Besides the protection level, what other factors affect the applicable environment of the switchgear?

In addition to the protection level, the following factors will also affect the applicable environment of the switchgear:

Electrical Parameters

Rated Voltage: Different usage environments have different voltage requirements. In industrial production, large motors, electric furnaces, and other equipment usually require higher voltages, such as 6kV, 10kV, etc., so switchgears with corresponding rated voltages are needed. In civil buildings, such as residential buildings and office buildings, low-voltage switchgears of 220V or 380V are generally used. If the rated voltage of the switchgear does not match the usage environment, it may cause the equipment to malfunction or even cause safety accidents.

Rated Current: The total power consumption of electrical equipment in the environment determines the required rated current of the switchgear. In some large data centers, numerous servers and other equipment consume a large amount of electricity when running, resulting in a large total current. This requires switchgears with a large rated current to ensure that the load current can be safely carried and prevent overload heating.

Short-Circuit Withstanding Current: Short-circuit faults may occur in power systems, and the short-circuit current levels in different environments vary. In critical parts of power systems such as power plants and substations, the short-circuit current may be very large, requiring the switchgear to have a high short-circuit withstand current capability to withstand the enormous electromotive force and heat during a short circuit to protect equipment and personnel safety.

Ambient Temperature

High-Temperature Environments: In environments such as steel plant steelmaking workshops and glass factory melting workshops, the ambient temperature is often high. In such environments, the electrical components in the switchgear will have difficulty dissipating heat due to the increase in ambient temperature, causing the temperature to rise further. If the switchgear does not have good heat dissipation design and high-temperature resistance performance, it may cause the performance of the electrical components to decrease, shorten their lifespan, or even cause failures. Therefore, in high-temperature environments, it is necessary to choose a switchgear with heat dissipation measures, such as installing cooling fans and heat dissipation holes, and that can withstand high temperatures.

Low-Temperature Environments: In the outdoors of cold regions, such as high-altitude base stations and polar research stations, the ambient temperature may be very low. Low temperatures can cause changes in the performance of some electrical components, such as embrittlement of insulating materials and reduced battery performance. This requires the switchgear to have good insulation measures and low-temperature-resistant electrical components to ensure normal startup and operation in low-temperature environments.

Humidity

High-Humidity Environments: In environments such as paper mills, dyeing plants, and swimming pools, the air humidity is high. High humidity can easily cause water vapor to condense on the surface of the electrical components in the switchgear, leading to a decrease in insulation performance and causing short circuits, leakage, and other faults. For such environments, it is necessary to choose a switchgear with moisture-proof measures, such as using moisture-proof insulation materials and installing dehumidification devices.

Low-Humidity Environments: In some dry areas or special production environments, such as electronic chip manufacturing workshops, low ambient humidity is required. However, excessively low humidity may lead to static electricity accumulation, causing damage to some sensitive electrical components. In this case, the switchgear needs to adopt anti-static measures, such as good grounding and the use of anti-static materials.

Altitude: As the altitude increases, the air becomes thinner and the pressure decreases, affecting the insulation performance and heat dissipation effect of electrical equipment. In high-altitude areas, such as plateau substations and mountain transmission lines, due to the reduction in air insulation strength, the switchgear needs to adopt enhanced insulation measures to ensure insulation reliability in high-altitude environments. At the same time, due to the poor heat dissipation conditions, it is also necessary to consider strengthening the heat dissipation design to prevent electrical components from being damaged due to overheating.

Electromagnetic Interference: In some industrial environments, such as near large motors, transformers, and frequency converters, there is strong electromagnetic interference. If the switchgear does not have good electromagnetic shielding measures, the internal electronic components may be interfered with, leading to distortion of control signals and equipment malfunctions. For example, in the control room of an automated production line, the switchgear needs to have good electromagnetic shielding performance to ensure the stable operation of the control system.