FB Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik

Institut fr Elektrische Energiesysteme

Fachgebiet Hochspannungstechnik
page: 1/7
6th Exercise on High Voltage Technology 1, WS 10/11

Solution Example

Task 1: Measurement with sphere gaps

a) Advantages: a very simple and safe method
Disadvantages: no continuous measurement of voltage possible; To achieve an
uncertainty of +/- 3% (AC), the mean value of several measurements
must be calculated.

b) Air pressure, temperature, geometrical arrangement and size, absolute air humidity.

c) Sphere gaps must be operated with series resistors in order to limit the current and high
frequency oscillations caused by breakdown.


d) sphere distance s = 16 cm (see table for AC):

d0
= 392 kV for atmospheric normal conditions (20 C, 1013 hPa) => = 1



RH: relative air humidity in %
h: absolute air humidity in g/m
3

h
s
: saturation humidity in g/m
3








FB Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik
Institut fr Elektrische Energiesysteme
Fachgebiet Hochspannungstechnik

page: 2/7
e) Correction by air density:

273 20 950hPa 293 K
0.289 0.938
1013 273 273 1013hPa 293K
b b +
o = = = =
+ 0 + 0


10.385
1 0.002 8.5 1 0.002 8.5 1.005
0.938
h
k
| | | |
= + = + =
| |
o
\ . \ .



so under these conditions
d
corresponds to
d0
in the table:


d
d0
392kV
415.8kV
0.398 1.005
u
u
k
= = =
o


Interpolate for interim values:
18 cm = 429 kV
16 cm = 392 kV 2 cm = 37 kV 415,8 kV = 17.3 cm

The breakdown occurs at a distance between the spheres of 17.3 cm.


FB Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik
Institut fr Elektrische Energiesysteme
Fachgebiet Hochspannungstechnik

page: 3/7
Task 2: Calculation of the probability of breakdown - general questions


Fig. 1: Distribution function of breakdown impulse voltage of a shere gap.

a) General definizions:

U
d50
: voltage corresponding to a breakdown probability of 50 %
U
d0
: highest voltage that definitely does not cause a breakdown
U
d100
: lowest voltage that definitely causes a breakdown

b) Calculation of the probability of breakdown with the method multiple level test

Using at least three different voltage levels in the range of the expected voltage U
d50
ten
or more impulses are applied to the sphere gap. For each voltage level a breakdown
probability can immediately be calculated by the number of breakdowns. The results are
charted in a probability paper for normal distribution. The U
d50
can then be found
graphically.

Fig. 2: Calculation of the probability of breakdown with the method multiple level test

Calculation of the probability of breakdown with the method successive discharge test

Several impulse voltages of increasing peak voltage (starting with a voltage below U
d-0
)
are applied to the sphere gap until a breakdown occurs. The breakdown voltage
d
is
noted. This procedure is repeated as often as possible, and slightly varying breakdown

FB Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik
Institut fr Elektrische Energiesysteme
Fachgebiet Hochspannungstechnik

page: 4/7
voltages will be the result. The 50% breakdwon voltage corresponds to the mean value
of the resulting breakdwon voltages and is calculated with:
d50
1
1
n
di
i
U
n
=
= =

and the standard deviation is:
( )
2
d d
1
1
n 1
n
i
i
s
=
=

Up and Down-Method
This method delivers very quickly a good estimation of the 50% breakdown voltage, but
no additional information for example about the standard deviation. First an impulse
voltage in the expected range of the breakdown voltage is applied to the sphere gap. For all
following impulses the voltage is increased at a fixed value U that is in the range of 3 %
of the first voltage, until breakdown occurs. When there is a breakdown, the next voltage is
decreased at this value (see graphic). After n impulses the 50% breakdown voltage is
calculated using the frequency of occurance n
i
with which the corresponding voltage
i
was
tested:

Fig. 3: Example pof the "Up-and-down"-method

1
1
50
n
i i
i
Ud n
n
=
=

.
The first valid voltage is the one when the breakdown behaviour changes for the first time.

Task 3: Calculation of the probability of breakdown with the method multiple level
test

a) For each voltage U
d,n
a certain number n of tests are carried out. There is a breakdown h
n
times. With the breakdown frequency of occurance h
n
in relation to the total number n of

FB Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik
Institut fr Elektrische Energiesysteme
Fachgebiet Hochspannungstechnik

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tests a breakdown probability for a voltage U
d,n
can be found. The exact breakdown
probability can be found with an infinite (or sufficiently high) number of tests.

( )
,
lim
n
d n
n
h
P U
n

=

FB Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik
Institut fr Elektrische Energiesysteme
Fachgebiet Hochspannungstechnik

page: 6/7

U
d,n
n h
n
P(U
d,n
)
102 kV 20 1 0,05
103 kV 20 2 0,10
104 kV 20 4 0,20
105 kV 20 8 0,40
106 kV 20 10 0,50
107 kV 20 14 0,70
108 kV 20 16 0,80
109 kV 20 18 0,90

b) See probability paper.
c) The function of the breakdown probabilities is a normal distribution, because the single
values of the function form approximately a straight line.
d) Read the 50% breakdown voltage using the line: U
d-50
= 105,8 kV.

Task 4: Calculation of the probability of breakdown with the method successive
discharge test

a) A total number of n tests are carried out. There is a breakdown at different voltages U
d
.
For the different breakdown voltages this happens a different number of times. The result
is a frequency distribution of the breakdown voltages. In the given case 9 classes of
voltages can be defined, and for each the cumulative frequency can be calculated. The
result is:

Total number of tests n = 20

U
d
number rel. frequency of occurance cumulative frequency
101 kV 1 0,05 0,05
102 kV 2 0,10 0,15
103 kV 3 0,15 0,30
104 kV 4 0,20 0,50
105 kV 4 0,20 0,70
106 kV 3 0,15 0,85
107 kV 1 0,05 0,90
108 kV 1 0,05 0,95
109 kV 1 0,05 1,00

b) See probability paper. Normal distribution, because the single points make up a line. Draw
the line, please.


FB Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik
Institut fr Elektrische Energiesysteme
Fachgebiet Hochspannungstechnik

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c) Read the 50% breakdown voltage using the line: U
d50
= 104.2 kV.

d) mean value of the breakdown voltages:

1
1
n
di
i

n
=
=





standard deviation: