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Insulation Levels

The document discusses insulation levels for transformers, including definitions of lightning impulse level (LIL), also known as basic impulse insulation level (BIL), and switching impulse level (SIL) according to industry standards. It notes that specifying higher BIL levels than necessary significantly increases transformer costs and losses, and recommends only specifying required insulation levels. Over-specifying BIL levels for bushings compared to windings can also reduce reliability and increase repair costs.

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764 views3 pages

Insulation Levels

The document discusses insulation levels for transformers, including definitions of lightning impulse level (LIL), also known as basic impulse insulation level (BIL), and switching impulse level (SIL) according to industry standards. It notes that specifying higher BIL levels than necessary significantly increases transformer costs and losses, and recommends only specifying required insulation levels. Over-specifying BIL levels for bushings compared to windings can also reduce reliability and increase repair costs.

Uploaded by

jay shah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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INSULATION LEVELS

CSA-C88-M90 clause 4.1 defines Lightning Impulse Level as follows: the prescribed
peak value of the lightning-impulse withstands voltage (full wave). Note: The
lightningimpulse level (LIL) has been commonly referred to as the BIL.
Below are more definitions from CSA-C88-M90 clause 4.1.
Switching impulse level (SIL) - the prescribed peak value of the switching impulse
withstands voltage (full wave).
Uniform insulation (of a transformer winding) - the insulation of a transformer
winding
when all its ends connected to terminals have the same power frequency withstand
voltage.
Nonuniform insulation (of a transformer winding) - the insulation of a transformer
winding
when it has an end intended for direct or indirect connection to ground and is
designed
with a lower insulation level assigned to this ground or neutral winding end.
Insulation levels should be based on insulation coordination of the system.
Standards
give different insulation levels (BIL levels) for the same system voltage. One
example is
for 245KV; CSA-C88-M90 gives four different BIL levels 650KV, 750KV, 850KV and
950KV. For 230KV IEEE C57.12.00-2010 gives four different BIL levels 650KV, 750KV,
825KV and 900KV. Some consultants who write specifications for users often specify
higher BIL levels than needed. These consultants say that by specifying higher BIL
levels they are helping their clients to procure better transformers. Insulation levels
(BIL
levels) have a large impact on transformer cost and the losses. As such, it is
recommended that the users to specify only the needed BIL levels, and not to over
specify them.
Some users feel that more reliable transformers can be purchased by specifying
higher
BIL level for the bushings than the windings. Since the bushing is the first
component to
see the impulse, some users specify one or two higher BIL level for the bushings
than
what is actually needed. In such transformers, windings could fail before the
bushings,
because the BIL level of the bushings is higher than the windings. This is very costly
because compared to the cost of the winding; the cost of the bushing is small. Also,
to
replace the windings is costly and time consuming compared to the bushings.
Many techniques (interleaved, counter shield turns etc.) to uniformly distribute the
impulse voltage in the windings have been developed and all the transformer
manufacturers are using them successfully. Also manufacturers have reliable
computer
programs to calculate the impulse voltage distribution in the windings. As such,
there is
no need to over specify the BIL levels for windings.
Since requests for quotes are free, some users ask for alternate quotes for
transformers with different BIL levels. One example is for 500KV units where three
alternate quotes were requested. The first one was 1425KV BIL for windings and
1425KV BIL for bushings. The second alternate was 1425KV BIL for windings and
1800KV BIL for bushings. The third alternate was 1800KV for windings and 1800KV
for
bushings.
-11-

INSULATION LEVELS (continued)


Often not enough time is given to prepare the tenders. The designer of the
transformer
manufacturer has to make two separate designs with different BIL levels for
windings
and three separate outline drawings to cover all the alternates. In such cases, if not
enough time is given there is a possibility that the tenders may not be exactly what
is
needed by the user. Preparation of tenders is a significant cost to the
manufacturers.
Even for house repairs (plumbing, heating, air conditioning repairs, etc.) the
contractors
often charge to give estimates. If the users were to pay at least for the alternatives
to
cover a part of the cost incurred by the manufacturers, then users will get
economical
tenders meeting their system requirements. As in house repair work, customers
need
not pay this cost to the successful bidder.
Lightning arrestors design has improved to give better protection; so, many
standards no
longer require chopped wave tests during impulse tests. Front of wave testing
requirements have also been eliminated by almost all of the standards. Users
should
discuss this with their insulation coordination engineers and protection engineers
before
specifying a chopped wave test or a front of wave test and they should be specified
only
if needed by the system. Some users specify a RW-FW-CW-FW impulse test
sequence
because in their experience this sequence enables easier failure detection.
Some users compare physical clearance distances between windings, between
windings
and ground to evaluate different bids. Some users use these clearances for initial
comparison of the bids; and in the final evaluation, the stresses in oil and in solid
insulation are compared. Comparison of the total distances is not an effective
practice
since this does not correctly determine the voltage stresses in oil and in solid
insulation.
The more appropriate practice is specifying separately the stress limits in oil and in
solid
insulation for power frequency, switching surge and impulse voltages. Some
specifications have stated these limits. There are many ways to design the
insulation
system to control these stresses.
Some specifications specify more tests, higher test levels and stricter tolerances
than
those stated in the standards. Lower costs can be attained by not deviating from
the
standards unless it is specifically needed by the system.
Some users specify the BIL of the HV neutral to be the same as the line terminal
even
though the neutral will be solidly grounded in operation. This will significantly
increase
cost. The cost will be further increased if there an LTC in the HV neutral.
Certain types of circuit breakers (SF6 and vacuum interrupters) or when switching
certain types of loads (solid state loads), can produce a much steeper voltage wave
than
what is specified in the standards. Transformers can fail (failures had occurred due
to
part winding resonance, high voltage stresses in the winding etc.) if the windings
are not
designed for these voltage waves. If the breaker is going to produce a different
wave
shape than what is specified in the standards then the wave shape to which the
transformer should be designed and tested must be clearly stated in the
specifications.
Based on system needs, if the user wants the impulse test connections to be
different
from those stated in the standards then it must be stipulated in their specifications.
One
example is when HV line is impulse tested on an autotransformer, whether the LV
line
must be solidly grounded or grounded through impedance.

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