On Line Condition Monitoring Systems

For

High Voltage Circuit Breakers…

16th Sept 2006

S.B.Potnis
Crompton Greaves Ltd
245kV SF6 Circuit Breaker
400kV SF6 Circuit Breaker
 Types of Maintenances

1. Break Down Maintenance.

2. Preventive Maintenance.(Fixed Time)

3. Predictive Maintenance.(Experience Based)

4. Condition Based Maintenance.

Condition based Maintenance-
*Mainly in Developed countries.

*A few utilities in India have started Condition

based maintenance, but mainly off line.

*Limited data available within India.

Case Studies
 Case Study I
A Collaborative Project undertaken by Utilities

and Circuit Breaker Manufacturers in USA

& Canada to evaluate

The state of the Art in….

On Line Monitoring Technology….

Study on single phase A/R Type

245kV SF6 Circuit Breaker.
Period of Evaluation…3 Years

Made use of Different types of Monitoring

Systems on each Phase and incorporated
a large variety of Transducers.

The Breaker was operated 700 times at

Rated voltage and 300 times during
Maintenance over 3 years of monitoring
Period.
Primarily Two Classes of monitoring Systems
Used:

1.Stand Alone System.

This system has all of the On Line

intelligence located at the device,
has a limited storage of previous data &
Remote communication through Modem.
 1.Stand Alone System.
Input Transducers Monitoring System with Local Analysis Remote Communications

Out put Alarms

2.Distributed Intelligent System.

The equipment located at Breaker is a

Data acquisition System.
Data is Transmitted to Central Server .
The on line Analysis is performed and the
alarms from the system are generated
at the Server.
Long term Trending possible because of
the large Storage capacity.
2.Distributed Intelligent System. Remote
Communications

Net work Connections

N
e
t
Input Transducers

Out put Alarms

Central Computer Server

And Analysis

Data Acquisition System

Various Phase Current CTs
There are some monitors available which can now

take CT inputs directly from the Station CTs

be it 1 Amp or 5 Amps.

All the settings are possible on the monitoring

equipment itself.
Important question …..

.....what is to be monitored???

…….How is it to be monitored???
 Transducers Used in A Phase

1. Displacement- Optical Comb

2. Primary CT- A Phase Only
3. Pump Motor- DC Shunt
4. Control coil monitoring-injection of 1 K Hz signal.
5. 52-a & b-- Auxiliary contacts.
6. Heaters-- 4 Locations using Auxiliary CTs.
7. SF6 Density-Quartz Crystal & SF6 Pressure and Temp
8. Temperature-Ambient & Cabinet (RTD).
 Transducers Used in B Phase

1. Displacement-Resistive Transducer.
2. AC CT- small CT from Protection Relay.
3. DC Pump current.
4. Coil Current using 1 Ohm shunt.
5. 52 a and b contacts.
6. AC Heater current-using Current Converter.
7. SF6 Pressure and Temp + Separate SF6
Monitoring system.
8. Wind Speed,Barometer Pressure,Humidity
Ambient Temperature.
9. Mechanism Vibration A & B Phase.
10.Metering IED-measuring 3 phase I & V.
11.Control AC Voltage Transducer
 Transducers Used in C Phase

1. Displacement –Optical
2. 3 AC Phase Currents
3. DC Pump Motor Current.
4. Trip and close Coil Currents using CT.
5. 52 a and b Contacts.
6. 2 Heater CT in Cabinet.
7. SF6 Pressure and Temperature.
8. Temperature RTD.
9. Mechanism Vibration.
Experience and Insight in On Line Monitoring System

Data Acquisition system:

Worked well ,however experienced failure of

2 Pressure Transducers and 1 Travel Transducer.
These failures ,however,were relatively simple
and easy to rectify.
Computer and Computer Peripherals:

Following Problems were faced on this system:

1.Windows NT server hanged up intermittently.

2.CPUs that lose communication and will not
restart unless master reset is performed.
3.Defective Modems,phone switches.
4.Excessively long communication and down
load times
5.CPU Fan failure.

It was very time consuming to solve these problems

and required expertise in solving them.
No Alarm may indicate everything is OK or the
Monitoring system is not working.

People have expertise on Breakers but not in the

Computer systems.

Skill sets and Competencies are required to operate

& upgrade monitoring system.

Detailed Instructions required to interpret the data.

 SF6 Temp/Pressure Vs Ambient

SF6 Density or Compensated Pressure readings corrupted below – 20 Deg C

resulting in to false alarms.This was due to the heaters for gaskets getting switched on
At – 20 Deg C.
 SF6 Gas Monitoring Results

A Total of 5 SF6/CF4 Gas Systems were installed.

Each system generated erroneous results at

Ambient Temp of less than – 20 Deg C.

For this GCB there was a heater for heating

Gaskets below –20 Deg C which were close to
RTD for the Gas Temperature.

This corrupted the Density and compensated

Pressure readings below – 20 Deg C resulting
in to false alarms
 SF6 Daily Average

No Trace indicates problem

In monitoring system

Slight decline in SF6 Density indicates minute leakage, not possible to be

detected by normal means.
 Observations..

Notice the Oscillations in SF6 Density when Ambient

falls below – 20 Deg C.
(Due to Heaters Switching on at – 20 C )

Absence of Data is due to failure of Transducer.

Slight negative slope in Density is due to minute

leak in the system.
(Detailed investigation revealed that the leak is
from the connection made for the gauge installed
for the monitoring system.).
The On line system did reveal the problem but the
Data is required to be interpreted correctly.
 Vibration Analysis

Purpose:
1.To check if results are consistent over a long period.

2.To Derive method whereby the readings will be

Machine readable.

Observations:

1.The results were remarkably reproducible.

2.The signals showed consistent seasonal variation

in Summer and Winter.
 Vibration Correlation Matrix

Peaks represent winter

Valleys represent Summer

 Conclusions

1.Long Term Monitoring systems

can provide valuable data.
2.Data Analysis is required to be
done by Experts/qualified persons
to determine action plan.
3.Monitoring System itself is
required to be maintained.
 Conclusions
4.Training required to operate system
and Analyze the data.
5.Faults related to Transducers etc are
relatively simple to be solved,however
software related faults take considerable
time and requires expertise.
6.Two main pit falls:
Absence of Alarm due to improper settings
Generation of high numbers of false alarms
 Conclusions

7.There is “not a one size fits all”

monitoring system.

8.Data very useful to decide

Maintenance Schedules for the
particular type of Breaker.

9.Data on one Type of Breaker

difficult to extrapolate for other
type of Designs.
 Conclusions

10.Reliability of Monitoring system

is required to be of much higher
magnitude than that of the Breaker.

(..As there was no failure on the breaker

during this 3 years period, no comments
can be made in this respect.)
 Case Study II

A Joint Project initiated by 3 major utilities in USA in 1990.

(NYPA, Con Edison NY, ESEERCO.)

The first monitoring Prototype was installed on SF6 GCB

in 1993 called MONITEQ.

11 systems were installed by 1997 at various places and

on various types of breakers - Voltages 245kV to 800kV.
6 are on 345kV-800kV SF6 GCBs and 5 on Air Blast CBs.

Made use of a system with Data acquisition locally

and Analysis Centrally.(Distributed intelligence system.)
 Case Study II

Monitored Parameters on Air Blast Circuit Breakers:

1.Dynamic Air Pressure Drop at Base of each column.

2.Air Pressure in each single pole tank.

3.Moisture content of compressed Air in each pole.

4.Closing and Tripping Coil Currents and continuity.

5.Interrupted Current I2t and evidence of Restrike.

6.Control cabinet Temperature.
7.Auxiliary Supply voltage.
 Case Study II

Significant observations:

1.Identified Defective Mechanical link on 800kV

Air blast Circuit Breaker.

2.Identified incomplete Breaker contact Travel.

3.Identified a mechanical defect on Air Blast CB.

4.Helped electricians to trace Thermal Insulation

Problem.
5.Helped in identifying root Cause of Catastrophic
failure of 245kV Air Blast CB.
 Case Study II

Failure on a 245kV Capacitor Bank Circuit Breaker

In 1995 MONITEQ was installed on a 245kV CB.

Till August 1996 the monitoring was uneventful.

On 6th August 1996,the C phase blasted during

opening operation at normal Cap Current Sw.

Moniteq was used to Analyze the recorded Data.

(Black Box)
 Case Study II

Various Critical Signals analyzed:

Each nominal phase was normally interrupted.

Currents in Coils were circulated normally.

Position of Aux Sw confirmed correct Trip signals.

Major anomaly observed in one of the pressure

Signals at the column of C phase.

Analysis of the signals lead to conclude that the

Problem was either in the pneumatic Drive or Rod.
 Case Study II
The signals indicated that the opening electro-valve
Perhaps has mal functioned.

Closer inspection of the Seals of valve revealed

that there were scratches on piston and the piston
assembly was not moving freely.

The internal Temperature and Humidity data

Showed that the breaker operated at 45 Deg C
Which was much more than normal 20 Deg C.

Tests on O ring Seals revealed that, over time, O rings

became prone to heat induced dilation.
 Case Study II
The chronology of events was reconstructed :

1.An opening command was transmitted to the

Breaker.

2.Electrical command was Transmitted to the

opening electro valve through its Trip Coil.

3.Due to Heat dilation,the opening electro valve

piston jammed half way.

4.The Breaker opened normally ,but the jammed

Valve piston forced a pumping motion of pilot
Valve.
 Case Study II

5.Cyclical operation of the pilot valve caused the

Repetitive operation of blasting valves which in
turn decreased the air pressure in the tank gradually.

6.The Loss of Air Pressure caused decrease in the

Dielectric Strength causing the failure.

7.Maintenance on similar breakers detected that

two more seals on 800kV CB were also damaged
and the timely replacement of these seals saved
the respective breakers.
 Case Study II
Conclusions:

The monitoring systems do help in timely

identification of the expected failures in future,
However at times they do not necessarily avoid
100% occurrence of the probable failures
but definitely help in identifying the root cause
of the failures and help in avoiding failures on
similar other breakers.

This data is very useful for Design Engineers

to make robust Designs.
Techniques followed by

Indian Utilities for

Condition Monitoring….Presently.
Off Line Condition Monitoring Method:

•Dynamic Contact Resistance(DCRM).

•Adopted by PGCIL for @ last 2 years.

•DCRM signature of every Breaker

carried out at site at the time of
commissioning.
DCRM Signature of a New Breaker
 DCRM Signature of Problematic Breaker

Abnormal Signature,
Fluctuations at “A”
Thank You
DCRM
•RECENTLY DEVELOPED CONDITION
MONITORING TEST.
•HELPS IN PREDITCTIN OF CONTACT
CONDITION WITHOUT OPENING
INTERRUPTOR ASSEMBLY.
•THIS IS A COMPARISON OF DCRM
SIGNATURES OBTAINED AT VARIOUS
STAGES OF LIFE OF CIRCUIT BREAKER.
DCRM
LIMITATONS OF TEST
•THIS IS NOT A MEASUREMENT TEST.
•TYPES & MAKES OF TEST EQUIPMENT MAY
CHANGE THE APPEARANCE OF DCRM
SIGNATURE.
•CHANGE IN SAMPLING RATE OF TEST
EQUIPMENT MAY SHOW THE CHANGE IN
PATTERN OF SIGNATURE.
DCRM
LIMITATONS OF TEST
•VERY HIGH SKILL IS REQUIRED TO JUDGE &
CONCLUDE FROM CHANGES OBSERVED IN
SIGNATURES…

•However this test has been giving some indications on

the abnormal contact conditions and has helped in
identifying a few problematic cases not only from the
contact erosion side but also in the connecting system
for any looseness etc.
Thermal Imaging
Thermal Imaging
 Thermal Imaging

•A recent Technique for measuring Temperatures

of various current carrying parts/ equipments
in a sub station.

•Gives relative Temperatures of various parts.

•Requires expertise in identifying hot spots.

•Results can be compared with earlier data and

conclusions can be drawn after gaining expertise.
Thank You