HPA

SF6-circuit
breaker

HPA is a medium-voltage circuit breaker

using SF6 gas as the insulation and breaking medium. Its design is compact and
space-saving.
The breaker is also available in a version with synchronised making for maximum damping of transients for different
applications.

ABB Switchgear

The HPA circuit breaker

HPA is a medium-voltage circuit breaker

using SF6 gas as the insulation and
breaking medium. Its design is compact
and space-saving.
The HPA breaker works extremely
smoothly, which means that no dangerous overvoltages arise through current
cut-off or restriking. It is therefore very
suitable for the majority of operating

situations, including the breaking of motor

loads and capacitors.
The breaker is also available in a version with synchronised making for maximum damping of transients when switching in parallel capacitor banks.
The excellent electrical and mechanical
lifetime of the HPA breaker means that it
requires only a minimum of maintenance.

Breaking principle

Arc
contact

Main
contact

Nozzle

Moving
cylinder

Closed position

Fixed
plunger

Breaking

Open position
The breaking pole in
different positions.

The HPA breaker works according to the

puffer principle, implying that when
breaking, the gas is compressed between a
fixed plunger and a moving cylinder and
then blown on to the arc between the fixed
and moving arc contacts (see figure).
When the breaker is closed, the current
flows via the main contacts and the cylinder.
When a tripping impulse is given, the

cylinder moves downwards, whereupon the

upper main contact opens and the current
commutes over to the arc contact. At the
same time, the gas in the cylinder is compressed. When the nozzle has left the arc
contact, the compressed gas is blown along
the arc and cools it. The breaking process is
completed as the current passes through
zero.

Breaking poles

Exploded HPA breaking

pole.

The casing for the breaking poles is made

of cast epoxy resin. The poles are
thoroughly
vacuum-dried
after assembly
and then subjected to
pressure and
sealing tests. The
low gas pressure
(2.5 bar overpressure) and the
small volume (12
dm3) mean that the
breaking poles

casing can under no circumstances disintegrate due to negligence, for instance

if it should be dropped during transport.
The worst that can happen is that the
casing cracks and the gas pressure drops.
To further increase their reliability, the
breaking poles can be provided with
temperature-compensating transducers
that provide an alarm at the lowest gas
pressure permissible upon breaking of full
short-circuit current.
However, the safety margins are so
large that the poles can cope with
breaking of rated current even without
overpressure.

Breaking gas
SF6 (sulphurhexafluoride) gas possesses a
unique combination of properties that
makes it extremely suitable for use in
circuit breakers. This has been confirmed
by service experience from more than
25,000 HPA breakers installed throughout
the world.
SF6 gas has an insulation strength some
three times higher than that of air at an
overpressure of 2 bar, which is even
higher than that of transformer oil.

SF6 gas properties

Model of SF6 molecule.

High insulation strength

Excellent ability to quench arcs
Chemically stable
Non-toxic
Non-flammable

Operating device
The HPA breaker is provided with a
simple and dependable operating device
based on well established principles in
combination with many years of service
experience.
The maintenance-free bearings and the
ease of dismantling and removing
breaking poles and operating devices are
examples of valuable properties that
reduce maintenance costs.
The HPA breaker is operated by a
spring-loaded operating device that is
normally tensioned by an electric motor. It
can also be tensioned manually.
The tripping spring is automatically
tensioned when the breaker is switched
on. After each make operation, the motor
starts and tensions the making spring.
A breaker that is switched on can then
perform an Off-On-Off operation without
having to tension the making spring in
between, which means that the breaker
can also be used for fast reconnection (a
further On-Off operation can be made
with a normal time lag).
The breaker has making and tripping
coils for electric operation and can also be
supplied with pushbuttons for manual
operation. There is space for an undervoltage release or a further tripping coil.
A counter for the number of operations
and indicators for tensioned/untensioned
making spring and open/closed breaker
are included as standard.
The operating device is easily accessible
in the breakers rack and can be easily
dismantled and replaced.

HPA breaker with

operating device and
breaking pole disassembled.

The HPA breakers

operating device.

Lifetime
The HPA breaker requires a minimum of
maintenance. The gas and the breaking
poles do not need to be replaced and burnElectrical endurance of
the HPA circuit breaker.

lifetime is achieved through short breaking

times. For example, the poles cope with 160
breaks at 10 kA without maintenance of the
contacts.
Number of interruptions
The graph on the left shows the
10 000
contact lifetime expressed in the
number of possible breaks at various
1000
short-circuit currents. The fact that
the main contacts are never affected
by the arcs is also of great significan100
ce for the long lifetime.
In the unlikely event of the break10
ing pole requiring repair, this has to
30
40 kA
10
20
take place at the factory since vacuum
Short-circuit current
drying and pressure and sealing tests
off of contacts and nozzle due to the arcs is
have to be carried out. The breaking pole
insignificant. The breaking poles therefore
can then be replaced by a spare pole that
have a very long lifetime. The high electrical
can be easily mounted on site.

90 mm

367 mm

Phase distance
185 or 210 mm

139 mm

640 mm

4.5 mm

Principal dimensions for HPA

3.6 - 12 kV: 617 mm, 15 - 30 kV: 717 mm

3.6 - 12 kV: 622 mm, 15 - 30 kV: 747 mm

Principal data for HPA

Type testing has been carried out in accordance with IEC 56 and ANSI c37.09.
The short-circuit tests were performed at
ABBs laboratory in Sweden, at KEMA in

Holland, at IREQ in Canada and at Powertest

in the U.S.A.
A certificate and test report can be
obtained upon request.

Data according to IEC 56

Rated voltage

kV

3.6 12

17

24

36

Rated frequency ...............................................................................................Hz............................50...........................50..............................50 ................................50

Rated power frequency withstand voltage .................................kV............................28...........................38..............................50 ................................70
Rated lightning impulse withstand voltage ..................................kV............................75...........................95 ..........................125 .............................170
Rated current .........................................................................................................A ..................3150 ................ 2500 ................... 2500 ..................... 1250
Rated (peak) making current

kA peak ........................100 .......................100..............................79 ................................63

...................................................

Short circuit breaking current with operating cycle:

O 0.3 s CO 3 min CO .................................................................kA............................40...........................40 .........................31.5 ................................25
O 3min CO 3 min CO ............................................................... kA............................50..........................

...........................

..............................

Opening time ......................................................................................................ms............................38...........................38..............................38 ................................38

Opening time for 12 kV 50 kA ..............................................................ms............................70..........................

...........................

.............................

Arcing time, max. ............................................................................................ms............................15...........................15..............................15 ................................15

Breaking time .....................................................................................................ms............................53...........................53..............................53 ................................53
Breaking time for 12 kV 50 kA .............................................................ms............................85..........................

...........................

.............................

Making time, max...........................................................................................ms............................75...........................75..............................75 ................................75

Short-time current

kA............................50...........................40 .........................31.5 ................................25

.........................................................................................

Data according to ANSI c37.09

Max. voltage

kV

15

26

30

K factor ....................................................................................................................................................................1.3 ....................................... 1.0......................................1.0

Frequency..............................................................................................................Hz ...........................................60 ..........................................60 .......................................60
Rated holding voltage with alternating voltage testing......kV ...........................................36 ..........................................50 .......................................60
Rated holding voltage with surge testing .....................................kV ...........................................95 .......................................125 ....................................150
Rated current .........................................................................................................A .................1200 3000.................1200 3000 ..............1200 3000
Making capacity................................................................................................kA ...........................................58 ..........................................37 .......................................41
Short-circuit current ......................................................................................kA ...........................................28 ..........................................18 .......................................20
Operating cycle.....................................................................................................................O 0.3 s CO/P 15 s CO 1 h CO
Breaking time

periods ..............................................5 .............................................5 ..........................................5

........................................................................................

Max. breaking capacity symmetrical ...............................................kA ...........................................36 ..........................................18 .......................................20

Short-time current, 3 sec. ........................................................................kA ...........................................36 ..........................................18 .......................................20

Broschyr 1 VEB 580901-914. Edition 2b, 98-08. Production: Roos & Co Vsters. Stenby Offset. 2000 ex.

We reserve the right to alter design, dimensions and

technical data without prior notice.

ABB Switchgear AB
Medium Voltage Division
12
Box 1023
S-732 27 Arboga, Sweden
Telephone: +46 589 851 00
Telefax:
+46 589 852 90
E-mail:
medium.voltage@seswg.mail.abb.com