Skip to main content

TESTING VOLTAGES

Power systems equipment must withstand not only the rated voltage (Vm), which corresponds to the highest voltage of a particular system, but also over voltages. Accordingly, it is necessary to test high voltages. Equipment during its development stage and prior to commissioning. The magnitude and type of test voltage varies with the rated voltage of a particular apparatus. The standard methods of measurement of high-voltage and the basic techniques for application to all types of apparatus for alternating voltages, direct voltages, switching impulse voltages and lightning impulse voltages are laid down in the relevant national and international standards.

Testing with power frequency voltages

To assess the ability of the apparatus’s insulation withstand under the system’s power frequency voltage the apparatus is subjected to the 1-minute test under 50 Hz or 60 Hz depending upon the country. The test voltage is set at a level higher than the expected working voltage in order to be able to simulate the stresses likely to be encountered over the years of service. For indoor installations the equipment tests are carried out under dry conditions only. For outdoor equipment tests may be required under conditions of standard rain as prescribed in the appropriate standards.

Testing with lightning impulse voltages

Lightning strokes terminating on transmission lines will induce steep rising voltages in the line and set up travelling waves along the line and may damage the system’s insulation. The magnitude of these over voltages may reach several thousand kilo volts, depending upon the insulation. Exhaustive measurements and long experience have shown that lightning over voltages are characterized by short front duration, ranging from a fraction of a microsecond to several tens of microseconds and then slowly decreasing to zero. The standard impulse voltage has been accepted as a periodic impulse that reaches its peak value in 1.2 /sec and then decreases slowly (in about 50 /sec) to half its peak value. In addition to testing equipment, impulse voltages are extensively used in research laboratories in the fundamental studies of electrical discharge mechanisms, notably when the time to breakdown is of interest.

Testing with switching impulses

Transient over voltages accompanying sudden changes in the state of power systems, e.g. switching operations or faults, are known as switching impulse voltages. It has become generally recognized that switching impulse voltages are usually the dominant factor affecting the design of insulation in high voltage. power systems for rated voltages of about 300 kV and above. Accordingly, the various international standards recommend that equipment designed for voltages above 300 kV be tested for switching impulses. Although the wave shape of switching over voltages occurring in the system may vary widely, experience has shown that for flashover distances in atmospheric air of practical interest the lowest withstand values are obtained with surges with front times between 100 and 300 /sec. Hence, the recommended switching surge voltage has been designated to have a front time of about 250 /sec and half value time of 2500 /sec. For GIS (gas-insulated switchgear) on-site testing, oscillating switching impulse voltages are recommended for obtaining higher efficiency of the impulse voltage generator.

D.C. voltages

In the past dc voltages have been chiefly used for purely scientific research work. Industrial applications were mainly limited to testing cables with relatively large capacitance, which take a very large current when tested with ac voltages, and in testing insulations in which internal discharges may lead to degradation of the insulation under testing conditions. In recent years, with the rapidly growing interest in HVDC transmission, an increasing number of industrial laboratories are being equipped with sources for producing dc high voltages. Because of the diversity in the application of dc high voltages, ranging from basic physics experiments to industrial applications, the requirements on the output voltage will vary accordingly.

Testing with very low-frequency voltage

In the earlier years when electric power distribution systems used mainly paper-insulated lead covered cables (PILC) on-site testing specifications called for tests under dc voltages. Typically the tests were carried out at 4–4.5V0.

The tests helped to isolate defective cables without further damaging good cable insulation. With the widespread use of extruded insulation cables of higher dielectric strength, the test voltage levels were increased to 5–8V0. In the 1970s premature failures of extruded dielectric cables factory tested under dc voltage at specified levels were noted. Hence on-site testing of cables under very low frequency (VLF) of approximately 0.1Hz has been adopted.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE AND DIELECTRIC STRENGTH

An insulator or dielectric is a substance within which there are no mobile electrons necessary for electric conduction. However, when the voltage applied to such an insulator exceeds a certain value, then it breaks down and allows a heavy electric current (much larger than the usual leakage current) to flow through it. If the insulator is a solid medium, it gets punctured or cracked. The disruptive or breakdown voltage of an insulator is the minimum voltage required to break it down. Dielectric strength of an insulator or dielectric medium is given by the maximum potential difference which a unit thickness of the medium can withstand without breaking down. In other words, the dielectric strength is given by the potential gradient necessary to cause breakdown of an insulator. Its unit is volt/meter (V/m) although it is usually expressed in KV/mm. For example, when we say that the dielectric strength of air is 3 KV/mm, then it means that the maximum PD which one mm thickness of ...
Read more

EQUIPMENT OF STEAM POWER STATION

A modern steam power station is highly complex and has numerous equipment and auxiliaries. However, the most important constituents of a steam power station are: 1. Steam generating equipment 2. Condenser 3. Prime mover 4. Water treatment plant 5. Electrical equipment. 1. STEAM GENERATING EQUIPMENT: This is an important part of steam power station. It is concerned with the generation of superheated steam and includes such items as boiler, boiler furnace, super heater, economizer, air pre-heater and other heat reclaiming devices. (I) BOILER : A boiler is closed vessel in which water is converted into steam by utilizing the heat of coal combustion. Steam boilers are broadly classified into the following two types: (a) Water tube boilers (b) Fire tube boilers In a water tube boiler, water flows through the tubes and the hot gases of combustion flow over these tubes. On the other hand, in a fire tube boiler, the hot products of combustion pass through the tubes surrounded by water. Wate...
Read more

TYPES OF SINGLE PHASE MOTORS

Single phase motors are manufactured in fractional kilowatt range to be operated on single phase supply and for use in numerous applications like ceiling fans, refrigerators, food mixers, hair driers, portable drills, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, sewing machines, electric shavers, office machinery etc. Single phase motors are manufactured in different types to meet the requirements of various applications. Single phase motors are classified on the basis of their construction and starting methods employed. The main types of single phase motors are: (a) Induction motors (b) Synchronous motors (c) Commutator motors The various types of motors under each class are shown as under: Repulsion, repulsion induction and reluctance start motors are not used these days, they have been largely replaced by split phase motors with special capacitors which can be designed to perform equally well as repulsion types. In addition they offer such advantages as lower cost and trouble fr...
Post a Comment
Read more

PRIMARY SECONDARY AND TERTIARY FREQUENCY CONTROL IN POWER SYSTEMS

Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Frequency Control in Power Systems Author: Engr. Aneel Kumar Keywords: frequency control, primary frequency control, automatic generation control (AGC), tertiary control, load-frequency control, grid stability. Frequency control keeps the power grid stable by balancing generation and load. When generation and demand drift apart, system frequency moves away from its nominal value (50 or 60 Hz). Grids rely on three hierarchical control layers — Primary , Secondary (AGC), and Tertiary — to arrest frequency deviation, restore the set-point and optimize generation dispatch. Related: Power System Stability — causes & mitigation Overview of primary, secondary and tertiary frequency control in power systems. ⚡ Primary Frequency Control (Droop Control) Primary control is a fast, local response implemented by generator governors (dro...
2 comments
Read more

PHASOR DIAGRAM OF A TWO AXIS SALIENT POLE GENERATOR

Following phasor is phsor diagram of a two-axis salient pole generator . The following points apply to the drawing of phasor diagrams of generators and motors:- • The terminal voltage V is the reference phasor and is drawn horizontally. • The emf E lies along the pole axis of the rotor. • The current in the stator can be resolved into two components, its direct component along the ‘direct or d-axis’ and its quadrature component along the ‘quadrature or q-axis’. The emf E leads the voltage V in an anti-clockwise direction when the machine is a generator. Each reactance and resistance in the machine has a volt drop associated with it due to the stator current flowing through it. Consider a generator. The following currents and voltages can be shown in a phasor diagram for both the steady and the dynamic states. E                      the emf produced by the field current If . V    ...
Post a Comment
Read more

FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM OF DIESEL ENGINE

Fuel injection is a system for mixing fuel with air in an internal combustion engine. A fuel injection system is designed and calibrated specifically for the type of fuel it will handle. Most fuel injection systems are for diesel applications. With the advent of electronic fuel injection (EFI), the diesel gasoline hardware has become similar. EFI’s programmable firmware has permitted common hardware to be used with different fuels. Carburetors were the predominant method used to meter fuel before the widespread use of fuel injection. A variety of injection systems have existed since the earliest usage of the internal combustion engine. The primary difference between carburetors and fuel injection is that fuel injection atomizes the fuel by forcibly pumping it through a small nozzle under high pressure, while a carburetor relies on low pressure created by intake air rushing through it to add the fuel to the air stream. The fuel injector is only a nozzle and a valve: the power to inj...
Post a Comment
Read more

ELECTRIC MOTOR PRINCIPLES

The electric motor in its simplest terms is a converter of electrical energy to useful mechanical energy. The electric motor has played a leading role in the high productivity of modern industry, and it is therefore directly responsible for the high standard of living being enjoyed throughout the industrialized world. An electric motor’s principle of operation is based on the fact that a current- carrying conductor, when placed in a magnetic field, will have a force exerted on the conductor proportional to the current flowing in the conductor and to the strength of the magnetic field. In alternating current motors, the windings placed in the laminated stator core produce the magnetic field. The aluminum bars in the laminated rotor core are the current carrying conductors upon which the force acts. The resultant action is the rotary motion of the rotor and shaft, which can then be coupled to various devices to be driven and produce the output. Many types of motors are produced today. Un...
Post a Comment
Read more