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Arc Suppression Coil or Petersen Coil

Last updated January 6, 2019 by Electrical4U

There is always a significant charging current flowing from conductor to earth

in underground high voltage and medium voltage power network. This is
because of dielectric insulation between earth and conductor in the
underground cables. During an earth fault in any phase, in a 3 phase such
system, the charging current of the system ideally becomes three times more
than rated charging current per phase. This larger charging current restrikes
and passes to ground through faulty point and causing arcing there. To
minimize the large capacitive charging current during earth fault, one
inductive coil is connected from star point to earth. The current created in this
coil during fault is opposite of cable charging current at same instant, thus Recent Posts
 neutralizes the charging current of the system during. This coil of suitable » SCADA System: What is it?
inductance is known as Arc Suppression Coil or Petersen Coil. (Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition)
The voltages of a three phase balanced system is shown in figure – 1.
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petersen suppression coil

In underground high voltage and medium voltage cable network, there is always petersen coil is used for
a capacitance between conductor and earth in each phase. Because of that there is
explain arc suppression coil earthing
always a capacitive current from phase to earth. In each phase the capacitive
arc suspension coil
current leads the corresponding phase voltage by 900 as shown in figure – 2.
how does an arc suppression coil work
Now suppose there is an earth fault at yellow phase of the system. Ideally, the
voltage of yellow phase that is yellow phase to ground voltage becomes zero.
Thus, null point of the system is shifted at the tip of the yellow phase vector, as
shown in the figure-3, below. As a result, the voltage in healthy phases (red and
blue) becomes &sqrt;3 times of the original.
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Naturally, the corresponding capacitive current in each healthy phase (red and
blue) becomes &sqrt;3 of the original as shown in figure-4, below.

The vector sum that is resultant of these two capacitive current now will be 3I,
where I is taken as rated capacitive current per phase in the balanced system.
That means, at healthy balanced condition of the system, IR = IY =

IB = I.

This is illustrated in the figure- 5 below,

This resultant current then flows through the faulty path to the earth as shown
below.
Now, if we connect one inductive coil of suitable inductance value (generally iron
core inductor is used) between star point or neutral point of the system and
ground, the scenario will be entirely changed. At faulty condition, the current
through the inductor just equal and opposite in magnitude and phase of that of
capacitive current through the faulty path. The inductive current also follow the
faulty path of the system. The capacitive and inductive current cancels each other
at the faulty path, hence there will not be any resultant current through the faulty
path created due to capacitive action of the underground cable. The ideal
situation is illustrated in the figure below.
This concept was first implemented by W. Petersen in 1917, that why the
inductor coil is used for the purpose, called Petersen Coil.

The capacitive component of the fault current is high in the underground cabling
system. When earth fault occurs, the magnitude of this capacitive current
through the faulty path becomes 3 times more than rated phase to earth
capacitive current of healthy phase. This causes significant shifting of zero
crossing of current away from zero crossing of voltage in the system. Due to
presence of this high capacitive current in the earth fault path there will be a
series of re-striking at fault location. This may lead unwanted over voltage in the
system.
The inductance of the Petersen Coil is selected or adjusted at such value which
causes the inductive current which can exactly neutralize the capacitive current.

Let us calculate the inductance of Petersen Coil for a 3 phase underground

system.

For that let us consider capacitance between conductor and earth in each phase of
a system, is C farad. Then the capacitive leakage current or charging current in
each phase will be

So, the capacitive current through the faulty path during single phase to earth
fault is

After fault, the star point will have phase voltage as the null point is shifted to
fault point. So the voltage appears across the inductor is Vph. Hence, the
inductive current through the coil is

Now, for cancellation capacitive current of value 3I, IL must have same
magnitude but 180o electrically apart. Therefore,

When, design or configuration (in length and/or cross section and/or thickness
and quality in insulation) of the system changes the inductance of the coil is to be
adjusted accordingly. That is why often Petersen coil is provided with tap
changing arrangement.
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