Why this course?

Description

⚡ Course Title:

Switchgear Design, Selection, and Application Engineering – Professional Certification
By: BHADANIS MEP & ELECTRICAL TRAINING INSTITUTE

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🎯 Course Objective

This professional certification program has been designed to give engineers a complete and practical understanding of switchgear systems used in modern electrical networks. It covers design, selection, protection coordination, and real-world applications across low-voltage (LV), medium-voltage (MV), and high-voltage (HV) systems.

Switchgear is the heart of every power distribution system — it ensures safety, controls power flow, and protects both equipment and personnel from electrical faults. In this course, learners will gain mastery over the engineering design principles, construction features, operating logic, and safety compliance necessary to handle switchgear systems in residential, commercial, and industrial projects.

The content is structured to help MEP engineers, design professionals, and site engineers move confidently from fundamental theory to advanced project applications, including busbar design, protection coordination, and field-level installation and maintenance.

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📘 Course Overview

Electrical systems in India, whether in a hospital, metro station, or high-rise building, depend heavily on reliable switchgear to ensure uninterrupted and safe power distribution. This course begins with the fundamentals — what switchgear is, how it functions, and why it’s essential — and gradually advances toward practical design, testing, and troubleshooting knowledge that every engineer must possess.

The course moves systematically through ten structured modules, each with three submodules. These have been crafted to create both conceptual clarity and field-level competence.

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Module-wise Structure and Explanation

Module 1: Fundamentals of Switchgear and Power Systems

This opening module lays the groundwork. It explains what switchgear is, how it integrates into a power distribution network, and its importance in system reliability and protection.
You’ll explore how switchgear safeguards transformers, feeders, and cables in Indian building projects and understand fault isolation, load management, and safe operation principles.

Submodule	Coverage
1.1	Definition, Function, and Classification of Switchgear
1.2	Components of Power Distribution System (LV, MV, HV Overview)
1.3	Importance of Switchgear in Safety and Reliability

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Module 2: Electrical Design Principles and Load Calculations

Before designing or selecting any switchgear, an engineer must understand load calculation and fault levels. This module covers how to determine connected load, apply diversity factor, and evaluate short-circuit current capacity. It bridges theory with the practical steps used in project design offices and site execution teams.

Submodule	Coverage
2.1	Load Flow and Diversity Factor in Distribution Networks
2.2	Short Circuit Current Calculation and Fault Level Assessment
2.3	Equipment Rating and Selection Based on Load Profiles

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Module 3: Low Voltage (LV) Switchgear Assemblies

Low voltage switchgear assemblies like MDBs, SMDBs, and DBs are the backbone of building electrical systems. This module explains how these panels are configured, what types of breakers and busbars they use, and how protection coordination is achieved. Practical examples include panels used in Indian high-rise buildings and industrial complexes.

Submodule	Coverage
3.1	LV Panels – Structure and Busbar Arrangement
3.2	Circuit Breakers (MCB, MCCB, ACB) – Function and Coordination
3.3	LV Protection, Interlocking, and Metering Arrangements

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Module 4: Medium Voltage (MV) and High Voltage (HV) Switchgear Systems

Here, learners understand AIS, GIS, and hybrid switchgear — how they’re built, where they’re used, and how control and protection are achieved. The module covers typical Indian installations at 11 kV and 33 kV substations, with a focus on vacuum circuit breakers, SF₆ breakers, and safe panel layout practices.

Submodule	Coverage
4.1	Types of MV/HV Switchgear – AIS, GIS, Hybrid
4.2	Vacuum Circuit Breakers (VCB), SF₆ Breakers, and Contactors
4.3	MV/HV Panel Layout, Bus Coupling, and Interlocking Logic

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Module 5: Protection Coordination and Discrimination

Protection coordination ensures only the faulty section trips, not the entire system. This module covers time-current characteristics, relay settings, and selectivity curves used to grade protection between feeders, transformers, and motors. Indian case studies are discussed to illustrate proper coordination between ACBs, MCCBs, and MCBs.

Submodule	Coverage
5.1	Time-Current Characteristics and Selectivity Curves
5.2	Protection Schemes for Feeders, Transformers, and Motors
5.3	Relay Settings and Grading Calculations for LV/MV Systems

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Module 6: Switchgear Components and Control Devices

This module focuses on the inner components that bring a switchgear to life — contactors, relays, CTs, PTs, and fuses. It also explains how control wiring, auxiliary circuits, and interlocks ensure safe operation. Real-world examples like Motor Control Centers (MCCs) and Power Control Centers (PCCs) are discussed in detail.

Submodule	Coverage
6.1	Contactors, Relays, CTs, PTs, and Fuses – Working and Selection
6.2	Control Wiring, Auxiliary Circuits, and Interlocking Schemes
6.3	MCC and PCC Configuration and Operation

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Module 7: Switchgear Design, Layout, and Busbar Engineering

This module focuses on the physical and electrical design aspects of switchgear. Engineers will learn about panel compartment design, clearances, busbar sizing, and fault stress evaluation. Earthing arrangements and cable entries are also covered to ensure compliance with Indian installation practices.

Submodule	Coverage
7.1	Panel Layout Design – Front/Rear Access, Compartments, Clearances
7.2	Busbar Sizing, Fault Stress, and Temperature Rise Calculations
7.3	Earthing, Enclosure Design, and Cable Entry Arrangements

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Module 8: Standards, Testing, and Quality Assurance

Engineers must understand how to verify the quality and safety of switchgear. This module introduces Indian and international standards like IS 8623, IS 13118, and IEC 61439. Learners explore factory and site acceptance testing (FAT & SAT), type testing, and inspection documentation for reliable installations.

Submodule	Coverage
8.1	IEC/IS Standards (IEC 61439, IEC 62271, IS 8623, etc.)
8.2	FAT and SAT Procedures for Panels
8.3	Inspection Checklists, Type and Routine Test Requirements

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Module 9: Safety, Maintenance, and Troubleshooting

Electrical safety is non-negotiable. This module explains safe working practices, lockout-tagout procedures, and arc flash prevention. Learners understand how to identify early symptoms of faults such as overheating or tripping, and how to schedule preventive and predictive maintenance effectively.

Submodule	Coverage
9.1	Electrical Safety Protocols and Arc Flash Prevention
9.2	Preventive and Predictive Maintenance Schedules
9.3	Common Faults in Switchgear and Troubleshooting Steps

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Module 10: Design Documentation and Project Integration

The last module focuses on the professional documentation that every project requires — single-line diagrams (SLD), control schematics, GA drawings, and BOQ preparation. Learners also understand how switchgear integrates with transformers, generators, and UPS systems for a complete electrical network.

Submodule	Coverage
10.1	Preparation of SLDs, Control Schematics, and Panel GA Drawings
10.2	Bill of Materials (BOM), Technical Submittals, and Datasheets
10.3	Switchgear Integration with Transformers, Generators, and UPS Systems

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🧭 Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Design and select switchgear systems suitable for LV, MV, and HV applications.

• Analyze load flow, short-circuit capacity, and equipment ratings accurately.

• Read, interpret, and prepare single-line diagrams and panel design drawings.

• Ensure electrical protection coordination between breakers, relays, and fuses.

• Supervise installation, testing, and commissioning of switchgear panels at site.

• Prepare inspection checklists and documentation as per Indian standards.

• Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve switchgear faults with practical reasoning.

• Maintain switchgear reliability through preventive and predictive maintenance schedules.

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🏗️ Who Should Join

This certification is ideally suited for:

• Electrical Engineers working in design or construction.

• MEP Professionals involved in power distribution and building services.

• Project Managers responsible for electrical execution and safety.

• QA/QC Engineers and Inspectors focusing on installation quality.

• Contractors, Supervisors, and Maintenance Technicians handling switchgear operation.

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⚙️ Practical Relevance and Indian Context

All examples, design parameters, and installation practices discussed in this course are aligned with Indian site conditions — from commercial complexes in metro cities to industrial setups in developing regions.
The course also emphasizes cost-effective engineering, use of locally available materials, and compliance with Indian Electricity Rules, CEA regulations, and IS standards that govern switchgear selection and safety.

Focus Area	Indian Application Example
LV Design	433 V panel for apartment blocks
MV Design	11 kV VCB panel in industrial estate
HV Design	33 kV GIS substation for metro corridor
Testing	FAT and SAT for distribution panels
Maintenance	Preventive schedule for 2500 A ACB system

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🏁 Conclusion

This professional certification in Switchgear Design, Selection, and Application Engineering is not just about learning components or wiring; it’s about developing an engineer’s thinking toward safe, reliable, and efficient power distribution.
By completing this program, learners will have the ability to design, evaluate, and implement switchgear systems that meet the technical and safety requirements of real Indian projects — from concept to commissioning.

Switchgear may look like a box of breakers, but in the hands of a trained engineer, it becomes the guardian of the entire electrical network — ensuring that power flows where it’s needed, safely and without interruption.