Commercial and Industrial Power Distribution Systems
Power distribution systems used
in commercial and industrial facilities are more complex than those used in
single-family homes and must be capable of handling higher levels of current
and voltage. Although some small facilities usually do not require
switchboards, medium and large facilities commonly use switchboards to safely
distribute power to transformers, panel boards, control equipment, and,
ultimately, to system loads.
Good power distribution systems
don’t just happen, however. Careful engineering is required to ensure that a
power distribution system is capable of safely and efficiently supplying adequate
electric service to existing loads and has expansion capacity for possible
future loads.
Distribution of Current
The role of a switchboard is to
divide the main current provided to the switchboard into smaller currents for
further distribution and to provide switching, current protection, and metering
for these various currents. Although this applies to all switchboards, the
voltages and currents involved vary with the size of the application.
