SWITCHGEAR 11KV

Oleh:
RAIS BIN MAAT
Ketua Program Kejuruteraan Elektrik
ITiDi
 DEFINITION
Switchgear is a general term covering
switching, interrupting, control, metering,
protective and regulating device with
associated interconnections, accessories and
supporting structures for use in connection
with the generation, transmission,
distribution and conversion of electric
power
 FUNCTION
It must safely interrupt the normal working current
as well as the short circuit current
After occurrence of fault the switchgear must
Loading
isolate the faulty circuit as quickly as possible i.e
keeping the delay to minimum
It should not operate when an over current flows
under healthy conditions
To facilitate redistribution of loads, inspection and
maintenance on the system
 TYPES OF CIRCUIT BREAKER
Interrupting medium Air, air blast, oil, magnetic blast, gas and vacuum

Service Indoor or outdoor

Operation Gravity opened, gravity closed and horizontal
break
Contacts Butt, wedge, laminated flat contact, bayonet,
Explosion chamber, deion grid
Action Non-automatic and automatic

Method of control Remote control, manual, pneumatic, electrical,

direct control
Tank construction Separate tank for each pole, one tank for all poles

Mounting Panel mounted, rear of panel and remote from

panel
 SWITCHGEAR CONSTRUCTION

The control of a power system involves the

use of switch gears for making and breaking
circuit
It is of metalLoading
clad type where all live parts
are completely enclosed in a metal casing
filled with insulating medium
Rigorously interlock to prevent access to
live parts
 TYPES OF SWITCHGEAR
Indoor draw-out gear (vertical or horizontal)
Indoor fixed circuit breaker
Out door draw-out gear
 SWITCHGEAR RATINGS
Rated voltage - kV
Rated current - A
Rated breaking capacities (symmetrical and
asymmetrical) - kA
Rated making capacities - kA
Rated short time current and duration kA,
second
Rated frequency 50Hz, 60Hz
 RATED VOLTAGE
The rated maximum voltage of a circuit
breaker is the highest rms voltage, above
nominal system voltage for which the
circuit breaker is designed and is the upper
limit for operation
 RATED CURRENT

Is the designated limit of current in rms

amperes which it shall be capable of
carrying continuously without exceeding the
limit of observable temperature rise (which
should not exceed 40 degrees C)
RATED FREQUENCY

50Hz
 RATED MAKING CURRENT

The short circuit current where the breaker has

Loading
the capability to close its contacts without
severe damage
 RATED BREAKING CURRENT
The breaking current of a pole at the instant
of contact separation - kA
Generally expressed in term of MVA and is
equal to the product of rated breaking
current in kA, rated voltage in kV and a
factor which depends upon the number of
phases (1 for 1 phase and 3 for 3 phase)
 SHORT TIME RATING
Is the current that can be safely applied,
with the circuit breaker in its normal
condition, for 3 seconds, if the ratio of
symmetrical breaking current to normal
current is less than 40, or for 1 second
otherwise
 OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER (OCB)

Oldest type
Oil is used as quenching medium for arc
extinction
Contacts are made to separate in an
insulating oil
Oil is decompose into hydrogen gas by the
arc energy the gas is used to sweep and
compress the arc
 ADVANTAGE OF OIL
The absorption of arc energy in decomposing the
oil
The good cooling properties of the gas formed
Cooling by oil around the gaseous arc path
The ability of cold oil of high electric strength to
flow into the arc space after a current zero
The natural insulation value of the oil, enabling
clearances to be minimised
 DISADVANTAGE OF OIL
It is easily inflammable
It may form an explosive mixture with air
It requires maintenance
Troublesome to handle oil
 CLASSIFICATION
Plain break oil circuit breakers

Self blast or self generated or arc control

circuit breakers
Externally generated pressure oil circuit
breakers or forced blast oil circuit breakers
or impulse oil circuit breakers
 BREAK TYPE
Single break

Double break better choice because spark

is divided into two contacts, last longer
 STROKE & WIPE
Stroke is the distance of the moving contacts
at the OCBs OFF position to its ON
position
The contact wipe of the OCB is the distance
the moving contact travels from the contact
touch position to the contact fully ON
 VACUUM CIRCUIT
BREAKER
Basically it is the same as OCB, the
difference is that the contacts are in vacuum

bottle instead of oil

Vacuum has high insulating strength
It is cheap
Need no maintenance
VACUUM CHAMBER/BOTTLE
Made of synthetic material such as urathane
foam which is enclosed in an outer glass
fibre reinforced plastic tube or of simple
glass or porcelain, two contacts, a metal
shield and a metal bellows are sealed inside
the chamber. The contacts must be pure and
thoroughly degassed
OPERATING MECHANISM
The lower end is fixed to a spring operated
or solenoid operated mechanism, so that the
metallic bellows inside the chamber are
moved upward and downward during
closing and opening operations respectively.
However there should be sufficient pressure
to allow a reasonable wipe for a good
connection between the two contacts
HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT

While the OCB moves vertically, the VCB

normally moves horizontally so that the

busbar spouts are at the back of the circuit

breaker panel instead of at the top
 SF6 GAS CIRCUIT BREAKER
Instead of vacuum, SF6 (sulphur
hexaflouride) gas is used as an insulating
medium
It is an inert gas and non organic
More stable
Slightly higher pressure than atmospheric
pressure (up to 3 bar)
 C.B MAINTENANCE
OCB Maintenance
VCB Maintenance
SF6 C.B Maintenance
Battery Maintenance
Protection circuit testing
 OCB MAINTENANCE
Check contacts for pitting or burn
Pitted copper contact should be smooth by
fine file
Pitted silver contacts should not be filed out
Contacts shall be flushed with oil and wiped
clean using recommended solvent of non-
mercurial property
Burnt silver contacts should be changed
 CHECK STROKE
Checking the stroke is to ensure that the tension
rod carries the moving contact the required
distance to enable the moving and the fixed
contact to make properly and also adequate
clearance is maintained between line and isolated
section when the OCB is tripped.
Check tension rod for any sign of cracks or
faulting against the guide rail
 CHECK WIPE
Check on contact wipe is to ensure that there
is existing sufficient pressure between the
moving and the fixed contact when the
OCB is at its ON position
Stroke and wipe are always adjusted to the
manufacturers recommendations
Tighten bolts and nuts, especially on the
tension of the cross-arm
 TURBULATOR
Check buffer stacks of the turbulator for sign of
burn and the clearance is maintained for the
moving contacts to come through
Loading
Carbon deposits on the stacks should be washed
away with oil
Burned buffer stack should be replaced
immediately
Ensure buffer stacks are rearranged to its original
position after cleaning work
 BUSHINGS
Inspect internal OCB bushings for cracks
Clean bushing from carbon deposits
Slightly chipped and scratched bushing may be
repaired by good quality varnish as recommended
by the manufacturer
External bushings are to be wiped clean using
cotton waste rayon or Tetrachloride
Bushing terminals should be cleaned and a thin
layer of vaseline applied on them
 OIL
New or recycle oil should pass the dielectric
strength test of 30kV for 1 minute
Existing oil in the OCB should pass the
dielectric strength test of 14kV
The oil should be changer to new one after
opening under heavy fault condition
Ensure new and existing oil is not
contaminated
 MECHANISM
Check for free movement
Inspect for sign of wear
Tighten bolts and nuts especially on the
moving mechanisms
 PHASE BARRIER
Inspect lining and phase barriers for burns
Change burnt phase barrier
Check that phase barriers are securely held
in place and that they do not hinder any
movement of the tension rods or arms when
the tank is replaced
 OVERSHOOT STOP
Check overshoot stop and adjust in
accordance with the manufacturers
instruction
 OTHERS
Check protection fuse for continuity and
terminal contacts effectiveness
Clean and lubricated auxiliary switch
contacts
Check termination of pilot cable for
tightness and cleanliness
Replaced faded labels
 INSULATION RESISTANCE
With OCB at ON position, insulation resistance
of each phase to earth and between phases are to
be tested
With OCB at OFF position, the insulation
resistance between bushings of the same phases is
to be tested
Test trip the OCB three or four times manually or
under remote control to see that the tripping circuit
and the OCB are in good working order