VFT RELATED ISSUES IN HIGH VOLTAGE

GAS INSULATED SUBSTATIONS

by

Dr. M. Mohana Rao

BHEL Corporate R&D
Hyderabad
E-mail: mmrao@bhelrnd.co.in
CONTENTS

Introduction to VFT
Effect of VFT in GIS
VFTO / VFTC
Transient Enclosure Voltages (TEV)
Transient EMI / EMC
Induced Voltages in Control Circuitry
Measurement of Transient E-fields
Conclusions
What is VFT?

In a GIS, Very Fast Transient Over voltages (VFTO) are generated

mainly due to switching operations.
The voltage collapse across switching contacts takes place in 3 to
20 ns depending on breakdown voltage, electric field non-
uniformity and operating gas pressure.
The short-rise time pulse (i.e., voltage collapse) starts at the
switching contacts that propagate along the gas insulated bus
sections/components and take reflections at different
terminations. Because of superposition of the original pulse with
the reflected pulse, VFTO are developed.
The waveform of these transients depends on the configuration of
the GIS.
The VFTO levels are found to be on the higher side for the
following conditions of the switching configurations:
(1) Small length of bus sections on the load side of the switch.
(2). High surge capacitance components on source side of switch.
DS Operation
GENERATION OF VFTO

Load
voltage

Source
voltage
Opening Operation
Why VFT is a Problem?
SLD OF 245 kV GIS
VFTO LEVELS?

VFTO – SECONDARY BREAKDOWN

Characteristics of VFT

Frequency Components of VFTOs in GIS

VFTC LEVELS ?
Coupling Phenomena
of VFT
Why TEV IS A CONCERN?
The very fast transient overvoltages and the associated
transient currents generated in gas insulated section
propagates partly to the overhead transmission line and
partly to the exterior surface of the bus section enclosure.

The most typical discontinuities in a GIS are SF6 gas-to-air

bushing and gas-to-cable termination. Out of these two,
gas-to-air bushing is the most significant one.

The transient voltages that appear on the exterior surface of

the enclosure during switching operations or earth faults is
known as Transient Enclosure voltages (TEV) or Transient
Ground Potential Rise (TGPR).
TRANSIENT ENCLOSURE VOLTAGES (TEV)

GIS enclosure is electrically continuous.

GIS enclosure is grounded at several points.

Induced magnetic field on the metallic structures and the

control circuits are reduced due to the flow of major
portion of return current in the GIS enclosure.
 TEV Levels in 800 kV GIS
MODEL
By using ground strips with large
perimeter (strips of rectangular bars)
to limit high frequency impedance.

By using multiple ground wires at the

discontinuities like gas-to-air bushing.

By decreasing the height of the

enclosure above the earth surface.

Application of ZnO arresters or surge

capacitors at the discontinuities of
electrically small insulated flanges, GIS
enclosures, GIS and connected
equipment enclosures.

Using low impedance copper strips for

shorting of the enclosures.
 Sequence of events possible for a
Failure of Secondary Equipment

Generation of VFTO / VFTC

Radiated EM field Emission from GIS modules

Transient Voltages in control Circuit / Cables

Primary circuit malfunction

Why EMI is important in
GIS?
(1). VFTO /VFTC generated EM fields are in the range of
a few MHz to a few hundreds of MHz.
(2). Compactness of the substation.
(3). Grounding of substations for AC not for transients.
(4). Control Panel is a few meter from GIS primary circuit.
(5). ICs are part of secondary equipment .
(6). Shielding of Control Cubicle enclosure is limited.

Radiated Emission through :

(1). SF6 Gas-to-Air Bushing.
(2). Cable/Air termination.
(3). Apertures like viewing ports, insulated flanges etc.
(4). Control Cable depends on its sheath characteristics.
(5). Control Circuitry.

Conducted Emission through :

(1). Voltage Transformer
(2). Current Transformer
(3). Ground Network.
 Transient EMI - AIS

Radiating Source Porcelain Insulator

housing
 Transient EMI - GIS

Gas-to-Air Bushing Gas-to-Cable Connection

 EMI Problems in
a). GIS of thyristors and protective relays
The malfunction
during Switching operation in GIS.
b). Flashover between
- flanges of gas insulated enclosure during switching
operations.
- gas insulated enclosure and ground strips.
- control cable sheath and ground objects.
c). Failure of Control Circuit connected to VTs and CTs.
 TRANSIENT EMI and EMC

Transient EMI :

- Momentary / Transient in nature.

- Generate during Switching, Lightning, Faults etc.
- Energy involved is very low.

-Control equipment is a victim.

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) is the ability of a equipment

to function satisfactorily in its environment without causing
interference to other equipment and without suffering
interference from other sources.
 SUSCEPTIBILITY / INTERFERENCE TESTING OF
THE CONTROL EQUIPMENT

Equivalent Disturbance Source has to be defined for each

substation to ensure reliable operation of the control equipment.
Following are some of the tests confirm the above:

Fast Transient Voltage test, 5-50 ns, 4 kV as per IEC 61000-4-4.

Damped oscillatory wave test, 1-1.5 MHz, 2.5 kV as per IEC

61000-4-12.

Rectangular wave test, 1 ns rise time, 1 s pulse width, 3 kV.

EMC test, 5 W/ 150 MHz, 400 MHz, 900 MHz noise.

High speed switching of an inductive circuit for 2 min.

 Transient EM Fields in GIS
230 kV

230 kV

500 kV 500 kV
Transient Fields in Substations
 Transient EMI and EMC

All the points of the grounding network are at different

potentials during switching. The electronic equipment
coupled to the grounding network.
 Transient EMI - Coupling

1. Radiated / Inductive
2. Conductive

Radiated coupling is predominant due to high di/dt.

Impingement of radiated fields on shielded /
unshielded cables and control circuitry.

Conductive coupling is predominant due to high

dv/dt.
Stray capacitance between HV equipment and
control equipment.
Transient EMI - Coupling
 Transient EMI - Coupling
Transfer Impedance Coupling
The transfer impedance is a characteristic parameter
of the control cable. Shielded cables have lower
transfer impedance. Depending on the transfer
impedance between the shield / sheath and the
central conductor of the cable, voltage/current is
induced at the control cable load circuit.

Pigtail Coupling
The pigtail coupling is an inductive coupling between
the metallic sheath termination (pigtail) and the load
circuit of the control cable.
Transient EMI – Induced voltages
Parameters affecting Transient EMI

Type of the substation (AIS / GIS / HIS).

Rated voltage of the substation.

Type of the switch being operated.

Operating speed of the switch.

Electrical characteristics of the bus being

excited.

Location of the excited high voltage bus with

respect to the EM field observation point.
Transient Voltages in Control Circuitry
 Transient Voltages in Control Circuitry

-Height of the control cable above the ground plane.

-Type of grounding of the control cable sheath.
-Transfer Impedance of the cable.
-Physical distance between signal wiring.
-Terminal impedance of the electronic equipment.
-Transient EM field levels and their frequency
content.
-Type of Instrument transformer i.e., CT or PT.
-Secondary winding impedance of the Instrument
transformers.
FDTD Model of the 245 kV Gas-to-Air Bushing
Installation100 With Gas-to-Air Bushing
|A| = 112.6 A/m

50

H - F i e l d (A / m)
0

-50

-100
0 100 200 300
Time (ns)

40
With Gas-to-Air Bushing
|A| = 36.94 kV/m

R a d i a l E - F i e l d (k V / m)
20

-20

100 MHz -40

0 100 200 300
Time (ns)
 EM Field Emission from Bushing (Frequency
8E+4
Spectrum).
3E+4
H-Field Axial E-Field
h = 0.1 m h = 0.1 m

A m p l i t u d e (a. u.)
A m p l i t u d e (a. u.)

6E+4
2E+4

4E+4

1E+4
2E+4

0E+0 0E+0
1 10 100 300 1 10 100 300
Frequency (MHz) Frequency (MHz)

6E+3 2E+4
Radial E-Field Radial E-Field
h = 0.1 m h = 2.0 m
A m p l i t u d e (a. u.)

A m p l i t u d e (a. u.)
4E+3

1E+4

2E+3

0E+0 0E+0
1 10 100 300 1 10 100 300
Frequency (MHz) Frequency (MHz)
Transient E-Field Emission Measurement from the 245 kV
Rated Gas-to-Air Bushing Model.
 160 120
|A| = 148.4 V/m
|A| = 103.8 V/m
R = 0.5 m
R = 1.5 m
120
80
E - F i e l d (V/m)

E - F i e l d (V/m)
80
40
40

0
0

-40 -40
0 100 200 300 400 500 0 200 400 600 800 1000
Time (ns) Time (ns)

60
|A| = 59.2 V/m

40
R = 2.0 m
Measurement using D-Dot
Sensor - Transient E-
E - F i e l d (V/m)

20
fields
0

-20

-40
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Time (ns)
 Conclusions

The switching of disconnector and circuit breaker devices

inevitably give rise to transient voltages in the control
equipment connected to substations.

Transient EMI is a major concern:

-Digital electronic equipment is extremely sensitive to
transient voltages generated during switching.

-Conductive coupling through stray capacitance in the form

of CT, CCVT etc. Radiated coupling due to EM field
emission from the entire substation equipment.

The grounding network shall be designed from transients point

of view.

EMC of control equipment shall be confirmed before their

application in high voltage sub-station.