All three contain circuit breakers. All three supply power to motors, although switchgear and PDC-fed motors are obviously higher-voltage, larger motors. Contact online >>
All three contain circuit breakers. All three supply power to motors, although switchgear and PDC-fed motors are obviously higher-voltage, larger motors.
Switchgears are higher voltage than PDCs, and supply power to the transformers which feed the PDCs.
PDCs are higher voltage than MCCs, and supply power to MCCs. From what I''ve seen, PDC housings contain the transformer that feeds the PDC. (Is this always the case?)
Are there any other important differences/details that I''ve missed?
Kind of old and I apologize for resurrecting a "zombie thread", but I don''t think the entire question was answered and I happen to know this very well.
Motor Control Centers are basically the same as SWB construction (they grew out of that industry in the 1950s), but are generally used to provide power to motors, not general loads. They are different from SWBs in that you have ''cells" (called "buckets") that contain the control equipment so that in theory, you can disconnect power from one bucket and allow the rest of the machinery powered by that MCC to continue to run. You cannot do that with a typical SWB, if you had to remove one breaker or switch, you have to kill power to the entire SWB. There are exceptions to this rule, but conceptually, this is what it boils down to.
A Power Distribution Center (PDC) is basically just the name for a factory-built structure, a portable building, designed to HOUSE equipment such as SWG, SWBs, Transformers, PBDs, MCCs and/or other controls or instrumentation, in any combination or configuration the end user desires. There is no standard definition of what goes INTO a PDC, but there are several standards as to how they are built, depending on where they are going and what they are housing. Some must be built to withstand explosions, such as in a refinery hazardous area, some must be able to withstand extremes of weather such as high winds, crushing snow, marine salt spray etc.
"Switchgear"? I think you may mean switchboard as in the following: -
Hopefully this may account for "power distribution centre" - I''m assuming you might mean Panelboard or do you mean a PDC at a generating plant? Clearly MDC is motor distribution centre. This document furnished the drawing.
In my experience, "switchboard" refers to a board which contains circuit breakers only, with no motor contactors.
"MCC" - motor control centre - refers to a board which includes motor contactors.
Note the distinction between circuit breakers and contactors.
Hence, an MCC is a board that can be used to control motors (frequent starting and stopping) using contactors.
A switchboard isn''t intended for motor control, only power reticulation. (If a switchboard feeds a motor ''directly'', you will find there is a contactor somewhere else that is doing the control.)
(note this mainly applies to industrial scale power distribution, not to residential)
Typically a switchboard is the primary power distribution device in a building. This feeds larger loads directly, as well as feeding panel boards and motor controllers which can further distribute power. Switchboards are typically larger and accessible from both sides (front and back) while panel boards are only supposed to be accessible from the front.
so in summary, we have 3 types of panels:
switchboard - Higher voltage and current, with more space inside and accessible from both front and back
panelboard (AKA loadcenter) - these are fed from a switchboard and distribute electricity to end user loads. typically lower current and voltage. Only accessible from front. prior to NEC 2008, there was a distinction between power panel boards and lighting and appliance panel boards (namely the 42 circuit rule among others) but now these just differ primarily in shape. This is the "circuit breaker panel" that is installed in most residential homes.
motor control center - is partially a panelboard, but also contains contactors and VFDs to drive motors. May also contain some control circuitry to control the motors as well.
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Switchgear and MCC are critical components in electrical distribution systems, each serving a distinct function. Switchgear is generally for protecting and isolating downstream electrical equipment vs an MCC that provides central control and protection for motors across a facility. This article reviews what switchgear and MCC are and compares the features of a switchgear vs an MCC.
Switchgear houses a variety of switching and safety devices that help to regulate, protect, or isolate electrical equipment. Typically, switchgear includes components like circuit breakers, transfer switches, relays, transformers, and a grounding system, all within an enclosure. Switchgear usually has a compartmentalized setup, so it is easy to group equipment into subsystems. This improves isolation and control. The exact components in a switchgear will vary according to its application, but it can generally perform the following functions:
MCC, a Motor Control Center, is an electrical assembly that enables the control and protection of all or some motors in a facility from a central location. Generally, it serves in large commercial or industrial applications. The structure of MCC consists of multiple enclosed sections having common busbars and individual motor starters, fuses, or circuit breakers. Consequently, advanced MCC might contain additional components like PLCs, VFDs, automatic fault detection, and remote monitoring systems. The key feature of an MCC is that its contactors are designed for many repeatable operations as opposed to a circuit breaker. It also enables efficient power management and provides organization and safety in managing power distribution. Some of the standard components of MCC are:
In simple terms, An MCC is a cabinet filled with buckets containing starters, relays, and other components. Meanwhile, switchgear is a free-standing device that powers feeder circuits to various loads like MCCs. It can control and protect the electrical equipment within multiple subsystems. Moreover, the following section highlights the key differences between the MCC and switchgear.
If we look at the interface, the switchgear control panel includes switches, indicators, handles, and a display monitor to start, break, and regulate the electricity. Meanwhile, its physical structure involves different busbars, circuit breakers, protection relays, and feeders. On the other hand, an MCC interface includes a cabinet with switches, displays, indicators, an emergency stop button, and an HMI for adjusting the motor controlling parameters. The main internal components are busbars, ventilation, and buckets, which house the motor starter, relays, etc.
Several industry standards provide guidance that covers aspects of both switchgear and MCCs. Moreover, these standards ensure their safe and reliable design, manufacturing, and installation. For MCCs, NEMA ICS 18 provides requirements regarding covering ratings, construction, and performance. Also, NEMA ICS 1 and 2 offer additional guidelines on the performance and safety of MCCs. NEMA and ANSI C37 also provide guidance for switchgear, with the SG 5 and SG 6 covering switchgear assemblies, performance, safety, and low-voltage power circuit breakers. The NFPA 70 provides guidelines on installing electrical wiring and equipment such as switchgear and MCCs. There are several other relevant standards for this equipment, including IEC 61439-1, IEC 61439-2, and UL 845.
Switchgears are typically rated from 1kV to 36kV, a wide application range. Ratings higher than 36kV are possible, but those high-voltage switchgear usually serve in power stations and transmission networks. On the other hand, MCCs are used for motor circuits from 230 V to less than 1000 V. However, MCCs can work up to 15K V for large industrial motors. The following table highlights voltage ratings for this equipment and their common applications.
Although both systems have different fundamental purposes, MCCs are cheaper to manufacture because of their simple design and lower initial setup cost. Switchgear’s high cost is due to its complexity and advanced protection features, which require higher equipment and manufacturing costs. However, the cost of any particular MCC or switchgear depends on factors like voltage capability, complexity, and component quality.
While switchgear and MCC are typically constructed with two separate purposes and design characteristics, both have proven to be very reliable and safe to own, maintain, and operate, provided all safety features and practices suggested by the manufacturer are adhered to. Also, safety practices in accordance with NFPA 70E should always be observed when working in and around electrical distribution equipment of any kind.
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