Lech Skrobala

GCB History

BU High Current Systems

Copyright 2005 ABB.

All rights reserved. - 1 -

Zrich / Switzerland

ABB

 Copyright 2005 ABB

-2-

GCB in Power Plant

ABB

ABB Generator Circuit-Breakers around the Globe

Airblast

DR
DRT
E36.150

487
146
172

DB

982

AS

HEC, HECI
HEF, HEK

SF6

HEI

314

HGC

392

HGCS
HGF, HGI

HECS

1173
532

43
462
201
3117

141

1928

DB

1954 -1993

w
Ne pter
rru
nte

HGI 1992 -

Copyright 2005 ABB

-3-

New
Technology
HGC3 1998 - 2003

Air Blast - SF6

HECS 2003 DR+E36

1969 - 1998

HEK

1984 - 1995

As of Mai 2005

HEC 1995 - 2003

ABB

The Old GCB

Type DB AIRBLAST CIRCUIT-BREAKER

Copyright 2005 ABB

-4-

70 000
UNITS

ABB

The Big One

AIRBLAST GENERATOR CURCUIT-BREAKER

Copyright 2005 ABB

-5-

Type DR 36 u 1750 D
Ratings: 36 kV; 24000 A; 200 kA

Cover and side panels removed

ABB

1985: The first Delivery in SF6 Technology

Copyright 2005 ABB

-6-

TYPE HEK 3 CIRCUIT-BREAKER

ABB

Worldwide SF6 Generator Circuit-Breaker Type H

794
895
924

100

Copyright 2005 ABB

-7-

100

Unknown

26

77

World

2916
As of Mai 2005

ABB

SF6 Generator Circuit-Breakers HEC 7, HEC 8, HECS Worldwide

54
26

77

3
Copyright 2005 ABB
-8-

Unknown

65

World

327
As of Mai 2005

ABB

Range of Generator Circuit Breakers / High Current Systems

160

Copyright 2005 ABB

-9-

Short Circuit Current in kA

HEC 3-8

HGC 3
63

HGCS
50

HGI 2-3

Load Current in A

4500

7500

28000

ABB

Range of Generator Circuit Breaker Systems

Short Circuit Current in kA

160

HEC 3-8 (HEI 3-5)

Un = 24 - 30kV
63
50

HGI 3/ HGC-3
Un = 21kV

Copyright 2005 ABB

- 10 -

Un = 17.5kV

Load Current in A

HGI 2
6300A

7700 (8000) A

28000 A

ABB

Range of Generator Circuit Breakers

For power of the unit:

Copyright 2005 ABB

- 11 -

up to 80-100 MW:
up to 150-180MW:
up to 300-400 MW:
up to 400-600 MW:
up to 1000-1600 MW:

HGI2
HGI 3, HGC 3
HEC 3, HEC 5, HECI 3, 5
HEC 4, HEC 5 (with cooling unit)
HEC 7/8

ABB

Summary of main technical parameters

Type

HGI2
HGI 3
HGC 3
HEC 3
HEC 4
HEC 4 f.c
HEC 5
HEC 6
HEC 6 f.c.
HEC 7
HEC 8

Copyright 2005 ABB

- 12 -

*) with forced cooling

[kV]
17.5
17.5
17.5
24
24
24
24
24
24
36
36

[A]
6300
8000
7500
12 000
13 000
24 000*)
12 000
13 000
24 000*)
24 000
28 000**)

[kA]
50
63
63
100
100
100
120
120
120
160
160

**) with enhenced convection

ABB

Range of Generator Circuit Breakers

For power of the unit:

Copyright 2005 ABB

- 13 -

up to 80-100 MW:
up to 150-180MW:
up to 300-400 MW:
up to 400-600 MW:
up to 1000-1600 MW:

HECS
HGI2
HGI 3, HGC 3
HEC 3, HEC 5, HECI 3, 5
HEC 4, HEC 6
5 (with cooling unit)
HEC 7/8

ABB

1998: HEC 7/8 World Biggest in SF6 Technology

5
6

15

16

Tx

Aux Tx
10

Copyright 2005 ABB

- 14 -

12

1
2
3, 4
5
6...9

Circuit breaker
Disconnector
Earthing switches
Short-circuiting/braking switch
Voltage transformers

14

11

13

10, 11
12, 13
14
15, 16

Current transformers
Protective capacitor
Surge arrester
Terminals (limits of supply)

ABB

 Copyright 2005 ABB

- 15 -

Generator Circuit Breaker Type HEC 7/8

ABB

 Copyright 2005 ABB

- 16 -

Size of HEC 7/8 Chamber

ABB

Typical Electrical Layouts of Power Plants

EHV

HV

EHV

MT

MT

SS

ST

UT

GenCB

SS

SFC
G

SFC

AUX

Copyright 2005 ABB

- 17 -

Example of layouts

Abbreviations
M /U /S T Main / Unit / Station transformer
GenCB

Generator circuit-breaker

SS

Starting switch

A without generator circuit-breaker

SFC

Static frequency converter

EHV

Transmission system

B with generator circuit-breaker

HV

Sub-transmission system

AUX

Generator auxiliaries

for gas turbine power plants

ABB

Transformer Failures without GCB

Main Transformer
Ig

Fault Current

Is
HV - Bus

Is + Ig
Ig
Ig
t

Copyright 2005 ABB

- 18 -

tens of ms
interruption by HV
circuit-breaker

seconds

Fast-deexcitation of generator
takes seconds

ABB

Transformer Failures with GCB

Main Transformer
Fault Current

Ig
G

Is

HV - Bus

Is + Ig
Ig
Ig
t

Copyright 2005 ABB

- 19 -

tens of ms

seconds
interruption by
GenCB

interruption by HV
circuit-breaker

ABB

Pressure Rise in a Transformer

full winding shorted

generator side

full winding shorted

HV side

overpressure (bar)

2.5
2.0
1.5
tank withstand pressure

fault to tank from HV winding

1.0
tap changer contact fault

Copyright 2005 ABB

- 20 -

0.5

HV-CircuitBreaker

shorted winding

50

GCB

100

150

200

250 t (ms)

ABB

 Copyright 2005 ABB

- 21 -

Transformer Explosion in Germany

ABB

 Copyright 2005 ABB

- 22 -

Split Generator Shaft

ABB

 Copyright 2005 ABB

- 23 -

ABB

 Copyright 2005 ABB

- 24 -

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