Fast Bus Transfer Systems - A System Solution Approach

A Bus Transfer System (BTS) is designed to provide process continuity to the loads attached to a motor bus while transferring the bus from one source to another. A successful bus transfer under contingent conditions provides immense value and benefits to continuous process operations that cannot afford an interruption of power supply to plant auxiliaries. This paper describes some real-world bus transfer requirements and implementations in power plants and continuous process industry plants. Emerging trends such as use of Generator Circuit Breakers (GCB), new switchgear configurations, islanded captive power generation and their impact on bus transfer system requirements are analyzed. A systems solution approach rather than a product-based approach is emphasized to meet the overall technical bus transfer requirements.