UsingHighSpeedGroundingSwitches

Using HighSpeed Grounding Switches

Protectionofpowertransformers//
Automatichighspeedgroundingswitchesareappliedforprotectionofpowertransformers
whenthecostofsupplyingotherprotectiveequipmentisdeemedunjustifiableandtheamountof
systemdisturbancethatthehighspeedgroundingswitchcreatesisjudgedacceptable.
Theswitchesaregenerallyactuatedbydischargingaspringmechanismtoprovidethehigh
speedoperation.

Thegroundingswitchoperatestoprovideadeliberategroundfaultononephaseof
thehighvoltagebussupplyingthepowertransformer,disruptingthenormally
balanced120phaseshiftedthreephasesystembyeffectivelyremovingonephase
andcausingtheothertwophasestobecome180phaseshiftedrelativetoeachother.

Thissystemimbalanceisremotelydetectedbyprotectiverelayingequipmentthatoperates
thetransmissionlinebreakersattheremoteendofthelinesupplyingthepower
transformer,trippingthecircuitopentoclearthefault.
Thisschemealsoimposesavoltageinterruptiontoallotherloadsconnectedbetweentheremote
circuitbreakersandthepowertransformeraswellasatransientspiketotheprotectedpower
transformer,effectivelyshorteningthetransformersusefullife.

Cleaveland/Prices High speed grounding switch 115 kV 230 kV, 120 kA momentary / 71kA, 3 sec.
(cleavelandprice.com)

Frequently,asystemutilizingahighspeedgroundswitchalsoincludestheuseofamotor
operateddisconnectswitchandarelaysystemtosensebusvoltage.

Therelaysystemslogicallowsoperationofthemotoroperateddisconnectswitchwhenthere
isnovoltageonthetransmissionlinetoprovideautomaticisolationofthefaultedpower
transformerandtoallowreclosingoperationsoftheremotebreakerstorestoreservicetothe
transmissionlineandtoallotherloadsfedbythisline.

Thegroundingswitchschemeisdependentontheabilityofthesourcetransmission
linerelayprotectionschemetorecognizeandclearthefaultbyopeningtheremote
circuitbreaker.

Clearingtimesarenecessarilylongersincethefaultlevelsarenotnormallywithinthelevels
appropriateforaninstantaneoustripresponse.

500kVMotorOperatedDisconnectSwitch(VIDEO)

Cantseethisvideo?ClickheretowatchitonYoutube.

Thelengtheningofthetriptimealsoimposesadditionalstressontheequipmentbeing
protectedandshouldbeconsideredwhenselectingthismethodforpowertransformerprotection.
Highspeedgroundingswitchesareusuallyconsideredwhenrelativefaultlevelsarelowsothat
theriskofsignificantdamagetothepowertransformerduetotheextendedtriptimesismitigated.
Resource:ElectricPowerSubstationsEngineeringJ.D.McDonald