Innovative Design of Modular and Prefabricated Electrical Substations with an Approach to Reduce Execution Time and Increase Productivity in Industrial and Energy Projects

This research presents an innovative framework for designing modular and prefabricated electrical substations to address these challenges in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries.

The main objective was to investigate how architectural design optimization and interdisciplinary coordination can reduce construction time and improve project efficiency compared to traditional methods.

The research employed a qualitative case study methodology, examining a 20/0.4 kV modular substation project for a petrochemical complex in southern Iran. Data collection included project documentation analysis, field observations during factory manufacturing and site installation phases, and semi-structured interviews with 25 project team members including architects, electrical engineers, and execution managers. The project consisted of six modules, each measuring 12×3×3.5 meters and weighing 20-30 tons, manufactured in Isfahan and transported 1200 km to the Assaluyeh site.

Key findings demonstrate that the modular approach achieved a 50% reduction in total execution time from 46 to 23 weeks through parallelization of factory construction with site preparation activities. Architectural design optimization, particularly equipment layout and space management, contributed to a 30% reduction in module dimensions, facilitating transportation. The implementation of Building Information Modeling (BIM) platform achieved 92% team satisfaction and reduced rework by 80%. Risk assessment identified road transportation limitations as the primary challenge with a risk score of 16, followed by interdisciplinary coordination challenges scoring 12. The modular substation demonstrated superior flexibility with capacity expansion achievable in 2 months versus 6 months for traditional substations, complete relocation capability in 10 days, and 85% equipment recycling potential.

The research concludes that integrating architectural design with electrical engineering requirements from early project phases, combined with effective coordination mechanisms such as BIM and weekly coordination meetings, is crucial for successful modular substation implementation. These findings provide practical guidelines for industrial organizations seeking to leverage modular construction benefits in electrical infrastructure projects.