Processos de fabricação e seleção de materiais para estruturas de painéis elétricos de média tensão

Abstract

Medium-voltage switchgears are widely used in industry to control and distribute electricity. When it comes to materials for the structure of such panels, important requirements must be achieved in order to guarantee the correct operation of these components. In addition to the basic structural requirements, the panels must withstand adverse and cyclical weathering conditions, as well as being commercially viable and technically possible to manufacture. With this in mind, this study used the Ashby Method to guide the Material Selection process for medium voltage switchgear enclosures, including the use of merit indexes and important considerations about the manufacturing processes for these items. Based on a literature search, the standards that must be respected for this purpose were surveyed, along with materials that are already used in such applications, including potential candidates for total or partial replacement. Ansys Granta Edupack 2020 was used as a computational tool. In the end, the research revealed that low carbon steels stand out as a viable option for the application studied, especially as rolled AISI 1015 and 1020.