Controllable Arc-Extinguishing Reactor with High Speed Response

Chen He, Chen Weixian

Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
E-mail:chenhehe@l63.net, cwxwq@l63.net
Abstract-A novel autoregulated arc-extinguishing
reactor with extremely short response time is presented. It
consists of a high leakage transformer and codrollable
bipolar thyristors attached at the low voltage side winding
of the transformer. Filter circuits are designed to suppress
high harmonic currents and are connected to the third
winding of the transformer. Methods are proposed to
reduce iron loss and partial heat resulting from leakage flux.
A technique is developed to measure the capacitive current
of power distribution lines and put forward the mode of
autoregulation for distinguishing between the permanent
grounding fault and the series resonance occurred while the
fault disappears. Experimental tests show excellent
performance of the development equipment.
Key words-arc-extinguishing reactor, capacitive
current, control system, harmonic current, high leakage
transformer, experiment
1 . INTRODUCTION
Arc-extinguishing reactor (AER) has been widely used
in power systems with the voltage no more than 66kV to
decrease the number of switching-off failures and to
improve the operating reliability. Traditionally, AER is
operated manually step by step and require that the
capacitive current of the lines is measured and evaluated
in advance. Development of autoregulated AER is the
general trend in power distribution networks.
Currently, there are 3 main types of autoregulated AER:
motor driven inductance adjustment; load tap changer;
and magnetic saturation under direct current. Consisting
of series inductances with bipolar thyristors, the novel
AER reported here is superior to others in its extremely '
fast response and convenient adjustment.
11. PRINCIPLE OF THE NEW AER
Suppose that the source EMF is
e(t) =f i E cos(w t +p) . The inductive reactance XLo is
connected in series with bipolar thyristors. When the
thyristors conduct at fire angle (o, the transient current
will have the steady characteristics, from which the
current of the power frequency component, the transient
reactance XL, and the ratio of XL to XLo can be obtained,
as shown in Fig.1. It can be seen from Fig.1 that
regulating the fire angle (o can smoothly change the
capacity of the reactor from Ez/XLo to zero. The new AER
is developed according to this principle.
When @Oo, odd harmonic currents appear, in which
the third harmonic current I3 is the biggest. For example,
the ratio of I, to the nominal current of the reactor reaches
as high as 13.78% at p=30. Therefore, it is necessary to
suppress harmonic currents.
: :
,'. ' 20' . 40' ' so. 80-
Fig. 1 versus the tire angle (o
XLO
For complete compensation, the harmonic currents are
the main composition of the residual current passing
through the single-phase grounding. In general, they
should be no more than 5-10A.
- *The developed AER consists of a specially designed
transformer with 100% leakage inductance, controllable
bipolar thyristors attached on the low voltage side, and
filter circuits connected to the third winding. The
schematic diagram of the new AER is shown in Fig.2(a).
To enhance the function of the filter, the third winding is
installed as far from the low voltage side winding as
possible. Oscillograms, of some typical experimental tests
are depicted in Figs. 2(b) and 2(c). It is clearly seen from
Figs. 2(b) and 2(c) that the third harmonic current in the
first winding (on the high voltage side) has been filtered
Off.
Leakage magnetic flux will produce significant eddy
loss and partial heat in the transformer yoke. Therefore,
methods have been developed to collect the leakage flux
and to direct it to the yoke. One method is to laminate
magnetic steel reels with the same diameter as that of outer
winding and to respectively put them on the upper and
lower windings. Alternatively, we can design the yoke to
cover the windings completely by enlarging the yoke
width and correspondingly reducing the yoke thickness.
With these methods, the iron loss can be reduced to the
normal level as in conventional transformers.
The developed AER is connected into the
zero-sequence circuit. In 6-10kV systems, the neutral of
the transformer is not available from outside. A grounding
transformer is thus required. Moreover, as in three phase
c - 233 -
potential transformer with five iron cores, we can
increase its power capacity and connect the AER to the
terminals of the open triangle winding, which has low
induced voltage suitable for single thyristor with limited
rated voltage.
(c)
Fig.2 High leakage transformer and current
oscillograms in each winding
fa. MEASUREMENT OF CAPACITIVE CURRENT
In normal operation, when the AER is switched off
((0=90), the voltage of the transformer neutral is an
unsymmetrical voltage U,, which is very low and does
not exceed 2-3% of the nominal phase voltage U,.
Putting the AER into operation will result in an increase
in the voltage of the neutral (displacement voltage,
denoted by Uo). Using the method of far from
resonance, we can determine the three phases
capacitance 3C0 and then compute the capacitive current.
Fig.3 shows the equivalent circuit, where both r and R
represent loss resistances.
Numerical, computation and experimental tests have
shown that a sudden conduction of the thyristors at the
fwe angle v, will result in oscillations in the circuit of
Fig.3 and the oscillations will decay to zero in 1-2s.
After this process, the reactance XL still follow the
relation shown in Fig.1. This phenomenon allows us to
measure 3C0 on-line with the circuit of Fig.3.
Regulate the AER to avoid the resonance so that the
voltage U, would not exceed a given small value, e.g. WO
<(4--5)U~. This will lead to R+r<<X, and
or
Fig. 3 Equivalent circuit for determining U.
where XL can be determined through the angle p .at the
voltage U.
Experimental tests have validated the above mentioned
results.
N. CONTROL SYSTEM
Development of a control system is vital for the
controllable reactor. Wehave designed the control system,
which has the following main function: (a)Periodical
measurement and display of the value of&; (b)Automatic
connection of the AER into the circuit (transfer of the fwe
angle q) when grounding occurs; (c)Automatic
disconnection of the AER fromthe circuit and automatic
resuming of the measurement function once the grounding
disappears; and (d)Discrimination between grounding and
series resonance.
The block diagram of the control system is shown in
Fig.4.
keyboard
displayer
f
- 1
[par]
Fig.4 Black diagram of the control system
V . EXPERIMENTAL TESTS
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A simplified circuit of our experimental tests is shown
in Fig.5, where E=l IW, Co*IOu F, and Up6.W. Set
the object value U, of the neutral voltage to be 1OOV. U.
>Us is the signal of grounding fault. The experimental
results are depicted in Figs 6 to 8.
U0
Fig.5 Simplified circuit of the experimental tests
As shown in Fig.6, a single-phase grounding fault
occurs (manually) at point a, resulting in a sharp
increase in grounding current Gd. The AER restrains the
current to a small value (residual current). The grounding
fault disappears (manual control) at point b. Although
there are oscillations in the circuit, the voltage U. is less
than U,. The AER stops working and resumes its
measurement program at point c.
U 1
. . : - . .I . .
. . , - . .I . .
. . , - . .* . .
. . , . ., . .
a b C
Fig.6 Oscillograms of grounding fault
and arc extinction
Fig.7 depicts oscillograms of theAER in reclosing
operation. Grounding occurs in the interval a-b. At
point b, the AER stops working (p==90) and $d
becomes a capacitive current. At point c, the AER
starts working again; and the fault disappears at point d.
Because Uo<Us in the transient oscillations, the AER
stops working eventually and resumes its measurement
program at point e.
Fig.8 shows oscillograms of the AER for a permanent
grounding. The AER will be reset three times. Because
U0 is always greater than U,, the AER is put into
permanent operation at point e.
Extensive experimental tests have verified the
effectiveness of the developed controllable AER.
.
. . . . - . . . .
U
i j d
a Id e
bd
Fig.7 Oscillograms of the AER
in reclosing operation
T - . . . . - . . . .
. . .
. . .
Fig.8 Oscillogram in case of
reclosing AER (3 times)
VI. CONCLUSIVE REMARKS
1. The developed controllable AER has short response
time and can be widely used in power networks.
2. The AER consists of a high-leakage transformer,
controllable bipolar thyristors at the low voltage winding
of the transformer, and filter circuits connected into the
third winding of transformer. Methods have been
developed for collection of leakage flux and reduction of
iron loss and partial heat in yokes.
3. A control systemhas been designed to automatically
control thearc-extinguishing reactor in various operating
conditions. .
4. Experimental tests have verified the effectiveness of
the developed controllable AER.
REFERENCES
[ 1 J K. Reichert, Controllable reactor compensator for
more extensive utilization of high voltage
transmission systems, CIGRE, Rep, 3 1-04,1974.
[ 2] G. N. Alexandrov, Controllable reactor of
transformer type, Electrotechnique, No. IO, 1996.
[3] Chen Weixian and Chen He, Autoregulation of
controllable reactors, High Voltage Engineering,
N0.5,2000.
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