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TECHNICAL BROCHURE
368
WG
Operating environment of voltage A3.18
grading capacitors
applied to high voltage
circuit-breakers
Members:

M. Runde, Convenor (NO), A. Bosma (SE), P.F. Coventry (UK), S. Dick (AU),
E. Kynast (DE), C. Paul (DE), A. Ribeiro (BR), J. Rickmann (CH),
E. Savary (CH), B.R. Sunga (CA), D. Yoshida (JP), J.K. Schjølberg, Guest (NO)

The figure opposite shows a two unit 300 kV circuit-

Voltage grading capacitors are accessories to high-
voltage circuit-breakers used to control the voltage dis-
tribution across each breaking unit / interrupting cham-
ber of multi-unit circuit-breakers, both when the
circuit-breaker is in open position and during making
and breaking operations. Grading capacitors are always
mounted in parallel with each chamber.
breaker with the grading capacitors in separate porce-
lain housings in parallel with the bigger porcelain hous-
ings containing the SF6 filled interrupting chambers.
Service problems and failures of grading capacitors
do not seem to have been a matter of great concern for
most utilities when considering the overall service expe-
rience of their circuit-breakers. However, exceptions exist.
A few utilities have in recent years reported about sub-
stantial problems, including leaks, disruptive dielectric
failures and mechanical fatigue problems.
Grading capacitors are during service subjected to a
wide variety of electrical, mechanical and environmen-
tal conditions. But there has been little common consen-
sus within the switchgear community regarding the true
nature of the stresses. Moreover, no internationally
accepted standards for testing of grading capacitors exist.
Against this background SC A3 established WG A3.18
in July 2003. The tasks assigned to the WG include review-
ing all aspects of the operating environment of grading
capacitors, and correlating this with state of the art testing
procedures and failure history. Based on this, recommen-
dations with regard to improved, commonly applicable test
procedures for grading capacitors should be given.

Representatives from more than twenty utilities from

Two unit circuit-breaker
with grading capacitors
nine countries around the world have been contacted
and interviewed about service experience and failure his-
tory of their grading capacitors.
The vast majority of the service problems reported
concern leaks and corrosion. Leaks were most widely
reported as oil leaking from grading capacitors in

No. 242 - February 2009 E L E C T R A 25

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Air Insulated Substations (AIS). A significant number of
cases of SF6 leaking into oil filled grading capacitors used
in Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) were reported,
although these were confined to a few utilities. In some
cases, oil leaks from GIS capacitors had been observed.
Moisture ingress into AIS grading capacitors was
reported in a significant number of cases.
There was no correlation with the number of oper-
ations or switching duty, but a clear correlation with age.
Leaks were most common for older grading capacitors.
Most of the affected capacitors had been in service for
20 years or more.
In some cases, a significant proportion of the grad-
ing capacitor population of a certain type of design was
affected. One large utility estimated that more than 5 000
out of its total grading capacitor population of approx-
imately 25 000 had been replaced due to leaks.
The figure hereafter shows a typical appearance of a
leak from the flange of a AIS grading capacitor.
Some instances of disruptive dielectric failure of
grading capacitors were reported. The number of cases,
a few dozens, was small compared to the total number
of circuit-breakers covered in the survey. The failures had
occurred on both GIS and AIS circuit-breakers. Most had
occurred within less than 15 years of service.
A dielectric disruptive failure is a highly disturb-
ing event, usually causing major damages to the rest of
the circuit breaker and in some cases also affecting
equipment installed in the vicinity of the circuit-
breaker.
In general there was a clear correlation between dis-
ruptive dielectric failures and switching duty. Most of the
circuit-breakers concerned had been switching low
inductive currents associated with shunt reactors, and
Oil leak in grading capacitor
of circuit-breaker
TECHNICAL BROCHURE
368
failure usually occurred on or shortly after an opening
WG
operation (although the internal damage of course may A3.18
have been created during the previous closing or open-
ing operation).
Examinations of partly damaged shunt reactor cir-
cuit-breaker capacitors suggest that the failure origi-
nates in dielectric stresses of an unforeseen nature and
magnitude, but detailed and convincing explanations
were not found. For the involved parties considered
this an unsatisfactory situation, as the understanding
of the phenomena of course is essential for finding
remedies.
A few cases where metal foil conductors connect-
ing the capacitor elements inside the grading capacitor
have suffered mechanical fatigue and broken off have
been disclosed. Broken conductors may cause internal
arcing, pressure rise and eventually lead to a disruptive
failure. Hence, the mechanical stresses the capacitors are
subjected to is a concern.
Viewed in the light of the large number of
reported leaks it is important to subject grading
capacitors to tests that verify their tightness and cor-
rosion resistance.
Corrosion tests for AIS grading capacitors should
consider the usual environmental stresses that all out-
door equipment is subjected to. Grading capacitors in
GIS have to withstand SF6 by-products. Tightness tests
should take account of oil and gas tightness both when
the external pressure is higher than the internal pressure
of the grading capacitor, and vice versa.
To check the tightness it is recommended to, as a
design test, subject the grading capacitor to ten ther-
mal cycles between the upper and lower service tem-
peratures specified, typically from -40 °C to +90 °C for
GIS and from -55 °C to +75 °C for grading capacitors
used in AIS. For oil filled capacitors leakage tests are
done by visual inspection. For SF6 impregnated capac-
itors, SF6 or helium leakage detection systems should
be used.
The tightness of oil filled capacitors is routine tested
with a pressure of the liquid above the operating pres-
sure for 24 h. For capacitors used in GIS, both vacuum
(1 Pa) and air pressure (0.8 MPa) should be applied dur-
ing the routine test at the highest rated service temper-
ature of the application, typically 90°C. The reason for
this test is that the capacitor is subjected to both vacuum
(by the circuit-breaker manufacturer before filling SF6)
and SF6 overpressure (in service).
No. 242 - February 2009 E L E C T R A 27
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It appears that the circuit-breaker operations cause
the most severe mechanical stresses. Broadband accel-
eration measurements directly on the grading capac-
itors during switching operations have been carried
out on around ten different circuit-breaker models,
both minimum oil and SF 6 technology (AIS as well
as GIS).
The vibration measurements typically show maxi-
mum acceleration values of several tens of g’s, but these
high values occur for very high frequencies (tens of kHz)
and are of less concern, since the associated displace-
ments are very small (mm and less).
A grading capacitor is probably much more vul-
nerable to vibrations with frequencies around its
mechanical resonance frequencies. These are typically
below 100 - 200 Hz. By low pass filtering the acceleration
measurements it appears that for frequencies below
200 Hz the acceleration values rarely exceed 10g dur-
ing circuit-breaker operations.
Hence, with regard to design and type testing of
capacitors it is proposed to use a shaking table and sub-
ject the complete capacitor assembly to half sine mechan-
ical shocks with a duration corresponding to a frequency
lower than the mechanical resonance frequency, as deter-
mined by a frequency sweep recording.
In addition, to verify the mechanical strength and
integrity of the capacitor housing, it is recommended
to carry out bending tests and pressure tests accord-
ing to the IEC standard for hollow ceramic or glass
insulators.
The service experience clearly indicates that a care-
ful investigation into the dielectric stresses that may
occur during switching of small inductive currents is
appropriate. The figure opposite shows an example
where the capacitor stack has experienced voltages
beyond its capability.
Careful modeling indicates that current chopping
and unequal voltage sharing between the grading capac-
itors during switching (particular those that might arise
during re-ignition) can impose significant stresses on the
grading capacitors.
Moreover, accounts needs to be taken of the ability
of a grading capacitor to be discharged through the near
short circuit loop closed by its associated interrupter,
TECHNICAL BROCHURE
368
WG
during pre-striking and during re-ignition, due to the
rapid rate of change of voltage and the high amplitude
A3.18
currents that will result.
It has however, not been possible to verify the results
of the modeling since experimental data is not presently
available. There is a need for more research in this area.
Still it is felt necessary to specify additional require-
ments and type tests for grading capacitors for shunt
reactor switching in order to ensure their strength and
capability for this application.
The WG has addressed the various types of stresses
grading capacitors experience in service. It is fairly obvi-
ous that many of the old capacitor designs were insuf-
ficient with regard to tightness and resistance against cor-
rosion. Comprehensive leak problems caused the lifetime
of many capacitors to be substantially less than the life-
time of the circuit-breaker itself. However, improvements
with regard to corrosion protection, sealing designs and
quality assurance have made this a lesser problem on
newer designs.
A solid, verified explanation of the disruptive capac-
itor failures occurring during switching of shunt reactors
has not been found, so this matter remains somewhat elu-
sive. More work, including full scale measurements is
required to reach a full understanding of the dielectric
stresses the capacitors are exposed to.
Finally, it is the hope of the WG that the information
that has been collected about the service experience and
operating environment in the future can be used as a basis
for international standards for grading capacitors. ■
Short-circuited capacitor elements of a grading
capacitor removed from a reactor breaker
No. 242 - February 2009 E L E C T R A 29