Extracting Valuable Information from HV Circuit Breaker
Testing
Charles Sweetser - OMICRON
MIPSYCON 2014
5 November 2014
FINEPOINT
2
Agenda Topics
• SF6 and Oil Breaker Types (Info)
• Timing and Travel
• Power Factor
• Contact Resistance (Static and Dynamic)
• Minimum Pick-Up
Circuit Breaker Testing Protocol
• Performance Characteristics
Timing and Travel
Command Coil Analysis
Motor Current Analysis
• Insulation Components
Gas, Oil, and Vacuum
• Contact Resistance
• Supplies and Battery System
• Bushings
• CTs
Performance Characteristics
• Timing and Travel
O, C, TripFree CO, ReClose O-C, O-CO
• Command Coil Analysis
Current Signature
Minimum Pick-Up
• Motor Current Analysis
Failure Modes
• Major Problems May Include:
Insulation Failure
Failure to Operate
Failure to Interrupt
Catastrophic Failure
• Other Problems May Include:
Slow Close
Slow Open
Types of Breakers
Oil
SF6 Gas
Air: Blast or Magnetic
Vacuum
Common Components
Contacts
Mechanism
Insulation
Arc Mitigation
Control Cabinet
© OMICRON
Circuit Breaker Types
9
Live Tank vs Dead Tank
11
Typical Breaker Components
• Mechanism
Springs
Hydraulic
Pneumatic
Magnetic Actuator
• Contacts
Moving
Stationary
© OMICRON
Principle of Operating Mechanisms
Principle of Operating Mechanisms
Spring Mechanism
• Close spring is bigger than
Open spring
• While closing open spring
must be fully charged
© OMICRON
Spring Mechanism
• Close spring is bigger than
Open spring
Hydraulic
Mechanism
Magnetic Actuator
© OMICRON
MA – Field Prep
© OMICRON
MA Testing – Advanced Tests Recommended
1. Main Contact Timing (O, C, CO, O-C)
2. Contact Resistance
3. Monitoring (USP)
• Magnetic Actuator Function
• Storage Capacitor Function
• Capacitor Charger Function
© OMICRON
Actuator Current via OMICRON Current Probe
© OMICRON
Capacitor Connections
© OMICRON
Main Contact Connections
© OMICRON
Analyzing the Measurement
© OMICRON
Circuit Breaker Summary
BREAKER TYPES MECHANISM TYPES
Dead Tank Breaker (OCB) Hydraulic
Dead Tank Breaker SF6 Pneumatic
Live Tank Air Blast Spring
Live Tank SF6 Magnetic Actuator
Vacuum Breakers INSULATION SYSTEMS
Air Magnetic Oil
Low Voltage Air Blast SF6
Reclosers Air
Circuit Switchers Vacuum
Sectionalizers
Spring Type Operating Mechanism
Open/Close Coil Principle
Magnetic Arm
Close Coil
Open Coil Spring
Coil
Open Spring
Core
Close Spring
2.5
Coil Current [A]
1.5
0.5
0
0 50 100
Source: ABB, [RUS07] Time [ms]
© OMICRON
Trip Command – US Typical
Trip Command
Duration - 66.6 ms
Trip Coil Close Coil Delay
OPEN (O) 66.6 ms (4 cycles)
CLOSE (C) 133.3 ms (8 cycles)
TRIPFREE (CO) Standing 133.3 ms (8 cycles) 8.3 ms (1/2 cycle)
RECLOSE (OC) 66.6 ms (4 cycles) Standing 300.0 ms
29
Close Command – US Typical
Close Command
Duration – 133.3 ms
Trip Coil Close Coil Delay
OPEN (O) 66.6 ms (4 cycles)
CLOSE (C) 133.3 ms (8 cycles)
TRIPFREE (CO) Standing 133.3 ms (8 cycles) 8.3 ms (1/2 cycle)
RECLOSE (OC) 66.6 ms (4 cycles) Standing 300.0 ms
© OMICRON 30
TripFree – US Typical
Delay
Close Command
Trip Command
Close Duration – 133.3 ms
Trip Duration – Standing
Delay – ½ Cycle or 8.3 ms
© OMICRON 31
ReClose – US Typical
Delay
Trip Command
Close Command
Trip Duration – 66.6 ms
Close Duration – Standing
Sometimes > 300 ms
© OMICRON 32
Circuit Breaker Timing and Travel
• Perform a Measurement
-Contacts, Coils, Mechanism, Aux Switches
• Interpret performance characteristics
• Consult manufacturers specifications (Pass or
Fail) ,unlike power factor testing
Timing and Travel
What Can be Measured ?
1. Displacement (Travel&Velocity)
2. Breaker State (O:R:C)
3. Coil Current
4. Battery Voltage Level
5. Auxiliary Contact State
Performance Characteristics
1. Main Contact Timing
2. Resistor Switch Timing
3. Delta Timing
4. Velocity
5. Total Travel
6. Over Travel
7. Rebound
8. Stroke
9. Contact Wipe
10. Dwell Time (TripFree CO)
11. Dead Time (ReClose OC)
Specification Example
Identification CB1
Control Circuit Open 70-140 VDC / 6.0 A
Control Circuit Close 90-140 VDC / 6.0 A
Opening Time 17-30 ms
Opening Velocity 3.8 m/s minimum
Pole Spread Open 2.7 ms
Closing Time 50-85 ms
Closing Velocity 1.7 to 2.3 m/s
Pole Spread Close 2.7 ms
Overtravel 4.0 mm maximum
Rebound 6.5 mm maximum
Stroke 113 mm maximum
Dwell Time 20-38 ms
Reclose Time (Dead Time) 300 ms minimum
Measured Values
Main Contact Timing
Resistor Switch Timing
Pole Spread (Delta)
Travel CLOSE
Contact Wipe
Contact Wipe: The distance the contacts move during a close
operation from first make to the final resting position. This is an
electrical measurement.
Insulation Components
• Overall Power Factor
-TLI Tank Loss Index (OCB)
• Insulation Resistance
• DGA and Oil Screen (OCB)
• SF6 – Moisture, Density, and SO2
OCBs vs Dead Tank SF6
OCB Test Procedure
Insulatio Breaker
Test HV IN A IN B Test Mode
n Tested Position
1 C1G Open Bushing 1 - - GST
2 C2G Open Bushing 2 - - GST
3 C3G Open Bushing 3 - - GST
4 C4G Open Bushing 4 - - GST
5 C5G Open Bushing 5 - - GST
6 C6G Open Bushing 6 - - GST
7 C1G +C2G Closed Bushing 1&2 - - GST
8 C3G +C4G Closed Bushing 3&4 - - GST
9 C5G +C6G Closed Bushing 5&6 - - GST
NOTE: All unused bushing should be left floating
Tank Loss Index (TLI)
TLI = (closed breaker test in watts) – (sum of
open breaker losses in watts)
Negative TLI (-) Positive TLI
(+)
Lift Rod Guide Lift rod
Interrupter Oil
Assembly
Tank Liner
Dead Tank SF6 Test Procedure
Insulatio Breaker
Test HV IN A IN B Test Mode
n Tested Position
1 C1G Open Bushing 1 - - GST
2 C2G Open Bushing 2 - - GST
3 C3G Open Bushing 3 - - GST
4 C4G Open Bushing 4 - - GST
5 C5G Open Bushing 5 - - GST
6 C6G Open Bushing 6 - - GST
7 C12 Open Bushing 1 Bushing 2 - UST-A
8 C34 Open Bushing 3 Bushing 4 - UST-A
9 C56 Open Bushing 5 Bushing 6 - UST-A
10 C1G +C2G Closed Bushing 1&2 - - GST
11 C3G +C4G Closed Bushing 3&4 - - GST
12 C5G +C6G Closed Bushing 5&6 - - GST
NOTE: All unused bushing should be left floating
Power Factor
Power Factor
Contact Resistance
• Static Contact Resistance
Current CB1
Level PHASE A PHASE B PHASE C
100 A 77.93 µ 78.39 µ 79.08 µ
200 A 77.93 µ 78.44 µ 79.15 µ
300 A 78.00 µ 78.43 µ 79.19 µ
400 A 78.00 µ 78.46 µ 79.19 µ
IEEE C37.09 - DC test current of 100 A minimum and not exceeding rated
current
• Dynamic Contact Resistance
Closed position Arcing Open position
2 Stationary arcing contact 7 Stationary main contact
3 Moving arcing contact 8 Moving main contact
Dynamic Contact Resistance
Minimum Pick-Up
• Determine the command coil parameters and ratings, AC or DC, and
operating voltage.
• Determine a start and stop voltage for the command coil under test.
Example, 125 VDC command coil, Start [10 VDC] – Stop [125 VDC]
• Determine pulse time: the pulse time should be limited so the command coil
does not overheat, 300 ms is the default starting point.
• Determine dead time: this is the time that the command coil pauses
between pulses. The dead time should be long enough to assist is cooling
of the command coil. 2 seconds is a reasonable starting point.
• Determine the voltage step increment: This is the amount that the voltage is
increased between command coil pulses: 5 VDC is a reasonable starting
point.
Minimum Pick-Up
Other Terminology and Applications
1. First Trip
2. Slow Close
3. Minimum Pick-Up
4. Minimum Voltage
© OMICRON
QUESTIONS ?
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