Condition Monitoring of EHV

Circuit Breakers and Case

Studies on DCRM Test

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 SWITCHYARD EQUIPMENTS
 TRANSFORMERS AND REACTORS
 CIRCUIT BREAKERS
 CURRENT TRANSFORMERS
 CAPACITIVE VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS
 SURGE ARRESTERS
 ISOLATORS, WAVE TRAPS, BUS BARS
 SPARES etc.

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 WHY MAINTENANCE?

 HUMAN SAFETY
 EQUIPMENT LIFE
 COST OF BREAK DOWN
 TIME & COST OF REPAIR
 RELIABILITY OF SERVICE

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 MAINTENANCE PHILOSOPHY

 BREAK DOWN MAINTENANCE

 PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
 CONDITION BASED MAINTENANCE
 RELIABILITY CENTRED
MAINTENANCE
 MAINTENANCE PREVENTION

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 CB Standards

 For Circuit Breakers IEC 62271-100

 For New SF6 IEC 60376
 SF6 in Service IEC 60480

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 Switch gear - It's function

Gear for Switching

Switching Decision making Sensing

device devices devices
• Current
• Circuit Breaker • Relays Transformer
• Voltage
Transformer

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 One and a Half Breaker scheme

ICT-1 ICT-2 ICT-3 (F)

BUS-II
989B 689B 389B

952 652

989A 689A

889B 589B 289B

852 252
552

889A 589A 289A

489B 189B

452 152
4CT 1CT
789A 489A 189A
BUS-I

489L 189L

4CVT 1CVT
4 LA 1 LA

AGRA(fUTURE) BASSI BALLABHGARH

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 Double Main and Transfer Bus Scheme
T-BUS

MAIN BUS-I

MAIN BUS-II

689A 189C
289A 289C
789B 789A 789C 689B 689C 589B 589A 489B 489A 289B 189B 189A

x
x x x 752
x 6652 x 552
452
x x
252
x 152

5 289L 189L
789L 2 689L 589C

7CT
6CT
6CVT
7CVT

7LA ICT-3(F) ICT-2 ICT-1

6LA
To HVPNL To HVPNL ALWAR (RVPNL)BHIWADI (RVPNL)TRANSFER BUS BUS COUPLER

HVPNL LINES ARE NOT CONNECTED

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 Type of CBs

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 Dielectric Strength of different
mediums

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 CB Operation

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 Current interruption

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 Resistance Circuit

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 Inductance Circuit

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 Line/ Filter Switching

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 Reactor Switching

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 Transient Recovery Voltage (TRV)

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 Recovery Voltage and build up of
dielectric strength of the medium

Dielectric
Strength

TRV

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 Unsuccessful arc quenching

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 First Pole-to-clear Factor

 The ratio of the power frequency voltage

between the sound phase and the other two
phases during a two or more phase short
circuit, which may or may not involve earth, at
the location of the circuit breaker, to the
phase-to-neutral voltage which would be
obtained at the same location with the short
circuit removed.

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 Effect of First Pole-to-clear
 3-phase operation: arc-extinction is not
B CB
simultaneous in three poles (currents
1200 apart)
Y
3-FAULT
 Power frequency recovery n
R
voltage in first-pole-to- clear
= 1.5 * phase voltage(Unearthed system) F
= 1.3 for non effectively (Earthed vRF
through impedance) earthed system
= 1.0 solidly earthed system

R R R

n n n
F
F
Y F B Y B Y B
Un-earthed Non-effectively earthed Earthed

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 CB Interrupter

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 Operating Links

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 Operating Mechanism

 Hydraulic - Hydraulic
 Pneumatic – Pneumatic
 Spring – Spring
 Pneumatic - Spring

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 Performance of Circuit
Breakers

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 Circuit Breaker Failures

 Due to
manufacturing
defects
 Due to design
defects
 Due to improper
maintenance

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 Reasons of CB Failures in
POWERGRID

MECHANICAL - 80%
(OPERATING COMPONENTS FAILURES)

ELECTRICAL - 16%
(DIELECTRIC FAILURE)

OTHERS - 4%

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 CB Failures

 Due to looseness of Helicoil

 Looseness of PIR contact
 Air leakage in operating mechanism
 Problems with MCI and failure of Actuator ring
 Frequent problems of Magnetic Ventils
 Due to PIR failure
 Pitting on contacts
 Leakage of Hydraulic oil

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 CB failure - Helicoil problem

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 Mechanical disengagement of moving
contact assembly from heli-coil joint

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 PIR ASSEMBLY FAILURES
 MECHANICAL  BLASTING OF CB
BREAKAGE OF PTFE
ROD DUE TO PIR
PROBLEM

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 Bending of PIR pull rod

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 Condition Monitoring of CBs

Timing Measurement
Dew Point Measurement
Tan delta of grading capacitors
Static Contact resistance
Dynamic Contact Resistance
(DCRM)

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 Timing Measurement

 Breaker Timings are to be monitored on

yearly basis
 Importance of Pole Discrepancy Timings
 Importance of CO Timing
 Importance of PIR Timing

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 DEW POINT MEASUREMENT
SOURCES OF MOISTURE IN CB

 GAS HANDLING – FILLING AND EMPTYING THE

CB. AIR MAY BE LEFT DURING EVACUATION
WHICH SHALL ADD TO IMPURITIES IN SF6 GAS.
EVACUATION TO BE DONE UPTO 1 mbar (CIGRE-
WG23)

 EXUDATION OF MOISTURE CONTAINED IN

ORGANIC INSULATING MATERIALS.

 PERMEATION THROUGH SEALED SECTIONS

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 DEW POINT MEASUREMENT

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 DEW POINT MEASUREMENT
 IF SF6 GAS CONTAINS MOISTURE, IT IS
EASILY HYDRATED TO PRODUCE HIGHLY
REACTIVE H2SO3 AND HF (HYDROGEN
FLUORIDES).

 AS THESE CHEMICALS CAUSE

DEGRADATION OF INSULATION AND
CORROSION IN THE INTERRUPTING
CHAMBER, MONITORING OF MOISTURE
CONTENT IN SF6 GAS IS VERY
IMPORTANT.
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 CONTAMINATION OF SF6 GAS BY
MOISTURE

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 Measurement of Static Contact
Resistance

 To be measured with Breaker closed

 Indicate healthiness of Main Contacts
 To be measured with Precision
instruments due to its low value (in micro
ohm)
 Values to be compared with the previous
measurement

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 Measurement of Dynamic
Contact Resistance

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 Healthy Contacts of CB after
16 years

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 Contact Condition of CB after 16
Years

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Eroded finger contact after 7-8 years

Old

New

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 PROBLEMS IN CB AFTER 7-8 YEARS

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 NEED FOR DCRM
 During normal contact resistance
measurement, healthiness of main
contacts is evaluated
Req = R*r/(R+r)= r/(1+r/R), r = Main
contact
R = Arcing contacts
 DCRM signatures/finger prints indicate
true condition of CB arcing contacts.
 Arcing contact play vital role during CB
operation
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 DYNAMIC CONTACT RESISTANCE
MEASUREMENT (DCRM)
 CONTACT RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT DURING
CLOSING AND TRIPPING OPERATION. C-O DELAY
TIME ABOUT 300MS.

 100 AMP CURRENT IS INJECTED THROUGH CB

CONTACTS.

 VOLTAGE DROP AND CURRENT IS MEASURED TO

COMPUTE CONTACT RESISTANCE.

 VARIATION IN FINGER PRINT OF DCRM INDICATE

PROBLEM IN ARCING AND MAIN CONTACTS.

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 Basic connection arrangement
for DCRM Measurement

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 DCRM Equipment

CB

DCRM
PC
HISAC 2406x
HISAC
MB 3.0

PRINTER

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 DCRM CONNECTION
ARRANGEMENT

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 Typical DCRM Signature

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 DCRM can detect…
 Erosion of Arcing Contact
 Erosion of main contact
 Contact misalignments
 Contact wipe of main and arcing
contact
 Main & arcing contact resistance
 Healthiness of damping system
 Contact travel & speed
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 Contact Travel and Insertion
Details
Travel
Total Main Arcing
Contact
Contact Contact Insertion
Insertion Insertion
CGL 230mm/ 28 mm 12 mm 16 mm
140mm
BHEL 242/ 54 mm 34 mm 20 mm
130mm
ABB 200mm 50 mm 20 mm 30 mm
AREVA 180mm 45 mm 25 mm 20 mm

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 Contact speed

Trip velocity Close velocity

5-8 m/sec 3-4 m/sec

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 DCRM case Studies

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 Case Study-1

 400kV SF6 CB commissioned in 1997 was

controlling Bus Reactor.
 CB had given about 8 years service with 1400
operations.

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 Healthy Pole

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 Suspected Pole

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 Observations

 Moving Arcing contact was found de-shaped and

had expanded
 One Counter Head Screw of Moving Main Contact
assembly was found loose
 PTFE Nozzle of moving contact assembly found
cracked.
 Scratch marks were also seen on Main Moving
Contact

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 De-shaped Arcing Contact

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 Loose Screw and marks on main
contact

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 Case Study-2

 This CB was commissioned in 1993 at

Hissar and was controlling a
Transmission Line.
 DCRM signatures after closing
operation were not stable and wide
variations were observed.

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DCRM Signature of defective CB

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 Internal Inspection of
Suspected CBs
 The CB was opened for internal
inspection.
 Bearing Bush (part no. SG90011024)
used for moving main contact to the
operating lever had loosened
 This caused misalignment and
subsequent damage to moving contact
Finger Contact Assembly.
 Defective Components were replaced

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 Bearing Bush was missing

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 Case Study-3
400kV ABB make CB at Hyderabad

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 Disengaged coupling bolt

Moving
Long Rod Contact
Assembly

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 Helicoil problem

Helicoil

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 DCRM Signatures after
rectification

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 Case Study - 4
Jamshedpur Substation on
26.04.2007

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 220kV CB at Rourkela s/s overhauled by
CGL Engineer – B phase of 552 as on
24.11.2006

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 220kV CB at Rourkela s/s – Y phase of
552 as on 24.11.2006

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 Travel
After lot of persuasion with CGL, Service
Engineer was deputed on 23.05.2007.
Following observations were found:

Actual Wipe of Contacts = 27-28mm

Arcing Contacts = 15-17mm

Main Contacts = 10-12mm

Wipe found as 21mm which was adjusted to

29mm on 24.05.2007

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 220kV CB at Rourkela s/s – B phase of
552 as on 24.05.2007

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 Internal Inspection of CBs

 About 50 nos. CBs have been opened so far

based on DCRM evaluations.
 Erosion of Contacts, Misalignment, loose
connection etc. problems were observed.
 Timely inspection of CBs could help in
rectification of CBs and hence avoiding
major failures.

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 Conclusion
 DCRM Test (non-invasive diagnosis) for
CBs proved useful in indicating condition of
main/ arcing contacts for erosion,
misalignment and looseness etc.
 Prevention of Major failures by timely
diagnosis
 Major overhauling of Interrupters/ Arcing
chamber can be decided based on DCRM
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 POWERGRID PHILOSOPHY FOR
MAJOR OVERHAULING OF CBs
MANUFACTURER’S RECOMMENDATIONS

 AFTER 10 YEARS OF COMMISSIOINING OR

 AFTER 5000 OPERATIONS WHICHEVER IS
EARLIER

POWERGRID’S PHILOSOPHY

 BASED ON EVALUATION OF CONDITION

MONITORING TEST RESULTS LIKE DCRM,
OPERATING TIMINGS, CONTACT TRAVEL ETC.
 INITIALLY, 2 NOS. CBs ARE INSPECTED/
OVERHAULED AND BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE
GAINED, DECISION FOR OVERHAUL OF BALANCE
CBs CAN BE TAKEN.
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 POWERGRID EXPERINCE ON
OVERHAULING OF CBs

POWERGRID has so far overhauled

total of 210 Nos. CBs

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 Capacitance and Tan
Delta Measurement

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 Equivalent Circuit

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 Tan delta/ Power factor testing concepts

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 Bushing Insulation

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 HV Lead

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 Interference

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 UST Mode of Measurement

Earth will be connected to N Point

Hence only CHL will be measured

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 GST Mode of Measurement

Here measurement is made for the

Parallel combination of CH and CHL
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 GSTg Mode of Measurement

Here measurement is done for CHE

as L is guarded

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 Trend Analysis

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