Let's Talk about Electrical Service and Energy Utilization

Good day Steemians, it's another time here again. I duly welcome you to another fascinating time exploring the world of Electrical Engineering. You all made my last post an interesting and interactive one through questions and discussion in the comment section and I'm glad you could learn few things from the little I was able to put up.

Fasten your seat belt this time again as i'll be taking you through another journey on Electrical systems. Oh! Electrical you say? Never mind, you are safe from electrocution. I got you covered.

If you've been following my posts closely, I've written on power generation, transmission and distribution, and the principles guiding the power system generally. We've also seen how power
is generated through alternative sources and the basic concept of electricity production.

It's so beautiful to have gained these knowledge in power system but not just that is all you have to get. Do allow me, as I think it's important to let you know about services in electrical systems and energy utilization.

^{Image Credit: Pixabay}

It's nice having Power available when needed. You plug your gadgets to a socket outlet, another set of appliances to another outlet. The high, low and medium-rated appliances are all used in the building at the same time. You even have socket outlet right beside your bed, having your gadgets plugged right beside you conveniently. But, have you ever wondered what made it possible achieving this level of comfort right in your apartment? The key in making this achievable is nothing other than a good electrical installation service design.

Electrical service design basically involves the process of making adequate plans for electrical installation covering lighting, power and safety mechanisms for effective power usage. The process of designing electrical systems ensures sustainable use of electricity while maintaining the standard regulations on electricity.

Power is generated, transmitted and distributed for consumption. Let's briefly look at the group of electricity consumers as electrical services majorly deal with distribution of power to consumers.

• Residential Consumers: This is classified under small consumer. Residential Consumers makes use of the 415V/240V supply from distribution transformer with the mains service cable coming in via circuit breaker (also referred to as cut-out) and the energy meter before entering the main building control unit. The residential consumer cut-out devices are found not more than 100A in size with a maximum load from residentials not greater than 75KVA.

• ‎Commercial Consumer: Commercial consumers are regarded as a medium size consumer. Here, utility supply comes mostly at 11KV for the consumer. Transformers found in use for commercial consumer are within 500KVA-1MVA.

• ‎Industrial Consumer: Here, Utility is supplied at an higher voltage of 33KV, then furthered to distribution bus bar which may then be further stepped down to level of voltages as required for industrial operation.

Having the level of electricity classified, rigid adherence to standard and regulations is important in electrical service design in order to ensure safety in all areas of electrical installation, and to ensure that the right equipment with appropriate rating is used for the right task.

Let's now take a closer look into electrical services. A dig into electrical installation service, (of residential building) will give us a good insight into how electrical service are designed for residentials in achieving excellent and efficient energy utilization.

Generally, there are some determining factors when it comes to achieving best practice in electrical installation design. The lighting scheme for example, an aspect of electrical design will be effective considering certain factors such as the purpose of the building (school, office, public building etc.), location of building and adequate calculation plan.

The purpose of a building is such a critical factor in electrical installation design as it helps determine the type of illumination required, the type of lighting system to be used and adequate planning ensuring uniform distribution of light over the entire building.

Buttressing the lighting system, achieving a reliable design for either residential, commercial or industrial requires good illumination, good choice of light source, suitable colour of light and spatial distribution of light.

This takes us to some technical factors considered in the design of lighting scheme and power sockets for electrical Installation.

• Utilization Factor: Utilization factor is one which is considered in lighting design allowing for losses incurred by absorption of light by walls, furniture and other materials found within the building.

• ‎Depreciation Factor: At first, when electrical fittings are installed across building, they give out their irradiance so well, but with time, dust and other form of dirt get to cover up these fittings lowering the amount of flux. The depreciation factor is which that takes care of loss of flux during calculation design. You can also refer to it as maintenance factor as it has taken into consideration some level of maintenance.

It's important I also let you know at this point that lighting design does not only include the artificial design. Natural illumination from day-light are also considered in lighting design which are the main source of light during day time. Managing this resources together goes a long way in saving energy. Inadequate design can lead to energy wastage by using excess light, making proper and adequate design a good way of energy utilization.

• ‎Diversity Factor: In a very simple way, diversity factor is one that takes the fact that not all loads will be in use at the same time. For example, considering the load of a residential building, estimating a load current of 100A, not all these rated load will be on at the same time at once, if diversity factor comes in, the total load to be in use may be reduced to 75A. However, residential load has the highest diversity factor. Offices and industries or cases of street lighting design have low or unity (1) diversity factor as all load may be operated at once.

While watching the football match between Croatia and Nigeria yesterday, I thought of the flood lighting system, covering the stadium, so bright you would never get to see the difference between game played at night and during daylight. The flood lighting system for the stadium shining so bright was as a result of having considered the purpose for which the illumination is to serve, choosing the type of lighting system, and proper calculation to ensure uniform distribution of light over the entire pitch.

Generally, flood lighting system is way of providing illumination for large structures from powerful light projectors. Flood lighting as seen with the case of the stadium doesn't not only appear as flood lighting but adding some beauty to the stadium alongside.

Moving on , Let's consider the electrical distribution board below. It's a typical distribution board found in buildings in which all electrical installations are terminated.

[Electrical Distribution Board: Image by me @olajidekehinde]

Electrical distribution board basically provides a system of load distribution of power in a building. It consists of breakers of different rating on which different loads are distributed. The distribution box is a typical 3 phase board to which mains is
supplied by the three wires through the main switch as seen at the center of the board.

The distribution board consist of the circuit breakers, forming the live busbar, the neutral busbar, the earth busbar and the main switch where utility supply is terminated. The neutral bar connects all the neutral part of the installation as seen on the right side of the panel and the earth busbar also connects all the earthing cables of the system.

The first step in electrical installation design involves load calculation which determines the rating of distribution board to be used. Then, the loads (lighting and power sockets) are being shared across the breakers for uniform distribution of power across the board. Electrical distribution board simply provides a way of load sharing and each circuit being protected by the circuit breakers.

The wiring system of electrical installation are often carried out in two ways: The conduit and the surface wiring. Conduit wiring is the design method which conceals all the cable used in the installation process while the surface wiring leaves the wiring on sight. Conduit form of wiring as compared to surface wiring gives a better protection, pleasant appearance and a better efficiency.

Now Let's talk Safety

Electrical installation service wouldn't be complete without providing some form of safety mechanisms for the system. Earthing is one of the measures for safety in electrical installation.

Earthing is a process of connecting all metal works other than the load carrying conductor to the body of the earth with a main purpose of converting any leakage current found, to the earth ensuring the live of service personnel or any other person in contact is protected should there be an insulation failure.

Making reference to the distribution board as said earlier, having the earth busbar within the board. All the earth cables of the electrical installation are terminated on the earth bus bar from where it is then passed by the circuit protective conductor, and finally to the earth electrode which makes the final connection to the ground. This is a simple way of providing earthing system, discharging stray current to the ground ensuring live of personnel and damage of equipment is protected.

Other forms of providing safety in electrical installation includes the installation of lighting arrester system. This is installed on the top of the roof to discharge lightning from thunderstorm which are capable of damaging electrical installation and equipment. This mechanism of protection is achieved by providing a low resistance path from the arrester above the building to the ground, discharging the lightning to the ground so as not to cause any harmful effects on electrical installation and equipment.

Fire alarm system is another type of protection provided within the building. This type of protective system basically detects the occurrence of fire risk for early attention, having it's components as smoke detector and bell/siren which gives alert of danger to people in the building for quick attention in order to move out of the building in time.

CONCLUSION

Electrical service design is seen as a process of making adequate plans for electrical installation covering lighting, power and safety mechanisms for effective power usage

We've seen lighting as a key part of interior design. It improves the appearance of an area giving more aesthetic effect and you would also agree with me that proper lighting enhances task performance making us very productive. A thorough lighting design provides excellent illumination radiating uniformly over the work area. A good lighting design has also shown a good way of utilizing energy.

Proper design of electrical installations gives a reliable and efficient run of electricity across building making sustainable use of available power.

Safety is also an important concern when it comes to electrical design ensuring protection of lives of human against electricity danger and keeping safe electrical installations and equipment. Strict adherence to electrical regulations and standards is important in electrical service design installation so as to ensure safety and to avoid the use of sub-standard equipment for electrical Installations.

^REFERENCES

^{Energy Guide}

^{Engineering Portal}

^{Electrical Wiring}

^Thespruce

^{B. L Theraja & A. K. Theraja [S. Chand]. A Textbook of Electrical Technology}

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