Circuit Breakers & Isolators

S.V.S.Sathyanarayana Manager, Operation Services Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd., Southern Region Transmission System-I MCH Commercial Complex, R P Road, Secunderabad-3 Tel: +91 40 27717390, Fax: 27803566, M:09490611042 Email: svs@powergridindia.com

CIRCUIT BREAKER- FUNCTIONS

A CIRCUIT BREAKER HAS THREE MAJOR DUTIES PERFORM

1. IT MUST BE CAPABLE OF OPENING ON THE OCCURANCE OF A FAULT. (BREAKING CAPACITY)

2. IT MUST BE CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING UPON CLOSING ON TO A FAULT.(MAKING CAPACITY)

3. IT MUST BE CAPABLE OF CARRYING FAULT CURRENT FOR A SHORT TIME.(SHORT TIME CAPACITY)

TYPES OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS

CIRCUITBREAKERS ARE CLASSIFIED BASED ON THE ARC QUENCHING MEDIUM

1. OIL CIRCUIT BREAKERS 2. OILLESS CIRCUIT BREAKERS MAIN EHV CIRCUIT BREAKERS ARE AIRBLAST CIRCUIT BREAKERS SF6 CIRCUIT BREAKERS

Testing of Circuit Breakers

ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT ARE TO BE TESTED THROUGHLY BEFORE THEY ARE FIRST TIME ENERGISIED AT THE RATED VOLTAGE . ALL THE MANUFACTURER TEST PROCEDURES HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED SO THAT THE HEALTHINESS OF THE EQUIPMENT W.R.T FACTORY TEST REPORTS IS VERIFIED AT SITE. ANY ADDITIONAL TESTS THAT ARE REQUIRED AS PER THE REQUIREMENT OF OWNER CAN ALSO BE CARRIED OUT WITH OUT DISTURBING THE INTEGRITY OF THE EQUIPMENT SO THAT THE WARRENTY CLAUSE IS NOT VIOLATED. BASICALLY ANY ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT IS SUBJECTED TO THE FOLLOWING TESTS 1. TYPE TESTS ---- GENERALLY CARRIED OUT AT FACTORY OR AT ANY OTHER RECOGNISED LABORATORY ---- THESE TEST ARE NECESSARY TO PROVE THE DESIGN PARAMETERS OF EQUIPMENT, TOLERENCES ETC. --- THESE ARE VERY SPECIALISED TESTS AND COSTLY .

Testing of Circuit Breakers

1. FACTORY TESTS : HIGH VOLTAGE TEST (POWER FREQUENCY TEST).

MILI VOLT DROP TEST

GAS LEAKAGE TEST OSCILLOGRAPHS WITH PLOTTING SPEED/TIME CHARACTERISTIC. MECHANICAL OPERATION TEST AT MIN. VOLTAGE & PRESSURE MAX CONTROL VOLTAGE & PRESSURE AND AT RATED CONTROL VOLTAGE & PRESSURE. CALIBRATION OF AIR/GAS PRESSURE SWITCHES.

Testing of Circuit Breakers

2. ROUTINE / COMMISSIONING TESTS : THESE TESTS ARE INTIALLY CARRIED OUT AT FACTORY AND ROUTINELY AT SITE ALSO TO CONFIRM THE HEALTHINESS OF THE EQUIPMENT YEAR AFTER YEAR. THESE TESTS ARE EQUIPMENT SPECIFIC SIMPLE TO CARRY OUT AT SITE

LESS COST AND LESS MAN POWER REQUIRED TO CARRY OUT

TESTING OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS

1.1 CIRCUIT BREAKER COMMISSIONING CHECKS 1.1.1 1.1.2 1.1.3 1.1.4 1.1.5 1.1.6 1.1.7 1.1.8 1.1.9 1.110 BREAKER TIMINGS CHECKS DCRM CHECKS STATIC CONTACT RESISTANCE DEW POINT MEASUREMENT TAN DELTA AND CAPACITANCE CHECKS INSULATION RESISTANCE TESTS POLE DISCREPANCY CHECKS LOCK OUT PROTECTION CHECKS FOR SF6/PNEUMATIC SYSTEMS REMOTE INDICATION CHECKS REMOTE OPERATION CHECKS

TESTING OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS

1.1.1 Timing Checks of Circuit Breaker

THE TIMINGS OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER IS CHECKED USING THE EITHER OF THE FOLLWING KITS. CBT-4/8. HISAC. THE CONNECTIONS ARE MADE AS PER THE REQUIREMENT.

THE KIT MANUFACTURERS GUIDELINES IS TO BE FOLLOWED IN MAKING THE CONNECTIONS.

TESTING OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS

THE TIMINGS TO BE NOTED ARE

1. CLOSING TIME FOR MAIN & PIR CONTACTS

2. OPENING TIME FOR MAIN & PIR CONTACTS THROUGH TC1 & TC2. 3. CLOSE & OPEN TIMINGS DURING CLOSE-OPEN OPERATION THROUGH TC1 & TC2. 4. CLOSE OPEN TIMINGS DURING A TRIP-CLOSE-TRIP OPERATION

TESTING OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS

OBSERVATIONS TO BE MADE FROM THE TIMING CHARTS

1. PROPER CLOSING OF ALL THE THREE PHASE MAIN & PIR CONTACTS
2. DIFFERENCE IN THE CLOSING TIME OF THE TWO CONTACTS WITH IN A POLE. 3. DIFFERENCE IN THE CLOSING TIME BETWEEN POLES 4. PIR CLOSING TIME BEFORE THE MAIN CONTACT. 5. DIFFERENCE IN THE OPENING TIME OF THE TWO CONTACTS OF THE SAME POLE. 6. DIFFERENCE IN THE OPENING TIME BETWEEN POLES

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

7. PIR OPENING TIME BEFORE THE MAIN CONTACT. 8. PIR REMAINS INSERVICE FOR ALL CBs EXCEPT BHEL, M&G, ABB (IMPORTED). 9. PIR & MAIN OVERLAP TIME IS TO BE NOTED FOR BHEL CB

10. AUXILARY CONTACT TIME

11. CURRENT DRAWN BY CLOSING COIL. 12. CURRENT DRAWN BY TRIP COIL. 13. BOUNCING OF CONTACTS.

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

TIMING TESTS ACCEPTABLE LIMITS

A : CB TIMINGS Closing time (max) Trip time max Close trip time , PD Phase to phase max Break to break max B. PIR TIME

400 KV 150 ms 25 ms 3.33 ms 2.5 ms MAKE

220 KV 200ms 35ms 3.33ms 2.5 ms TIME 12-16 ms 8-12 ms

BHEL CGL, NGEF,M&G TELK, ABB-HVDC ABB 8-10 ms

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

3. TIMING TESTS ACCEPTABLE LIMITS

C. PIR opening time prior to opening of Main contacts (ABB,CGL,NGEF) D. PIR and MAIN contacts overlap time (BHEL,M&G,ABB imp)

5 ms min at rated pr. 5 ms min at rated pr.

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

DCRM TEST

DCRM IS A SIGNATURE OF AN INDIVIDUAL CONTACT.

ONE CB WILL HAVE SIX SIGNATURES. DCRM SIGNATURE IS INTIALLY RECORDED AT THE TIME OF COMMISSIOING OF THE CB AND REPEATED TWO YEARLY. THE SIGNATURES ARE COMPARED AND ABNORMALITIES IF ANY HAS TO BE OBSERVED. THE SIGNATURE INDICATES LOOSENESS IN THE LIKAGE MECHANISM AND MISALIGNMENT IF ANY. APPROVAL FOR THE TEST IS OBTAINED FROM CC/OS

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

PRESENTLY DCRM IS BEING DONE WITH THE COMBINATION OF HISAC AND DCRM 100B SUPPLIED BY M/S SCOPE TM. THE DYNAMIC CONTACT RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT ALSO INVOLVES TRAVEL MEASUREMENT. WITH THIS TRAVEL VELOCITY OF THE CONTACTS WHILE OPENING AND CLOSING CAN BE OBTAINED.

CONTACT RESISTANCE VARIATION IS PLOTTED DURING THE C-O OPERATION OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER.
THE VARIATION IN THE RESISTANCE AT THE TIME OF MAKING OF CONTACTS AND BREAKING OF CONTACTS CAN BE OBSERVED SPECIFICALLY AT THE TIME OF MAKING AND BREAKING OF ARCING CONTACTS, THE VARIATIONS IN THE SIGNATURE CAN BE APPRECIATED.

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

DCRM TESTING THE CONNECTIONS FOR THE KIT HAS TO BE MADE AS PER THE GUIDELINES MENTIONED IN THE MANUAL OF THE KIT.

CHARGING OF THE BUILT- IN BATTERY TO THE REQUIRED LEVEL HAS TO BE ENSURED BEFORE STARTING OF THE TEST.
SINCE THE BATTERY IS THE SOURCE FOR SUPPLYING THE 100A dc CURRENT REQUIRED FOR THE DCRM TEST. THE SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS SHALL BE STRICTLY ADHERED

TYPICAL DCRM SIGNATURE

TYPICAL DCRM SIGNATURE

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

STATIC CONTACT RESISTANCE THE STATIC CONTACT RESISTANCE IS MEASURED USING THE TECHNIQUE OF INJECTING THE REQUIRED CURRENT AND SENSING THE VOLTAGE DROP ACROSS THE CONTACTS. PAPULAR SUPPLIERS OF THE TEST KITS FOR STATIC CONTACT RESISTANCE ARE ELTEL,SCOPE etc.

IT INDICATES THE HEALTHINESS OF THE MAIN CONTACT.

THE CONACT SURFACE HAS TO BE PROPERLY CLEANED FOR OBTAINING CORRECT VALUES.

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

STATIC CONTACT RESISTANCE ACCEPTABLE VALUES

CIRCUIT BREAKER ISOLATOR

150 micro ohms 300 micro ohms

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

DEW POINT MEASUREMENT : DEWPOINT OF ARC QUENCHING MEDIUM EITHER SF6 OR AIR HAS TO BE MONITORED AT REGULAR INTERVALS. DEW POINT INDICATES THE QUALITY OF THE SF6 GAS /AIR. SF6 GAS IS COLOURLESS , NON-FLAMMABLE,NON-TOXIC AND CHEMICALLY STABLE GAS. INSULATING PROPERTIES REMAINS UNALTERED IF THE INGRESS MOISTURE IS LIMITED. HENCE THE DEW POINT OF THE SF6 GAS HAS TO BE MONITORED. THE MEASURING EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED BY M/s DILO AND SHAW .

CIRDUIT BREAKER TESTING

DEW POINT MEASUREMENT AND ACCEPTABLE VALUE.

A.DEW POINT OF SF6 GAS CB MAKE DEW POINT DEW POINT AT AT RATED PR. AT ATOMS.PR BHEL - 15 C - 36 C comm - 7 C - 29 C O & M - 5 C - 27 C Critical M&G -- 39 C comm -- 32 C O & M CGL -15 C -35 C comm - 10 C -31 C O & M ABB -15 C -35 C comm - 5 C - 26 C O & M NGEF -15 C -36 C comm - 7 C - 29 C O & M - 5 C -27 C Critical

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

DEW POINT MEASUREMENT ACCEPTABLE VALUES

CIRCUIT BREAKERS B.DEW POINT OF OPERATING AIR

- 45 C AT M. PR

CIRCUIT BREAKER - TESTING

TANDELTA AND CAPACITANCE OF GRADING CAPACITORS THE TANDELTA AND CAPACITANCE OF GRADING CAPACITORS IS AN IMPORTANT TEST FOR THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS. GRADING CAPACITORS ENSURE PROPER DISTRIBUTION OF VOLTAGE ACROSS THE BREAKS IN A CB. THE CAPACITANCE AND TANDELTA IS MEASURED USING THE APPROPRIATE TEST KIT. PRESENTLY WE ARE USING ELTEL, BIDDLE, TETEX KITS FOR THIS PURPOSE.

CAPACITANCE BRIDGE BALANCING METHOD SCHEARING BRIDGE IS UTILIZED FOR THIS PURPOSE.
THE METHOD AS DISCRIBED IN THE MANUAL OF INDIVIDUAL MANUFACTURER SHALL BE FOLLOWED.

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

CAPACITANCE AND TANDELTA ACCEPTABLE VALUES

CT CVT BUSHING CIRCUIT BREAKER Grading capacitors ICT/REACTOR WDG

0.007 AT 20 C

Rate of rise of tan delta max = 0.001 per year For CTs,CBs,CVTs

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

CAPACITANCE AND TANDELTA ACCEPTABLE VALUES

TAN DELTA AT 20 C = TAN DELTA AT TEMP T C/ FACTOR K TEMPERATURE T C CORRECTION FACTOR- k 10 0.8 15 0.9 20 1.0 25 1.12 30 1.40 35 1.55 40 1.75 45 1.95 1 2.18 NO TEMPERATURE CORRECTION TO BE APPLIED ANY VALUES BEYOND LIMITS TO BE REFERRED TO CC/OS

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

IR VALUE OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THIS THE INSULATION RESISTANCE OF THE LIVE WITH REFERENCE TO THE EARTH IS MEASURED. THE IR VALUE OF THE INTERRUPTING CHAMBER , WHEN THE CB IS IN OPEN CONDITION IS ALSO MEASURED. THE CB IS KEPT IN CLOSED POSITION AND THE E/S AT BOTH ENDS ARE KEPT IN OPEN CONDITION, AND THE IR VALUE IS NOTED WITH A 5/10KV IR TESTER. THE CB IS KEPT OPEN AND THE E/S AT BOTH ENDS KEPT CLOSED AND THE IR VALUE IS NOTED WITH 5/10KV IR TESTER.

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING IR VALUES ACCEPTABLE LIMITS PHASE TO EARTH 1000 M OHM with 5/10 kv mgger

ACROSS OPEN CONTACTS 1000 M-OHM (CB,Isolator) TRANSFORMER/REACTOR WDG 1000 M-OHM

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

OPERATIONAL / CIRCUITRY CHECKS
POLE DISCREPENCY CHECK
ANTI HUNTING FEATURE BREAKER POSITION INDICATOR REMOTE TRIPPING WITH TC1 & TC2 REMOTE CLOSING. ILLUMINATION IN CB MB SPACE HEATER IN CONTROL/SWITCH CUBICLE.

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

OTHER CHECKS
COIL RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT. LEAKAGE CHECK OF SF6 GAS. IR VALUE OF CONTROL CIRCUIT CB OPERATION COUNTER HEALTHINESS. OIL/AIR PRESSURE DROP TEST. OIL/AIR PRESSURE LEAKAGE IN 24 HRS. SPRING CHARGING TIME.

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

OTHER CHECKS BLOCKING/ DEBLOCKING SETTING OF OIL/AIR PRESSURE SWITCHES HAS TO BE CHECK FOR THE FOLLOWING. 1. TRIPPING CIRCUIT I 2. TRIPPING CIRCUIT II 3. CLOSING CIRCUIT. 4. AUTO RECLOSE CKT. 5. LOW PRESSURE ALARM CKT. 6. COMPRESSOR ON/OFF 7. SYSTEM SAFETY VALVE OPERATION.

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING

OTHER TESTS
BLOCKING AND DEBLOCKING OF SF6 PRESSURE /DENSITY MONITOR. 1. LOW PRESSURE ALARM CIRCUIT. 2. OPERATION LOCKOUT CIRCUIT. CORRECT FUNCTIONING OF THE FOLLOWING CKT. TO BE ENSURED.

1. CLOSING LOCKOUT.
2. AUTO RECLOSING LOCKOUT. 3. GENERAL LOCKOUT. 4. POLE DISCREPENCY TIMER. 5. AUXILIARY SUPPLY CHANGE OVER CKT.

CIRCUIT BREAKER TESTING ALL THE RESULTS ARE TO BE RECORDED AS PER THE STANDARD DOCUMENT CIRCULATED BY OS .