Course Overview

This module dives into the critical world of protection, switchgear, and fault analysis—the systems that keep our power grids safe, reliable, and resilient. You’ll explore how substations and their equipment are designed, how switchgear and circuit breakers operate, and what it takes to protect generators, transformers, lines, and busbars from faults. We’ll cover the full range of switchgear and circuit breakers, learning how arcs are extinguished and how devices are rated and tested. You’ll also get hands-on with protection schemes, including distance, unit, differential, and overcurrent relays, while understanding their timing and coordination. Grounding is another key focus—discovering different methods like resistance, reactance, and resonant grounding, and why they matter for system stability and safety. By the end, you’ll have the skills to design and evaluate complete protection systems, analyse transmission line and substation requirements, and understand how modern grids are secured against faults and overvoltages.

Main Goal

This module develops a thorough understanding of protection and switchgear requirements for the electrical power system.

Skills To Be Gained

On completion of this module the learner will/should be able to;

1. Outline the requirements of substation equipment and their design
2. Specify and evaluate the requirements of substation protection systems.
3. Appraise transmission line parameters and configurations, their design and protection.
4. Design protection systems for generators, lines and busbars.
5. Specify grounding systems for power systems with emphasis on neutral grounding.

Practical Notes

Contact TUS for information on discounted fees.

Contact details: Gerard Cahill, TUS DigiWind Manager, gerard.cahill@tus.ie