Location of Synchonizing Gear

[AAEB]

Good day!

Guys! Just want to know your thoughts about the best location of synch gear, is it within sight of the generators or away but with the main electrical room in where the ATS, LVSG, Capacitor Banks and transformers are located? For me, the best is within the main electrical room because the operator or the maintenance can see all the status and the activities of the main electrical equipment during transferring of power.

What do you think guys?

thanks,
AAEB

 

[kingpb]

Questions:
1. Where does the owner want it?
2. Who's paying the bills?

Their desired location is typically the best place for it!

 

[AAEB]

"Their desired location is typically the best place for it![/QUOTE]"

I disagree... most of our clients are just focusing on the cost not in the functionality, operational ease, maintenance and achieving the optimum performance of these equipments. It is the engineer?s responsibility to provide a design that is best for their clients...

 

[big john]

Is this actual switchgear or just a switchboard? Most of what I see is a separate switchboard all by itself in a control room somewhere, and that's probably a better solution.

A) When guys are phasing in units, they're paying a lot more attention to the meters and dials than they are to the steel case that holds a breaker. Being able to see a breaker/transformer/generator rarely provides any additional useful information.

B) What are your arc-flash boundaries? If I could avoid it, I'd keep the operators as far from any breakers or generators as I possibly could. Seeing them is one thing, but standing next to them when something goes wrong is a whole different ball game.

-John

 

[AAEB]

It is a synchronization switchgear. Actually, our arguments with our client's architect started when they put the 4-1.5MW generators on the basement 2 and the Main Electrical Room (switchgear, cap. banks, transformers are located) at the ground floor (1 flrs apart), since there is no control room allotted, we have decided to locate all of these large equipments in one room including synchronizing gear since the maintenance office is just located adjacent to the Main EE room. with this, it will be a lot easier for them to operate, check and monitor all the activities of the main electrical system. Another arguments is how are the mechanical engineers going to cater the ventilation required by the generators in order to achieve their optimum performance since they are located 2 floor beneath the earth/ground level.

 

[kingpb]

"Their desired location is typically the best place for it!"

I disagree... most of our clients are just focusing on the cost not in the functionality, operational ease, maintenance and achieving the optimum performance of these equipments. It is the engineer’s responsibility to provide a design that is best for their clients...

In utopia, your response would be understandable, and all us engineers and tech folks would be on cloud nine; more than happy to design, and design, and design until our little hearts are content that it is perfect. But, as we come crashing back to reality, all that effort takes time and money, and the design will cause project cost overruns. You have stated, "most of our clients are just focusing on the cost not in the functionality, operational ease, maintenance and achieving the optimum performance of these equipments." Which means your design should be technically correct, e.g. safe and not cause damage to equipment, and most importanty, make the client happy. They are not interested in functionality, because no matter how operationally perfect you think it is, if the client is not happy in the end (in your case low cost) you will not have them any longer.

So, in utopia, you will want to build a separate control room adjacent to the equipment, with at least 3 engineer computer work stations ($5000 each), and a 50" wall monitor$$$$$. The engineers desk will run you at least $15,000-$20,000 with chairs and accessories. Add HVAC, dimmable lighting, a bathroom(s) (his and hers), a sink, refrigerator microwave, etc. You will want to have a window overlooking the generators for viewable observation of the units.I'd say 20' x 20' might work.

The O&M folks will be exstatic, the architect, will s*** a load of bricks then start laughing, and shortly after, most likely your firm will be relieved of it's design duties. The new firm hired to take over then designs the equipment as cheaply as possible, and the Owner is happy again, and the architect love them. Unfortunately, your firm now has a bad reputation for not listening to the client and having cost overruns; nobody wants to hire you.

The guy with the money always wins!:grin: