University of Sydney

School of Electrical and Information Engineering

Dr Keith Mitchell
ELEC 5205 - High Voltage
Engineering
ELEC 5205 - High Voltage
Engineering
3. Switchgear
 Types of
Power
System
Switchgear
Only fuses and
circuit breakers
are designed to
interrupt short-
circuit currents
Source: ref 2
 CT and VT Connection
Source
To load
 Circuit Breaker and Relay Wiring
Schematic (1 of 3 phases)
Source: Ref 1
 Power System Protection Relays
Power system protection relays accept signals representing the
fault current and voltages (derived from measuring transducers
known as current and voltage transformers) and then analyse
these signals and send a trip signal to a circuit breaker if an
abnormal condition is detected.
The main types of relays are (for short-circuits):
• Over current
• Distance (impedance)
• Unit (differential)
Other relay types are
• Thermal, over and undervolts, Buchholz, neg’ve sequence, etc
 Protection Relays and Circuit Breakers
• Upon detection of a fault, protection relays provide the trip signals
for the circuit breakers. These are switching devices designed to be
able to carry and interrupt safely the often very high currents, which
flow during faults.
• Modern high capacity circuit breakers are capable of interrupting
currents of up to 60 000 amps at a nominal voltage of 750kV within
40 milliseconds.
• The purpose of the circuit breakers is
– To disconnect the faulty element or circuit, leaving the rest of
the power system intact
– To prevent other healthy equipment from being damaged by the
fault currents they must carry.
– To reduce damage at the point of fault, important because the
less damage caused by the fault the greater the probability of
successful repair.
 Circuit Breaker Ratings
• Rated load current – the normal load current it can
carry indefinitely without thermal damage
• Rated voltage – the rated voltage it can withstand
indefinitely without insulation breakdown
• Breaking current – the short circuit current it can
safely interrupt without damage
• Making current – the maximum short-circuity it
can close onto (assuming an upstream device can
interrupt the current)
• Eg 630A, 11000 volts, 21 kA
Load current Rated voltage Breaking current
 Steady-State or Asymmetric
Current?
• Transmission system protection is designed
to clear faults very quickly (sub-second), so
asymmetric current is relevant
• Distribution system protection is often
much slower and transients have usually
decayed away - so steady state may be more
applicable.
Fully Offset
Fault
Current
Calculation
of Fully
Offset Fault
Current
Source: ref 2
 Short-
Circuit
Equiv
Cct
Source: ref 4
The total source and
line R and L will
determine the DC
transient time constant
τ = Ltot/Rtot
 CB Symmetrical Interrupting
Capability
For CBs < 120 kV, a proportionally higher breaking capacity
may be possible at reduced voltages (‘K’ factor)
Circuit Breaker Fault Clearance
Circuit Breaker Fault Clearance .. 2
Current
Choppin
g
 Circuit Breaker Types
• OIL Oil is vaporised and gas extinguishes arc
Old technology – maintenance intensive
Explosion and fire risk
• AIR Arc shute designed to lengthen arc and extinguish
Used for LV <1100V
• Air-Blast High pressure air extinguishes arc
Used for HV AC and DC
• SF6 Low maintenance.
Soft switching
Gas disposal issue
• VACUUM Maintenance free.
Suitable for MV < 36kV
Hard switching – voltage transients
Can’t monitor vacuum condition
 330 kV Switchgear
- TransGrid
Liverpool
330/132kV
Substation
330kV busbars
330kV CTs
330kV Air-Blast CBs
 132 kV
Switchgear -
Energy Aust
132kV
Substation
132 kV low oil
volume CBs
The author in front
gives an idea of
size at these sorts
of voltages.
 HV, MV and LV CBs
• Voltage very much dictates size and type of circuit
breaker
• Low Voltage >120 V and < 1.1 kV AC
- Encased, Air CBs are the main type
• Medium Voltage > 1.1 kV and < 52 kV
- Vacuum (<36 kV) and SF6 main types.
- Many designs are indoor
• High Voltage > 52 kV
- SF6 the main design. SF6 GIS switchgear up to 400
kV now available for indoor applications
- Oil, low volume oil, and air-blast older types for high
voltage.
 Typical CB Ratings
• 120 kV Load 800-2000 A; S/C 12.5-40 kA
• 300 kV Load 1250-3150 A; S/C 16-50 kA
• 800 kV Load 2000-4000 A; S/C 40 kA
Oil CBs
 SF6 CB -
Operation
Source: ref 4
Arc quenching process
in a “puffer type” SF6
CB
 SF6
Dielectric
Properties
Source: ref 4
SF6 is a heavy
largely inert gas
and has superior
dielectric and
arc quenching
properties
compared to air
and oil.
Most SF6
switchgear
operates at a
pressure of
about 5-6 bars.
 Air-Blast CBs
Source: Ref 4
 LV Air CBs
Source: Ref 4
 LV Magnetic
Arc
Extinction
Source: Ref 4
 Vacuum CBs
Becoming very
popular for
voltages up to
about 15 kV (eg
motor
contactors).
Basically
maintenance-
free.
Issues with
“hard” arc
extinction
(current
chopping) and
 Indoor or Outdoor?
• Originally, most switchgear, right down to 11 kV, was
placed outdoors, designed for use with aerial busbars, for
both technical and cost reasons, especially at high voltages.
• The advent of SF6 gas insulation has enabled the use of
switchgear to 400 kV indoors.
• Inner city substations use indoor gear for aesthetic and
space-saving reasons.
• Indoor subs may cause earthing design problems - why?
 Outdoor CBs
Source: ref 4
 HV GIS Switchgear
Source: ref 4.
A 440 kV
“packaged”
substation. The
CBs are in the
front and busbars
at the rear. An
incoming circuit
is on the top
right.
 Other CB Design Issues
• Insulation level - set by system BIL
• Transient voltage withstand - 3 phase CBs
do not open all 3 poles precisely at the same
instant - over-voltages of ~1.5 times on
other phases may occur.
 CB Maintenance
• Traditional CB maintenance has been based
on “duty” cycles - so many switching
operations, so many fault clearing
operations, etc.
• Normally “minor” maintenance inter-
woven with “major” maintenance. The
latter involving complete stripping down of
gear, and replacement of contacts.
• Newer concepts based on condition
monitoring.
 Condition Monitoring
• Refers to the actual amount of wear and tear a CB
has experienced, and using this to determine the
timing and nature of next CB maintenance.
• Uses sensors and microprocessors to log actual
operational behaviour.
• Vibration analysis to monitor wear of CB contacts
and operation mechanisms
• Oil analysis to determine amount of carbonisation
caused by arcing, etc.
 Switchgear Testing
• Manufacturers tests - R & D testing, type
testing
• Commissioning tests - voltage pressure tests,
tripping/closing tests, dielectric tests, etc
• Routine maintenance tripping tests.
Substation
Layouts -
Full Mesh
Source: ref 4.
Used on HV
transmission substations
where deliberate
redundancy in current
paths ensures maximum
reliability.
Substation
Layouts -
Breaker
and Half
Substation
Layouts -
Simple
Single Bus
NB: The X’s are
CBs and the
switches are
isolators.
 HV Switchyard & Earth Grid
Layout
Source: ref 4.
A design for a simple
132 kV sub with one
incoming 132 kV
feeder and 2
transformer CBs and
isolators, and switch-
room with the lower
voltage side switchgear
being indoor.
Note the denser earth
grid under the switch-
room. The earth grid
must keep voltage rise
due to fault current
inflow to acceptable
levels.
Earth Grid Resistance
 Earth Ground Rod Resistance
Source: ref 4
The earth grid resistance will be specified in the substation
design (usually < 0.5 ohm). Actual grid resistance tests are
done as part of the commissioning tests of a new substation, by
direct current injection.
Step and Touch Potentials
Allowable Human Body Currents
• Electrocution is caused by currents flowing
through a body and interfering with the operation
of key organs eg lungs, heart
• Body resistance varies with voltage and dryness
• Up to 900 mA acceptable for very short (<0.05 sec)
periods; only 80 mA at 1 second and <50 mA
continuous
 Allowable Touch Potentials
Source: ref 4. For example, for a 1-second fault duration,
touch potential should be 60 volts, or less.
Typical Computer Model of Step
& Touch Potentials
Source: ref 4.
 Switchyard Spacings
Source: ref 4.
 IEC Phase
Clearances
Source: ref 4.
 IEC Safe Working Distances
Source: ref
4.