>>12145808Ok, just a disclaimer: Any I say from now is based on my experience on the field and because my college offers Electrical Engineering only on the Power Systems subfield.
The power systems field centers the attention on the design, operation, diagnostics and control of every means you can imagine to generate large amounts of electric power and distribute it safely until it reaches the final user, typically big populated regions, towns cities and whatnot. To give you a better perspective, let me divide the subfield in general topics and what each topic covers.
- Electrical Machinery: Involves power transformers, electrical motors, electrical drives, and generators. It requires the study of electromagnetic fields and forces, machinery design, equipment protection and power electronics, as well with system stability for a big power system.
- Power transmission: Here you work with power transmission lines, power flow and system operation, high and ultra high voltage installations, equipment, and substations. It requires dealing with equipment testing, power capability and physical phenomena that will harm people and infrastructure.
- Power Distribution: Basically how to take the electric power from the substation and take it all the way down to the residential, industrial and commercial users. It delves into construction and electric installations design, substation design, and security regulations and standards.
- Electric Protection: How to protect your systems, operators and users in the event of a failure or a contingency. Here you deal with short circuit, over voltage, and protection philosophies and schemes. I hate it with a passion thanks to a professor.
Added to all of that, you have to consider economic factors to palm up your design, make a decision on a project, or even during the operation of a power system. Quite a hefty thing to consider.
Other than that it is really challenging and fun, if you don't mind the sanity lost in the process.
