Factory Electrical Design: Ensure Performance and Safety


Factory electrical design is a critical process, involving planning, designing, and installing electrical systems, to ensure safety and performance.

Determine Electrical Load

Determining electrical load is a crucial step in factory electrical design, helping engineers understand the electrical capacity required for each area. This dictates the type of equipment and amount of wiring needed. The load is calculated based on actual needs and future projections, ensuring the electrical system operates efficiently.

Understanding Electrical Load

An essential concept in factory electrical design that plays a key role in ensuring the electrical system runs safely and efficiently. Accurate load determination helps select appropriate electrical equipment, from conductors to transformers of well-known brands like ABB or Schneider.

Purpose and Significance of Electrical Load

The main goal in determining electrical load is to ensure that the system is not overloaded or lacking capacity. This is vital to prevent unwanted failures and extend the lifespan of equipment within the electrical system.

Methods for Determining Electrical Load

The determination can be performed using the following methods:

  • Load Graph: This method helps visualize between power and time to find peak power.
  • Calculation Basis: Based on the electricity usage needs of devices and the function of each area.
  • Utilizing Coefficients: Applying technical coefficients to develop appropriate calculation quantities according to safe electrical system standards.

Example: Calculating Load for Residential Buildings

A specific example of determining electrical load for an apartment building using the equation:

[ P{NO} = P{CH} + 0.9P_{ĐL} ]

Where:

  • ( P_{CH} ) represents calculations for residential blocks.
  • ( P_{ĐL} ) is power for dynamics like elevators and air conditioning systems.

Importance of Determining Electrical Load

Accurate load calculation serves as the foundation for stable electrical system operation. Incorrect calculations increase overload risks, significantly affecting performance and safety. In conclusion, load determination plays a critical role in both design and operation of an electrical system in any facility. Selecting appropriate electrical equipment from reputable suppliers like LS or Eaton largely depends on this calculation step.

Engineer calculating electrical load for factory
Engineer determining electrical load for a factory.

Design High Voltage Electrical Network and Low Voltage Network

High and low voltage electrical networks are critical parts of a factory electrical system, with high voltage networks ranging from 35kV to 220kV, suitable for large factories. The design of low voltage networks ensures efficient operation through the arrangement of control panels and cables that comply with TCVN standards such as TCVN 7447-5-51:2010.

Electrical network design, especially high and low voltage networks, is essential in ensuring the safe, stable supply of electricity to various areas, from urban to rural. Detailed analysis and application of national and international standards are necessary to optimize electrical system efficiency.

High Voltage Electrical Network Design

High voltage networks are often used to transmit power at high capacity and voltage (35kV to 220kV) to meet the substantial demands of factories and industrial parks.

  • Objective: Ensuring effective power transmission from the plant to substations.
  • Design Process:
  1. Load Analysis: Calculating and allocating load is the first and very important step.
  2. Select Transmission Method: Depending on the terrain, overhead lines or underground cables can be used.
  3. Structural Design: Choose the right poles and structures to withstand wind and seismic loads.
  4. Calculate Resistance and Losses: Ensuring minimal loss during transmission.

Low Voltage Electrical Network Design

Low voltage networks primarily serve power needs in residential, commercial, and service areas with typical voltages of 220V/380V.

  • Objective: Ensure safe, stable power to consumers.
  • Design Process:
  1. Analyze Power Needs: Assess current power usage and project future growth potential.
  2. Network Layout Design: Choose and design cable routes considering environmental and geographic factors.
  3. Select Equipment: Optimize selection of transformers, control panels, protection devices through brands like Mitsubishi, Schneider.
  4. Calculate Conductor Section Areas: Ensure the conductors can safely sustain the load.

Applying Standards and Regulations

Design must comply with TCVN standards to ensure safety and efficiency. IEC international standards are also referred to for global alignment and requirements.

Support Tools

  • Simulating Software: Specialized software is used to simulate and calculate electrical network operation before real-world application.
  • Technical Consultation: Expert support is essential to ensure designs meet standards.

Thus, designing high and low voltage networks requires special attention to technical analysis and safety standards, to ensure the system operates effectively and sustainably over time.

Layout of high and low voltage electrical network for factory
Design of high and low voltage networks in an industrial factory.

Industrial Lighting System and Capacitance Compensation

Designing an industrial lighting system not only ensures adequate lighting but also optimizes energy usage. Similarly, capacitance compensation is necessary to reduce electrical losses by adequately distributing reactive power, using capacitors to improve efficiency.

Industrial Lighting System

An industrial lighting system plays a crucial role in ensuring production spaces and industrial areas are illuminated effectively and safely. Specifically designed for factory, plant, and warehouse environments, this system not only provides robust lighting but also aids in enhancing labor productivity and product quality.

  • High durability: Designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions such as high temperatures, dust, humidity, and vibration.
  • High brightness and wide coverage: Using industrial LEDs or specialized high-power lamps ensures strong and uniform lighting over large areas.
  • Energy efficiency: These devices optimize energy consumption while maintaining high output.
  • Flexible installation heights: Lights can be installed at various heights, suitable for different factory types.

The design must comply with technical standards to avoid glare or dangerous shadows and employ smart lighting control systems to increase efficiency.

Capacitance Compensation in Industrial Lighting Systems

Reactive power compensation is an important solution to improve power factor and efficiency in industrial lighting systems. This is especially crucial with inductive loads such as fluorescent lamps and high-pressure lamps.

Benefits include:

  • Reduce energy losses by lowering reactive currents in the lines.
  • Avoid penalties from power providers due to low power factor.
  • Extend the life of electrical equipment and enhance power supply quality.
  • Ensure stable operation of the system, preventing unnecessary overloads.

Compensation solutions typically involve using power capacitors, whether fixed or automatic, installed at crucial points in the factory or industrial electric systems.

Design of lighting and capacitance compensation for factory
The lighting and capacitor compensation system in a factory.

Factory electrical design not only ensures safety but also optimizes operational efficiency and costs. Adhering to technical standards helps manage load factors, electrical networks, and capacitance compensation, thus boosting production efficiency and protecting the investment.

Contact QuangAnhcons at Hotline: +84 9 1975 8191 for in-depth consultation on factory electrical design, ensuring maximum safety and efficiency.

QuangAnhcons specializes in providing design and installation services for factory electrical systems, ensuring full compliance with technical standards to offer optimal solutions for clients.

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Quotation scope

Applies to one EVN-supplied substation with oil-immersed transformers at 22/0.4 kV (single-phase: 12.7/0.23 kV), with MV metering VTs/CTs supplied by EVN. The estimate includes the selected equipment, installation, earthing, transformer-to-main-breaker connections, design and connection documentation, and coordination of testing and utility acceptance.

Kiosk, integrated steel-pole and indoor substations include MV switchgear and the entered underground cable route. Other outdoor arrangements use the relevant protection configuration. The final diagram must meet the project connection requirements.

Excludes VAT, cables from the substation switchboard to the MSB/loads, live-line work, harmonic reactors, weak-ground treatment or special piling, land and special fire-protection provisions. Underground routes assume normal construction conditions and exclude road drilling and special reinstatement.

Prices are indicative investment budgets. A formal quotation follows site assessment and agreement on the configuration. Electrical selections are preliminary and require design verification before installation.

Capacity range and application conditions

The catalogue defines the enquiry range of this tool, not universal TCVN capacity limits. Single pole-mounted transformers: 15–100 kVA; three-unit banks: 3×15–3×100 kVA. Platform substations: 100–630 kVA. Steel-pole substations: 100–630 kVA; 750/800 kVA require design verification and local approval. Ground-mounted, kiosk and indoor configurations: 50–10,000 kVA. Not every configuration has a package price or the same structural design.

Reference: EVN Decision 1299/QD-EVN dated 3 November 2017, Volume 1, sections 3.3–3.4. Check the current requirements of the responsible utility before implementation. Kiosks must meet manufacturer ratings and testing requirements (IEC 62271-202); indoor and ground-mounted arrangements must meet project layout, ventilation, structural and fire-protection requirements. For multiple transformers, specify the quantity and capacity of each unit.

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