The 12th International Symposium on High-Voltage Technique "Höfler's Days", 12–13 November 2015, Portorož, Slovenia.

Analysis of transient recovery voltage on SF6

circuit breakers when switching unloaded
400 kV transmission lines
Božidar Filipović-Grčić, Ivo Uglešić, Srećko Bojić

grading capacitors. Measurements were compared to

Abstract—This paper presents analysis of transient recovery calculations results obtained from the model developed in
voltage (TRV) on SF6 circuit breakers (CBs) when switching EMTP-RV software.
unloaded 400 kV transmission lines. On site testing of circuit
breakers was performed when switching unloaded 400 kV
II. MODELING OF TEST CONFIGURATIONS IN EMTP-RV
transmission lines. Switching was performed with and without
grading capacitors connected in parallel to CB breaking Figs. 1 and 2 show test configurations 1 and 2.
chambers. Simulations were conducted in EMTP-RV software [1]
and calculation results were compared to on-site measurements. Substation B

transformer 1

transformer 2

transformer 3
400/110 kV

400/110 kV

400/110 kV
Power

Power

Power
Index Terms— SF6 circuit breaker, transient recovery voltage,

TL4
TL3
EMTV-RV simulations, unloaded 400 kV transmission line, on Main busbars 1
CB switching
site testing. Main busbars 2

Bus coupler bay

Main busbars – auxiliary busbars
I. INTRODUCTION

W HEN an unloaded line is regularly switched-off the

TL2

electric arc distinguishing occurs at current natural zero-

TL1

Auxiliary busbars
crossing. Voltage on the line side remain highest in the phase
which is firstly switched-off due to the electromagnetic
coupling of the other phases and due to Ferranti effect. In case
when capacitor voltage transformers are installed on both sides
Current measurement
of the line the discharging of trapped charge is slow. Such
Voltage measurement
discharging depends on weather conditions, mainly on
Substation C Substation A
humidity. So, the trapped charge has a very significant Fig. 1. Test configuration 1: Testing of circuit breaker in 400 kV line bay TL2
influence on CB transient recovery voltage. when switching unloaded transmission line TL2
Besides the peak value of TRV the voltage distribution
between breaking chambers is very important for CB dielectric TS ŽERJAVINEC

stresses during switching operations. In case when CB is not

Heviz 2
T1

T2

T4

equipped with grading capacitors pretty unequal voltage

GS 1
distribution between breaking chambers occurs and this in GS 2
some cases may lead to CB failure. The voltage distribution Spojno polje
GS-PS
between the breaking chambers could be improved by
installing the grading capacitors, which are especially
Ernestinovo

important in cases when switching-off relatively long lines.

Heviz 1
Tumbri

This paper presents analysis of transient recovery voltage PS

TRV on SF6 CBs when switching unloaded 400 kV

transmission lines. On-site measurements on two switching mjerenje struje

mjerenje napona
configurations in transmission network were performed in
order to verify the performance of CBs with and without

B. Filipović-Grčić and I. Uglešić are with the University of Zagreb, TS TUMBRI TS ERNESTINOVO TS HEVIZ

Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, Unska 3, 10000 Zagreb, Fig. 2. Configuration 2: Testing of circuit breaker in 400 kV line bay TL2
Croatia (e-mail: bozidar.filipovic-grcic@fer.hr; ivo.uglesic@fer.hr). when switching unloaded transmission lines TL2 and TL3
S. Bojić is with Energy Institute Inc., Ul. grada Vukovara 37, 10000
Zagreb, Croatia (e-mail: srecko.bojic@ie-zagreb.hr).
 The 12th International Symposium on High-Voltage Technique "Höfler's Days", 12–13 November 2015, Portorož, Slovenia. 2

Fig. 3. Transpositions on 400 kV transmission line TL2

The simulation model includes the 400 kV substations and

connected transmission lines shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The
equipment in high voltage substation was represented by surge
capacitances, whereas transmission lines, busbars and
connecting leads by a frequency depending model [2, 3].
Phase conductors ACSR 490/65 mm2 are bundled and consist
of 2 sub-conductors separated by a distance of 0.4 m. Lengths
of the transmission lines: TL1 62 km; TL2 230 km; TL3 and
TL4 (double-circuit transmission line) 167,8 km. The phase
transpositions of the transmission line TL2 have been taken
into account (Fig. 3). Towers of the transmission line TL1 are
shown in Fig 4.
Fig. 5. Position of conductors at towers and their average heights (first section
of transmission line 97.798 km)
7450

10,5 m 10,5 m

5900 5900
6m
8500

10200 10200
7500

11 m
7000 7000

Fig. 6. Position of conductors at towers and their average heights (second

Fig. 4. Towers of the transmission line TL1 section of transmission line 69.972 km)

The position of conductors at towers and their average heights CB contacts CB contacts
Ck Ck
for double-circuit transmission line (TL3 and TL4) are shown
in Figs. 5 and 6. The model of CB with two breaking
chambers is shown in Fig. 7. The capacitance between the
open contacts of breaking chambers is 10 pF and inherent
earth capacitances were taken into account as depicted in Fig.
7. Busbars in 400 kV substations are made of aluminum alloy Breaking Breaking
C1 chamber 1 C chamber 2
C2
E-AlMgSi 0.5 F 22. Outside pipe diameter is 220 mm and
internal diameter is 204 mm.
Fig. 7. Model of SF6 circuit breaker with two braking chambers
 The 12th International Symposium on High-Voltage Technique "Höfler's Days", 12–13 November 2015, Portorož, Slovenia. 3

0.5nF 0.5nF
+ + + +
0.010nF 0.5 0.010nF 0.5

+ + + +
1uH 1uH

SW1 ?vi SW11 ?v i

+ +
-1ms |20ms |0 -1ms |20ms |0

+
zerjav inec _granic a Hev iz _granic a 0.01nF
BUS20
C106 0.06nF
0.01nF
C103 BUS18
C105
Substation D

+VM
m16
a

?v
0.5nF 0.5nF

+VM

+VM
+ +

m5

m6
LINE DATA LINE DATA + +

?v

?v
BUS22 0.5 0.5 a
model in: z erjav inec _granic a_rv .pun model in: hev iz _granic a_rv .pun 0.010nF 0.010nF
z erjav inec _granica_rv .lin hev iz _granica_rv .lin + + + +
1uH 1uH
FDline11 FDline12
Substation A + FD + FD
SW27 ?vi SW28 ?v i
b b
+ +
BUS21 a a -1ms |20ms |0 -1ms |20ms |0

+
b b linedata7

+
c c
0.01nF Substation B
a C111 0.06nF
Transm ission line TL3 b C108
0.01nF
C110
BUS18
c LINE DATA
Capacitances of c
0.5nF 0.5nF
c c c model in: glav ne_s abirnic e630m_rv .pun BUS17
+ +
+

+ + c b b b
5.52nF C51
apparatus in line bay 0.5 0.5

+VM
0.010nF 0.010nF a a a

m4

?v
190_m_s abirnic e a
+ + + +
Transmission line TL2 BUS2 1uH 1uH
+ FD
b
c
+VM

+VM

+VM
m1

m2

m3
?v

?v

?v

+
FDline1 TLM1 a FDline5 6.14nF C100 SW29 ?vi SW30 ?v i
a
b + FD +
FDline2
FD +
FDline3
FD + CP
a
b
b + FD +
-1ms |20ms |0
+
-1ms |20ms |0
Busbars

+
c

+
c c

+
1.2nF C101

40_m_s abirnic e
+
?v

FD
linedata1 linedata2 linedata3 6.86000E+00
0.01nF
linedata4
linedata5
Capacitances of C116 0.06nF
0.01nF
10x120 pF
C113

apparatus in line bay

C115 BUS15
Busbar support
Switching with SF6 circuit breaker

+
LINE DATA LINE DATA LINE DATA a a insulators
model in: k m_39_rv.pun model in: km_68_rv .pun model in: km_85_rv .pun LINE DATA b b
k m_39_rv .lin k m_85_rv .lin model in: k m_6_rv .c sv LINE DATA c c
model in: k m_31_rv .pun
k m_31_rv .lin
m7

+
VM+
?v

linedata6 C99
6.14nF

Capacitances of
FDline13

Transmission line TL1

FD

apparatus in line bay

LINE DATA
model in: k m_30_rv _rv.pun
+VM
m15

k m_30_rv .lin
?v
+

Substation C
a
b
c

BUS3
+
RL17
408k VRMSLL /_0

+
AC1

Network equivalent

Fig. 8. EMTP-RV model of the of 400 kV transmission network

The equipment in high voltage substation was represented Table 1. Measurements (RMS values) in stationary state after energization of
transmission line TL2
by the following capacitances to ground [2]: current
Urms at Irms at Urms at
transformers 680 pF, capacitive voltage transformers 4400 pF, Phase
substation B substation B substation A
inductive voltage transformers 550 pF, disconnectors 200 pF, A 427 kV
circuit breakers 60 pF, busbar support insulators 120 pF, B 428 kV 214 A 443,7 kV
power transformers 2700 pF. During the testing both switching C 427 kV
configurations were supplied from the 400 kV substation C
Table 2. Calculation results (RMS values) in stationary state after energization
with connected two transmission lines and power transformer of transmission line TL2
400/110 kV. The equivalent networks were represented with a Urms at Irms at Urms at
Phase
voltage source in series with sequences impedances, which are substation B substation B substation A
obtained from short circuit currents for the analyzed switching A 429,1 kV 205,1 A 442,5 kV
B 429,1 kV 206,3 A 442,4 kV
configurations. EMTP-RV model of the of 400 kV
C 429,3 kV 207,4 A 442,2 kV
transmission network is shown in Fig. 8.
A. Test configuration 1
Testing of circuit breaker in 400 kV line bay TL2 was
performed when switching unloaded 230 km transmission line
TL2. Currents and voltages were measured in substation B at
TL2 bay and voltages were measured at bus coupler bay.
Capacitive voltage transformers are installed at both ends of
transmission line TL2. During the testing both switching
configurations were supplied from the 400 kV substation C
with connected two transmission lines and power transformer
400/110 kV. Tables 1 and 2 show calculation results and
measurements (RMS values) in stationary state after Fig. 9. Currents when switching off unloaded transmission line TL2
energization of transmission line TL2. Phase A Phase B Phase C

Switching off unloaded transmission line TL2 was analyzed

in EMTP-RV. When an unloaded line is regularly switched-off
electric arc extinguishes at current natural zero-crossing [3].
Opening of CB contacts was simulated at t=20 ms and electric
arc extinguishes when capacitive currents reach zero-crossing
point in all three phases (Fig. 9). Trapped charge remains on
the line side after opening of CB (Fig. 10). The voltage is
highest in the phase C which is firstly switched-off due to the
electromagnetic coupling of the other phases [4, 5]. TRV on
CB is shown in Fig 11, while distribution of TRV across the
breaking chambers is shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 10. Voltages on the line side in substation B
 The 12th International Symposium on High-Voltage Technique "Höfler's Days", 12–13 November 2015, Portorož, Slovenia. 4

The following distribution of TRV peak values across

breaking chambers in phase A is obtained: 366,5/327,8 kV,
(52,8/47,2 %). Simulations were also performed in case of
grading capacitors 1600 pF and 2000 pF and in each case
maximum rate of rise of recovery voltage (RRRV) was
determined. Calculation results are shown in Table 3.

Table 3. Comparison between calculation results and measurements of TRV

on CBs in substation B after switching off unloaded transmission line TL2
TRV amplitude
TRV amplitude
on breaking
on breaking TRV Maximum
chamber 2
Phase chamber 1 amplitude RRRV on
closer to
Fig. 11. TRV on CB without grading capacitors closer to on CB (kV) CB (kV/µs)
transmission
substation (kV)
line (kV)
Besides the peak value of TRV the voltage distribution Without installed grading capacitors
between breaking chambers is very important for CB A 603,7 92,9 694,3 0,1203
B 603,9 79,4 682,0 0,1280
dielectric stresses during switching operations. Fig. 12 shows
C 613,4 131,4 744,6 0,1342
distribution of TRV across breaking chambers in case without With installed grading capacitors 500 pF
grading capacitors. A 366,5 327,8 694,2 0,1197
B 360,8 321,2 682,1 0,1231
C 390,5 354,1 744,7 0,1244
With installed grading capacitors 1600 pF
A 353,4 340,8 694,2 0,1203
B 347,5 334,6 682,2 0,1324
C 378,3 366,5 744,8 0,1376
With installed grading capacitors 2000 pF
A 352,1 342,0 694,2 0,1183
B 346,3 335,9 682,2 0,1240
C 377,2 367,7 744,8 0,1084

Table 4 shows comparison between calculation results and

Fig. 12. Distribution of TRV across breaking chambers in phase A (without measurements of TRV on CBs in substation B after switching
grading capacitors) off unloaded transmission line TL2.

Simulation results show pretty unequal voltage distribution Table 4. Comparison between calculation results and measurements of TRV
amplitude on CBs after switching off TL2
between breaking chambers. The greatest part of TRV stresses Measurement Calculation results
the breaking chamber 1 closer to the substation. Calculation Without With grading Without With grading
results show the following distribution of TRV peak values Phase grading capacitors grading capacitors
across breaking chambers in phase A: 603,7/92,9 kV, capacitors 500 pF capacitors 500 pF
(86,7/13,3 %). Further analyses show the influence of 500 pF A 699,4 700,3 694,3 694,2
B 671,0 673,4 682,0 682,1
grading capacitors on voltage distribution between breaking C 717,8 719,7 744,6 744,7
chambers. Total TRV on CB remains the same as in the case
without grading capacitors, while significant improvement of Tables 5 and 6 show comparison of voltage amplitudes from
voltage distribution and reduction of TRV amplitude across the both sides of CBs (line side and substation side).
the breaking chambers is achieved (Fig. 13). Measurements were carried out in case without grading
capacitors and with 500 pF grading capacitors.

Table 5. Comparison between calculation results and measurements of

voltage amplitudes at 400 kV busbars in substation B after switching off TL2
Measurement Calculation results
Without With grading Without With grading
Phase grading capacitors 500 grading capacitors 500
capacitors pF capacitors pF
A 358,7 358,0 351,1 351,1
B 352,2 351,9 352,4 352,4
C 347,0 346,0 350,5 350,5

Fig. 13. Distribution of TRV across breaking chambers in phase A (with

grading capacitors)
 The 12th International Symposium on High-Voltage Technique "Höfler's Days", 12–13 November 2015, Portorož, Slovenia. 5

Table 6. Comparison between calculation results and measurements of voltage Table 9. Comparison between calculation results and measurements of TRV
amplitudes at 400 kV line bay in substation B after switching off TL2 on CBs in substation B after switching off unloaded transmission lines TL2
Measurement Calculation results and TL3
With With TRV amplitude
Without Without TRV amplitude
grading grading on breaking
Phase grading grading on breaking TRV Maximum
capacitors capacitors chamber 2
capacitors capacitors Phase chamber 1 amplitude RRRV on
500 pF 500 pF closer to
closer to on CB (kV) CB (kV/µs)
A 358,0 356,0 367,6 367,6 transmission
substation (kV)
B 349,2 347,9 357,6 357,6 line (kV)
C 385,8 386,4 402,3 402,2 Without installed grading capacitors
A 618,6 94,4 712,9 0,1367
B. Test configuration 2 B 611,6 73,8 685,3 0,1761
Testing of circuit breaker in 400 kV line bay TL2 was C 628,5 122,9 751,0 0,1746
performed when switching unloaded transmission lines TL2 With installed grading capacitors 500 pF
A 376,2 336,7 712,9 0,1323
(230 km) and TL3 (167,8 km). Beginning and end of the
B 363,0 322,4 685,3 0,1683
transmission line TL3 was disconnected from all other C 394,6 356,4 751,1 0,1828
apparatus in line bays including inductive voltage With installed grading capacitors 1600 pF
transformers. Capacitive voltage transformers are installed at A 362,9 350,0 712,9 0,1045
both ends of transmission line TL2. During the testing B 349,3 336,1 685,4 0,1253
substation B was supplied from the 400 kV substation C with C 381,8 369,4 751,2 0,1455
connected two transmission lines and power transformer With installed grading capacitors 2000 pF
A 361,6 351,3 712,9 0,1075
400/110 kV. Tables 7 and 8 show the comparison of B 348,0 337,4 685,4 0,1391
calculation results and measurements (RMS values) in C 380,6 370,6 751,1 0,1573
stationary state after energization of transmission lines TL2
and TL3. Table 10. Comparison between calculation results and measurements of TRV
amplitude on CBs after switching off unloaded transmission lines TL2 and
Table 7. Measurements after energization of transmission lines TL2 and TL3 TL3
Urms at Irms at Urms at substation Measurement Calculation results
Phase With With
substation B substation B A/C Without Without
A 434 kV grading grading
451,5 kV/ Phase grading grading
B 436 kV 386 A capacitors capacitors
422,6 kV capacitors capacitors
C 435 kV 500 pF 500 pF
A 706,7 696,3 712,9 712,9
Table 8. Calculation results after energization of transmission lines TL2 and B 672,4 676,1 685,3 685,3
TL3 C 730,1 722,2 751,0 751,1
Urms at Irms at Urms at substation
Phase
substation B substation B A/C Table 11. Comparison between calculation results and measurements of
451,8 kV/ voltage amplitudes at 400 kV busbars in substation B after switching off
A 438,2 kV 360 A
422,9 kV unloaded transmission lines TL2 and TL3
452,0 kV/ Measurement Calculation results
B 438,4 kV 376 A
423,6 kV With With
Without Without
451,6 kV/ grading grading
C 438,9 kV 368,4 A Phase grading grading
423,2 kV capacitors capacitors
capacitors capacitors
500 pF 500 pF
Simulations were performed in case of grading capacitors A 368,8 369,5 359,4 359,4
1600 pF and 2000 pF and in each case maximum rate of rise of B 362,9 358,5 362,3 362,3
C 357,7 355,5 358,3 358,3
recovery voltage (RRRV) was determined. Calculation results
are shown in Table 9.
Table 12. Comparison between calculation results and measurements of
Table 10 shows comparison between calculations and voltage amplitudes at 400 kV line bay in substation B after switching off
measurements of TRV amplitude on CBs in substation B after unloaded transmission lines TL2 and TL3
switching off unloaded transmission lines TL2 and TL3. Measurement Calculation results
Tables 11 and 12 show comparison of voltage amplitudes With With
Without Without
grading grading
from the both sides of CBs (line side and substation side). Phase grading
capacitors
grading
capacitors
Measurements were carried out for two cases: without grading capacitors capacitors
500 pF 500 pF
capacitors and with 500 pF grading capacitors. A 365,4 369,1 370,4 370,4
B 355,7 353,5 362,3 362,3
C 396,6 391,7 397,8 397,8
 The 12th International Symposium on High-Voltage Technique "Höfler's Days", 12–13 November 2015, Portorož, Slovenia. 6

III. CONCLUSION
On site testing of circuit breakers was performed when
switching unloaded 400 kV transmission lines. Switching was
performed with and without grading capacitors connected in
parallel to CB breaking chambers. Simulations were
conducted in EMTP-RV software and calculation results were
compared to on-site measurements.
The calculation results give slightly higher TRV amplitudes
compared to measurements (maximum difference 20 kV).
This is acceptable and expected, since the electric arc
resistance was not taken into account in simulations.
Moreover, measurement circuit introduces certain attenuation
and distortion of the recorded voltage waveforms.
Significant improvement of voltage distribution and
reduction of TRV amplitude across the breaking chambers is
achieved with application of grading capacitors.
Similar calculation procedure could be performed prior to
on site testing in order to assess the level of switching
overvoltages in transmission network.

IV. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work has been supported in part by the Croatian
Science Foundation under the project “Development of
advanced high voltage systems by application of new
information and communication technologies” (DAHVAT).

REFERENCES
[1] EMTP-RV, documentation, WEB site www.emtp.com.
[2] A. F. Imece, D. W. Durbak, H. Elahi, S. Kolluri, A. Lux,
D. Mader, T. E. McDemott, A. Morched, A. M. Mousa,
R. Natarajan, L. Rugeles, E. Tarasiewicz, Modeling
Guidelines for Fast Front Transients, Report prepared by
the Fast Front Transients Task Force of the IEEE
Modeling and Analysis of System Transients Working
Group, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, Vol. 11,
No. 1, January 1996.Ruben D. Garzon: High Voltage
Circuit Breakers, Design and Applications.
[3] CIGRE, Working Group 13.01 of Study Committee 13:
State of the Art of Circuit-Breaker Modelling, December
1998.
[4] R. W. Alexander, D. Dufournet, Transient recovery
voltages (TRVs) for high-voltage circuit breakers, IEEE
Tutorial, October 16th 2008, Calgary, Canada.
[5] IEC 62271-100: High-voltage switchgear and
controlgear; High-voltage alternating-current circuit-
breakers, 2003.