1

Insulation Coordination

the selection of insulation
strength

2
Kiski Valley
Substation - 1938
3
Luxor substation 1933.before lightning arresters
4
Insulation
Self restoring insulation recovers after a
flashover external such as air switches,
insulators, external surfaces of bushings
(defined at standard atmospheric
conditions)
Non-self restoring insulation does not
recover after a flashover enclosed oil,
paper, gas, air systems such as transformers
and circuit breakers

5
Standards
http://www.techstreet.com/info/astm.
Voltages: ANSI C84.1- 1995 System Voltages
Voltages: IEEE 1312 1987 AC Electrical Systems and Equipment
Operating Voltages above 230kv
BILs: ANSI 92 defines BILs for the equipment manufacturers to use
IEEE std 4 1995 Standard Techniques for High Voltage Testing
Circuit Breakers: ANSI C-37.06 1997
Transformers: ANSI C57.12 1993 Liquid Immersed Distribution,
Power and Regulating Power Transformers
Switches: IEEE C37.34 Standard Test Code for High Voltage
Switches
Insulators: ANSI C29.8 & C29.9 Cap and Pin Type & Post Type
Insulators
Arresters: IEEE C62.11 Metal Oxide surge arresters for AC Power
Circuits
Arresters: IEEE C62.22 Guide for application of Metal Oxide surge
arresters for Alternating Current Systems


6
Impulse Voltages and Equipment
Requirements

Over-voltages
Transient Waveshapes
Equipment testing



7
Over-voltages
what causes over-voltages on the system?
Lightning
Switching breakers clearing faults
Increases in power frequency voltage


8
Transient Waveforms
Lightning - 1.2 x 50 u-second
Front of Wave
Chopped Waves
Switching - 250 x 2500 u-second
60 hertz waves

9
Peak or RMS
60hz voltages are expressed in rms
ph-ph
Duty cycle and MCOV are in rms phase-ground
Lightning, chopped wave and switching surges are
expressed in peak volts phase to ground:


Peak = 2 rms
ph-ph

3

Peak = 2 145kv = 118.4kv
3

10
Lightning Impulses
Very fast rise can cause line insulation to fail
backflashes - rise in the 500-2000KV per u-second
range and 10-20 u-sec tail (cfo of line - positive polarity
waves)
Direct strokes to phase wires (cfo due to negative
polarity waves) slightly slower rise and longer tail than
backflash
BIL: Basic Impulse Level is the electrical strength of
insulation to the crest value of the standard lightning
impulse (for dry conditions)
BIL = CFO 1.28 x o
f
(10% probability of flashover)
Test wave doesnt reflect actual lightning but its easily
reproduced in test lab
Lightning can be positive or negative compared to the
earth most strokes are negative. The insulation withstand
can be different for each type
11
Lightning Impulse
1.2 x 50 u-seconds
BIL = 1.0
.5
t
2

Virtual tail = 50 micro-seconds
IEEE std 4-1995 Standard Techniques for High Voltage Testing
Virtual front = 1.2 micro-seconds
.9
.3 A
B
t
1

Virtual Zero
v
t
Tolerances:
Front: +/- 30%
Tail: +/- 20%

12
Impulse Generators:
Impulse generators are stacks of capacitors and resistors
Initially the capacitors are connected in parallel and charged up
Then the capacitors are re-connected in series
Then they are discharged to provide the high voltage impulse wave
Resistors are used to shape the front and tail of the wave


+

-
+
-
Charging circuit
Discharging circuit
13
Chopped Wave Impulses
Allows a faster front wave to be applied without
flashover occurring on the tail of the wave
Chopped wave impulses are standard lightning
waves that are shunted or chopped to zero on
the tail of the wave within 2 or 3 u-seconds
Chopped wave tests are only used in ANSI (not
IEC) standards and are meant to model surges
created by the flashover of a post insulator or an
arrester operation
Stresses transformer turn to turn insulation
Model the need for arresters at the open breaker
14
Chopped Wave Impulse
1.2 x 3 u-seconds
BIL = 1.0
IEEE std 4-1995 Standard Techniques for High Voltage Testing
v
t
1.1 - 1.29 x BIL
t
15
Switching Impulses
BSL: Basic Switching Level is the electrical
strength of insulation to the crest value of the
standard switching impulse (wet conditions)
BSL = CFO 1.28 x o
f
(10% probability of
flashover)
Switching impulses are longer duration both on
the front and the tail (hundreds of u-seconds)
Low line surge impedance (> 138kv overhead
lines, also cable circuits)
Re-closing into trapped charge on line
16
Switching
Surges:
Z
0
= L/C
Voltage doubles when closing in on an
open line = 2 P.U. at open line terminal
Assume that High Speed Re-closing traps a negative 1 P.U. charge on the line.
Then when the breaker re-closes the maximum voltage at the open end can
approach a maximum of 3.5 - 4.0 P.U. for multiple reflections depending on
damping (R):
Trapped charge = -1.0 P.U.
3.5 P.U.
17
50% Critical
Flashover Voltage
CFO
Strike Distance
Switching
Surges:
Insulation strength of
air gaps:
At operating voltages above 230kv switching transients become
the constraint that drives system design
Breakers & switches are only tested for switching surge at
345kv and above. Transformers 115kv & above.
18
Switching Impulse
250 x 2500 u-seconds
1.0
.5
t
2
= 2500 u-sec
IEEE std 4-1995 Standard Techniques for High Voltage Testing
v
t
t
1
= 250 u-sec
Tolerances:
Front: +/- 20%
Tail: +/- 60%

19
Power Frequency (60hz)
Maximum 60Hz Operating
Voltage
Nominal + 5%
500kv system is nominal + 10%
20
System Voltages ANSI C84.1 - 1995
21
System Voltages ANSI C84.1 - 1995
22
Power Frequency (60hz)
Overvoltages
Rise on unfaulted phases for a line-ground fault
(X/R and co-efficient of grounding)
Loss of ground (backfeed)
Ferro-resonance line or cable capacitance with
transformer inductance
Load rejection
Ferranti effect long unloaded transmission lines
Transformer inrush



23
Coefficient of Grounding
24
25
Potential Rise on the Line
Voltage
Breaker open
.
.
26
27
Equipment Insulation
Bus Insulators
Air Switches
Circuit Breakers
Transformers
Bushings
Equipment External Clearances


28

BIL/BSL Testing

1.0
.5
CFO
BIL or BSL = 1.28 o
f


P
r
o
b
a
b
i
l
i
t
y

o
f

F
l
a
s
h
o
v
e
r

KV
.1
29
IEEE 1313.1 1996
Equipment BILs (Class one equipment):
30
Equipment BILs/BSLs for EHV (Class two):
31
Equipment Insulation
60 hz testing:
60 hz tests wet tests are done on insulators, air
switches and cijrcuit breakers to understand
response during rain (IEEE std 4 1995)

and dew conditions (ANSI C-29.1 1988 section
4.6)

32
Equipment Insulation
Bus Insulators
Air Switches
Circuit Breakers
Transformers
Bushings


33
Bus Supports & Air
Switches ANSI C37.32
Withstand (10%)
34
Standard Atmospheric
Conditions
Ambient temperature = 20 deg C
Air Pressure = 760mm mercury (1 atmosphere)
Absolute humidity = 11 gms water/Mtr
3
air
The test voltages are adjusted as needed when
conditions vary from the standard

35
Equipment Insulation
Bus Insulators
Air Switches
Circuit Breakers
Transformers
Bushings


36
Bus Supports &
Air Switches
ANSI C37.32
37
EHV Switches:
Air Switches
ANSI C37.32
38
39
Air Switch Coordination
- Gap flashover
- Gap withstand
- Insulator flashover
- Insulator withstand
Make the gap withstand 10%
higher than the insulator flashover!

40
Bus Supports &
Air Switches
ANSI C37.32
41
Passing the 3+9 test:
Air Switches
APs switch specification MS 1100-10 requires transmission switches to
withstand 15 impulses without flashover for the gap withstand and also
flashover for 15 impulses to establish the insulator flashover value.
42
Circuit Switcher
Coordination
In the model Mark V circuit switcher
the interrupter closes when the
switch blade reaches the full open
position so the open blade must
coordinate with the post insulator.
In the series 2000 the interrupter stays
Open when the blade opens!
43
Equipment Insulation
Bus Insulators
Air Switches
Circuit Breakers
Transformers
Bushings


44
ABB 550 PM
45
Circuit Breaker Coordination
Breaker closed
Weakest point is typically
the throat shield to ground
46
ABB 550 PM
47
ABB 550 PM Failure
Doubs DL-55, July 8, 2000 Tube Flashover
48
Circuit Breaker Coordination
Breaker open
Switching surge values are higher for the
gap than for phase to ground

49
Circuit Breaker Design Tests

Breaker switching surge
withstand is higher across
the interrupter than to ground!
50
Circuit Breaker
500kv PM Design Tests
One minute dry withstand 60hz 860kv
Ten second wet withstand 60hz 775kv
Full wave impulse (BIL) 1800kv
Chop wave impulse 2 u-sec to chop 2320kv
Chop wave impulse 3 u-sec to chop 2070kv
Switching impulse terminal to gnd 1175kv
(breaker open)
Switching impulse terminal to gnd 1175kv
(breaker closed)
Switching impulse terminal to terminal 1300kv
(breaker open)


51
Breaker Applications

Closing resistors are used to reduce the
switching surge created at the far end of
a transmission line when it is energized
Once breaker is closed the resistor is removed
from the circuit.
Not designed to handle continuous load current
or fault current.
AP uses closing resistors on EHV breakers
Typical value: 400-450 ohms.
52
Closing resistors:
Z
0
= L/C
R
c

R
c

Z
0
V
0

Z
0
(R
c
+ Z
0
)

V
0
= V
S
bypass
V
S
53
Equipment Insulation
Bus Insulators
Air Switches
Circuit Breakers
Transformers
Bushings


54
Transformer BIL
Levels
55
Transformer Test
Levels
56
Transformers:
138-12kv delta-wye





low
volage
wintding




Gas Space - N
2

high
voltage
winding
HV & LV BILs determine
the amount of line end
insulation of
the windings


















57
Turn-Turn failure at line end
138kv disk winding 30/40/50mva
58
Transformer





low
volage
wintding




Gas Space - N
2

high
voltage
winding
HV BIL determines
the distance between
the high-low windings
and H-L insulation











59
Transformer





low
volage
wintding




Gas Space - N
2

high
voltage
winding
Induced test determines
the high-ground
insulation
60
Transformer





low
volage
wintding




Gas Space - N
2

high
voltage
winding
LV BIL and thru-fault
mechanical forces
stress low-ground
insulation










61
62
63
Equipment Insulation
Bus Insulators
Air Switches
Circuit Breakers
Transformers
Bushings


64
Bushings
Condenser type
bushings are built to
grade the voltage
from line to ground
evenly.
creep and
contamination
SF6 weathersheds
65
500 kV Bushing Type O
66
500 kV Bushing Type O
67
500 kV Bushing Type O
68
External Equipment Clearances:
Need to compare external equipment withstands with bus
support and air switch clearances
Compare phase-to-ground and phase-to-phase equipment
dimensions with the bus design
Equipment manufacturers will set phase-phase and phase-
ground dimensions to pass equipment test standards but
these are not coordinated with bus dimensions
Typically the clearances between live parts on the
equipment are too small! Flashovers will occur at the
equipment before the bus.
Need to specify equipment clearances that will
coordinate with bus clearances
69
Transformer Clearances:
138-12kv
xfmr
Phase
To phase
Phase
To ground
138kv
49 in.

49 in.

12kv
6.5 in. 6.5 in.
70
AP Transformer
Design Clearances:
71
Proper Insulation Coordination
If lightning strikes the phase conductor and it
generates enough voltage to flash the insulation I
want it flashing over the cheapest, self restoring
insulation first and I want it to go to ground
72
Transformer Terminated Lines
Initial Switching surge
.
.
Breaker open When you close this breaker
a switching transient is created
that doubles at the other end of
the line because the transformer
is open on the low side
Reflected wave
Close line
breaker first
Then close the
xfmr air switch