AORC Technical meeting 2014

B2-1010
http : //www.cigre.org

Development of C.B.T Hot end Yoke Device for Hot Line Insulator
Replacement of 230 kV Double Suspension String for Two Bundles with
Arcing Horn
Charoenchai Kajonwattanakul , Sopon Panich , Sunti Weerasakul
Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
Wanwisa Skolpap
Faculty of Engineering Thammasat University
Thailand

SUMMARY

The transmission towers of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) are of the double
suspension string type consisting of two-bundled conductors with arcing horn such as the 230 kV
Bangsapan-Chumporn and the 230 kV Chumporn-Suratthani transmission lines. The 230 kV
Bangsapan-Chumporn is an important transmission line transferring electrical power between the
central and southern region of Thailand. The transmission line is surrounded by seawater-air
atmosphere that can accelerate corrosion rate of insulators. When damages of insulators in these
transmission lines are reported, the maintenance plan including the power disconnecting plan is
proposed to EGAT so that power transmission from other transmission lines will be sought and used
as a reserve power source. The maintenance by disconnecting line or a dead line method causes more
power loss or instability of the transmission system. Thus, the maintenance team designed and
developed a set of C.B.T. hot end yoke tools for hot line insulator replacement of transmission lines
having two bundles with arcing horn such as the 230 kV Bangsapan-Chumporn and the 230 kV
Chumporn-Suratthani transmission lines.

KEYWORDS

Hot end yoke device - Insulator replacement - Transmission line - 230 kV double suspension string for
two bundles with arcing horn

Charoenchai.ka@egat.co.th
1. Introduction

High voltage power transmission line 230 kV Bangsapan-Chumpornhas been used on December
15, 2006 in a distance of 126.6 circuits-kilometer. The 230 kV Chumporn-Suratthani transmission
line has been used on October 17, 2007 in a distance of 352 circuits-kilometer. Both of them are
main transmission lines in the south of Thailand. To retain stability and all-time availability of
power system the transmission line is required as follows: (i) area surveillance by tree trimming
and line clearance surrounding the transmission line must be less than clearance safety
perimeter; (ii) tower ground resistant must be less than standard value of 10 ohm; (iii) hardware
and insulator must be operable and etc. After the maintenance teams detect damage in insulators
or hardware by sighting inspection, climbing inspection or inspection from helicopter, their
proposition for maintenance of transmission line by dead line or interruption electricity method is
against stability policy of electric power transmission. A case study of this research is the hot line
insulator replacement of 230 kV Bangsapan-Chumporn and 230 kV Chumporn-Suratthani
transmission lines. These transmission lines installed the special tools named as “arcing horn” to
protect lighting flashover by encouraging the flashover to take place between themselves [1] Fig.
1. However, the arcing horn causes difficulty in hot line insulator replacement. Hence, C.B.T.
(Chumporn Bandon and Takuapa) hot end yoke tool was developed for hot line insulator
replacement of 230 kV double suspension string for two bundles with arcing horn transmission
line.

Arcing Horn

Double Suspension
String

Hot End Yoke

Arcing Horn

Conductor type
Yoke Plate 2 bundle conductor

Yoke Plate

Figure 1 Components of 230 kV double suspension string for two bundles with arcing
horn

2. Methodology

A type of towers transmission of Electrical Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is

double suspension string for two bundles with arcing horn such as 230 kV Bangsapan-Chumporn
and 230 kV Chumporn-Suratthani transmission line. The 230 kV Bangsapan-Chumporn is an
important transmission line transferring electrical power between central and southern region of
Thailand. The transmission line is surrounded by seawater-air atmosphere that can accelerate
corrosion rate of insulators. When damage detection of insulators in these transmission lines are
reported, the maintenance procedure plan including the power disconnect plan is proposed to

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EGAT for transmitting electrical power from other transmission lines as a reserve power source.
The maintenance by dead line method causes more power loss or instability of transmission
system. Thus, the maintenance team designed and developed a set of C.B.T. hot end yoke tools for
hot line replacement insulator of transmission lines for two bundles with arcing horn such as 230
kV Bangsapan-Chumporn and 230 kV Chumporn-Suratthani transmission lines.

2.1 Design of the device

In 2007 the design concept of hot end yoke tools for 230 kV Suratthani-Thungsong was
developed; however, the tools could not applied with other 230 kV transmission lines due to the
difference of the Yoke plate hardware as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 4 shows the proposed hot
end yoke device that was currently developed to enhance insulator replacement application with
other transmission lines [2].

Figure 2 The hot end yoke device for 230 kV Suratthani-Thungsong transmission line

Star apple Yoke plate in 230 kV 2 pieces connected Yoke Plate

Suratthani-Thungsong transmission line 230 kV Bangsapan-Chumporn and 230 kV
Chumporn-Suratthani transmission line

Figure 3 Types of yoke plate in the transmission lines

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 (a) (b)

Figure 4 Drawing of C.B.T. hot end yoke: (a) side view and (b) front view

2.2 The tensile test

The weight of hot end yoke was about 400 kg; however, the tensile was measured by
using ratchet screw and dynamometer as much as 2.5 times of normal weight at 1000 kg (Fig.5).
The tensile result of weight of the transmission conductor size 1272 MCM/ACSR was 2.040 kg/m.
It was showed that the C.B.T hot end yoke was safe to replace insulators by hot line maintenance.

Figure 5 Result of tensile test under 1000 kg (2.5 times of normal operation) for 45 minutes

2.3 In situ hot line replacement of insulators

After the tensile of the C.B.T hot end yoke was successfully tested, it was used for hot line
replacement of insulators in 230 kV Bangsapan-Chumporn, 230 kV Chumporn-Suratthani, and
230 kV Suratthani-Thungsong transmission lines as illustrated in Fig. 6.

Figure 6 Hot line maintenance of insulators using the C.B.T. hot end yoke for 230 kV
Bangsapan-Chumporn, 230 kV Chumporn-Suratthani, and 230 kV
Suratthani-Thungsong transmission lines

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2.4 Safety rule in the work place

To use the C.B.T hot end yoke for hot line replacement of insulator 230 kV
double suspension string for two bundles with arcing horn, the procedure was the
following.
Firstly, prior to work, the maintenance team must have a scope review meeting to clarify
the maintenance procedures.
Secondly, the maintenance technicians must ware personal full body harness and safety
equipment.
Thirdly, the high-risk maintenance supervisor must observe maintenance activities on
the tower of transmission line.
Finally, the characteristics of hot stick and equipment insulation must be in good
condition before work [3].

3. Conclusion

C.B.T hot end yoke is the tools for hot line replacement of damaged insulators in 230 kV
Bangsapan-Chumporn transmission line, 230 kV Chumporn-Suratthani transmission line and
other 230 kV transmission lines typed double suspension string for two bundles with arcing horn.
The transmission line maintenance one in southern region operation division of EGAT prepare
manual operation and apply the tools to other transmission lines in southern region of Thailand.
The safety of this developed tools was accomplished for hot line replacement of insulators.
Moreover, the standard procedure for replacement of insulators of the transmission line installed
identical hardware across Thailand was prepared. The maintenance by hot line maintenance of
230 kV Bangsaparn-Chumporn transmission line, the important transmission line transferring
electric power between central and southern region of Thailand, could be performed to reduce
transmission instability and outage cost of this transmission line. In a case of dead line insulator
replacement of the 230 kV Bangsaparn-Chumporn transmission line, EGAT must temporary shut
down service and transmit electric power from other network transmission lines about 110
Megawatt (MW) or about 2.67 million bahts during 7-hour of maintenance time. Therefore, the
developed C.B.T hot end yoke device for hot line insulator replacement could save this amount of
EGAT payment.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand. The financial
support of this work was partially funded by the Faculty of Engineering, Thammasat University.

References
[1] Somchai Intasit, Transmission system engineering maintenance section (2002), 30-32

[2] Suwith Lianpanich, Hot end yoke tools for 230 kV Suratthani-Thungsong transmission line
submit to Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand research (2009)

[3] Transmission line technology and aviation department, Fundamental of transmission line
handbook, 63-81.