igre 112, boulevard Haussmann, 1990 Se: 26th August — 1st September 75008 Paris | ° 13-203 TEMPORARY OVERVOLTAGE LIMITATION SUBSEQUENT TO LOAD REJECTION - A NEW DEVICE FOR SHUNT REACTOR REINSERTION by F.AM.RIZK® —N.GIAO TRINH C. MELANCON TREQ (Canada) macs reactors reduce significantly the poyer transfer Switchable shune reactors ere normelly disconnected during heavy loads in order to improve the pover transfer capacity of long distance ENV transmission systems. Teaporary overvoltages (TOV) subsequent to Toad rejection nay then reach excessive levels, necessitating quick measures for overvoleage Limitacion and protection of power equipment. Fast relnsartion of shunt reactors, at a predeternined Stress associated with the TOV, would compensate Surplus capacitive generation, limit the resulting temporary overvoltage and reduce the energy duty of metal-oxide arresters, Tis paper accounts for a research . project undertaken at TREQ, which resulted ‘in che development of a modular-construction, triggered compressed gas gap and associated control gear, for fast retnaertion of [IV shane reactors, High-voltage Laboratory tests of » 800-KV prototype as well as computer similation of transient overveltages generated under various operating conditions of Hydzo-Québec's 9 950-bm, 735K transmission system, showed that the device responds specifically to precise stress associated with the TOV, and efficiently discriminates againat both lightning and sultehing impulses, Furthermore, fe ts completely immune to adverse’ atmospheric ‘conditions ané to variations in air density and anbient hunidity. Keywords ‘Temporary Overvoltage, Load ReJection, Retnsertion, Shunt Reactor, Triggered Spark-Cap. 1. Introduction Since ies comissioning in the late 60's, the iydro- Québec 735-KV transmission aysten has experienced # steady expansion, co Link the generating centers at Churchill Fells ‘and Manicougen in the Noreh-Eest, fand James Bay in the North-West, to the load center in the regions surrounding Hontréal and Québec city, The resulting BAY trangmisalon system in 1988 stretches over 2000 kn, and comprises 9 950 kn of circuit length. A considerable nunber of shunt Teactors have been gradually incorporated Into the power Cransnission system te ensure adequate volcage contrel [1]. However, permanently connected shunt * 1800, Montée Ste Julie, Varennes, Qe, Canada JOL2PO. capacity; at a result, avitchable shunt reactors are notmally diecornected during heavy loads. Temporary overvoltages (TOV) subsequent to a load rejection ay then reach excessive Levels, necessitating quick nessures for overvoleage Laitation and protection Of power equipment. Several alternatives vere examined to alleviate che problem of tomprary overvoltages acgoctated with load rejections. Fast reinsertion of shunt reactors, ata predetermined stress associated vich the TOV at the shunt reactors, var asong the solutions investigated ae it vould compensate — surplus capacitive generation, Limit the resulting temporary overveltage, snd racuce the energy duty of metal’ oxide arvesters. In addition, it has the advantage ef reinsersing only the required number of shunt feaetors needed for controlling the TOV. Reinsertion of shunt reactors into the paver transmission aystem ie utually achieved by meane of a clreult-breaker connected in series with the shunt feaetor, Such a clreuit arrangenent does not facilitate automatic control of the reinsertion and furthernore, takes a few cycles to complete the operation. ‘Conventions! open-air spark-gaps have algo been used in the USSR [2,3] and Eastern Europe to vapdidly reinsert EHV shunt reactors into the power transmission ayaten. However, the method has hot gained wide-spread application mainly because of ueilities’ concerns vith regard co the following nepects of the spark-pap operatton: = Inadvert operation under lightning impul Unvarranted response to svitching iapulee trans Sensitivity to atmospheric conditions such as Keing and rain, az well as air density and huntdiey Fluctuations, Lack of precision caused by inherent dispersion fm the level of minimum sparkover voltage. This paper accounts for 2 research project undertaken at IRE}, which resulted in the development of @ nodular-construction, triggered compressed gaa gap, and ansociated control gear, for rapid velneereion of EMV shunt reactors. The device nonitors the local transient voltage at the shunt Feactor, responds specifically to a precise stress13.203 associated with the TOV, and efficiently diserii- nates against both Lightning and switching impulses. Furthermore, it is completely immune to adverse atmospheric’ conditions and to variations in air density and anbient humidity. Different apsects of the design, construction and testing ef a prototype will be discussed in the folleving. 2. Deeten Spectéi 2 Fig. 1 Atlustrates the method envisaged for rapid wrtion of shunt reactors. 4 eireuit breaker iz ‘connect the shunt reactor to the €ransmiseion system. A triggered apatk-gap, connacted in parallel with the circuit breaker, ensures rapid roinsortion ef the shunt reactor. A control efreuit monitors continvously the Line voltage and current to differentiate the TOV from Lightning-Induced and ovitching transient voltages. At a pre-established level of the TOV, the the spark-gap is triggered, and rapidly inserts the shunt reactor into the tranemisefon system, A losing signal ts sent elmieansously co the efveute breaker 0 ensure » steady comoction for the ehune reactor, and minialze the duty cycle of the sperk= aap. In'Fig. 1, CB vepeoronts the capacitance of the circuit breaker, C the stray capacitance of the shunt reactor, CO a grading Cepacicance to ensure proper voltage distribution between che spark: ge and the shunt reactor. ee Lightning é arrester L aw igure 1: General arvangenent of the cfreuit for fest reinsertion of shunt reactors, 2.1 Operating conditions For che present study, a set of conditions were established by che Planing Department of Hydro: Québec for operating the spark-gep, they are summarized below: + A precise operating voltage level, Ue, under all climatic condiciens (50°C to 40°%C) Ue = 1,507354/3 = 900 wv; B ‘The operating voltage shall not vary with cine: + the reinsercion of the shune reactor should occur at the First transient peak of the overvoltage assoclated with load rejection: + The spark-gap should not operate under any other conditions than those corresponding to load rejection, —2- 2.2 Technical specifications ‘Table I summarizes the technical specifications end the general design cons{derations of the triggered ‘spark-gap. The withstend voltages, Uw, are typical for Ei equipment, The USOZ flashover voltages were taken as USOZ~Dwide, and the standard deviation ¢ was assumed to be St. ‘TABLE I - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Paraneters 200-xv 200-107 unte Spark-cap Prototype withstand Voltages, Uw AG voltage 200 kvras 800 vem Linghening impulse 450 ev 1600 ke Switching smpulse 375 1500 ie Fiashover Voltages, US0% AG voltage 230 vem 920 kven Lightning impulse 520 ev 2075 kv Switching impulse 430 BY 1725 kv triggered Flashover voltage Inetanneous voltage 225 kv 900 tv General Design Considerations Nodular construction 4 unte spark-gaps mnelosure Fiber glass cas ate at 0.5 MPa Sphere Electrode raphice 3, Design Considerations ‘The above operating conditions of the spark-gap define the general guide Lines for its design. + A precise operating voltage of the spark-gap, Anmune co climatic conditions, favors the use of a triggered spark-gap in a protective housing. The use of compressed-sFS was initially considered, his idea vas hovever” abandoned in Favor of | compressed air, vhich provides = better control of the triggering voltage. = The high withstand voltages favor @ nodular construction, An arrangenent of four unit spark-gaps connected in series waa evaluated, Table 1 sumarizes also the technical specifications required for the untt spark-gaps, rated at 200 kV of the spark-gap = To ensure a stable operating voltage of the spark-gep, graphite electrodes are preferred dus £0. thelr’ favourable erosion performance under areing conditions = To ensure a high reliability of the spark-gap, passive control and eriggering cfreuteries are preferred Natural flashover of the gap resuleing In tumeanted operation of the xparl-gap should be avoided. Finally, to ensure chat the spark-gap will be txlggered only under excessive TOV, some means of Aiserininating the TOV fron other transient overvoltager at the shunt reactor are required. ‘The last two aspects need further considerations in the design of the spark-gap; they will be discussed in the following,