Circuit Breaking Transients

3-Phase symmetrical short circuit on a generator

CB
R

3-phase short circuit

eb If
B

iB vB

iB

Short circuit current consist of two components- dc offset current and symmetrical short circuit current Subtransient Transient DC off-set

VB Arc voltage Recovery voltage(power frequency)

Contacts begin to separate

Transient Recovery Voltage

CB

L
+ e G

i Etrv

i=0

1/ C
Fault

Where L is the generator inductance C is the stray generator capacitance

The generator emf and short circuit current are

e = Em cos t

i = Em cos(t 90) / L = Em sin t / L;

The CB opens at t=0 (when i=0).The natural frequency of oscillations. 1 n = L C Assuming e at t=0 is Em. The governing differential equation of the circuit is

d i + d t

1 C 1 C

id t =

E m

* u (t )

E tr v =

id t

Solving the above equations for Etrv and it is given by the following expression
t Etrv = Em(1 cos ); t 0 LC

The waveform is
2Em Em
f = 1 2 LC

With the power frequency sinusoidal generator voltage and consideration of circuit damping,the transient recovery voltage will be
t Etrv = Em(1 cos ) + Em cos t t 0 LC

Since at power frequency across the capacitor.

L 

1 C

generator voltage fully appers

In view of arc restriking the following are considered to be important 1.Maximum value of Etrv 2.Maximum value of rate of rise of Etrv From the expression of Etrv ,the maximum value is 2Em at t= L C and Differentiating Etrv ,the rate of rise of recovery voltage is Em t RRRV = sin (8) LC LC

Its maximum value is

RRRV max =

Em (9) LC

Where fn = LC / 2

= 2 fnEm ,the natural frequency of oscillations.

If the power factor of the short circuit non zero then

Etrv(max) = 2Em sin (10) RRRV (max) = 2 fnEm sin (11)

Where is the power factor angle Observation:From eq (11) RRRV(max) can be reduced by reducing fn,by introduction of damping into the circuit by addition of resistance.

Example

A 50 Hz, 3-phase synchronous generator has an inductance per phase of 1.75 mH and its neutral is grounded. It feeds a line through a circuit breaker. The total stray capacitance to ground of the generator and circuit breaker is 0.0025 micro Farad. A fault occurs just beyond the circuit breaker, which opens when the symmetrical SC current is 7000 A (rms). Ignoring the first pole to clear factor, determine the following:
a) b) c) d) e)

Natural frequency of oscillations Peak value of TRV Time at which peak value of TRV occurs Maximum rate of rise of TRV Time at which the maximum in part (a) occurs

a)

fn =

2 LC 2 1.75 103 0.0025 106 =76.1 kHz

106 = 2 2.092

b) E = IwL = 7500x314x1.75x10-3 = 4.121 kV Em = 4121 2 = 5827 V Peak value of TRV = 2Em

= 2 x 5827 = 11655 V tp c) Time to peak value of TRV is given by = LC tp = x2.0292x10-6=6.57 s d)

( RRRV ) max =

Em LC

5827 106 = = 2785V / s 2.029

e) Time to (RRV)max= 0.5 tp = 3.285 s

Resistance Switching
r i L CB + e C ic Fault ir

For finding natural frequency,the voltage source is assumed short circuited (e=0)
di 1 + i cdt = 0 (12) dt C i = i c + i r (13) 1 i cdt = r * i r (14) C L

Then

Contd

The above equations yield

d2ir 1 dir 1 + + ir = 0 2 dt rC dt LC
The natural frequency of oscillations is given by
1 1 1 2 ( ( )) fn = 2 LC 2rC (15)

From eqn (15), the frequency of oscillations is reduced by inclusion of r and therefore RRRVmax (from eqn (11)) and for critical damping r = 0.5

L C

The resistance is brought into circuit automatically by closing of the auxiliary resistor break before the main break opens as shown in the figure below.

Main break

Aux resistor break

The value of resistance is of the order of 300-500 ohms in the case of 145kV air-blast circuit breakers. In the oil circuit breaker the opening resistance needs to carry only 5-10 percent of rated current.

First Pole to Clear Factor

R 3-Phase fault N Y S

B Vf

The pole of B phase has just opened.The short circuit point S is then at the mid point potential of VRY as shown in the figure B below.
N

From the figure

Vf = VBS = VBN + VNS = 1.5VBN (16)

*The power frequency voltage across the first pole to clear is 1.5 times the phase voltage.The First pole to clear factor is defined as = rms voltage between healthy and faulty lines rms phase to neutral voltage with fault cleared Double Frequency Transients:

L1 CB

L2

+ e C1 C2 Fault

Each circuit oscillates at its own natural frequency and difference of these two oscillating voltages appear across the breaker poles as these open.

Circuit Breaker Ratings

Rated voltage-standard values Rated insulation level-power frequency withstand voltage and impulse withstand voltage. Rated frequency Rated(normal) current-rms current the breaker can carry without overheating of its parts;standard values. Rated short circuit(SC) breaking current or MVA Rated SC making current=1.8*sqrt(2)*subtransient SC current

Contd..
Rated duration of SC kA for a period of 1s Rated operating sequenceo(open)-t-co(close-open)-T-co t=0.3s for rapid auto reclosure CB =0.5s for non reclose CB T=3min

Rated TRV-specified in terms of gross slope upto the peak value,peak value and time to reach peak,which is a measure of frequency of oscillation.

Vp

Vp V1

t1

t1

t2

a)Two parameter method

b)four parameter method

Arc and Arc extinction

Under closed conditions the electrodes of a circuit breaker are maintained in conducting contact under pressure as shown below.

Arc core

plasma

Ionization in the arc is maintained by several processes enumerated below

Thermal ionization at temperatures above 60000 C Ionization by collision of fast moving electrons with gas molecules Thermal emission from the surface of contacts. Secondary emission from contact surface Field emission from contact surfaces Photo emission due to incidence of light energy.

The voltage drop of arc can be divided into two components which can be expressed as A+(C/Iarc)=Cathode plus anode voltage drop B+(D/Iarc)=Voltage drop in arc length

Volt-ampere Characteristic of Arc

.and

Where A,B,C,D are constants and d=arc length. Combining ,the volt-ampere characteristic of the arc can be expressed Varc=(A+Bd)+((C+Dd)/Iarc_)

Arc voltage drop

Varc

Iarc Varc Iarc

Methods of Arc Extinction

1.High resistance interruption

Arc splitter

Arc runner force Arc moving upward Magnetic field

Blow out coil

2.Low Resistance or Zero Point Extinction PREVENTION OF ARC RESTRIKE 1.Splepian Theory

kV

Dielectric strength buildup(no restrike) TRV Dielectric strength buildup(restrike occurs)

2.Energy Balance Theory(Cassie Theory)

Let E=electric stress in volt/cm of arc length I=total arc current C=power loss due to cooling/cm of arc length Q=energy content of arc/cm length Then

dQ = EI C dt

The arc would extinguish only if

dQ dt

<0

Arc Time Constant: It is the time required by the quenching medium to regain its original dielectric strength and is of the order of microseconds. Arc Quenching Media: 1.Air at atmospheric pressure 2.Oil 3.Vaccum 4.Air blast 5.SF6 gas

SELECTION OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS

Two of the CB ratings which require the computation of SC current are: Rated momentary current Rated symmetrical interrupting current Symmetrical SC current is obtained by using subtransient reactances for synchronous machines. Momentary current (rms) is then calculated by multiplying the symmetrical momentary current by a factor of 1.6 to account for the presence of DC off-set current.

1. 2.

The DC off-set value to be added to obtain the current to be interrupted is accounted for by multiplying the symmetrical SC current by a factor as tabulated:

circuit breaker speed 8 5 3 2 cycles or slower cycles cycles cycles

Multiplying factor 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.4

The current that a circuit breaker can interrupt is inversely proportional to the operating voltage over a certain range, i.e., Amperes at operating voltage
rated voltage = amperes at rated voltage Operating voltage

Rated interrupting MVA (three phase) capacity =

3 V (line) rated I (line) rated int erruptingcurrent

Three phase SC MVA to be interrupted,

SC MVA (3-phase) = x SC current in kA

x prefault line voltage in kV

I sc (MVA)Base

SC MVA (3-phase) = (pu) here the voltage and current are in per unit values on a three phase basis.
prefault

The rated MVA interrupting capacity of a circuit breaker is to be more than or equal to SC MVA required to be interrupted.

Example

Three 6.6 kV generators A,B and C, each of 10% leakage reactance and MVA ratings 40,50 and 25, respectively are interconnected electrically, as shown, by a tie bar through current limiting reactors, each of 12% reactance based upon the rating of the machine to which it is connected. A threephase feeder is supplied from the bus bar of generator A at a line voltage of 6.6 kV. The feeder has a resistance of 0.06 ohm/phase and an inductive reactance of 0.12 ohm/phase. Estimate the maximum MVA that can be fed into a symmetrical short circuit at the far end of the feeder.
40 MVA

A 10%

50 MVA

B 10%

25 MVA

C 10%

12%

12%

12%

Tie bar

Solution:
Choose as base 50MVA, 6.6kV. Feeder impedance =

(0.06+j0.12)x50 (6.6)2 0.1x50 40

=(0.069+j0.138) pu

Gen A reactance = Gen B reactance = 0.1pu

= 0.125 pu

Gen C reactance =0.1 x 50/25 = 0.2 pu

0.12 x 50
Reactor A reactance =

40

= 0.15 pu

Reactor B reactance = 0.12 pu

Reactor C reactance =

0.12 x 50 25

= 0.24 pu

j0.125

j0.1

j0.2

+ V=1 = 0 Z

j0.15

j0.12

j0.24

(0.069+j0.138) + V=1 0

If F

(a)

(b)

Assume no load prefault conditions, i.e., prefault currents are zero. Postfault currents can then be calculated by the circuit model of Fig.1(a).The circuit is easily reduced to that of Fig.1(b), where
Z = (0.069 + j0.138) + j0.125 (j0.15 + j0.22 j0.44)

= 0.069 + j0.226 = 0.236 73o

SC MVA = VoIf = Vo( Vo/Z ) = 1/Z pu (since Vo = 1 pu) =

1 X (MVA)Base Z 50

= 0.236

= 212 MVA