Single Bus

As the name indicate the substation with this

configuration has a single bus (Fig-B). All the circuits
are connected to this bus. A fault on the bus or
between the bus and a breaker results in the outage
of the entire bus or substation. Failure of any breaker
also results in outage of the entire bus.Maintenance
of any circuit breaker requires shutdown of the
corresponding circuit/line and maintenance of bus
requires complete shutdown of the bus. A bypass
switch across the breaker should be used for
maintenance of the corresponding breaker. This case
the protection system is disabled.
Single Bus configuration is the simplest and least
cost of all configurations. The system can be easily
expanded. This configuration requires less area. The
reliability of this system being low, it is not to be
implemented in the substation where high reliability
is expected. Large substations usually do not utilize
this scheme. By section a lising of the bus the

Main Bus and Transfer Bus

In this scheme one more bus is added. See Figure-C how
theequipments are arranged and circuits are connected between
main and transfer bus.In this arrangement one more breaker may
be used, known as tie circuit breaker.No circuit is associated with
this tie breaker.
When the tie CB is not present, for maintenance of a circuit breaker,
the transfer bus is energized by closing the isolator switches to
transfer bus. Then the breaker to undergo maintenance is opened
and isolated (opening isolators on both sides of CB) for maintenance.
In this arrangement there is no protection for the circuits. The
When the tie breaker is present, for maintenance of a breaker the
circuits can be protected from outside the substation.
transfer bus is energised by closing the tie breaker. Then the isolator
near the transfer bus of the breaker of circuit to be maintained is closed.
Now the breaker to be maintained is opened. Then corresponding
isolators on both sides of breaker are opened. The breaker is removed
for maintenance. The circuit is transferred to transfer bus. Remember
that the isolator to the transfer bus corresponding to the breaker not to
be maintained remain open. Here the tie breaker protects the circuit in
place of removed breaker. In this scheme the relay setting is quite
complex due to the requirement of the tie breaker to handle each
situation for maintenance of any of the other breakers. This scheme is
somewhat more costly than the single bus scheme but is more reliable.
The scheme can be easily expanded. The switching procedure is

ouble Bus Double Breaker

In this scheme there are two buses and two
circuit breakers per circuit are used (See Fig-D).
In normal state both the buses are energised.
Any circuit breaker can be removed for
maintenance without interruption of the
corresponding circuit. Also the failure of one of
the two buses does not interrupt any circuit as
all the circuits can be fed from the remaining
bus and isolating the failed bus. By shifting
circuit from one bus to other the loading on the
buses can be balanced.
The substation with this configuration requires
twice as much equipments as single bus
scheme. This scheme has high reliability. But
due to more equipments this scheme is costly
and requires more space. This scheme is usually
used at EHV transmission substation or
generating station where high reliability is
required.

Double Bus Single Breaker

This scheme is shown in Fig-E. This
scheme has two buses. Each circuit
has one breaker and connected to
both buses by isolators as shown.
There is one tie breaker between two
buses. The tie breaker is normally
closed. For the tie breaker in closed
position the circuit can be connected
to either of the buses by closing the
corresponding switch. It is clear that
fault on one bus requires isolation of
the
bus the
andfigure
the circuits
are
fed from
From
you can
guess
that the
the
other bus. has some improvement over
configuration
the single bus system. This arrangement
has more flexibility in operation than the
single bus scheme. This scheme is costlier
and requires more space than the single
bus scheme. Many EHV transmission
substations use this scheme with an
additional transfer bus.

Ring Bus
The Ring Bus configuration is shown in Fig-F. The
breakers are so connected and forms a ring. There
are isolators on both sides of each breaker. Circuits
terminate between the breakers. The number of
breakers is same as the numbers of circuits. Each of
the circuits in ring bus system is fed from both
sides. Any of the breaker can be opened and
isolated for maintenance without interrupting any of
the circuits. A fault on any of the circuit is isolated
by tripping of two breakers on both sides of the
circuit. By tripping the two breakers only the faulted
circuit is isolated and all other circuits continue to
operate in open ring state. This scheme has good
operational flexibility and high reliability. The main
disadvantage is that when a fault happens and the
ring is split and may result into two isolated
sections. Each of these two sections may not have
the proper combination of source and load circuits.
To avoid this as far as possible the source and load
circuits should be connected side by side (see
figure). The ring bus scheme can be expanded to
accommodate more circuits. The ring bus scheme is
not suitable for more than 6 circuits (although

The Breaker and Half scheme has two main buses

(Fig G). Both the buses are normally energised.
Three breakers are connected between the buses.
The circuits are terminated between the breakers
as shown. In this bus configuration for two circuits
three numbers of breakers are required. Hence it
is called one and half scheme. It is something
like, for controlling one circuit we require one full
and a half breakers. The middle breaker is shared
by both the circuits. Like the ring bus scheme
here also each circuit is fed from both the buses.
Any of the breakers can be opened and removed
for maintenance purposes without interrupting
supply to any of the circuits. Also one of the two
buses can be removed for maintenance without
interruption of the service to any of the circuits. If
fault happens on a bus it is isolated without
interruption of supply to any of the circuits. If the
middle circuit breaker fails then the breakers
adjacent to the buses are tripped so interrupting
both the circuits. But if a breaker adjacent to the
bus fails then the tripping of middle breaker does
not interrupt power supply to circuit associated
with healthy breaker. Only the circuit associated

This configuration is veryflexibleand

highly reliable. The relaying of the
scheme is complicated as the middle
breaker is associated with both the
circuits. This scheme is economical in
comparison to Double Bus Double
Breaker scheme. This scheme also
require more space in comparison to
other schemes to accommodate more
equipments.
In one substation you can find two or
more schemes implemented as per
the requirement. In most of the
modern substations it is usual to add
one transfer bus in most of the
schemes above. Which enhances the
availability and maintainability of the
system and operational flexibility