Busbar Systems are essential for every power application that provides major interfaces between the outer world and the power modules. It has been witnessed throughout the design iterations in industrial cranes that occurred in recent years with the evolution of industries. Conducting sufficient amounts of currents in the applications, busbars are mandatory with a focus on electrical power distribution in cranes while meeting the dynamic application needs. In this blog, let's deep dive into everything about electrical bus bars, types, and their applications in detail.
What Are Busbars? An electrical busbar or a conductor bus bar, as the name suggests, defines a conductor or the aggregate of conductors that receive electric power from the incoming feeders, to further distribute it to outgoing feeders. Otherwise, an electrical bus bar is an electrical junction where the incoming and outgoing currents meet. The conductor busbar systems gathers electrical power in a centralized location.
DSL Busbars are made up of highly electrically conductive metals and they distribute & carry power from a source to a destination or multiple destinations. They are used in EOT Cranes to supply power from the grid to the crane control panel. The full Form of the DSL busbar is Down Shop Lead.
How Do Busbars Work? Busbars are usually used to connect electrical power sources and loads. It connects the generator and main transformer in power busbar systems and also interlinks the incoming/outgoing transmission lines. The busbar is visibly a copper or aluminium strip that transfers electricity in a substation, electrical apparatus, or switchboards. The flexible bus bars are made using aluminum tubes with disc insulator strings on either side and gantries to support them. While rigid busbars get support on post insulators and are made using Aluminum tubes. The size of the bus bars determines the amount of current it can carry safely. The common shapes are flat strips, hollow times, etc. since these shapes can allow more heat dissipation of the large ratio of surface area to cross-section area.
The Function of a Bus Bar A bus bar serves as an electrical connection point where it gathers electric power from incoming feeders and then disperses it to outgoing feeders. The primary function of a bus bar is to transport and distribute electricity, contributing to the efficiency of systems. In complex electrical setups, busbars can be a highly effective solution.
Nature of Busbar Connection Busbars could be supported in two ways: either on insulators or the insulation to surround them. A metal earthed enclosure busbar connector safeguards them against accidental contact. Neutral busbars also need insulation. Busbars could be also enclosed in the metal housing which uses bus-duct, isolated phase bus, or busway segregated phase bus. Connecting the busbars and the electrical apparatus needs welded connections or bolted clamps.
How Are Busbars Rated? Rated current- This is the RMS measure of current that busbars can conduct persistently with the rise in temperature within a particular limit.
Rated voltage- This is the RMS voltage value between lines for which you need the busbar
Rated frequency- The value of frequency for which the busbar systems work
Rated short-time current- The RMS current value that bus bars carry for specified temperature rises in a specified duration
Rated insulation level- the normal rated voltage, power frequency withstand voltage, switching impulse voltage or lightning impulse withstand voltage used to characterize the insulation levels.
Factors to Consider While Selecting Busbars You need to consider certain factors before choosing the busbar sizes—these include current carrying capacity, surface gradient, performance, etc. Electrical and mechanical stresses like short circuit fault currents should be considered to withstand thermal stresses. Also, the short circuit effects that cause stress to the clamps and connectors need to be well addressed. Let's check out the factors considered in selecting bars factors:
Ambient temperature Operating temperature Height from sea level Voltage level Short circuit current Type of bar coverage The number of busbars in each phase is considered. Types Of BusBar Arrangements in Power System Let’s now take a glance at the various types of busbar systems and learn more about them:
Single Busbar System This system arrangement consists of a main bus that remains energized every time and every circuit is connected to this. This arrangement offers the least amount of dependability. The complete loss of the substation can occur with the bus faults or any failure in the operation of the circuit breaker.
Advantages:
Cost-effective Needs small area Highly expandable Easy Concept and operation Great on protect