EE3092 -Laboratory Practice V

CORONA CHARACTERISTICS

Instructor: - Mr. A.P.A. Perera

Name: - V.I.P. Dasanayake Index Number: - 090075M Group: - 3 Submission date: -27/01/2012

Calculation

Theoretical values; Assumption; conductor is smooth and polished one

Disruptive critical voltage; E0, rms = 21.2 m0 r loge The correction factor = Irregularity factor =m0=1

kV`

=0.979

E0, rms =21.2*0.979*1*0.05cm* loge (0.15m/0.0005m)kV E0, rms =5.91kV

Visual critical voltage; Ev, rms = Irregularity factor=mV=1 Ev, rms =

)+

( ) kV

)+

Ev, rms =13.945kV

Power loss due to corona; PC = Phase Voltage (L-N) = E=100kV PC =

0, rms

kW/Km/phase

kW/Km/phase

PC =95 kW/Km/phase

Break down voltage Vs Gap distance Distance(cm)

1 1.5 2..0 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5
35

voltage(V)
9.091 10.909 14.545 16.818 19.091 22.727 22.727 23.864 25 25.909 26.364 27.273 28.864 30.227

30

25

Voltage(kV)

20

15

10

5 0 2 4 6 8 Distance(cm) 10 12 14 16

Discussion

1. The phenomenon of corona formation and what is the impact of this phenomenon for high voltage overhead transmission lines?

When there is a current carrying conductor due to the voltage of that conductor there will be a localized electric field around the conductor. So that electrons around the conductor will be energized and formed free electrons because of thisincident will flow around the electric field (tiny electric discharge). Corona occurring causes for several things such as Hissing noise due to the gas expansion Ultraviolet radiation Formation of Ozone gas and some other Nitric and various other acids Mechanical erosion of conductor surfaces can be seen Generating heat (not a considerable amount, but this heat generation is occurring for longer period) Forming Carbon deposits, so a path for arcing is created. This is usually associated with all transmission lines. But it is visible in very high voltage overhead transmission lines (Normally<345kV). Even though this can be neglected with low voltage transmission lines it is a real problem in high voltage transmission, because it causes for power losses in high voltage transmission lines (as an example when corona is formed , hissing noises are coming from the lines, so power loss is happening as sound). Because of the corona effect, reliability of the system is reducing by degrading the insulation. Since this is a low energy process for a longer period, it can cause for failing the system due to a dialectical breakdown. Other special thing is that, when there is a wet and humid weather condition, corona formation occurs easily.Since there are more H20(g)and H20(l)(water drops) in the medium, electronionization in the electric field around the conductor happened very fast. So when there is rainy weather condition or high humidity condition, power loss in a conductor is high (because of the corona effect). Because of these power losses due to corona effect, we have to face for operating inefficiencies, increasing cost of service for all ratepayers

2. The importance of the liquid resistor used in this experiment setup? Usually liquid resistors are used in high voltage applications and pulsed power applications. The main advantage of liquid resistor is that they are inexpensive and can absorb large amount of energy. So those resistors are very popular among those applications mentioned above. The main problem with that is, it is very difficult to get an exact resistance value from that. Normally there is an accuracy limit of +/-10% in a liquid resistor. And other disadvantage is that temperature of the solution in the liquid resistor is changing time to time, so that resistance of the resistor is also changing with the time significantly. Considering all the facts these are normally using in places where precise resistance values are not needed such as in dump resistors, charging systemsetc. In this experiment liquid resistor is used to absorb energy from the high voltage supply. Since this is a very dangerous practical with very high voltage, resistor is helping to sink some amount of voltage and rest of its supply in between plate and rod. For something like that, ideal equipment would be a liquid resistor, because it can absorb large amount of energy easily and it is cheap. If we use a normal resistor for this type of application it would be very expensive and very large. Since main task of that resistor is to sink voltage of the main supply to give the protection to the system precise voltage value for the resistor is not that important.

3.

The reasons for difference between theoretical values and practical values obtaining from the experiment (for corona characteristics)

Human errors Weather conditions including Humidity changing occurring didnt consider for theoretical calculations. Distance between plate and the point is not accurate 100% Round the figures, when calculations are done Visual critical voltage is very relative person to person since it depends on when it starts to appear. Even though it is neutralized from touching with the rod connected to the earth, it may not be fully neutralized, and it may have some charged ions in the plate and the rod. So in the next measurement it discharges through those ions and it gives false readings.

(p.t.o.)

 Errors could be occurred, because when one measurement is taken, next one is immediately taken. (After one discharge is occurred, that path is ionized. So when next one discharge is occurred in more ionized environment). It means all the measurements arent taken in the same environment. All the discharging didnt occurred between the point and the plate. (some occurred between the rod and the plate as well, through a random path)
Rod Point Discharging Discharging

Theoretical condition

practical condition (for some cases)

4. How to differentiate breakdown of non uniform field from uniform fields? Comment on the features of non uniform fields using rod-plate gap breakdown characteristics

Breakdown of a uniform field:For a uniform field when applied voltage is increasing gradually, breakdown happens with a spark, without any preliminary discharges. Breakdown of a non-uniform field:For a non-uniform field, when the applied voltage is increasing gradually, first electric discharge in the gas is appeared at points where the electric field intensity is high. Specially places where there are sharp points or curved electrodes in conductor. Basically when breakdown of the non uniform field occur, corona discharging occurred. If the voltage is high enough for same breakdown voltage of non-uniform and uniform field, we can see a luminous color glow only in non-uniform field breakdown. We can differentiate breakdown of uniform and non-uniform filed from considering the effect of corona discharging.

A non-uniform field between rod and plate: The field strength varies across the gap. The non-uniform field between rod and plate can be shown like following figure. There are certain places where field strength and field intensity is high, in those places, probability of occurring corona is also high (edges, sharp points,..etc). Environmental factors also affected for the electric field. So when environment is changing (Eg:-Humidity change) field intensity is also changing (electric field intensity depends on permittivity of the medium) so as the breakdown characteristics of the field.

Non uniform electrical field

Since this is a non uniform field, corona is occurred. If the voltage is gradually increased, until the breakdown occur, it will go under all 4 stages, 1. Undergo disruptive critical voltage which corona inception is occurred 2. Under visual critical voltage formation of patches of visual corona 3. Formation of visual corona throughout the conductor 4. Final breakdown of the medium

References
http://electricalnotes.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/what-is-corona-effect Corona and its Effects article by Evan Mayerhoff from High Voltage Connection, Inc. http://www.nessengr.com/techdata/liqresistor/liquidresistor.html High voltage engineering fundamentals by E. Kuffel , W. S. Zaengl , J. Kuffel High voltage engineering By Naidu Electrical power systems: theory and practice by M. N. Bandyopadhyay Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution by S. N. Singh