‘Short Circuit Testing 283 Finally, itis not clear what the TRV value should be for test duties 13 and 14, however what is generally agreed is that the peak of the recovery voltage should be between 1.17 and 1.20 times the maximum rated line to line voltage. It should be expected that in the near future, as the ANSI standards are re- vised and as the harmonization process with the intemational standards pro- sgresses further, these small inconsistencies will probably disappear. ‘The last two test duties, 15 and 16, are also single phase tests, but are ap- plicable only to outdoor circuit breakers. The aim of these tests is to prove the short line fault capability of the circuit breaker. However, in regards to these test duties, another inconsistency is found between two of the ANSI docu- ‘ments. 37.04 states that all outdoor circuit breakers must be capable of inter- rupting a short Tine fault, but in C37.09 it is said that itis not needed to dem- onstrate this capability for circuit breakers rated 72.5 kV and below. Experience has shown that the short line fault requirements are not con- fined only to the very high voltage circuit breakers and, as a matter of fact, a number of circuit breaker failures which can be directly attributable to the in- ability to properly handle the short line TRV have been reported. This fact is now widely recognized and even though, itis still unofficial, short line fault testing is being performed in all outdoor circuit breakers, regardless of theit voltage rating, 8.2.2.3 Most severe switching conditions ‘The most severe switching conditions are generally referred as to the case where the interrupter is subjected to a maximnm arcing time, or what it amounts to a condition of maximum arc energy input. Basically what itis in- tended by testing for the most severe switching conditions is to show that in the worst case the interrupter in any one of the poles of the circuit breaker is capable to withstand the maximum arc energy input ‘The most unfavorable conditions will be those where the contact separation occurs during a minor current loop and where the duration of the arcing time is Just short of the minimum arcing time required for interruption by that particu- lar design. As we already know, if the minimum arcing time requirement is not met then interruption will only take place after an additional half cycle of current, which for the worst case condition will constitute a major current loop, Since in a three phase system under symmetrical current conditions the cur- rent zeroes occut ata sixty electrical degrees interval then, there is a 2.77 mil- lisecond window to accommodate the variation in the possible arcing time. What this means is that, with symmetrical currents in a three phase system, if fone of the phases fails to clear the fault at its first current zero, this phase most likely will never see its true maximum arcing time because one of the other phases is likely to interrupt the current before the original phase reaches a repeat current284 Chapter 8 Current pu. Figure 8.17 Relation of arcing time for symmetrical currents and for different contact parting windows for a cireut breaker with a minimum arcing time of 4 ms. 2 112131 ‘Time ms. Figure 8.18 Relation of arving time for oymmetsical ourents and for different sontact parting time windows fora circuit breaker with a minimum arcing time of 10 ms. 1s as | zero and, even though, the energy input to the intemupter which failed to clear the current at it first attempt continues to increase, because when the current in one of the phases has been interupted the remaining two phases will evolve into a single phase current which is then interrupted by the two remaining poles in series, the to- tal energy input sill willbe less than what can be expected from a fully asymmetsi- cal single phase fault that has a maximum arcing time,‘Short Circuit Testing 285 rent zero where interruption should occur is designated by the letters A, B, and . This designation matches the identification that is given to the correspond- ing arcing windows, Figure 8.17 represents a circuit breaker that has a mini ‘mum nominal arcing time of approximately 4 ms. This arcing time is gener~ ally a characteristic of vacuum interrupters with currents greater than 15 kA. Figure 8.18 shows a minimum arcing time of 10 ms. which is representa- tive of a SF, circuit breaker, where the range of the minimum arcing times is ‘generally between 7 to 13 ms. One suggested method that can be used to determine the maxinnum arcing ‘ume fs Illustrated in figure 8.19. For me fist interruption the contact part is adjusted so that it occurs at a current zero of any of the three phases. in our ex ample phase A was selected first. By observing figure 8.19 we can see that: a) if the minimum arcing time is less than 3 ms. then interruption will take place atB. b) if the minimum arcing time is less than 6 ms. then interruption will ‘occurs at C, and c) ifthe minimum arcing time is less than 8 ms, then the cur- rent will be interrupted at A. For the second test the contact part is advanced by approximately 2.5 ms. to t, and in this way the arcing time window, that ‘we had mentioned before is not exceeded and if the testis repeated the point of interruption will be the same as in the previous test. any further advances of ‘the contact part will then result in a shifting of the corresponding current zero ‘where interruption takes place. Contact Pt aw reall Figure 8.19 Method for obtaining the maximum arcing tume tor a symmetrical three phase current test286 Chapter 8 The same situation, as it was described for the symmetrical currents, does cexist with asymmetrical currents, except that now the arcing time window is no longer a constant 2.77 ms. but it depends upon the dc. and ac. components of ‘each of the phase currents. Figures 8.20 and 8.21 serve to illustrate the shift of the interruption point for a circuit breaker that has a minimum arcing time of 4 ‘ms, when the contact parting point is displaced by about 5 ms. What it should bbe noticed is that for the conditions shown in the figures the maximum energy input (o the interrupter, shown, in arbitrary per unit values; does not oveur on the first phase to clear but rather on one of the last phases to interrupt. How- ‘ever, there are now two phases in series that are interrupting the current thus ‘making the interruption an casior tack. Of the procedures given, by the respective testing standards, for obtaining ‘the worst switching condition, the one described in IEC 36 provides a more clear and definite approach and it yields the same results that are being sought by ANSL. 18 — ‘I + | \ e 3 A : ‘y 1] |4 5 0.5 mt 1 | : 255 {4 Ler EF 105 n1.5 {gontect LI f | gE =82 aa ea EH 152 eleee ren neal Teelecdonckasl Figure 8.20 Arcing tine variation depending on point of contact pat for asysumetsi= cal currents. Assumed minimum arcing time 4 milliseconds, a comparative value of are energy input E (arbitrary per unit value) is shown in enclosed box.Short Circuit Testing 287 s 71 1 os | fH | TTT TELL 4 a re I\) | SE 2 esta Figure 8,21 Arcing time variation produced by advancing approximately 4.5 ms. the point of eouteut paul fiom die wriginal position shuwat ia Figue 821. Assumed mini= ‘mum arcing time is still 4 milliseconds, andthe same comparative value of arc energy Anpot E (arbitrary per unit value) 1s shown m enclosed box. ‘The referenced test procedure calls for the following sequences: 1. for the first operation the point of contact partis set so that the required value of the total current is obtained 2, forthe second test, the initiation ofthe short circuit current is shifted by 60 electrical degrees and if in the first test the first phase to clear did so after 4 major cusrent loop, the trip time is advanced by approximately 130 electrical degrees otherwise it is advanced by only 25 degrees 3. for the third operation the procedure of the second operation may be re- ‘peated and the same criteria about the first phase to clear is applicable. ‘The only objection that perhaps may be raised about the procedure is in connection with the change that is required of the inception angle of the short circuit current, which is required so that the asymmetries of the currents arc transposed between the phases, it seems that it would be simpler to change only one parameter, the contact parting time, rather than two parameters at the ‘time, considering that the results for similar contact part conditions for each individual phase, would be the same.288, Chapter 8 CURRENT p.u. | if “LIM HVANUGATIGMIE TIME milliseconds Figure 8.22 Tiree phase asymmetrical currents times t,t, and t, show the changes in the contact parting time to obtain the required maximum energy conditions Contact, parting times are advanced, or delayed by approximately 4.2 ms (45 electric degrees) for a3 cycle breaker. In figure 8.99 it ie shown haw ane may accomplish the required infemp= tion of the current after a portion of a minor loop plus a full major loop, by only varying te potnt of contact pan. This is done by controlling the tipping of the circuit breaker so that, for our example which corresponds to a circuit breaker with a minimum arcing time of 4 ms., the contacts will separate on the ‘Phase with the highest asymmetry (phase A in our example), at a point on the ‘minor loop that is less than 4 ms. from its next current zero, and which in the case that is illustrated corresponds to a current that is close to the peak of the rinor loop; interruption then will take place after the full major loop. For the next test the trip is advanced by 4.2 ms. and the interruption will occur on phase C, and finally for the last test the trip signal is retarded by 4.2 ms. and interruption then will occurs in phase B. For other circuit breakers having longer arcing times a similar procedure can be used to determine the required hianges in the contact parting time. Another point that one may find to be questionable, and that is only be- cause of the performance characteristics of today's technologies, is the need for satisfying the maximum arcing time requirements while performing test dlties 1, 2 and 3,