DR Breaker Performance Monitor

DR Circuit Breaker Monitor

We have
– Evaluated existing products
• Based on older & less accurate
technologies
• Doesn’t provide the data necessary for
detailed analytics
• Difficult to setup and use
– Reviewed customer
needs/requirements/desires
– Considered industry recommendations
– Combined the most useful off-line and online
testing methods into a modular online
monitoring platform
Why Monitor Breakers

● Possible negative effects on the Bulk ● Aging infrastructure

Electric System – Increased mechanism wear
● Limit mis-operations between – Increased operation times
maintenance cycles – Interrupter and nozzle wear
● Regulatory requirements – Increased operator leakage
● Optimize maintenance activity • Pneumatic
● Reduce failure rates • Hydraulic
● Determine condition of a specific – Insulating medium degradation
breaker
– Gas seal deterioration
 Why Do Breakers Fail-Major Problems and Failures

Source:
EPRI Guidelines for the Life Extension of Substations
TR-1001779, 2002 Update
Final Report, November 2002
 Why Do Breakers Fail– SF6 Breakers, Minor Problems and Failures

Source:
EPRI Guidelines for the Life Extension of Substations
TR-1001779, 2002 Update
Final Report, November 2002
Why Do Breakers Fail

Operational Failures By Failure Mode

• Mechanism Mis-operation 70%

• Lubrication
60%
• Mis-alignment
• Wear 50%

• Low Pressure
• SF6 Leaks
40%

• Loss of stored energy in 30%

pneumatic and hydraulic

operators 20%

• Trip Circuit 10%

• Shorted or open trip coil
• Faulty wiring or switches 0%
Mechanical Low Pressure Coil Bushing Other
What makes a great Monitor
● Ability to provide standard industry measurements
– SF6 Gas Density (on gas breakers)
– Timing values
– Temperatures
– Contact wear
● Incorporate recommendations from industry
workgroups (e.g. CIGRE)
– Restrike detection
– Coil integrity monitoring
– Coil operation monitoring and analysis
– Through fault monitoring
● Add advanced features to enable detailed
analysis
– High speed data capture
– Waveform display and analytics
What makes a great Monitor
● Non intrusive sensors
– Minimize site wiring
– Minimize risk from changes to protection wiring
– Minimize unnecessary transducers and additional devices

● System that is easy and intuitive to use

– Simple configuration
– Modern user interface and data display
– Easily export data for use in other tools
SF6 Gas Monitoring
Gauges are not adequate to
Example:
determine gas loss Sensors can:
• Trend gas loss Table 1
Loss (Mass) Calculator
• Forecast time to lock out
Nameplate Lbs
• Track mass gas loss Mass (lbs)
415 (Mass)

• Determine leak rate Input Normal Fill

81 psig
data Pressure
• Predict alarm points
First Alarm
• Monitor Density and Dew Point Point
75 psig

• Minimize gas loss 26.02 Lbs

• Eliminate need for immediate Resultant
Loss (mass)
response 11813 grams

• Enable scheduling of repair

 Timing Parameters to be Monitored
● IEEE Standard Definitions for Power Switchgear
– Opening time: The interval of time between the time
when the actuating quantity of the release circuit
reaches the operating value, and the instant when the
primary arcing contacts have parted.

– Closing time: The interval of time between the

initiation of the closing operation and the instant
when metallic continuity is established in all poles.

● IEEE C37.10-1999, Sec 5.7

– Interrupting time: The rated interrupting time of a
circuit breaker is the maximum permissible interval
between the energization of the trip circuit at rated
control voltage and rated mechanism pressure and
the interruption of the current in the main circuit in all
poles. It is used to classify breakers of different
speeds.

● IEC 56 and IEV 441-17-38 Timing diagram from

– Arcing time: The interval of time between the instant
of the first initiation of the arc and the instant of final IEEE C37.09-1999
arc extinction in all poles.
 Why Choose Dynamic Ratings
● Waveform Capture of Operations
– Easily compared to first trip testing
performed during routine maintenance
– Provides more accurate timing than
auxiliary contact referenced
measurements
– More detailed analytics
• Ability to determine if slow
operations are associated with latch
or bearing problems
• Easily identified wiring and contact
issues
• Changes in coil currents
• Ability to overlay and compare
waveforms from previous operations
Why Choose Dynamic Ratings

● Improved Timing Accuracy

● Start timing when trip coil is
energized
● Ability to zoom in on phase
current waveform for
detection of deformation to
determine arc start time
● Arc time ends when last phase
current reaches zero
● Also provides a more accurate
open and clearing time
Our C Series Platform

The DR Breaker Monitor is based on our C Series modular

hardware platform
– 8 years in the field
– Global install base
– Reliable and flexible platform
– Allows for a range of configurations (4 & 9 slot chassis)
– Front pluggable modules
– Easy to use browser based configuration tools
– Time synchronisation to 1ms of external clock (NTP, PTP)
Our C Series Platform
The C Series platform features a rugged design intended for use
in harsh substation environments.
● Temperature Range: -40°C to +70°C (-40°F to +158°F)
● Power Requirement: 110-240 VDC / 110-250 VAC 50-60 Hz (ability to
accommodate wider range with converters)
● Ethernet Communications – Copper RJ45 100Base-T / Fiber ST 100Base-FX
● Serial Communications – Copper (RS485/RS422/RS232), Fiber
● USB Communications – Ethernet over USB for device configuration access,
USB host for data download
● Communication Protocols: Web (HTTP/HTTPS), Modbus, DNP3, IEC 61850
● Temperature Inputs: Three wire Pt100 Resistive Temperature Device
● Digital Outputs (form A, B & C available): 10A @ 250 VAC / 10A @ 30
VDC, 1A @ 125 VDC
Sensor Selection
All sensors wired directly into monitor – no need for third party converters or
transducers
● Temperatures: Three wire Pt100 RTDs, Class A
● Coil integrity monitoring: DC Hall Effect CT, 0-200mA range, accuracy <2%
● Coil operation monitoring: DC Hall Effect CT, 0-30A range, accuracy <2%
● Load current monitoring: Interposing CT, 0-100A range, accuracy < 0.02%
● Heater & motor monitoring: 1000:1, 2000:1 interposing CTs as used by DR for
motor monitoring
Sensor Selection
● SF6 gas monitoring (gas density, temperature, dew point)
– Wika GDHT-20 (Modbus RS485) or comparable
Features
● Breaker Operation – monitoring and recording (time synchronised) waveform data
– Load current
– Coil Current
– Auxiliary A/B Contacts

● Calculation of key timing parameters from available data

Features
● Coil Signatures
– Calculation of Imax and Ipk1
– Used for timing calculations
– Waveform comparison

● Contact Wear during arcing

– Cumulative I2T values (wear)

● Restrike detection
● Operation counters (all + fault operations)
Features
● Motor monitoring
– Motor current
– Run time
– Number of starts

● SF6 Gas Monitoring, trending and

forecasting
– Density
– Temperature
– Dew point
– Mass gas loss

● Voltage monitoring
– DC control voltage
– AC motor supply voltage
Features
● Trip circuit integrity monitoring (red light circuit)

● Pole position
– Discrepancy
– Contact Delta Time

● Heater monitoring
– Static
– Controlled

● Temperature Sensing of Cabinets, SF6 & Ambient

Hardware Layout (ganged breaker)

● 1 x High Speed Pole Module

● 3 x General IO Modules
Hardware Layout (IPO breaker)

● 3 x High Speed Pole Modules

● 4 x General IO Modules
● 2 x spare slots for expansion
Discussion / Questions