Development of 72‐kV high‐pressure air‐insulated GIS with vacuum circuit breaker

SF₆ gas has excellent dielectric strength and interruption performance. For these reasons, it has been widely used for gas‐insulated switchgear (GIS). However, use of SF₆ gas has become regulated under agreements set at the 1997 COP3. Thus, investigation and development for GIS with a lower amount of SF₆ gas are being carried out worldwide. Presently, SF₆‐free GIS has been commercialized for the 24‐kV class. Air or N₂ gas is used as the insulation gas for this GIS. On the other hand, SF₆‐free GIS has not been commercialized for the 72‐kV‐class GIS. The dielectric strengths of air and N₂ gas are approximately one‐third that of SF₆ gas. To enhance the insulation performance of air and N₂ we have investigated a hybrid gas insulation system which has the combined features of providing an insulation coating and suitable insulation gas. We have developed the world's first 72‐kV SF₆‐free GIS. This paper deals with key technologies for SF₆‐free GIS, such as the hybrid insulation structure, a bellows for the high‐pressure vacuum circuit breaker, a newly designed disconnector and spacer, and prevention of particle levitation. Test results of the 72‐kV high‐pressure air‐insulated GIS with the vacuum circuit breaker are described. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 157(4): 13–23, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20451     

Development of insulation technology in compact SF6 gas‐filled bushings: Development of compact 800‐kV SF6 gas‐filled bushings

Efforts of designers of gas‐insulated switchgear (GIS) are currently focused on such features as smaller installation area and economical efficiency. Circuit breakers (CB), disconnecting switches (DS), and earthing switches (ES) have been redesigned in more compact configurations. Compactness and light‐weight requirements are applied also to bushings used in GIS. GIS bushings can be divided in three general types: capacitor, gas‐filled, and molded bushings. Requirements of the light weight and the economical efficiency of gas‐filled bushings can be satisfied by improvements in insulation technology. Size reduction can be effectively achieved by moderation of the electric field strength on the outside surface of the hollow insulator in the area of the inner grounded electrode tip. We devised a new inner grounded electrode structure consisting of a cylindrical electrode and a ring electrode supported by column electrodes. This paper describes the effect of reduction of the maximum value of electric field strength on the outside surface of the hollow insulator by a new type of grounded electrode. Then, improvement of insulation performance for electrodes with insulation coating in SF₆ gas is described as the composite insulation technology. Finally, the efficiency of these insulation technologies is described by the basic insulation test results of a prototype compact 800‐kV SF₆ gas‐filled bushing. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 171(1): 19–27, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience. wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20898     

Insulation resistance under DC stress and electrification characteristics of GIS epoxy insulator

Gas‐insulated switchgear (GIS) has widely been used for AC power distribution because of its high reliability and compactness. Recently, DC GIS has been developed with various investigations for dielectric breakdown characteristics of DC gas insulation. GIS insulation is composed of SF₆ gas and solid spacers, and it has been recognized that the dielectric performance of DC GIS is mainly influenced by solid spacers. Under DC stress, the electric field is directed one way, the effect of electrification for charges to be accumulated in the spacer must be taken into account and also the effect exists in AC GIS because the switching operations may leave the remnant DC charge on the AC GIS spacer. This paper first describes the effective resistivity (the bulk or the surface) of the solid spacer under the DC stress from the experimental investigation, and the critical factor on the solid spacer that causes reduced dielectric performance of the GIS insulation is studied. Second, the present paper deals with the electrification on the GIS with various levels of surface roughness of the epoxy insulator and metallic electrode. Finally, the DC insulation characteristics of GIS insulator are investigated based on the experimental results. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 168(4): 6–13, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20788     

Insulation properties of a CO2/N2 50% SF6 gas mixture in a nonuniform field

This paper describes partial discharge (PD) inception and breakdown voltage characteristics of a CO₂/N₂/SF₆ gas mixture in a nonuniform field. These voltage characteristics were investigated with ac high voltage by changing the mixture rate of each gas of CO₂, N₂, and SF₆ gas and the gas pressure from 0.1 MPa to 0.6 MPa. It was found that adding a small amount of CO₂ gas into a N₂/SF₆ mixture causes a drastic increase in the breakdown voltage. For instance, when the mixture rate of SF₆ in N₂/SF₆ gas mixture is 50%, with the addition of 1% CO₂ the maximum breakdown voltage becomes 1.31 and 1.15 times higher than that of a 50% N₂/50% SF₆ gas mixture and pure SF₆ gas, respectively. Moreover, those voltage characteristics of a CO₂/N₂/SF₆ gas mixture were also investigated by changing the electric field utilization factor as well as by applying positive and negative standard lightning impulse voltages in order to discuss the corona stabilization effect, which seems to be one reason for the drastic increase in the breakdown voltage. These results and breakdown mechanism of the CO₂/N₂/SF₆ gas mixture are discussed on the basis of the corona stabilization effect and the dissociation energies of the component gases by observing PD light images, PD light intensities through a blue and red filter, and PD current waveforms. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 140(3): 34–43, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.10019     

PD time‐sequential properties of SF6 and SF6 gas mixture including CO2

This paper deals with partial discharge (PD) time‐sequential properties of SF₆/N₂/CO₂ ternary gas mixture as well as SF₆ and SF₆/N₂ gas mixture under AC and positive DC voltage applications. The measurements were carried out by changing the gas pressure up to 0.6 MPa and applied voltage with the N‐shape characteristics of breakdown voltage versus gas pressure for each tested gas considered. We obtained experimental results of the gas pressure dependence of maximum peak value of PD current pulse as well as the relationship between the time interval of PD pulses and the peak value of PD pulse. We discuss the mechanism of increase in breakdown voltage by adding CO₂ into SF₆/N₂ gas mixtures in terms of change of PD type from streamer to leader discharge. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 151(3): 32–40, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20073     

Development of new‐type outdoor termination using composite insulator with SF6 gas: Commercial use for 77‐kV transmission lines and development for 154‐kV XLPE cable

Recently, composite insulators have been increasingly employed mainly for economic reasons. We have developed a new type of outdoor termination using a composite insulator, which can be installed horizontally on a steel tower in order to reduce the construction cost. In this outdoor termination, SF₆ gas is filled in the composite insulator and a cold shrinkable premolded rubber unit is applied instead of the combined use of a rubber‐molded stress relief cone, epoxy resin insulator and spring unit. The application of the composite insulator, SF₆ gas and cold shrinkable premolded rubber unit reduces the total weight and makes it possible to install the termination horizontally on the tower. The new‐type outdoor termination for 77‐kV XLPE cable has already been applied in commercial use and enabled a reduction of the construction costs for power transmission lines. A 154‐kV new‐type outdoor termination has been developed and its initial electrical tests were successfully completed. This paper describes the design and performance of both 77‐kV and 154‐kV new‐type outdoor termination, and a follow‐up survey of the 77‐kV new termination in a commercial use. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 159(4): 18– 26, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20511     

基于混合气体热特性的GIL氮气使用配比研究

SF₆/N₂混合气体具有绝缘性能良好、环境效益好等优点,被认为是能替代SF₆的最具发展前景的气体之一,但SF₆/N₂混合气体在不同场景下的混合比问题尚缺乏研究。文中在保证气体绝缘输电线路(GIL)绝缘水平的前提下,建立多物理场耦合计算模型,从混合气体热特性的角度出发,分析不同绝缘气体压强、负载电流和环境温度下SF₆/N₂混合比与GIL温升之间的关系,为GIL在不同场景下选择合适的SF₆/N₂混合比提供依据。结果表明：绝缘气体压强和相同压强下SF₆含量均与GIL温升呈负相关关系;设备的负载电流长期超过3 kA时,建议SF₆含量为40%～60%;设备运行在中低纬度地区时,建议SF₆含量为40%～70%,运行在高纬度地区时,建议SF₆含量为30%～40%。此外,由于设计GIL设备时考虑了安全裕度,因此通常SF<...     

Development of a high‐pressure air‐insulated 72/84‐kV disconnecting switch corresponding to bus‐transfer current switching

SF₆ gas has excellent dielectric strength and current interruption performance. For these reasons, it has been widely used for gas‐insulated switchgear (GIS). Today, such global environmental problems as global warming are important issues of concern. SF₆ gas is known as a greenhouse gas with a long atmospheric lifetime, and has global warming potential of 23,900. SF₆‐free 72‐kV GIS was recently developed by using high‐pressure air and a gas/solid hybrid structure. But an alternating current disconnecting switch (DS) has yet to be developed thus making this type of SF₆‐free 72‐kV GIS unsuitable for double bus‐bar application. Consequently, the development of a high‐pressure air‐insulated DS corresponding to bus‐transfer current switching has been expected. The bus‐transfer current is the highest among all current interruption requirements for the DS. To develop an alternating current DS, efforts must be made to reduce arcing damage to the electrode. This paper describes the fundamental characteristics of current interruption in the plain break type and the magnetic field driven type. Then, average arcing time of the magnetic field driven type was estimated by magnetic flux density. Finally, two types of DS, which were a high‐speed plain break and a low‐speed magnetic field driven, were confirmed to comply with bus‐transfer current switching requirements on JEC standard. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 167(2): 48–55, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20595     

Solid insulated switchgear and investigation of its mechanical and electrical reliability

SF₆ gas is widely employed in medium‐voltage switchgear because of its high insulation reliability and down‐sizing ability. However, SF₆ gas was placed on the list of greenhouse gases under the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. Since then, research on low‐SF₆ or SF₆‐free insulation has been carried out actively. Therefore, we focused on solid materials with higher dielectric strength than SF₆, and we have now developed solid insulated switchgear (SIS) that uses molding of all main circuits. A new epoxy casting material is used which contains a large amount of spherical silica and a small amount of rubber particles. This new material has high mechanical strength, high thermal resistance, high toughness, and also high dielectric strength because of direct molding of the vacuum bottle, as well as reduced size and high reliability. This paper describes the technology of the new epoxy casting material which makes possible SIS. In addition, mechanical and electrical reliability tests of SIS using a new epoxy resin were performed, and the effectiveness of the developed material and the mechanical and electrical reliability of the SIS were verified. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 174(4): 28–36, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.21057     

Creeping flashover characteristics in (N2/SF6) gas mixture under pulse voltage

The effect of a barrier between a needle electrode and a plane one in an (N₂/SF₆) gas mixture on creeping flashover was investigated using a microsecond pulse voltage. The SF₆ gas content was varied from 0% to 100%, and the gas pressure from 0.1 MPa to 0.3 MPa. The flashover voltage increased with increasing SF₆ gas content for a positive needle electrode. For a negative needle electrode, excepting the total pressure of 0.1 MPa, at which similar flashover characteristics were obtained to the positive case, a considerable decrease in flashover voltage was found in the case of a mixture of a few percent SF₆ in (N₂/SF₆) gas mixture at elevated total pressures. The corona behavior on the barrier in (N₂/SF₆) gas mixture was investigated by means of a high‐speed digital framing camera. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 131(1): 1–9, 2000     

Impulse insulation characteristics of a composite insulation system having a wedge gap in SF6 gas

Impulse insulation characteristics were investigated in a composite insulation system having a wedge gap in SF₆ gas. The partial discharge inception voltages of wedge gaps with various types of film were measured and compared with the calculated breakdown voltages estimated from Paschen's curve of SF₆ gas. Also discussed is how the charge accumulated on the film surface due to a partial discharge had an effect on the creepage breakdown voltage. Partial discharge inception voltages in wedge gaps were higher with higher SF₆ gas pressures and with lower film permittivities. Creepage breakdown voltages depended little on gas pressures or on creepage distances. The dependency of breakdown voltages on gas pressures and the effect of polarity on the breakdown voltage differed with the types of film. This may be partly because the charge on the film due to partial discharge had an effect on the discharge propagation, and that charging of the film differed with the types of film.     

基于SF6混合气体绝缘性能的设备补气策略研究

随着电力需求的增长和环境保护要求的提高,SF₆气体的使用逐渐受到限制。SF₆混合气体在一定程度上减少了SF₆气体用量,目前已经在电气设备中应用。文中针对SF₆混合气体在220 kV气体绝缘组合电器（GIS）中发生泄漏引起的绝缘变化展开研究,通过改变微量的气压值和混合比,探究混合气体的绝缘性能变化,分析气压、混合比因素对工频击穿电压的影响规律,获取各气压下各比例混合气体的绝缘强度曲线图,从而得到保证设备安全稳定运行的补气策略。研究发现,混合气体击穿电压的变化规律呈现出随着压强和混合比的提高,非线性程度增大的特点,并且得到了设备安全运行的混合比和气压的边界值。文中的研究可以为SF₆/N₂混合气体绝缘设备提供运维规程和技术标准,同时为制定混合气体的检测技术标准奠定基础。     

Arc erosion characteristics of Cu-W contact at load current range in SF6 gas

Development of SF₆ gas-insulated switches that have a long service life and are highly reliable at medium voltage ratings require arc erosion of contacts in SF₆ gas to be decreased. The effects of SF₆ gas pressure and magnetic field for arc blow-out on erosion were studied experimentally in detail using sintered Cu-W contacts. The test current, SF₆ pressure and magnetic field were 100 to 400 A, 0.1 to 0.6 MPa and 0 to 50 mT, respectively. The results show that the arc erosion rate increased linearly with the SF₆ pressure. The magnetic field effectively reduced anode erosion (i.e., the application of a mere 50 mT lowered the erosion rate to 1/3 to 1/4). These phenomena may be attributed, respectively, to the increase in evaporation rate according to the shrinkage of arcing spot areas caused SF₆ pressure and a decrease of the evaporation rate correlating to high-speed movement of the arcing spot on the anode by the magnetic field. However, the cathode erosion was insensitive to the magnetic field. The influence of both W grain size and composition ratio, Cu:W, on the erosion rate was also studied. The smaller W grain at Cu content of 50 to 70 wt.% was found to be best for suppression of erosion under the present conditions. Further, the increase of N₂ mixture ratio to SF₆ under constant total gas pressure greatly decreased contact erosion. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 118 (1): 41–51, 1997     

Problems of the application of N2/SF6 mixtures to gas‐insulated bus

In designing a gas‐insulated bus (GIB) using N₂/SF₆ mixtures, there are many application problems, such as the mixture pressure needed in order to maintain the required dielectric and heat transfer performance. Problems of recycling SF₆ are also essential in applying N₂/SF₆ mixtures. This paper presents the minimum breakdown field strength at lightning impulse and the temperature rise of the conductor and enclosure as measured for N₂/SF₆ mixtures. Considering the dielectric and heat transfer properties, we clarify the problems of application of mixtures to a GIB and discuss the appropriate mixture ratio of SF₆ in designing a GIB comparable to the present dimensions. In addition, the lowest limit of SF₆ content in a liquefied recovering method is theoretically estimated for reference in practical SF₆ recovery from mixtures. It is important for design to consider both breakdown phenomena, including the area effect of electrode, and the heat transfer properties of mixtures. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 137(4): 25–31, 2001     

Insulation characteristics of SF6 gas for nonstandard impulse voltage polarity reversal pulse waveforms

Evaluation of insulation strength for lightning surge that actually enters into substations is important in estimating insulation reliability of gas‐insulated equipment. The standard lightning impulse voltage (1.2/50 µs) is used for factory tests. However, the actual lightning surge waveforms in substations are complex and are usually superimposed with various oscillations. Insulation characteristics of SF₆ gas as a function of such complex voltages have not been sufficiently clarified. This paper deals with gap breakdown characteristics in SF₆ gas under submicrosecond pulses. Breakdown voltages are lower under a polarity reversal condition than under a monopolarity condition. The cause of this difference is discussed while observing discharge propagation using an image converter camera. The electrode size effect is also discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 146(4): 18–25, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.10246     

Insulation characteristics of CO2 gas for nonstandard lightning impulse oscillations: Evaluation method of nonstandard lightning impulse waveform for CO2 gas insulation

SF₆ gas is widely used in electric power apparatus such as gas‐insulated switchgears (GIS), because of its superior dielectric properties; however, it has been identified as a greenhouse gas at COP3 in 1997, and alternative insulation gases to SF₆ have recently been investigated. One of the candidates is CO₂ gas, which has lower global warming potential (GWP). However, CO₂ gas has a lower withstand voltage level than SF₆ gas; therefore, it is necessary to rationalize the equipment insulation level and reexamine the insulating test voltage for electric power apparatus as low as possible. From our previous investigation, in SF₆ gas insulation system, we obtained that the insulation requirements of the real surges (called nonstandard lightning impulse waveform) are not as severe as those of the standard lightning impulse waveform. This paper describes the evaluation method for real surges, based on insulation characteristics of CO₂ gas gaps. Furthermore, the method was applied to typical field overvoltage waveform in the lightning surge time region for 500‐kV systems and it is obtained that the equivalent peak value of the standard lightning impulse waveform is possibly reduced by 10 to 15%. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 163(3): 1– 9, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20560     

基于红外的GIS内部导体温度检测技术研究

为预防气体绝缘金属封闭开关设备(GIS)触头过热缺陷,解决传统测温技术无法实现GIS设备内部触头温度准确检测的难题,提高GIS设备内部触头温度的测量精度,提出一种基于红外热成像GIS内部导体温度检测技术。通过不同光程和气压条件下SF_6吸收率试验,对影响红外测温精度的光程和SF_6气体压力进行分析,得到光程、气体压力与温度修正值的关系,并计算得到温度补偿算法;将该温度补偿算法应用在红外测温装置中,能够根据被测物的光程和SF_6气体压力准确测得GIS内部导体实际温度。最终的试验结果显示,该红外测温仪在加入补偿算法后能够较准确地测量出GIS设备气室内触头的实际温度。     

Investigation of partial discharge mechanism by simultaneous measurement of current waveform and light emission

We observed current pulse waveforms of partial discharge (PD) in SF₆ gas so as to investigate the PD mechanism. We also measured light intensity and light emission image of PD simultaneously under different conditions of applies voltage and SF₆ gas pressure. From these experiments, we found that the “double-peak current waveform” appeared at high pressure and high voltage conditions. We also analyzed the mutual correlation of waveforms between a single current and the light emission. Moreover, we obtained experimental evidence of filmentlike light image appearing at the PD tip under the same condition with double-peak current waveform. From the electric field analysis around the needle electrode tip, we believe that the filamentlike light image expands beyond the critical electric field of SF₆ gas. Thus, we concluded that these current waveforms with double peaks showed evidence of leader-type PD, leading to breakdown. Finally, we could point out that leader-type PD should be distinguished and measured for the diagnosis of GIS insulation performance. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 129(4): 58–65, 1999     

Breakdown characteristics of gas‐insulated switchgear for nonstandard lightning impulse waveforms under nonuniform electric field

To improve the insulation specification of gas‐insulated switchgear (GIS), it is necessary to recognize the insulation characteristics of SF₆ gas during actual surges (called nonstandard lightning impulse waveforms) occurring at field substations. The authors observed the insulation characteristics of SF₆ gas gap under various types of nonstandard lightning impulse waveforms and compared them quantitatively with those obtained with standard lightning impulse waveforms. The experimental results were used to derive an evaluation method for real surges, which was applied to typical surges for various UHV and 500‐kV systems. In the preceding study, therefore, only the case of a quasi‐uniform electric field (with a typical range of field utilization factors in the bus of a GIS) was investigated. In the present investigation, the insulation characteristics of an SF₆ gas gap for a nonuniform electric field were observed experimentally and an evaluation method for converting nonstandard lightning impulse waveforms equivalently to the standard lightning impulse waveform was investigated. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 177(1): 11–18, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.21144     

Commercialization of an extra high-voltage nonflammable transformer

A perfluorocarbon (PFC)-immersed 275-kV transformer with compressed SF₆, gas has been developed. This paper describes the basic cooling and insulation characteristics of PFC, the ac partial discharge voltage, and the aging of PFC-immersed insulation. The results demonstrate that a prototype 275-kV 100-MVA three-phase transformer can be operated without any difficulties for an extended period of overvoltage. This prototype has an ac partial discharge initiation strength which is 1.5 times that of the ac test voltage and a lightning impulse breakdown strength which is 1.5 times that of the test voltage. A 275-kV 250-MVA three-phase transformer was built and is being operated at the Abe substation of Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. The transformer has been operating satisfactorily.