was chosen to
align with the term Essential as defined in the IEE Recommendations for the
Electrical and Electronic Equipment of Mobile and Fixed Offshore Installations
It is noted that some loads which are essential by this definition may require the provision of Emergency Power Supply Facilities in order to meet Legislative
Requirements This is not inconsistent with the definition of Essential Loads used
here which is aimed at providing a convenient process for being assured that all
such critical loads are covered by the appropriate level of power supply (See
further Section 421)
323 Process Sensitive Loads
These are loads whose loss would affect continuity of plant operationresulting in loss of revenue but would not result in an unsafe situationarising Any decision to provide an alternative source of supply for these types of load shall be based on economic considerations
Included in this category are general lighting systems and process demands
It is sometimes possible particularly where process loadings are relatively low to
include sufficient into an emergency generator capacity to allow some processes to
continue on reduced capacity when main power generators are not available
There are no general rules for this type of provision except to emphasise that
application of such loads should not compromise any emergency services Each
case would be project specific
324 Non-sensitive Loads
Non-sensitive loads are those which do not form an importantcomponent of a production or process plant and their disconnectioncould be borne for relatively long periods with minimal or nuisancevalue They usually form a small proportion of the total connected loadand may have a single power source
Typical examples of these loads are the domestic part of accommodation offices
Workshops some water injection some potable water systems etc
4 POWER SUPPLY SOURCES
41 General
The power supply system shall be designed to provide safe andeconomical operation The safety aspects should cover both plant and
personnel Economic considerations shall cover capital maintenanceand running costs and include an assessment of the reliability andconsequent availability of the system The cost of improved power systems reliability should be weighed against the progressive potentialsavings due to decreased loss of production
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It is expected that for any significant power system design there will have been an
economic comparison of alternative arrangements Larger projects would be
expected to initiate a formal safety review and this process would ensure that the
basic safety needs of the project would be satisfied For smaller projects or plant
extensions where such a formal review may not be arranged the designer should
nonetheless consider safety aspects relating to the electrical system and produce an
outline document which presents these issues for the record
All negotiations with public utilities shall be the sole responsibility of BP
In as much as the arrangements with Public Authorities will form part of the long
term operational environment for the installation it is considered necessary that
the operator (assumed to be BP in the context of this document) is fully aware and
has the sole responsibility for the longer term compliance with the requirements
arising from any negotiations Such responsibility should not be delegated to a third
party unless the third party has an ongoing operational responsibility
It is considered that Contractors may request information from Public Utilities onbehalf of BP in pursuit of the determination of options relating to possible
installations or changes to existing installations but that in doing so it is made clear
that any formal agreement which arises from the information or investigation will
be with the operating company (BP)
The principal source of electrical supply for any location subject to therequirements of 411 to 413 shall be defined
The power supply arrangements are fundamental to any operating site and need to
feature strongly in the overall project concept A power supply philosophy
document which records the arrangements for power supply and the reasoning
associated with any selection is considered highly desirable A contractor mayhave part of his workscope associated with an evaluation and selection of power
supply arrangements in which case such a presentation is assured The selection of
the power supply arrangements may have formed part of a feasibility (or Statement
of Requirements) study which may have been produced by BP in which case the
definition of the power supply arrangements would form part of a contractors
specification
411 Electrical Import from a Public Utility
Where the principal source of electrical power is selected to be from a public utility the supply should be via duplicate feeders An exception
to this may be permitted for economic reasons where low power loadsare to be supplied and where a single feeder may be employed
It would be expected that there could be a costbenefit statement to justify the use of
single feeds Where the supply is low power and not essential for operations (eg
Cathodic Protection supplies) the justification is trivial however single supplies
with on site standby generation which will operate to supply full load in the event of
a main power supply failure may be an economic alternative to a duel supply
arrangement
Essential loads should always be provided for by on-site power supplyequipment
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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It is expected that for any significant power system design there will have been an
economic comparison of alternative arrangements Larger projects would be
expected to initiate a formal safety review and this process would ensure that the
basic safety needs of the project would be satisfied For smaller projects or plant
extensions where such a formal review may not be arranged the designer should
nonetheless consider safety aspects relating to the electrical system and produce an
outline document which presents these issues for the record
All negotiations with public utilities shall be the sole responsibility of BP
In as much as the arrangements with Public Authorities will form part of the long
term operational environment for the installation it is considered necessary that
the operator (assumed to be BP in the context of this document) is fully aware and
has the sole responsibility for the longer term compliance with the requirements
arising from any negotiations Such responsibility should not be delegated to a third
party unless the third party has an ongoing operational responsibility
It is considered that Contractors may request information from Public Utilities onbehalf of BP in pursuit of the determination of options relating to possible
installations or changes to existing installations but that in doing so it is made clear
that any formal agreement which arises from the information or investigation will
be with the operating company (BP)
The principal source of electrical supply for any location subject to therequirements of 411 to 413 shall be defined
The power supply arrangements are fundamental to any operating site and need to
feature strongly in the overall project concept A power supply philosophy
document which records the arrangements for power supply and the reasoning
associated with any selection is considered highly desirable A contractor mayhave part of his workscope associated with an evaluation and selection of power
supply arrangements in which case such a presentation is assured The selection of
the power supply arrangements may have formed part of a feasibility (or Statement
of Requirements) study which may have been produced by BP in which case the
definition of the power supply arrangements would form part of a contractors
specification
411 Electrical Import from a Public Utility
Where the principal source of electrical power is selected to be from a public utility the supply should be via duplicate feeders An exception
to this may be permitted for economic reasons where low power loadsare to be supplied and where a single feeder may be employed
It would be expected that there could be a costbenefit statement to justify the use of
single feeds Where the supply is low power and not essential for operations (eg
Cathodic Protection supplies) the justification is trivial however single supplies
with on site standby generation which will operate to supply full load in the event of
a main power supply failure may be an economic alternative to a duel supply
arrangement
Essential loads should always be provided for by on-site power supplyequipment
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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See 322 (commentary)
Where economically viable power generation on site may be arrangedto peak-lop or otherwise supplement the external power supply
412 On-site Generation with no Public Utility Connection
Where a site is offshore or remote from a public utility network or hasa surplus of fuel or process energy on-site generation will normally beexpected as the principal source of power The on-site power generation arrangements shall be defined taking into account thefollowing factors-
(i) The fuel source
(ii) The nature of the process energy
(iii) The process steam or other heat requirements if any
(iv) The relationship between electric power requirements and the
energy sources on any given site
The number and arrangement of power generating sets should reflectthe particular needs of the installation in terms of Availability andReliability Where an availability of above 80 is required a minimumof 2 generating sets will be required on sites where there is noalternative electricity supply Under these circumstances the following
criteria should be satisfied-
(i) There should be sufficient generation to meet the Maximum
Demand when the largest single source of electrical supply is
out of service at peak demand times due to maintenance or any
other reason
(ii) Where more than 2 generators are installed those loads
considered as Process Sensitive (ie those loads which must
operate to maintain either full or a reduced production) shall be
supplied when the largest capacity generator is out of service
and the second largest generator is coincidentally shut down due
to unforeseen circumstances
All power generation facilities which cannot derive alternative power from another source shall be arranged with Black Start facilities TheBlack Start arrangements may involve use of Emergency or In-Housediesel generators
For systems requiring high reliability the probability of having sufficient power
generation for 100 of the load (provided by the main power supply system) in a 12
month period should be 99 This would normally require an installation of at
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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least 3 generators Under some circumstances this (high) reliability requirement
can be relaxed particularly where the consequences of power supply failure are not
severe In such circumstances only two (or even one) main power generators could
be considered
Where multiple power generators are provided there needs to be a philosophy of
supply related to normal operation maintenance shutdown and to failure Where 3 generators are installed it is reasonable to expect that substantial production could
be achieved by a single set remaining available following failure of the second set
with the third unavailable
413 On-site Generation Run in Parallel with a Public Utility
Where on-site generation is selected to be the principal source of power and where a connection to a public utility is available considerationshall be given to the following options related to connection to thePublic Utility-
(i) As a standby source of electric power
(ii) A means of export of surplus electrical power
(iii) A combination of both
(iv) As a Black Start Facility
It is expected that the power generation philosophy would consider these options
which would be contained within a formal design record See also 411 where
there may be economic benefit in peak lopping of the Public Utility supply taking advantage of tariff opportunities
42 Emergency Power Supply Equipment
421 Power supplies to Essential loads should be achieved by one or more of
the following-
(i) Providing an alternative source of energy such as batteries
(ii) Increasing the amount (or being assured of sufficient sheer
numbers) of normal supply generation equipment with anarrangement for duplicate fuel supply which effectively avoids
single contingency power outage
(iii) Ensuring a number of alternative supply feeds are available to
the loads and that the alternatives effectively provide duplication
to avoid single contingency power loss
(iv) Local Diesel Generation
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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In general it is expected that Essential loads would receive battery supplies or
would be associated with an emergency generator However where this is
impractical leads to low reliability or is prohibitively expensive the least cost of
the remaining alternatives should normally be adopted
The concept of increased power generation in (ii) above is meant to allow for
emergency power supplies to be designed as part of a normal power generation and distribution system The criteria for design would be that the power source and the
distribution system for the Essential loads would maintain sufficiently high security
for these safety critical systems A similar concept is considered appropriate for
the concept of having a suitable number of alternative supply feeds detailed in (iii)
above
422 In the application of 421 (ii) the power supply to Essential loads shall
be designed to remain available in the event of at least two of the
installed main power generators being unavailable The probability of
zero interruptions to the Essential load feed busbar over a 12 month
period shall be 99 or better Where necessary a loadshedding schemeshall be installed to secure the supply to the Essential loads Essential
loads shall not form part of the loadshedding arrangements
The concept of additional power generation being suitable for emergency supply
duty will clearly not be possible without there being at least 3 power generation sets
available Where one power generator thus installed is of lower capacity than the
system maximum demand andor the nature of the load can lead to instability it is
expected that a load shedding scheme would be employed to ensure that the
Essential loads would be maintained for any fault condition which could leave a
single machine on the busbar
423 Where increased main generating plant or local standby plant is selectedto provide power to Essential loads it shall be either diesel engine or
gas turbine driven generator set(s) Local standby or emergency
generator prime movers shall have their own dedicated fuel supply All
prime movers for main generators (where these are deemed to provide
Essential supplies) shall be arranged for two fuel sources with
automatic transfer Power generation for Essential loads shall be rated
to have a spare capacity of at least 10
These provisions are designed to ensure that a single contingency fault (eg fuel
supply failure) will not cause power supply loss
424 Emergency generator sets shall be capable of starting and running when
no alternative source of electrical ac power is available ie a black
start capability This may be achieved by compressed air starting with
air receivers being capable of six engine starts from one air charge or
by battery starting with a similar capability or by both methods
The requirements for emergency generators are contained in BP Group GS 160-1
In general two starting methods are required It should be noted that the location
of emergency generators should normally be in a non-classified area with supply
air derived from a clean source For offshore installations the location of the
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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emergency generator should be on an outside wall which can have louvers open to
supply combustion air Care should be taken to ensure that the exhaust and air
intakes are located to avoid problems associated with other adjacent plant or
systems
425 Emergency generators shall be provided with automatic starting and
loading facilities A simple and reliable method of ensuring that
emergency generators can be immediately switched to their pre-defined
load shall be arranged Manual facilities shall also be provided for
regular testing purposes Testing facilities should permit the loading of
standby generator sets
It is preferred that the emergency generator should be capable of running in
parallel with the mains supply for testing purposes and for the purposes of
transferring load without the need for supply break
43 Reliability
For each power supply arrangement a reliability assessment shall becarried out to determine the probability of failure of supply
In the early stages of design a reliability study may be undertaken as part of the
comparison of alternative methods of providing power supplies Such studies would
also be useful in determining the cost of material failures The undertaking of
these studies may form part of the Contractors workscope Where the Project Team
is required to carry out such a study the terms of reference related to objectives
data gathering and evaluation shall be clearly specified
44 Primary Substation
441 Generator circuits (other than local emergency generators) and public
utility power intakes should be connected together at a common
primary substation the busbars of which are used as the main load
distribution centre Where generators and public utility power intakes
may be located at different points throughout the site these shall be
interconnected
Thus there will be at least one and for larger sites more primary substations
442 The switchgear for primary substations shall comply with BP Group GS112-9 (or BP Group GS 112-8 where only LV supplies are involved)
Detailed guid ance for H V and LV switchgear is contained in BP Group RP 12-6
and BP Group RP 12-7
443 Busbar arrangements shall be selected to be cost effective operationally
flexible and safe The following technical points shall be taken into
account
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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(i) Operational flexibility to permit loads and power supplies to be effectively
connected under scheduled and unscheduled outages of circuits and
busbar sections
(ii) Minimal switchgear per circuit and simple control and protection
(iii) Unscheduled loss of busbar sections shall not shut down the system beyond the level designed and provided for
(iv) Scheduled maintenance of busbars shall be possible without system
shutdowns beyond those designed and provided for
It may often be found necessary to locate the incoming circuit breakers of a busbar
to a location half way along one side of a busbar in order to be more assured that
100 of the load is unlikely to flow in one section of the busbars
The possibility of bus section circuit breaker fault conditions in metal enclosed
switchgear which may cause a full switchboard shutdown for remedial repairs
should be considered However unless there are overriding reasons for thecontrary BP do not design switchboards to cater for this eventuality
444 Single busbar arrangements for primary supply substations should be
provided subject to the following criteria-
(i) The switchgear shall be indoor metalclad type
(ii) The single busbar shall be split into a number of sections by
using suitable switchgear The number of sections of busbars
shall be consistent with the acceptable loss of incoming or
outgoing circuits under both scheduled and unscheduled lossconditions
(iii) Routine busbar maintenance shall not be considered to be
necessary or shall be an infrequent occurrence
Where there would be 3 incoming transformer feeders the busbar would normally
be expected to be in 3 parts with feeder circuit breakers arranged on each of the
sections of busbar
445 Double busbar arrangements shall be provided in installations where
outdoor air insulated busbars are installed or where regular busbar maintenance is considered necessary for environmental or pollution
reasons They may also be supplied where the operational flexibility
available from being able to connect incoming power circuits and
outgoing load circuits in a variety of ways is considered to be
particularly advantageous
The perceived need for double busbar arrangements for indoor metalclad HV
switchgear was strong in early Refinery designs but has virtually disappeared from
modern Refinery and other industrial installations Therefore the use of double
busbar arrangements needs to be carefully considered and advantages balanced
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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against the considerable additional costs of Building Switchgear and Protective
arrangements One generally clear case for double busbar arrangements lies in
outdoor installations where maintenance work on busbars would be greater
446 Ringbars or mesh busbars arrangements shall not be used
Ring or mesh arrangements are generally difficult to extend and therefore are
considered to have limited application However this type of arrangement has
switchgear saving advantages where the system is unlikely to require modification
447 Where the power supply is obtained from a public utility via equipment
such as transformers or feeders the busbars shall be sectionalised to
prevent total power system shutdown in the event of unscheduled
outage of any busbar section Coincidental maintenance of a public
utility intake transformer shall not be considered
It is considered that maintenance of incoming transformers and feeds would be lowand would be quickly completed Therefore high expense in order to reduce an
already unlikely event is not considered worthwhile
448 The maximum number of busbar sections should not exceed the number
of individual power sources
This requirement sets out to avoid over flexibility in a power system which although
useful in contemplation is of little economic benefit in practice
449 The outgoing load circuits shall be connected to busbar sections in such
a way as to optimise power flow across busbar section switches
commensurate with reliability and operating considerations and shall
also permit unscheduled and scheduled busbar section outages with the
minimum disturbance to the loads being supplied
See also the commentary to section 443
4410 Generators may be connected either directly to the primary power
supply busbar or via generator transformers The type of connection
shall be selected depending upon the economics associated with both
the generation voltage and the primary supply busbar voltage
Typical arrangements for primary substations for a variety of types of power supply are shown in Figure 1
Primary substations should be located in areas which are not classifiedas hazardous The selected location within the site shall-
(a) Take account of the ability to distribute power to the onsite
loads without unnecessarily high distribution equipment costs
(b) Be adjacent to the generation or public utility intake
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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(c) Be suitable for future expansion
Where it is impossible to locate the primary substation outside of the hazardous
areas arrangements for forced ventilation of the substation shall be made Air for
the ventilation shall be taken from a remote and safe area the substation shall beequipped with air lock doors gas detectors (which shall cause immediate de-
energisation of all electrical equipment in the substation which is not suitable for a
zone 1 environment) and loss of sufficient ventilation and pressurisation shall
initiate an alarm condition which although not causing a trip of the switchgear
shall be used as an operator based time dependent system for the effect of repair
Shutdown shall be initiated should repairs not be possible within an operator
defined time scale
45 Frequency and Voltage Regulation
451 The power system design shall be arranged to ensure that the voltage
variation (between full load and lightly loaded conditions) experiencedat any piece of equipment designated as a load (ie not including
distribution equipment) shall not exceed plusmn 5 of the declared system
nominal voltage Further the power system shall be arranged to be able
to withstand without undue stress a transient voltage variation to 80
of nominal for a 10 second period or such longer duration at specific
points if necessary Special consideration shall be given to power
frequency overvoltage effects and the need for Power System
equipment to withstand higher overvoltages under some circumstances
This requirement ensures that standard equipment parameters would not be
compromised Where the system voltage deviates beyond the 5 limit apart fromequipment life expectation being eroded there is a danger of exceeding the
hazardous area certification limits for that equipment installed in a hazardous area
This may not actually yield failures or temperatures likely to cause ignition of a
vapour which may be present but will increase the likelihood of such occurrences
and will infringe the basic safety intention
The Electricity Supply Regulations 1988 r equires voltage variations to be within plusmn
6 However standards for equipment state a plusmn 5 tolerance for voltage Hence
the lower limit is specified here
Where power systems which have automatic voltage control can experience
significant load rejection (eg as may be the case of a Power System supplied by generators must direct-on-line start large machines which subsequently exhibit
rapid VAr decrease leaving machines in an overexcited state) significant
overvoltage levels may be predicted (120 to 125 of nominal voltage can be
predicted) This may require special specification of transformers to avoid
problems caused by overfluxing or increased current due to magnetic excitation
Special attention should be paid to voltage and frequency tolerance specifications
for generator transformers which may need to match the run up characteristic of the
generator This can require the transformer to be capable of withstanding full rated
voltage at 80 of rated frequency
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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See 811 for motor starting requirements This can give rise to a voltage
depression at motor terminals of 20 which therefore requires that the power
system should be able to successfully accept this condition for the starting period
Typical starting periods can range from 1 to 10 seconds depending upon machine
and system ratings and machine inertia Starting times beyond 10 seconds are
possible where particularly high inertia loads need to be accelerated (eg fans)
however these would constitute a special application and should be treated byexception
452 Where the public utility intake of a site is via transformers these
transformers and their voltage regulation equipment shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance on transformer construction and specification is given in BP
Group RP 12-9
Where necessary for voltage regulation purposes the incoming transformers shall
be equipped with on load and automatic tap change equipment
453 Where there is on-site generation the generators and their governor
and voltage regulation equipment shall comply with BP Group GS 112-
6 or BP Group GS 160-1
Detailed guidance on generator application is not featured as a separate part of the
BP Group RP 12 series of documents
454 Automatic voltage regulation equipment of power systems which have
both on-site generation and public utility intakes via transformers shall
be designed so that there is no detrimental inter-action
There are a number of options which can be considered for voltage control In
general the excitation of the power generators can be arranged for zero VAr
importexport for the whole site and at the same time the intake transformer
controller can be arranged to maintain voltage at a pre set level
455 The excitation systems of synchronous motors shall be arranged to
ensure no detrimental interactive effects with transformer automatic tap
change equipment
In the case of synchronous motors where it is probable that the synchronous motor would be small in relation to the supply intake capacity it is probable that the
excitation can be arranged to maintain a constant power factor to the machine and
the transformer tap change control would be arranged to maintain voltage within
pre set levels
456 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation where
the site has no public utility connection shall be designed such that
generator loading may be automatically shared between the operating
sets and that the nominal supply frequency is maintained within the
approved tolerance
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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Where governor droop control is employed there should be an operator in
attendance who could take action from time to time to ensure that the system
frequency remained within reasonable limits Such limits should be plusmn 1 and the
output system frequency time should be within 30 seconds of standard time
Statement of these limits for design purposes does not indicate a need to supply an
appropriate standard clock arrangement although power plants supplying
townships or camp areas are encouraged to have this facility The limit for frequency time may be relaxed for small power plants and those where frequency
time is considered unimportant (eg Where there are no time signals reliant upon
mains frequency)
For unmanned power plants or for those where constant operator intervention
would be undesirable the system frequency may be controlled by an isochronous
controller designed to provide overall frequency and generator loadings within
prescribed limits
457 The controls associated with the governors of on-site generation at a
site with a public utility connection shall be designed for parallel
operation with the public utility and shall incorporate the protection
arrangements which shall ensure that under public utility collapse ( or
unacceptable major disturbance) the site will retain a defined loading
condition The arrangement shall also incorporate the means for
independent operation
Where a facility is interconnected with a Public Utility the control of the power
system frequency must be under the control of the Public Utility Therefore only
defined load governor settings or droop load sharing control systems are possible
However such interconnection is always subject to disconnection under automatic
protection system operation which will leave the power generators supplying the
site load Under these conditions whatever the original generator control arrangements the generators must revert to independent load sharing control
46 Synchronising
461 Synchronising andor check synchronising equipment shall be provided
wherever more than one source of power may be operated in parallel
with another A synchronising philosophy shall be prepared
See also sections 463 and 464 Because there can be many alternative ways of
achieving a reasonable synchronising arrangement it is expected that there would
be prepared a synchronisingcheck synchronising philosophy (or design document) for every installation which will define the particular arrangements
462 Manual synchronising arrangements shall always be provided for the
incoming power generator circuit breakers This shall comprise
voltmeters and a synchroscope to show the voltage and frequency
differences between the two systems that need to be paralleled A
check synchronising relay should be utilised to prevent operator
maloperation but in order to allow closing a power source on to a dead
system as is required under black start conditions the check
synchronising relay shall have a means of manual or automatic override
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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Wherever possible and economically feasible the manual synchronising system
supplied shall also include automatic synchronising applied to the generator
controls
Manual synchronising facilities should also be applied to any primary switchgear
bus section circuit breaker and to circuit breakers incoming to the primary switchboard which can make a parallel connection with other sources
463 Synchronising or check synchronising facilities shall be fitted to busbar
section and bus coupler circuit breakers where it is possible to run the
two systems feeding either section of a busbar completely segregated
from the other The number of circuit breakers provided with
synchronising or check synchronising facilities should be kept to a
minimum A similar logic shall be applied to public utility intake
circuits Alternatively circuit breaker interlocking schemes shall be
installed to preclude the possibility of paralleling two sources of power
where synchronising facilities are excluded
Notwithstanding the provisions of 464 it is not expected that there would be a
need to include synchronising or check synchronising facilities on system voltage
levels more than two levels removed from the power generation busbar where the
power system is operated with bus sections normally closed However this is a
general rule and should the system be commonly operated with open bus sections
for significant periods and there is little central system control or information
dissemination the arrangement should be reviewed
464 Synchronising facilities shall be provided at the primary power supply
voltage and should be avoided at other voltages by use of appropriatecircuit breaker interlocking
The form of interlocking should avoid the need for break-before-make action unless
absolutely necessary This may need to be associated with upstream bus section
circuit breakers and incoming circuit breakers to the upstream switchboard See
463 (commentary) for provisions should distances be too great for the economic
use of interlocking
47 Power Supplies for Control Systems
Detailed guidance on this subject is given in BP Group RP 12-5 dc
power supplies for control systems shall comply with BP Group GS112-11 and ac power supplies shall comply with BP Group GS 112-10
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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5 POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
51 General
511 The distribution network shall be designed to carry continuously at least
110 of the Maximum Demand associated with peak design production at the maximum ambient conditions
The requirement for 110 capacity is considered to be applicable to all
components within the distribution system including transformer capacity It does
not include capacity of equipment considered to constitute a load to the power
system eg Induction Machines which should be rated as close as possible to
actual process demands
Refer also to the commentary to Section 311
Switchboards should be supplied with a de gree of s pares and room for expansion
Further details may be found in BP Group RP 12-6 and 7
512 Where required the reliability associated with any part of the system
shall be assessed and presented in qualitative and quantitative terms
In general the design of the power system distribution should be based upon
qualitative requirements which include assessments for meeting power supply
continuity in the event of maintenance and in the event of failure Since electrical
distribution systems are inherently reliable the design requirements are commonly
based upon the need to disconnect distribution electrical equipment to carry out
routine maintenance and at the same time keep power supplies available for
operating plant However under some circumstances the need to assess the
electrical reliability may arise (perhaps as part of an overall assessment of plant failure but possibly as part of a comparison of alternative supplies for new plant)
Under these circumstances the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) and the Mean
Time To Repair (MTTR) concerning power system failure at any particular
switchboard would be required In addition it is recommended that the quantitative
statement indicate the probability of failure occurring over a particular timeframe
(eg Provide a value and definition of the probability of zero failures over a 12
month period)
See also sections 412 (commentary) 422 and 43
513 The distribution system shall be designed using one of the basic
arrangements further outlined in 52 through 56 and incorporating thecontrol features of 57 The system designed shall be described in a
design philosophy document
It is considered that the design features contained in sections 52 through 56 would
be suitable for all of the industrial power systems likely to be required by BP
However should an alternative philosophy be available it should be compared with
a standard double radial system in terms of operation reliability maintainability
and cost
The depictions in the drawings which illustrate the texts of 52 and 55 are fairly
conventional in that Contactors are employed only for motor feeders Under some
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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circumstances Contactors can prove an economic choice for transformer or
Switchboard feeders The depictions are for an extensive installation typical of
Refinery or other large system Offshore systems may be considered as similar but
without the higher voltage level and interconnections to Public Utility
52 Single Radial
521 These should be used to provide power to non essential electrical loads
those where alternative sources of energy are available such as standby
generating plant or those process loads for which a lower availability
can be accepted
Where minimum facilities engineering is required and the process plant can be (or
will regularly be) switched off then single radial systems may be contemplated to
satisfy process demands It is considered that maintenance of electrical systems
could be scheduled for normal process plant shutdown times and the reliability of
electrical distribution systems is generally much better than required by the process
system
522 Each component of the single radial circuit shall be capable of supplying
110 of the required electrical load Transformers or other plant
which includes forced cooling equipment shall not rely entirely on the
forced cooling arrangements to obtain the necessary rating
Refer to the commentary to Section 311 for more detail on load estimation
Where the loading is of a cyclical nature and the forced cooling would not be
expected to operate for more than 2 hours in any 12 hour period then capacities
based upon forced cooling can be considered However where this is the case acooling system failure alarm shall be provided
53 Double Radial
531 Essential and Process Sensitive loads should be supplied by two or
more identically rated radial systems
Figure 1(a) details a double radial system of feed
532 In double radial systems each circuit shall be capable of carrying a
110 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall include bussection switchgear They shall be arranged to ensure that unscheduled
outage of any component of the circuit would not result in loss of
power supply after the faulty equipment has been disconnected from the
system
See section 311 for detail on load estimation
Exceptions to the requirement for all supplies to be maintained may be made in the
following cases-
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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(a) For bus section circuit breaker faults These may sometimes cause damage
which may require complete switchboard shutdown However the
occurrence of such faults is sufficiently rare as to be neglected
(b) Where there may be some non-essential loads supplied from a double
radial system These may receive a single radial supply from a double
radial system and therefore would not receive a supply in the event of some forms of double radial system outage
533 Double radially fed systems should generally be operated in parallel
with all bus-section switches closed
It is considered that the advantage of continuity of supply in the event of relatively
light fault conditions which is offered by closed bus section systems outweighs the
disadvantages of increased fault disturbance for heavy fault conditions It is also
more inherently safe since the switchgear fault conditions are based upon the worst
possible supply condition However see also section 534
534 Where switchgear fault levels are found to be above the values outlined
in 23 attention shall be given to operating with bus-section breakers
open as opposed to purchasing higher fault level switchgear Where an
open bus-section breaker philosophy is being given attention the need
to restore rapidly the supplies to drives shall determine whether
automatic closure of bus section circuit breaker(s) is to be employed
Switchgear fault levels could be readily reduced by increasing the impedance of
incoming transformers (Where new transformers will be purchased) However
increasing the impedance of transformers increases the voltage regulation between
light and full load There is therefore a trade-off between fault duty and normal voltage regulation
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
54 Triple Radial
541 Critical and essential loads may be alternatively supplied by triple
identically rated radial systems These systems are preferred to double
radial systems wherever there is an overall total cost advantage
A triple radial system comprises three feeders and three feeder transformers to
provide supply to a distribution switchboard
542 Each circuit of triple fed radial systems shall be capable of providing at
least 55 of the Maximum Demand and all busbars shall be split into at
least three sections with two bus-section switches
This will allow for the loss of any one of the three circuits leaving the two healthy
circuits still capable of providing 110 of the Maximum Demand
543 Triple radial systems shall be provided where the power flow is
relatively large They shall generally be operated with only two circuits
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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in parallel to reduce switchgear fault levels The incoming circuit
breaker on the third identically rated feeder shall be left open and
automatically reclosed in order to restore rapidly full supplies to the
load
See 57 for automatic transfer schemes
Switchgear fault duty shall be based upon 2 of the 3 transformer incomers
connected An electrical interlock scheme shall be arranged to ensure that fault
duties shall not be exceeded
55 Ring Fed Systems
551 Power may be distributed from a primary or central substation to a
number of subsidiary load centres by using two primary cable feeds
connected in a ring emerging from the source busbar and controlled by
circuit breakers Ring type distribution systems should be used only if the lower reliability of supply to the load supplied can be accepted
Figures 1(b) and (c) details ring systems of feed
These systems have lower reliability than double radial systems but can offer a cost
optimal choice where distances between substations is large The cost benefits
should be weighed against the lower reliability for those cases where ring systems
are contemplated
It is expected that there would be a design philosophy document which would
provide the reasoning leading to acceptance of the ring system of feeding This
reasoning could be qualitative in nature or could contain a costbenefit analysis should the question of reduced reliability be of concern
552 Ring fed systems should normally duplicate only the primary cables to
the load substation They may however duplicate the load substation
transformers and the low voltage busbar by providing a low-voltage or
secondary bus section breaker
Duplication of downstream equipment would be dependent upon the need to
maintain electrical equipment and retain electrical feeds to the downstream
substation
553 Where the ring feed is operated closed intermediate primary circuit
breakers including unit feeder protection shall be provided at all vital
or essential load centres on the ring thereby ensuring fault clearance of
only the unhealthy section of the ring The whole of the ring circuit
shall be fully rated to be capable of supplying 110 of the Maximum
Demand at all substations
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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Essential or critical loads may be supplied by ring systems if they are operated
closed Their choice shall be based on the comparative reliability and cost as
compared to the duplicate radial systems
Refer to Section 311 for detail on load estimation
554 Ring fed systems which are operated open need not include circuit
breakers on the ring
Fault clearance would be achieved at the source substation and in that event power
would be lost to all loads fed between the source and the open point on the ring
In order that a faulty section of the primary ring may be disconnectedand repaired without power loss during the whole of the repair periodthe ring shall include isolating means at every load substation Thesering isolators may be of the off-circuit or on-load type dependent onavailability cost and the need for rapid reconnection of load
The need for fault location shall be considered in order to assist rapid
re-connection of healthy components and avoid possible re-application of the fault
Open operated ring fed systems shall be permitted only to supply non-sensitive loads
The choice of an open ring system shall consider the comparative reliability and
cost of a single radially fed systems with a non automatic standby power supply
backup
The rating of each section of open operated rings shall be capable of
providing 110 of the Maximum Demand of the ring taken as a whole
It is not proposed that economy should be made by arranging that the ring feeders
be tapered
It is recognised that manual initiated switching will be necessary before loads can
be applied to each of the normally operating legs of the ring Therefore under
some circumstances it may be possible to ensure that only a known amount of load
is transferred to a ring feeder Where economically desirable and under such
known and flexible loading conditions the requirement for the first sections of the
ring to carry the Maximum Demand of the whole ring may be relaxed
56 Interconnected or Mesh Systems
The distribution of electrical power by solidly interconnected systemsshould be undertaken only upon specific design justification whichconfirms reliability operation and safety
Mesh connected schemes considered for HV systems are permissible providing
protection arrangements are suitable for the process plant needs and providing that
the fault duties of switchgear are not compromised
Solidly interconnected mesh systems for LV are rarely found in industrial settings
and can be difficult to predict in terms of protection system operation and level of
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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disturbance during a fault condition For this reason and because they would
present a point of non-standardisation if used in hazardous areas they are to be
avoided
57 Power System Control
571 The operational control of the power system shall be described in a
prepared control philosophy document The operator actions and his
access to power system information shall be defined and the level of
Central Control Room operator control shall be defined
It is expected that for power systems having multiple machines the Central Control
Room operator would have control of the generation functions-
(a) StopStart
(b) Synchronising
(c) Generator Loading (ie Speed Control)
(d) Generator Excitation (Possibly AVR Setting only)
Additionally it is expected that the Central Control Room Operator would have
control of-
(a) Primary Substation Circuit Breakers
(b) Emergency Generator StopStartSynchronisation (where significant)
(c) Some downstream circuit breakers
See 572 for method of information and control It is recommended that the
Central Control Room Operator have available information and control of the
entire power system by the means described However it is recognised that in
general there would need to be some limitations placed upon the ability of the
power system operator to individually control process loads
572 The power system shall utilise protection relays which incorporate the
means for indication and control via a Hiway connection The form and
performance of the dual function protection relay system shall detail-
(a) Speed of response for the control functions
(b) Degree of programmable automation of power system
operation
(c) Range of protection functions offered in the relay types
proposed
(d) System architecture
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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(e) Central Operator Information and Control Screens
(f) Proposed alarm and information conditions
(g) Interface arrangements with process control systems
The dual function protection and informationcontrol relay should be arranged with
a clear and effective method for ensuring that protection settings cannot be
changed by the action of control system software Sole reliance of a password
embedded in the high level software system is not considered sufficient for this
purpose and a relay located function is generally expected
It is expected that in the longer term the availability of the information offered and
the availability of the control offered by such dual function relays will provide
benefit to BP operations Therefore relaxing the requirement for new installations
to be equipped with these relays should be specific and based upon the assertions-
(a) That the site will never need to gather data and have such control
and
(b) That the alternative system indeed yields a significant cost saving
It is recognised that under some circumstances only the dual function relays may be
employed with a later intent to effect operator control via Hiway connections
573 Within switchboards automatic transfer schemes shall be provided
where there is a need to obtain a reliability level consistent with two or
more sources of supply (and the scheme is not arranged as a parallel
operating arrangement) Their use shall be economically justified whencompared against other ways of providing duplication of power
sources and shall be limited to installations where there is a need to
reduce switchgear short circuit levels either for reasons of cost or non-
availability of switchgear with sufficiently high rating All schemes shall
include only load transfers that never parallel the preferred and
emergency sources Load transfer schemes may use circuit breakers or
on load transfer switchescontactors Where automatic transfer
schemes are provided the power system design shall be arranged to
successfully transfer the load without causing a general system failure
Other methods of ensuring duplication of supply include-
(a) Feeding alternative loads from different switchboards
(b) Providing a parallel operating arrangement of the incomers
Where manual transfer is to be arranged (perhaps in order to undertake
maintenance on the presently employed incomer) and it is undesirable to suffer a
break-before-make operation the manual intervention may be considered as a
make-before-break arrangement which automatically disconnects the transferring
(from) circuit upon successful energisation of the transferring (to) circuit
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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574 Load transfer schemes may be applied to either static loads or induction
motor loads or a combination of the two They shall not be used where
synchronous motor loads are supplied The load transfer shall be
arranged so that the residual voltage of induction motors has decayed
to less than 25 of the rated source voltage before the transfer isinitiated The rate of residual voltage decay shall be calculated and the
motors ability to withstand the out-of-phase reclosure shall be checked
The need to ensure that the induction motor flux has decayed arises form the need
to ensure that both switchgear and machine system are not over stressed upon
direct-on-line re energisation These factors should be addressed when considering
the speed of operation of a transfer scheme in general 1 second should be adequate
for all 415 V machines and 18 seconds should be selected for HV machines up to
1000 kW
575 Induction motors which are controlled by circuit breakers or contactorsof the mechanically latched type shall include a time delay under voltage
relay This relaying shall be set to trip the controller under those power
system under voltage conditions from which recovery would be
otherwise not possible Transfer schemes associated with switchgear
supplying these types of induction motor controllers shall be designed
either to be capable of re accelerating the motors if the transfer takes
place within the motor under voltage tripping time or time delaying the
transfer to be in excess of the motor under voltage tripping time
The selection of under voltage trip time should be confirmed by power system
studies which would be aimed at ensuring reasonable power system recovery following a fault An infinite setting would indicate that the machine would be able
to accelerate to operating level whenever the voltage recovers from total collapse
and considering that there could be a number of such latched machines on the
circuit In general a setting of say 2 seconds where the voltage has fallen below
75 may be appropriate
576 Motors which are controlled by unlatched ac contactors will inherently
disconnect from the supply on loss of voltage Where it is required to
restore power to these types of motor drives the auto transfer schemes
shall be supplemented by contactor control schemes which restart
motors individually or in groups after a requisite time delay
It is expected that the re-acceleration scheme would be achieved by relays
individually associated with each motor starter
577 Load transfer schemes for the start up run up and loading of a standby
generator on to a busbar normally fed from a preferred ac source shall
be initiated by time delayed under voltage relaying which shall trip the
ac source and auto-start up the standby generator
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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The auto start of the emergency (or standby) generator could be initiated before
disconnection of the normal supply in order to provide the main power system
greater chance of recovery (ie taking advantage of the finite time it takes a
standby generator to start)
It is expected that start initiation would be based upon main power system collapse
below 75 for say 2 seconds and that trip of the main supply and energisation of the emergency supply would be initiated upon 85 voltage at system frequency for
the incoming set (NB energisation would need to be time delayed from the trip
signal to allow flux decay of the machines which may have been hitherto in
operation)
578 Power system re-acceleration and restart studies to determine the most
technically acceptable and cost effective solution shall be carried out for
each load transfer scheme considered
The studies should provide confirmation of under voltage relay settings and define
the fault conditions which give rise to the conclusions BP approval is considered necessary to ensure that process and other wider system issues have been
considered (eg System fault conditions which may be remote from the system under
immediate calculation)
58 Electrical Distribution Substations
The requirements for substations which are detailed as part of Section 58 are
generally based upon Shore installations Substation designs for Offshore
installations should firstly consider project specific parameters which will include
module construction philosophy economic layout factors and safety considerations
Other than the project specific factors Offshore installations can be considered as
needing to satisfy subsequent clauses of Sections 581 and 582
581 All substations shall be located as close as possible to the electrical
centre of the load being supplied They should normally be connected
to their incoming supplies by cables The primary and secondary
voltage switchgear and auxiliaries shall be installed in permanent rooms
or buildings which if located in areas classified as potentially hazardous
(Zone 1 or Zone 2) shall be ventilated in such a manner (type of
protection p) to permit the use of standard industrial equipment
For rooms located in areas classified as Zone 2 standard industrial equipment
may be used providing there is no opening from the building into the classified area or if there is such an opening the opening has been assessed to determine that
a flammable atmosphere will not enter the room
Smaller non essential process switchgear may be located outdoors or equipped with
a shelter and if situated in an area cla ssified as hazardous the equipment shall be
selected in accordance with BP Group RP 12-2
582 Transformers shall be located as close as possible to the secondary
switchgear
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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This requirement is designed to keep the more expensive and high capacity
electrical connections as short as possible
583 Substation building design shall ensure that no possibility exists for
ingress of surface water or for any hydrocarbon which may migrate
along the sheath of cables which enter the Substation
Building design requirements are contained in BP Group RP 4-4 The requirements
consider that there would always be a possibility for hydrocarbon contamination to
enter buildings via rainwater a rising water table or by finding a way through the
sheath of buried cables and travelling beneath the cable sheath and into the switch
room By raising the elevation of the lowest point of a substation well beyond the
exterior grade level the surface and sub-surface water ingress is eliminated The
provision of a cable basement is a more effective remedy because there would then
be no possibility for hydrocarbon vapour (which may have been given off from
contaminated water present in an entry duct albeit not reaching floor level) from
entering the substation
6 POWER SYSTEM FAULT CONSIDERATIONS
61 Fault Calculations
611 The fault currents that flow as a result of short circuits should be
calculated at each system voltage for both three phase and phase to
earth fault conditions These calculated currents shall be used to select
suitably rated switchgear and to allow the selection and setting of
protective devices to ensure that successful discriminatory fault
clearance is achieved
It is expected that in order to be assured of reasonable accuracy the study should
be based upon a suitable computer calculation package The contribution of
induction motors should be included in the study preferably by direct dynamic
modelling and the studies should include break and make points for the fault level
(See also section 613) It is important to ensure that at design stage tolerances for
equipment should be considered and also that a design margin is allowed to
account for later additions The allowance is best arranged by undertaking the
studies showing later additional loads on stream and represented by induction
motors
612 The voltage disturbance sustained during the faults and after faultclearance should also be ascertained to ensure that transient
disturbances do not result in loss of supplies due to low voltages or
over stressing of plant insulation due to high voltages
In assessing the transient performance of the system accurate modelling of any
AVR action is required It would also be necessary to model the governor system of
any rotating power generators
613 The calculation of fault currents shall include the fault current
contributions from generators and from synchronous and induction
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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motors Both the ac symmetrical and dc asymmetrical components
of fault currents should be calculated at all system voltages Public
utility fault infeeds should be obtained from the public utility concerned
and they shall exclude any decrement associated with fault duration
though maximum and minimum values consistent with annual load
cycles and anticipating utilities systems switching conditions should beobtained
The fault levels of utility company networks is subject to variation due to the
amount of generation plant which they may have connected and also could be
subject to variation due to the manner in which the public utility operates the
system (eg Line outages will affect fault levels as will open busbar systems
614 Three phase balanced fault current calculations should be carried out to
obtain prospective circuit breaker duties and should include-
(i) Asymmetric make capacity Expressed in peak amperes andcalculated half a cycle after fault inception Both ac and dc
current decrements shall be included for the half cycle
(ii) Asymmetric break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time at which the breaker contacts are expected
to part and allowing a maximum of 10 ms for instantaneous type
protection operation Both ac and dc decrements shall be
included for the selected time
(iii) Symmetrical break capability Expressed in rms amperes
calculated at a time as defined in item (ii) above This assumes
nil dc current component and shall allow for ac decrement for
the selected time
615 On systems where the earth fault currents are limited by neutral earthing
equipment the currents may be assumed to include no decrement and
shall be considered constant whatever the level of bonding between the
conductor and the faulted phase
616 Both the ac and dc components of motor fault current contributions
should be calculated and included in calculation of prospective faultcurrents
At the instant of fault inception the ac peak symmetrical component and the dc
component shall be taken to be identical Both values shall be taken as the peak
direct-on-line starting current this being dictated by the motor locked rotor
reactance Both these currents shall be taken to decay exponentially with time
using ac and dc short circuit time constants respectively The ac time constant
should be determined by using the ratio of the locked rotor reactance and the
standstill rotor resistance The dc time constant should be determined by using
the locked rotor reactance and the stator resistance
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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Where faults are not directly on the motor terminals these time constants would
be modified (preferably by the integrated computer programme) to take account of
external impedances to the point of fault
617 The calculation of individual fault current contributions should be
carried out for individual motors of significant ratings on the power system All other motors on the system may be treated as a number of
typical equivalent motors of total rating equal to the connected rotating
loads at different locations The ratings of these equivalent motors
shall be selected to be consistent with the actual drives at a given
location
Generally motors with ratings 1000 kW or greater should be represented as
individual machines However where there are multiples of these on a single
busbar they too may be represented by lumped parameters
618 Any computer based model used for calculation shall be of a reputabletype with software support and validation checks available
It is equally important that where system stability models are examined the specific
model for the parameters used has validity (eg Where machine AVRs and
Governors are used on particular machines factory and site test arrangements
should be modelled and the predicted and actual behaviour of the machine or
system can then be compared with the model) In this manner some form of
assurance can be obtained for the system studied
Where it is necessary for BP to retain the results for future use or in support of later
power system studies to be carried out in support of operations the software used
should be IPSA or should be IPSA compatible See also section 922
62 Equipment Fault Current Ratings
621 The power distribution system should be designed to provide the
required security and quality of supply with prospective fault levels
within the capability of commonly available switchgear (See 23) All
equipment shall be capable of withstanding the maximum short circuit
requirements when operating in accordance with 511
Security of supply generally is a subjective judgement See also 512 (commentary)
However a quantitative assessment of security can be considered See 422
Quality of supply is reflected by tolerances of measured quantities (see 451) and
by the severity of expected disturbances (see 81 and 82)
622 All switchgear and distribution equipment on the power system shall be
capable of carrying the prospective symmetrical fault currents for a
specified short time duration of 1 or 3 seconds without deleterious
effect The choice between 1 and 3 second durations shall be dictated
by availability economics and fault current protection clearing times
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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The backup fault current protection clearing times shall always be less
than the equipment short time current rating
Generally 3 second short time ratings for switchgear are preferred to avoid the
necessity for rapid protection
Where switchgear of 06 second short circuit withstand time is offered the
protection arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that the switchgear will be
fully protected
623 The closure of switchgear on to a short circuit fault or other possible
out of sequence condition shall not result in shock load damage to
healthy parts of the system as a result of peak asymmetrical make
currents flowing
624 The selection of circuit breakers shall be dependent on the make and
break duty which the breaker is required to cater for Switchingdevices that may be closed on to a fault shall have the necessary fault
making capability
625 Where plant is protected by fault current limiting HRC type fuses the
fuse characteristic may be taken into account in assessing the short
circuit duty of the plant
It is expected that where fuse cut off action is accounted there would be presented
appropriate calculations and fuse data to demonstrate the validity of the fault duty
63 Methods of Limiting Fault Currents
631 Where the power system design indicates prospective short circuit
requirements exceeding the proposed circuit breaker ratings the
following alternatives should be considered-
(i) Increase the system reactances provided this causes no other
technical or commercial problem
(ii) Change the operating mode by operating with certain breakers
open and provide auto transfer facilities to reinstate the supply
security and quality levels
(iii) Purchase switchgear and equipment to provide for the higher
short circuit levels if these are available
(iv) Provide fault current limiting devices other than fuses
(v) Carry out any combination of the alternatives listed in items (i)
to (iv) above
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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See also 23
632 The selection of the most appropriate of the alternatives (i) to (v) given
in 631 shall be based on least cost
Saturable reactors (used as resonant links) offer elegant methods for short circuit limitation for HV systems and do not suffer from attendant regulation problems
however their expense generally precludes their use The use of Is limiters should
be avoided for new installations but sometimes find useful application where
existing systems will be expanded or interconnected with new systems
633 Where fault limiting (series) reactors are used to increase the reactance
between the source and potential fault location these shall comply with
BP Group GS 112-5
Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-9
634 Where fault limiting reactors are deemed necessary they should be
installed between busbar sections thereby limiting voltage profile
problems under normal operating conditions
It is recognised that interconnection of reactors in bus sections may not be a cost
optimum arrangement Therefore alternative arrangements would be acceptable
provided that the alternative of connection between the bus section switch has been
considered
635 The impedance of series reactors shall be chosen to limit the fault
current passed through the reactor to a level which ensures that total
calculated fault levels on either side of the reactor are no greater than
90 of the selected plant short circuit ratings The reactors themselves
may be single or three phase dependent on space and cost
considerations They shall have a thermal ability to carry the rated short
circuit symmetrical current for at least 2 seconds
The time rating of the reactor would be dependent upon the protection
arrangements
636 The voltage drop through series reactors under the motor start restart
or re acceleration conditions shall be checked to ascertain that nounacceptable transient under voltage occurs
637 Where series reactors are installed between two power systems the
transient stability of the generator sets should feature in power systems
studies
See also 102
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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64 Effects of Faults on Distribution Systems
The effects of three phase fault applications and clearances should beinvestigated for the following conditions-
(i) Possible loss of synchronism between parallel running
synchronous machines This would only be likely for dissimilar
machines or for identical machines connected to the fault which
are not electrically symmetrical
See also 924
(ii) The possibility of motor contactors dropping out (due to low
voltage) and the consequential need to re-start the motors
either manually or automatically
Three phase faults on the system (considering zero fault impedance) will depress thevoltage at the point of fault and downstream of the fault to approximately zero All
locations between the source of fault current and the fault will experience reduced
voltages This condition will apply until the faulty section has been cleared at
which stage voltages will be rapidly restored
Such studies would form part of the conventional study series described in 921
(iii) Possible extinction of certain discharge lamps and the time for
re-ignition
The provision of emergency lighting systems may avoid the need to feature this as
discharge lighting may be limited to those areas where the outage time may not beimportant (eg Street lighting)
(iv) Loss of electronic and control equipment supplies resulting in
maloperation
The provision of dc or no break supplies (possibly using UPS equipment) for vital
loads may avoid the need to feature this
(v) The extent of overvoltage on the system components resulting
from fault clearance
This could cause unacceptable transient recovery voltages occurring for short
periods which may have a destructive effect on electrical insulation However it is
recognised that many analysis programmes are based upon linear theory and may
not account for saturation effects which may preclude overvoltages occurring but
could result in an electrical protection relay trip
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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7 POWER SYSTEM EARTHING
71 General
Guidance on the earthing of equipment and systems is detailed in BPGroup RP 12-16 The following clauses relate only to neutral earthingof power systems
There is a statutory requirement to conform with the Electricity Supply Regulations
1988 and with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
711 The earthing of each part of a power system operating at a specific
voltage shall be considered individually Where such systems are
required to be earthed solidly or via an impedance the neutrals should
be connected to a common plant earthing system This system shall
have a resistance to earth that ensures operation of protective devices in
the various circuits in accordance with BP Group RP 12-16 and shallnot be in excess of 4 Ohms If connected to a Public Utility supply HV
system earth the combined earth resistance of the Public Utility earth
and this earthing system shall be less than 1 Ohm
The selection of 4 Ohms as power system resistance to earth is relatively arbitrary
and therefore this value may vary depending upon the basic design and safety
requirements (See 714) However the possibility of earthing system resistance
variation due to varying soil conditions through time needs to be considered also
The requirement for 1 Ohm resistance of a combined Public Utility HV system earth
and the interconnected earth for solidly earthed neutrals arises from the need to
minimise neutral potentials under Public Utility HV earth fault conditions The
requirement for an interconnected value of less than 1 Ohm is specified in the Electrically at Work Regulations 1988
A 1 Ohm earthing resistance is not considered mandatory where HV systems and LV
systems are both owned and operated by BP and are earth bonded together with
negligible probability of HV faults giving rise to LV system neutral potential rise
with respect to true earth (Where true earth represents the potential of the earths
core This may be transferred to structures if these are not bonded to the site
earthing system)
712 The neutral connections for earthing equipment shall be provided at
generators transformers or both which have their neutral brought out
and which are the source of power to the distribution system Wheresuch power sources are delta connected and do not have neutrals
brought out neutral earthing may be carried out at other star connected
power transformers on the system or by the provision of earthing
transformers
It is intended that power systems will be earthed However under some
circumstances BP would consider operating unearthed power systems See 72
713 Power systems operating at a common voltage which may be normally
or abnormally run unparalleled shall have a neutral earthing connection
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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facility provided for each system The neutral earthing system shall be
designed to ensure that there is no possibility of inadvertently operating
a system with an isolated neutral
Under some circumstances an alarm for the condition of power system in operation
without neutral earthing should be satisfactory Typical of such circumstances isthe condition whereby a single earthed neutral is desirable (perhaps in order to
limit circulating currents between power generators) and there would be a complex
and difficult automatic system for earthing switching in the event of power system
disconnection
714 All plant earthing system designs shall be subject to approval by BP
The potential between immediate metalwork and a true earth (which
may be transferred to the immediate locale typically by telephone
services) shall be calculated for all representative single phase to earth
conditions The calculations shall be presented as support to the
earthing system design
The earthing arrangements of a site are a fundamental feature of safety and it is
therefore necessary that BP where acting as an operator is assured that no
dangerous potentials can be obtained It is important that touch potentials be less
than 430 V under any single phase-earth fault where there is overcurrent protection
arranged to de-energise the live conductor
It is common for Control Systems to demand clean or reference earth points
which are associated with earthing electrodes not connected to the general site
earthing system This practice can give rise to dangerous situations under HV
system faults and should be avoided
72 Un-Earthed (Isolated) Neutral
721 An un-earthed or isolated neutral system shall be used only subject to
approval by BP
Such systems may be used where the highest integrity against faults is required
(eg Unearthed systems are often used for Oil Well Drilling power supplies and for
dc shutdown system power supplies)
Where unearthed systems are installed it should be recognised that the power
system conductors (phase conductors) could constitute a danger of electrical shock
or fire as a result of contact with them and earth The danger is a result of capacitance coupling of the power system conductors and earth
Where it is approved that the power system should be unearthed an earth fault
detection system should be installed and there should be operator action to clear
any earth faults that occur as a matter of priority
73 Solidly Earthed Neutrals (For systems below 1000 V)
731 All low voltage systems should have their neutrals solidly connected to
the plant earthing system Impedance earthing of systems with a voltage
below 1000 V shall only be used subject to approval by BP
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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Where single phase supplies are taken from LV systems the neutral shall be solidly
earthed at the supply point only (TN-S system to IEE Regs Section 542) Where the
LV supply is taken from a Public Utility the neutral will be solidly earthed but the
supply system may be defined as TN-C-S In this latter case the installation within
the BP premises shall conform with a TN-S arrangement with no further neutral
earths being required within the installation Where PME (Protective Multiple Earth) power supplies are taken from a Public Utility it is considered that there
should be no need for isolation transformers to achieve the TN-S arrangement
within the BP premises however the design shall conform with government
legislation and this may require that under certain circumstances isolation
transformers are required (Refer to HS(G) 41)
Impedance earthed LV systems may be considered where the system will be 3 wire
without neutral connections and there is benefit in limiting damage during earth
fault conditions (eg Where a special voltage 660 V may be used in preference to
say 33 k V and in effect replaces the HV system in its application)
74 Impedance Earthed Neutrals (For Systems rated 1000 V andabove)
741 Neutral earthing equipment to limit earth fault currents should be
provided in the neutral connection to the plant earth system on all high-
voltage power systems
Such provision limits the overall transient system disturbance caused by earth faults
and also limits the amount of damage caused by this most common type of fault
742 Where the power system at the specific voltage contains no direct
connected generators under any mode of operation the provision of theearthing resistor and its earth connection should consider the following
possibilities-
(i) At the source star connected transformers
(ii) At other star connected power transformers
(iii) At earthing transformers
The neutral earthing equipment should comprise a resistor with aminimum 10 second fault rating selected to reduce the fault current tothe full load rating of the power source transformer The use of reactors to earth neutral systems shall only be used subject to approval
by BP
Systems employing reactor earths are uncommon in UK practice but have been used
in other countries or under special circumstances One special circumstance is
where a Petersen Coil is used to avoid a circuit trip due to a transient earth fault
eg lightning induced flashover in overhead lines Such special circumstances are
unlikely in industrial installations
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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Where reactance earthing is considered its use should be tested against the
costbenefit compared with resistance earthing Special attention should be taken
of the possible tuning effects between the earthing reactor and the power system
743 Where direct connected generators are or may be operated in parallel
with source transformers the neutral earthing arrangements shall provide for either system operating independently The neutral earthing
equipment shall wherever practical be identically rated for all power
sources Where resistors are provided these should comprise 10
second fault rated solid resistors The resistors shall reduce the fault
current to a convenient level one half to full load rating of the lowest
rated power source provided this fault current is sufficient to operate
the distribution system earthing protection and provide suitable
discrimination Where the normal ratings of the source transformer and
parallel running generators are significantly different the resistor rating
selection shall be dictated by the requirement to ensure that the most
insensitive earth fault protection on any incoming or outgoing circuitoperates positively with the smallest possible source of earth fault
current connected to the system
Where there is a 4 wire supply system solid earthing will be provided in order to
keep neutral voltages as close to earth as possible In this case the neutral earthing
arrangement should be simplified by arranging for the neutral to be earthed at the
switchboard See also 753
Refer also to 713 for the requirements for systems having more than one power
source
75 Generator Earthing
751 The neutrals of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear in 3 wire systems (ie HV systems or special LV systems)
may be solidly or resistance earthed However solid earthing should be
limited to generators where the earth fault capacity of the generator is
approximately equal to the current level required to operate the
distribution system protection
Where solid earthing of the neutral is applied to a system where the (relatively) low
capacity generator is in parallel with a larger power source which has resistance
earthing the generator should have a neutral circuit breaker which should be
automatically controlled However where the influence of the fault on other
equipment is not unduly compromised by too high an earth fault current the
generator neutral could be allowed to remain solidly connected
752 Resistor earthing of generators directly connected to the distribution
switchgear should be used wherever possible The resistor should be of
the 10 second (minimum) fault rated solid type and its resistance
should be selected to reduce the fault current to a level between the half
and full load current rating of the machine provided this is sufficient to
operate the distribution system protection system selectively
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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Grid type resistors offer a virtually maintenance free installation and should be
employed wherever possible However this type of earthing resistor will prove
uneconomic for 33 kV systems where liquid neutral earthing resistors will offer an
optimum choice
753 Where generators directly connected to the distribution switchgear are
operated in parallel and earthed either solidly or through resistors the
provision of neutral switchgear for each generator shall be considered
to avoid third harmonic current flows and their heating effect Where
such neutral switchgear is provided it shall be connected and operated
in a manner to ensure that only one generator neutral switch is always
closed at a time Neutral switchgear may comprise contactors on
resistor earthed schemes instead of circuit breakers The provision of
neutral switchgear schemes may be avoided if identical pitch generators
are paralleled or if the provision of neutral earthing resistors
sufficiently reduces the prospective third harmonic currents toacceptable levels A 1 or less derating as a result of third harmonic
currents shall be considered acceptable
A possibility would be for the neutral of each generator to be permanently earthed
via a resistor where the resistance thus installed would limit the circulating currents
to acceptable levels However this type of earthing would mean that earth fault
current levels on the power system would vary depending upon how many power
generators were operating Such an installation would be acceptable where it
showed economic advantages
754 Where generators are connected to the distribution switchgear systemvia unit transformers the generator neutral shall be connected to earth
via the primary winding of a single phase distribution transformer The
secondary winding of this transformer shall be shunted by a resistor
with a resistance value which is calculated to be approximately the same
as the zero sequence capacitance for the generator winding system
Manufacturers standard arrangements for high impedance earthing systems for
these types of generators will be acceptable It is expected that the arrangements
will be aimed at raising 5 to 10 A under earth fault conditions Selection of a
resistance equal to the system-to-earth capacitance under earth fault conditions will
ensure that the system capacitance will discharge energy reasonably and
overvoltages will be eliminated even for arcing earth faults
755 The rated primary voltage of generator earthing transformers shall be
taken as the generator phase voltage although voltages of at least 15
times generator line to neutral voltages will be acceptable to obtain
standard transformers Transformer ratings shall be the product of the
primary current and rated primary voltage using a 30 second (6 times
overload factor) duty cycle
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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Conservative sizing of the transformer is preferred as its reactance has little effect
on the earthing system The secondary resistor should have a continuous duty as its
size and cost will not normally be significant
76 Earthing Resistors
All earthing resistors shall be provided with insulation suitable for the phase to phase voltage of the systems to which they are connectedThey shall be designed to carry their rated fault current for the timesspecified in the preceding clauses without any destructive effect to their component parts
It is expected that resistors will be located in an outdoor environment where
transformer earthing is involved but could be indoors for generators There is no
mandatory requirement for locating these devices indoors other than normal
economic factors
8 POWER SYSTEM DESIGN PARAMETERS
81 Motor Starting
811 Direct-on-line (DOL) starting of motors shall be arranged wherever
possible The maximum voltage drop at the motor terminals during
starting shall be limited to 20 calculated for the minimum generation
and system configuration which would be deemed as representing the
minimum duty condition Where connection is made to a public utility
system voltage dips at the public utility point of common coupling shall
be kept to a value which has been agreed between BP and the public
utility
There is a general requirement implied that the power system will be capable of
withstanding this 20 voltage depression See 451 for this requirement
Public utility systems in the UK require that voltage depressions observed at the
point of common coupling (which is a concept related to how the interference will
affect others on the electrical power system and needs to be established as to exact
location with the public utility) shall be no more than 3 for infrequently started
machines (ie no more frequent than once in 2 to 6 hours the time here should be
established with the public authority) and no more than 1 for frequently started
machines
812 The acceptability of the above voltage dips during motor starting shall
be contingent on the motor satisfactorily accelerating and the voltage
dips not causing unacceptable disturbances to the power system The
DOL starting of the largest and electrically most remote motors (or
groups of motors on an automatic re-acceleration scheme) at all
voltages shall be investigated to ensure that no problem exists Where
unacceptable voltage dips during motor starting may be found the
following solutions shall be considered-
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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(i) Time vary the starting time to be assured of less co-incident
starting between machines
(ii) Obtain motor(s) with a lower starting current
(iii) Increase the short circuit level within the presently envisagedswitchgear rating limits by decreasing system source impedance
to the motor busbars
(iv) Consider assisted start methods to reduce voltage dips if this
solution is limited to a few specific motor drives
(v) Any combination of items (i) to (iv) above
(vi) Increase the system short circuit level to a level beyond that
presently envisaged if such higher short circuit level switchgear is available
The selection of the most appropriate method will normally be made on the
basis of lowest cost and under some circumstances may require provision
of a mechanical driver other than electricity for the largest machine
envisaged
Reduced voltage starting of a few specific motors should be considered
only if it is found to be economical and the additional complication
associated with assisted start equipment is operationally acceptable
813 Where motor load shedding and restart schemes are adopted themethod of initiation shall be developed on the basis of cost effectiveness
for the project under consideration
Where the load is predominantly induction motors voltage reductions would not
cause load shedding whereas lower system frequency would tend to be an effective
load shedding method For this reason it is likely that system load shedding would
best be initiated by a frequency based arrangement Anticipation of a power
generation deficiency can be employed if total generation capacity is known
together with total system load Under these conditions immediate load shedding
may be initiated Such immediate loadgeneration matching schemes can vary from
a simple generator auxiliary contact used to initiate fixed loadshedding to a
complex microprocessor based system which monitors multiple generators and multiple loads and constantly updates the amount of loadshedding for any specific
incident
The effect that electrical load shedding will have on the process system needs to be
presented for Project approval There may need to be some massaging of the
scheme to ensure that particular loads critical to process well-being is not shed
82 Overvoltages
821 Overvoltages due to static charging shall be avoided by effectively
earthing the electrical system and all metallic structures that may or
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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may not contain electrical conductors detailed guidance being given in
BP Group RP 12-16 Physical contact between higher and lower
voltage systems shall be guarded against by using metal enclosures and
barriers wherever practical between the two systems Overvoltages of
this type between transformer windings shall be limited by effectively
earthing the neutrals of the secondary voltage system Autotransformers if used shall have the neutral solidly earthed
It should be noted that an auto transformer will effectively connect the neutral
earthing systems of both the primary and secondary systems
822 Overvoltages due to resonant effects shall be investigated on all
unearthed neutral systems those which may be earthed by reactors or
systems with high impedance earthing These effects shall also be
considered when power system equipment is or could be operated
without a neutral earth connection for short periods of time
Resonant inductive-capacitive overvoltages can occur when normally unearthed
systems experience earth faults The prospect of resonant or ferroresonance effects
should be avoided by solid earthing the neutrals of systems below 1000 V and
resistance earthing the neutrals of systems rated 1000 V and above See 742
(commentary)
Intermittent earth faults on unearthed systems may cause overvoltages of the order
of five or six times system voltages Neutral earthing or resistor earthing
arranging for earth fault currents greater than line to earth charging currents may
be used to eliminate these prospective overvoltages (See also 754)
823 Switchgear and power system equipment shall be selected to ensure
that transient recovery voltages produced by switchgear arc extinctions
do not exceed the insulation capability of the system
Current zero arc extinctions commonly result in transient overvoltages when
switchgear is opened under fault conditions and the healthy side of the system
endeavours to return to the normal system voltage but overshoots The introduction
of resistance during fault current flow either by special means or by using
switchgear with naturally high arc resistances should be considered to reduce the
value of transient recovery voltage that is generated
824 Where the use of vacuum switches is considered they should bedesigned to limit overvoltages to acceptable withstand levels for a
particular voltage rating
The production of high overvoltages due to the forcing of a current zero can occur
with fuses and vacuum switches Current limiting fuses shall only be used within
their voltage class Such fuses of a particular voltage rating shall not be used on
electrical systems of lower operating voltages
Limiting the voltage overvoltage on vacuum break devices may require the
provision of surge limiting equipment on the vacuum switch
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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825 The highest overvoltage to which power systems are subjected are
those caused by lightning To avoid problems caused by lightning
strikes on outdoor electrical equipment all such equipment shall be
earthed Detailed guidance is given in BP Group RP 12-16 Lightning
overvoltages can reach the equipment by travelling down overhead lines
Sites which are fed by a public utility via overhead lines shall be protected against travelling surges and the methods for protection will
be subject to agreement between BP and the public utility
It would be the normal intention to ensure that the public utility provided surge
diversion andor arcing horns on the equipment connection at the overhead line
(eg on a pole box for cables or on the primary winding of a transformer Where
there will be appreciable overhead lines within the installation operated by BP
suitable surge diversion equipment shall be specified for all of the equipment
interfaces
826 Overvoltage surge protection shall be provided for power generatorswhere these are interconnected with an overhead line system by short
lengths of cable The switchgear connecting power generators to the
power system shall be assessed for switching overvoltage generation
and if necessary surge diverters shall be provided for the generator
stator winding
UK practice has generally not found it necessary to provide power generators with
surge diverters to account for switching surges However it is prudent that the
matter be checked in order to be assured of there being no problem
83 Harmonics
831 The power systems voltage waveform shall be arranged to be within the
tolerance plusmn 5 THF as defined in IEC 34-1
This level of distortion is compatible with hazardous area certification assumptions
and must therefore be adhered to where the voltage will be used to supply elect rical
equipment in hazardous areas Specific reference to the distortion is made in IEC
34-1 which details irregularities of waveform Although primarily concerning
synchronous generators it is clear that the distortion could be imposed on to any
equipment supplied from the generators output Hence it is reasonable that the
supply would have at least this level of distortion and still remain suitable for
supplying equipment which will be used in hazardous areas The most sensitiveequipment from a hazardous area viewpoint will be that which employs magnetic
effects This includes machines relays and any equipment with transformers
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated the system equipment receiving supply
should be rated for the specific harmonic content of the voltage waveform
Greater than 5 THF voltage waveform distortion may be allowed for that supply
feeding hazardous area equipment provided that the equipment has been suitably
certified or where waveform irregularities are not significantly different from this
tolerance assessed and confirmed by the manufacturer as satisfactory for the
certification for the duty (One extreme example of a case of such need is where a
Variable Speed Drive will be used for a machine in hazardous area duty In this
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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case the machine should be certified for such use given the specific harmonics
yielded by the VSD)
Where more than 5 THF is anticipated and the manufacturer of the electrical
equipment cannot confirm its suitability for this service then in principle the
following should be considered-
- Re-specify the equipment for Ex(p)
- Revise the electrical system to eliminate the harmonic problem by-
- Power system supply configuration modifications to the circuits
providing supply to the non-linear equipment causing the
problem
- Provision of filter equipment at a convenient point on the Power
System which will protect the supply to the hazardous area
equipment
However in some cases it may be that the voltage waveform interference is a
transient effect (eg as may be the case of drilling activities offshore) Where the
transient nature of the problem may be confidently defined this can ease the
equipment manufacturers concers over possible temperature effects
832 Notwithstanding any arrangements needed to meet 831 any harmonic
distortion of the voltage waveform shall be of a type which will cause
no maloperation of power system protection control or other
equipment
Often multiple zero crossings of the voltage waveform can lead to maloperation of equipment receiving the supply This is particularly true for that equipment which
uses mains supply for information transfer or for timing operations
833 Where interconnection is made with a public authority that authorities
regulations in respect of harmonic loading shall be adhered to
Harmonics result in power losses and overheating of rotating machinery
interference on communication and control circuits overloading of capacitor
banks and maloperation of electronic equipment In the UK Engineering
Recommendation G53 dated September 1976 issued by The Electricity Council
specifies acceptable limits of harmonics in the UK public supply system and this
shall be taken as a guide for all BP systems in the absence of other particular detailed requirements
834 Wherever significant amounts of rectification or inversion equipment is
purchased the possible use of phase shifted transformers or harmonic
filters shall be taken into account The presence of harmonics in
common earthing systems shall be assessed and limited if they are
considered to cause prospective hazards
See 931 for further information concerning the need for harmonic studies
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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835 Transformer inrush harmonic current caused by energisation shall be considered in
the design of the electrical protection system
See BP Group RP 12-4 f or further information concerning the protection
arrangements associated with transformer inrush
84 Power Factor
841 Power factor improving equipment shall be considered for all
installations where energy is imported from a public utility which
applies a tariff associated with low power factor energy provision The
equipment may be capacitors or synchronous motors depending on
economics and suitability over the range of known operating condition
It is expected that an economic assessment would be made to determine the merit of
installing power factor improvement equipment The economic case should be
illustrated both in terms of payback and for an Internal Rate of Return based upon
a 10 year project life The economic case for installing such equipment will normally be considered as proved if the capital expenditure for the equipment is
recovered from reduced energy payments within 2 years of commencement of
operation
842 Where the public utility system is normally operated in parallel with
onsite generation the generating equipment should be designed and
operated to supply the as much of the reactive load of the site as is
feasible The economic case for power factor correction equipment
shall be made based upon the differing scenarios which may be
considered from there being site generation available and there being no
site generation available Availability of the power generation systemshall be included in the assessment
Using the on site power generation to supply site reactive demand will avoid the
need for power factor improving equipment to be installed for the normal parallel
operating mode and will limit its consideration to that required for standby
(unparalleled) operation alone See also 454 (commentary)
843 Any installation of capacitance provided either to reduce system losses
provide system voltage control or increase the loading density of the
installation shall be subject to approval
The economic case for such a proposal for installing capacitors should follow the
same criteria as outlined in 841 The location for the capacitors needs to be
carefully considered where voltage support and reduction of losses are the
motivators and a comparison of alternative methods of achieving the same
objectives would be expected as part of the justification for the installation
Where existing plant power factors are known to be below 08 lagging plant
extensions may compare the cost of providing power factor improvement equipment
against that of increasing the distribution system capacity On new installations
there could be an economic investigation into the provision of power factor
improving equipment as a means of reducing power distribution system capacity
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PAGE 49
PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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Such analysis should be undertaken wherever it is imperative that costs be saved
and where loading estimates are considered to be firm Where the case for
installing capacitors is proven synchronous motors or capacitors (whichever has
been found to offer the appropriate advantage) shall be located as near as possible
to the loads
See also the requirements of 845 and 846
844 Where synchronous motors are supplied for power factor improvement
they shall include constant power factor control equipment
It is recognised that synchronous machines may be changed from operating in a
reactive power control mode to operating in a constant power factor mode This
would be the case should the motor be a small part of the overall installation
demand or where operation in reactive control mode could make the motor operate
for long periods near an excitation condition which may give rise to stability
problems
845 In order to avoid risks of overvoltages or high transient torque
induction motors shall not be switched as a unit with any power factor
improving capacitors unless the capacitive current at full voltage is less
than the no load magnetising current of the associated induction motor
Any capacitor installed on the motor side of the switchgear can act asan excitation source when the motor is coasting Two problems may beapparent-
(a) The machine terminal voltage may exceed insulation capability
(b) The terminal voltage can remain high for a long period and thus
compromise reclosure
Thus if capacitance on the motor side of the switchgear is excessive either the
motor insulation should be able to withstand high overvoltages (not above 150 as
the induction motor iron circuit can be expected to show some signs of saturation)
or the capacitor needs to be separately switched
846 Where power factor correction capacitors are installed induction motor
voltage under supply system circuit breaker trip shall be considered and
if necessary overvoltage protection shall be applied to the inductionmotor control circuit
An induction motor could be connected to a system having large capacitance and
suffer an upstream circuit breaker trip effectively leaving the motor coasting with
high system capacitance Under this situation an overvoltage trip should be
arranged for the induction motor circuit breaker
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9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 46
(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 47
(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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PAGE 49
PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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PAGE 44
9 POWER SYSTEM STUDIES
91 General
911 The power system design aspects of new installations and extensions to
existing plants should be studied using computer programs to aidanalysis where necessary The performance of the system shall be
defined together with any arrangements necessary for ensuring the
defined performance
See also sections 575 (commentary) 578 61 and 637
It is considered necessary that a document be prepared which details the basic
design performance of the Power System The document may also contain or
reference the protection relay arrangements and settings
Switchgear ratings and voltage limits are readily assessed for acceptability
However power system dynamic performance is often project specific and acceptance is often accompanied by the economic assessment of would it be worth
the cost of any improvement
912 The analysis shall be used-
(i) To define equipment parameters before purchasing
(ii) To select control arrangements and protective relay settings
(iii) To ascertain the system reaction to normal and abnormal
operating conditions
Where system instabilities are predicted measures which may be contemplated
include-
(a) reduce the severity of the disturbance possibly by decreasing
the fault severity
(b) load shedding (With or without load re-acceleration)
(c) detection of the condition and sectionalising the power system
into Islanding units
913 System behaviour and performance shall be examined under steady
state transient stability following fault disturbance and voltage recovery
following fault disturbance Induction motor stability shall feature in
the studies and the starting performance of the most critical drives (and
groups of drives) shall be examined to ensure that the system can
perform satisfactorily under the defined conditions
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It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 46
(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
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(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 48
which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 49
PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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PAGE 52
APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 53
APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 45
It is clearly necessary to define the steady state conditions prior to a particular
fault condition and also to define the fault (or onerous) condition which the system
is required to experience and recover from These conditions could include-
(a) Minimum power generation one line (or transformer) out of service for
maintenance and starting of the largest induction machine (presumed
direct-on-line)
(b) Maximum load minimum spinning spare and a 3 phase symmetrical fault
condition which removes the largest capacity generator from the power
system
(c) Simple loss of the largest capacity generator from the power system at
times of minimum spinning spare (NB This may be a less severe condition
than if the generator were faulted but could illustrate the level of load
shedding which may occur)
(d) Maximum loading and power transfer between two systems followed by a 3
phase short circuit which removes one of a number of links between power generation sources (and thus may cause transient instability)
92 Conventional Studies
921 These should include-
(i) Loadflow analysis To check voltage profiles and circuit
loading conditions under steady state conditions
(ii) Short circuit studies To analyse fault currents that might flow
under a variety of symmetrical asymmetrical and unbalancedfault conditions These shall be used for switchgear
specification and control and protective relay application and
setting purposes The requirements of these studies are
specified in 61
(iii) Stability studies To analyse the transient and dynamic
performance of power systems after large load changes and fault
disturbances These should be used to check-
(a) The ability of the system to stay in synchronism
(b) Induction motor stability after start
(c) Re acceleration and restart schemes
(d) The need and effectiveness of under frequency load shedding
schemes
They should also be used to consider the technical merit of-
(e) Auto-changeover schemes
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 46
(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
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PAGE 47
(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 49
PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 52
APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 53
APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
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PAGE 46
(f) Parallel or open operation or radial feeders
(g) Operation of fault limiting devices
(h) Insertion of switched reactors or capacitors etc
See sections 451 (for steady state voltage conditions) 811 (for transient voltage
conditions) Motor Starting Dynamic Performance (including load shedding
arrangements and protection arrangements) and Short Circuit requirements will be
subject to the specific design features of the project
922 The studies detailed by 921 should be carried out with clear terms of
reference early as possible within a project The software programs and
computer capability should also be defined Models for generators
automatic voltage regulators governors motors transformers cables
and loads should be sufficiently detailed and proven to give confidence
in the results of the studies
The terms of reference for studies which are to be presented by a design contractor
should be developed as soon as possible These should contain definitions for the
required system performance where this is not sufficiently detailed by sections
451 573 577 and 64
In certain circumstances preliminary study work may be carried out by BP to
ensure that design contractors terms of reference are reasonable and to instigate a
permanent data file which would be suitable for operational use and can be
modified as changes occur This would be the basis of detailed design and should
be modified as necessary to include the detailed design equipment parameters the
computer data file would then be available throughout the life of the installationThis process would be considerably eased if the power system analysis software
were the same for preliminary studies through to final studies and the data files
were directly transferable between the systems used by Contractors and that used by
BP Therefore it is preferable that power system studies are undertaken using the
IPSA power systems analysis suite Should an alternative power system analysis
programme suite be employed the data should be transferable either manually or
via a computer based conversion programme into an IPSA compatible form
See also section 619 for software validation
923 Generator operating charts should be prepared and presented to assist
in assuring that they are always likely to be operated within their prescribed stability limits
The operating charts should be presented for voltages between 095 pu to 105 pu
in steps of 05 pu The charts should also contain those key machine parameters
from which the charts are constructed eg X d X q etc
924 Transient stability studies shall be carried out on systems which
include-
(i) Dissimilar on-site generators
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 47
(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
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which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 49
PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
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FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 52
APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 53
APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 47
(ii) On-site generators operating in parallel with a public utility
(iii) Synchronous motors
(iv) Where power generation busbars are interconnected byappreciable impedance
These studies shall be used to determine whether synchronous machinesare liable to lose synchronism after the most severe single disturbance
Generally the most severe fault condition would be a three phase fault applied at
the generator busbars for a fault duration determined by the protecting switchgear
which when cleared results in the disconnection of the largest single fault
contributor from the system However a number of fault locations followed by
plant disconnections should be tried
925 Where transient stability studies are undertaken (in order to assess the
ability of generators to remain in synchronism following a fault
disturbance) the steady state operating condition before the fault is
applied should be one in which the spinning reserve of generation is
kept at a minimum due to assumed maintenance of the largest onsite
generator
The primary object should be to identify the maximum acceptable fault clearing
time but secondary objectives such as the best location of system open bus section
points and the relationship between impedance earthing to stability should also be
ascertained from these studies The studies would be used as support for a
particular system design and also to ensure that the protection arrangements would
not compromise the expected system performance In pursuit of this latter factor
the studies may be undertaken with actual protection arrangements if these are
known In doing this it should be noted that if protection settings were to change
the system response to fault conditions may need to be re-studied
See also 913 (commentary)
926 Dynamic and induction motor stability studies shall be carried out to
investigate the voltage and frequency performance of the system after a
major disturbance for the period from fault inception to the time when
steady state equilibrium is reached These studies shall require detailedAutomatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and governor modelling as these
items assist the return to steady state and will react positively in the
time scales likely to be considered
These studies are expected to illustrate successful system recovery A decreasing
oscillatory voltage or frequency result where the average is within acceptable
bounds would indicate a satisfactory performance
927 System stability studies shall be carried out to consider the effect of the
loss of the largest power supply component under a fault condition
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 48
which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 49
PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 50
FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 51
FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 52
APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 53
APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
7292019 RP12-3
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
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POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 48
which causes no other electrical disturbance Where the transient
frequency excursion is predicted to exceed 6 under frequency load
shedding schemes shall be considered The stability studies shall be
used to define the minimum number and magnitude of the various
stages of load shedding that will be necessary to keep the frequency loss
within acceptable limits
Earth faults or mechanical system trip conditions do not normally result in motor
loads being tripped by ac contactors dropping off under low voltage and may
therefore result in the greatest post fault generation deficiency
928 Induction motor performance studies shall be carried out to
demonstrate the ability to start re accelerate or restart motor loads
without their stalling or tripping under overload Re acceleration
studies shall determine whether motors re accelerate after disturbances
(eg Fault conditions or under voltage conditions) have cleared Where
motor restart schemes are required induction motor performancestudies shall be used to define the maximum number and magnitude of
the various stages of restart that will be possible after clearance of
faults
93 Special Studies
931 Harmonic studies may be necessary to analyse the magnitude and
location of harmonic distortions within the power system These
studies shall be required whenever conversion equipment represents a
significant proportion of the total rating of a system at any one voltage
level or where there is concern about harmonic levels being excessive
See 83 The studies would normally be expected to be based upon frequency
domain methods which involve conversion equipment manufacturers providing a
Fourier series for the harmonics in the load current assuming a sine wave voltage
input Using this data the amount of voltage waveform disturbance at any point in
the network can be estimated However if the voltage waveform contains
harmonics then the conversion equipment would actually yield a differing set of
load current harmonics Therefore the frequency domain analysis is at best an
approximation and needs to be compared with actual plant performance to be
assured that the system predictions can be accurate An alternative technique may
be to undertake the harmonic study by employing a time domain approach where
system parameters are used directly into the analysis In this manner the need for
iteration of data input is avoided However there remain inaccuracies caused by
approximations used for system component impedances to each harmonic
frequency Therefore the check with actual system performance should still be
carried out
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 49
PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 50
FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 51
FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 52
APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
7292019 RP12-3
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 53
APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
7292019 RP12-3
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BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
7292019 RP12-3
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 49
PUBLIC UTILTY
A
A A
AA
UP TO 36KVPRIMARY
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO
75KV
PROCESSSUBSTATION
UP TO1KV
A
A A
A
A
A
A
AA
AREASUBSTATION
A
C
A
C
C
D
M
C D
M
C
C
CC
M
M
A
A
GM
M
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE MOTORSTARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (A)
DOUBLE RADIAL FEED DISTRIBUTION
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 50
FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 51
FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
7292019 RP12-3
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 52
APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
7292019 RP12-3
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 53
APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 6060
BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 5660
RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 50
FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
PROCESS SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
A
A A
C
C
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
CLOSED RINGMAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESSSUBSTATION UP TO 12KV
TRIPLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
UP TO 72KV
C
G
PROCESSSUBSTATION
AAA A
C C C C
C
C
CC
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
DOUBLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIALMAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
D
M
D
M
C
C
C
C
CC
C
C
CC
M
M
M
M
M
M
D
M
C
C
M
M
C
D
M
D
M
CC
C
M
M
M
M
TRIPLE RADIALFEED (TYPICAL)
SINGLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
DOUBLE RADIAL
FEED (TYPICAL)
C
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTEOR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCALCONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPEMOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAK CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTECONTROL
SWITCHFUSE -MANUALLY OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAKISOLATING SWITCH -
MANUALLY OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (B)
CLOSED RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
7292019 RP12-3
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 51
FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
7292019 RP12-3
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RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 52
APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 5960
RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 53
APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 6060
BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 5760
RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 51
FROM THE PRIMARY SUBSTATION
A
A A
AAA A
C CC
C CC
C CD D D
M MM
UP TO 12KVAREA
SUBSTATION
OPEN RING
MAIN SYSTEM
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATIONUP TO 12KV
SINGLE RADIAL
MAIN DISTR
(TYPICAL)
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 12KV
C
C C C
M MMG G G
PROCESS
SUBSTATION
UP TO 1KV
MMM
DESCRIPTION
CIRCUIT BREAKER - REMOTE
OR LOCAL CONTROL
CIRCUIT BREAKER - LOCAL
CONTROL
VACUUM CONTACTOR TYPE
MOTOR STARTER - REMOTE
CONTROL
AIRBREAKCONTACTOR TYPE MOTOR
STARTER - REMOTE CONTROL
SWITCHFUSE - MANUALLY
OPERATED
FAULT MAKE LOAD BREAK
ISOLATING SWITCH - MANUALLY
OPERATED
GENERATOR
MOTOR
A
C
D
M
G
M
FIGURE 1 (C)
OPEN RING MAIN DISTRIBUTION
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 5860
RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 52
APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 5960
RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 53
APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 6060
BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 5860
RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 52
APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume
Abbreviations
AVR Automatic Voltage Regulator
DOL Direct On Line
HV High Voltage
HRC High Rupturing Capacity
IEC International Electrotechnical Committee
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
IPSA Interactive Power System Analysis
LV Low Voltage
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTTR Mean Time to Repairs
PME Protective Multiple Earth
THF Telephone Harmonic Factor
VSD Variable Speed Drive
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 5960
RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 53
APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 6060
BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 5960
RP 12-3ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTALLATIONS
POWER SYSTEM DESIGN
PAGE 53
APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchasers
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards
International
IEC 34 Rotating Electrical Machines
IEC 38 Standard Voltage (6th Edition)
IEC 56 HVAC Circuit Breakers
IEC 947 LV Switchgear and Control Gear
Industrial
IEE Wiring Regulations (16th Edition)
Electricity Council Recommendation G53 (1976)
Health and Safety Executive Guidance Note 41
BP Group Documents
BP Group RP 4-4 Buildings
(replaces BP CP 19)
BP Group RP 12-2 Equipment in Flammable Atmospheres and Combustible Dusts
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 2)
BP Group RP 12-4 Power System Protection and Control
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 4)
BP Group RP 12-5 Power Supplies for Control Systems
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 5)
BP Group RP 12-6 HV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 6)
BP Group RP 12-7 LV Switchgear
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 7)
BP Group RP 12-9 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 9)
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 6060
BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)
7292019 RP12-3
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrp12-3 6060
BP Group RP 12-11 Motors
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 11)
BP Group RP 12-16 Earthing and Bonding
(replaces BP CP 17 Part 16)
BP Group GS 112-5 Transformers and Reactors
(replaces BP Std 223)
BP Group GS 112-6 Electrical Requirements for AC Generators
(replaces BP Std 224 Part 1)
BP Group GS 112-8 LV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 227)
BP Group GS 112-9 HV Switchgear and Controlgear
(replaces BP Std 225)
BP Group GS 160-1 Emergency Generator Package
UK Law
Electricity supply Regulations (1988)
Electricity at work Regulations (1989)