HV SUBSTATION DESIGN

APD’s Multidisciplinary Team provides a single interface for complicated and technically challenging projects reducing duplication and overheads. APD acts as a single consolidated and cohesive entity for Substations, Power Lines, Earthing & Power Systems Studies, Protection, LV/MV/HV Design and on-site implementation activities.

APD adds value through Innovation in technology and conforming / non-conforming tender support solutions, providing fit-for-purpose design and optimised capital expenditure.

Our team is at the cutting edge of technology in both the primary and secondary space using advanced materials and methodologies and substation automation. We pride ourselves on being experienced and responsive in challenging and changing work environments, meeting and exceeding our client’s needs.

Our services include:

• Concept design preparation including layouts, elevations, site utilization plans, etc.
• Preparation of technical specifications for all equipment relevant to HV Substations
• Tender documentation preparation and assistance with tender evaluation
• Cost estimation of HV infrastructure across the asset lifecycle.

Beyond concept and feasibility APD’s electrical, civil & structural engineers and draftspeople can undertake the detailed design required to progress a project to tender, construction, testing and commissioning.

The substation design process includes the following:

• Civil / Structural design including earthworks, drainage, roads, foundations, bunds, structures, fencing and buildings.
• Primary electrical design services including load flow and fault studies, earthing, insulation coordination, electromagnetic interference, lightning protection, switchyard lighting, layouts, elevations, bill of materials and cable schedules.
• Secondary electrical design including schematics, terminations, materials lists, cable schedules for all types of protection schemes and protection settings including conventional and advanced substations protection schemes.
• Substation Automation and Control design and configuration for SCADA, HMI, PLC, RTU, IED devices across various protocols. Including IEC61850.
• Telecommunication systems and backbone communications infrastructure design including Microwave radio, SDH, PDH, Pilot, Fibre and legacy systems.
• Detailed ancillary system design including fire, security, hydraulics, sewage, stormwater, access control, contour surveys and geotechnical studies.
• Safety in Design, Safety Management and Construction Risk Assessments.

APD have proven experience in 3D modelling and drafting for substation design. This provides the client with a realistic representation of both existing and new equipment locations within the substation. 3D modelling also demonstrates the consistency of the design to customer standards.

Our ability to model entire substations, powerlines, wind & solar farms in 3D has allowed APD to ensure our projects are constructible and prevent costly changes under construction and site demobilization.

3D modelling is of critical value for existing or brownfield site augmentations where space is limited and shutdown times need to be minimal, assisting in the successful outcome of a project being on-time and on budget.

APD’s highly trained and experiences staff conduct HV equipment testing including CB, CT, VT, power transformers; functional testing of secondary systems such as protection settings & complicated protection schemes; use in-house Omicron testing gear (CPC, CMC) and knowledge of other manufacture’s equipment; prepare commissioning plans (ITP’s and ITR’s); and can provide operator training during handover.

APD hold a comprehensive suite of testing and commissioning equipment:

• CMC356 Omicron Secondary Injection Kit
• CPC100 Omicron Primary Injection Kit
• CP TD Omicron leakage reactance, insulation conditions and dissipation factor tester
• CP CU Omicron Over Head Line Parameter and Earthing system analyser
• CP CB Omicron 2KA Current injector
• CIBANO 500 Omicron Test System for medium- and high-voltage circuit breakers
• CTA  CT Analyzer
• CP SB1 Omicron Switch Box
• HVA 60 – Cable VLF tester
• PD 30 Partial discharge analyzer
• Fluke 1507 1KV Insulator resistance tester
• Fluke 376 High current clamp meter soil resistivity testing
• AEMC soil resistivity tester
• Fluke 1625 soil resistivity tester
• Mitton current injection test set
• Fluke 434 Power analyzer
• Fluke 1555 10 KV insulator resistance tester
• FRA Omicron Frequency Response Analyser
• MIT1020 10 kV Insulation Tester
• MIT481 1 kV Insulation Tester
• OTS80PB Oil Break Down tester
• HIOKI 3198 Power Analyzer
• Thermal Imaging Camera

• Asset Condition Monitoring and assessment
• Auditing and Reporting
• Operational activities including HV switching and sub-contractor management
• Maintenance Support including planned and unplanned maintenance activities
• Asset Replacement, Disposal strategy development and works planning
• Asset management information system
• Risk management
• Contingency planning
• Capital expenditure planning

• Various Operating Methodologies including EPCM, EPC, D&C or Design Only
• Planning and workflow management
• Project Controls, Planning and Reporting
• Procurement, Logistics and Inventory management
• Management of Sub-Contract Services

APD have extensive experience in protection design and settings. Each substation project involves a study of the existing protection design and settings which APD review and update accordingly as well as protection design and associated settings for new additional equipment.

APD earthing specialists have extensive experience with detailed earthing engineering and design drawings which include earth grid layout and conductor sizing, bonding requirements, layout and connection diagrams. Modelling of the earthing design is done using globally recognised CDEGS software. APD field staff utilise state of the art earth testing equipment to verify the earthing design and modelling.

• Concept design
• Functional specification
• Network layout
• Equipment Selection
• Client/Server HMI system design and configuration experience
• PLC Programming and Integration (Allen Bradley, Schneider, GE, Siemens, Miri)
• RTU Programming and Integration (Miri, Koyo)
• DCS Programming and Integration (Emerson, Yokogawa and Honeywell)
• SIS Programming and Integration (HIMA, Yokogawa, ICS Triplex, Honeywell)
• Software application development (C++, C#, VB, VBA, PHP)
• Operator interface (HMI/MMI) design
• SCADA system integration
• Flow Metering and Monitoring (AGA) Programming and Integration
• Optimization of networks and process control systems
• System Support and Remote Operations

• Concept design
• Functional specification
• Network layout
• Equipment Selection
• Radio Design (Including Propagation Testing and analysis)
• Wireless telecoms and satellite communications design and desktop surveys
• Wired telecoms design
• Satellite Communications configuration experience
• 3G/4G Telecoms configuration experience
• 3G/4G communications desktop surveys experience
• NBN and PSTN communications configuration experience
• Ethernet network design and configuration experience
• Fibre optic cable design and configuration experience
• Managed (Cisco) Router and Switch design experience
• Multiplexer (Nokia) Programming
• Switch and Router programming
• SQL database development, implementation, optimisation and maintenance (MS SQL, MySQL)
• IT systems management (Windows Server, VMWare, Citrix XenApp, IP Networks)
• Rail and Signalling Systems
• VOIP and Telephony Systems
• CCTV and Security Systems