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Presented by
John O Silweya (BEng, MEIZ, REng) Senior Maintenance Engineer Electrical Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc - Zambia
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PURPOSE
The aim of this presentation is to share
our experiences on the violent and unsafe circuit breaker failures experienced and some of the actions we are taking to prevent these failures and ensure the reliability of these circuit breakers for continued use on our 66kV transmission network.
This presentation also aims to solicit ideas from others who may have suffered similar experiences.
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Description of Problem
66kV SF6 circuit breakers catastrophic failure when in the open position Two failures of breakers less than 6 years old at the time of failure Evidence that they may have been conducting even though in the open position
PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
The opening starts with the opening of main contacts (26 & 27), followed by opening of arcing contacts (24 & 25), until it then fully opens.
Description Support Insulator Insulating Connecting Rod Outer Casing Insulator Fixed Contact support Moving contact support Filter Metal envelope (expansion cylinder) Coil insulating spacer (expansion cylinder) Fixed Arcing contacts Moving Arcing contacts Main Fixed contact Moving Main contact Sliding contacts Exhaust Volume
Maintenance History
SF6 circuit breakers are inspected and tested annually. Primarily insulation resistance and contact resistance tests. Quarterly trip tests. Both of the failed breakers had a 100% compliance to this test regiment
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2005 Y 19 18 24 B 30 15 26
[ 1 0 0
B 23 12 94
Circuit Breaker Timing Tests Year R 2004 29.6 Opening Time [ms] [(303)ms] Y 29.8 B 29.7 R 59.8 Closing Time [ms] [(573)ms] Y 59.7 B 59.7
2003 R
UE LE U-L 505 505 505
2004 B
505 505 505
2005 B
505 505 505
2006 B
505 505 505
2007 B
505 505 505
Y
505 505 505
R
505 505 505
Y
505 505 505
R
505 505 505
Y
505 505 505
R
505 505 505
Y
505 505 505
R
505 505 505
Y
505 505 505
B
505 505 505
25 24 39 40
30 35 42 42
33 41 35.6 37
2007
39
38
Year
R
2004 2007
29.6 30.5
29.8 30.1
29.7 29.9
59.8 59.9
59.7 60.1
59.7 60.2
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DESCRIPTION OF FAILURES (contd) 2. Bancroft No. 2 line 66kV SF6 circuit breaker at Luano Switching Station
The Luano Bancroft 2 line is a 37.4km line
was de-energised (bus-bar side on circuit breaker was still live) to allow the movement of a truck with an abnormally high load.
As the truck approached the line, it infringed clearances to the de-energised blue phase conductor and the conductor snapped. There were burn - marks on the ground. Simultaneously, at Luano substation, the blue phase pole of the circuit breaker exploded, resulting into a three phase busbar fault, with the debris being strewn over a radius of 100 metres. The calculated fault level at the point of fault on the Luano Bancroft No. 2 66kV line is 5kA. Circuit breaker is rated for 31.5kA for 3 seconds. The pictures show the extent of circuit breaker failure
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Mechanism failure
Unlikely for the Mill circuit breaker as it was found intact Though the bearing housing on the Luano circuit breaker was found cracked and the operating linkages were detached, it has to be established if this was as a result of the explosion or it was actually the point of failure
PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS
The failure experienced on the circuit breaker at Mill substation is most likely due to a defect in the interrupting chamber, on the insulating separator.
The failure at Luano Switching Station is thought to be either due to lack of proper moving contact separation in the blue phase (either contact jamming or mechanism failure) or loss of insulating properties of the SF6 gas. These factors, with the fault current caused by the contact of the abnormal load with the blue phase line conductor and resulting high fault current, led to the circuit breaker explosion, originating from the blue phase.
The fact that the line protection relays operated at Luano lends credence to the thought that the circuit breaker remained in closed position, probably the blue phase contacts only.
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ACTIONS CURRENTLY BEING UNDERTAKEN Procure an SF6 gas analyzer to determine the condition of SF6 gas in circuit breakers. Improve the lightning performance of our transmission lines Downloading trip test traces Engage manufacturer in
investigating the circuit breaker failures to understand their causes and hence put forth preventive measures testing the remaining circuit breakers that are in service so that their reliability for continued use can be ascertained.
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