FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

School of Electrical & Information Engineering

ELEC5205: HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING
Semester 2, 2014 | 6 Credit Points | Mode: Normal-Day
Coordinator(s): Swamidoss Sathiakumar
1. INTRODUCTION
The unit provides advanced knowledge associated with high voltage engineering methods, techniques and
equipment. It is divided into two sections. The first section presents fundamentals of the failure mechanisms of
solid, liquid and gaseous insulation at high voltages. It also discusses consequent design principles for high-
voltage equipment; of the generation of high direct, alternating and impulse voltages for testing high-voltage
equipment; and of methods for monitoring and assessing the condition of high-voltage equipment such as
dissolved gas analysis for oil-filled transformers and partial discharge in cables. The second section presents in
detail all the high-voltage equipment and in particular underground cables, overhead transmission lines,
transformers, bushings and switchgear. It finally offers asset management solutions for modern transmission
and distribution electricity networks.
2. LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learning outcomes are the key abilities and knowledge that will be assessed in this unit. See assessment
summary table below for details of which outcomes are assessed where. Outcomes are listed according to the
course goals that they support.
Design (Level 4)
1. Capacity to demonstrate an understanding of design methods for overhead lines and underground
cables at the level of planning, selection and construction.
Engineering/IT Specialisation (Level 4)
2. Ability to demonstrate an understanding of high voltage engineering techniques.
3. Proficiency in performing calculations for the selection of cables, overhead lines and high-voltage
equipment.
Maths/Science Methods and Tools (Level 4)
4. Ability to conduct analysis of industrial equipment.
Information Seeking (Level 2)
5. Ability to identify the most suitable equipment for performing specific testing on high-voltage
applications.
Communication (Level 2)
6. Ability to write a report to communicate project work.
Professional Conduct (Level 2)
7. Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the professional environment of engineering work in terms
of testing, commissioning and assessment techniques for oil-immersed equipment such as transformers
and switchgear, based on a high-voltage testing facility site visit.
8. Proficiency in assessing transformers and other equipment in the laboratory by testing and then
developing diagnostics.
For further details of course goals related to these learning outcomes, see online unit outline at
http://cusp.eng.usyd.edu.au/students/view-unit-page/alpha/ELEC5205 .
3. ASSESSMENT TASKS
ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
Assessment name Team-based? Weight Due Outcomes Assessed
Final Exam No 40% Exam Period 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8
Project No 20% Multiple Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Lab Report Yes 30% Multiple Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Participation Yes 10% Multiple Weeks 2, 5, 6, 7
ASSESSMENT DESCRIPTION
Project: Project presentation
Lab Report: Laboratory
Final Exam: 2hr exam at the end of semester
Participation: Visit to high-voltage laboratory and transmission an distribution substations and main control
centre
ASSESSMENT GRADING
Final grades in this unit are awarded at levels of HD for High Distinction, DI (previously D) for Distinction, CR for
Credit, PS (previously P) for Pass and FA (previously F) for Fail as defined by University of Sydney Assessment
Policy. Details of the Assessment Policy are available on the Policies website at http://sydney.edu.au/policies .
ELEC5205: High Voltage Engineering (Semester 2, 2014)
Standards for grades in individual assessment tasks and the summative method for obtaining a final mark in the
unit will be set out in a marking guide supplied by the unit coordinator.
4. ATTRIBUTES DEVELOPED
Attributes listed here represent the course goals designated for this unit. The list below describes how these
attributes are developed through practice in the unit. See Learning Outcomes and Assessment sections above for
details of how these attributes are assessed.
Attribute Method
Design (Level 4) Select testing methods and analyse results for a given high-voltage
equipment
Engineering/IT Specialisation (Level
4)
Use of software to design overhead lines and underground cables and
perform advanced calculations
Maths/Science Methods and Tools
(Level 4)
Analyze industrial equipment.
Information Seeking (Level 2) Locate key technical information about high-voltage testing equipment
and methods including industrial standards.
Communication (Level 2) Prepare laboratory reports, project reports and deliver presentations
Professional Conduct (Level 2) Analyze industrial case studies
Perform testing and assess equipment in the laboratory
For further details of course goals and professional attribute standards, see the online version of this outline at
http://cusp.eng.usyd.edu.au/students/view-unit-page/alpha/ELEC5205 .
5. STUDY COMMITMENT
Tutorial: Tutorials on practical examples and industrial case studies.
Laboratory: Laboratory experiments with the power system simulator and other equipment such as diagnostics of
transformer, high-voltage current transformer etc.
Project Work - in class: Project work and testing in the lab using the power system simulator
Independent Study: Review of industrial standards and applications, industrial case studies
Activity Hours per Week Sessions per Week Weeks per Semester
Lecture 2.00 1 13
Tutorial 2.00 1 12
Laboratory 2.00 1 12
Project Work - in class 2.00 1 13
Independent Study 3.00 1 13
Standard unit of study workload at this university should be from 1.5 to 2 hours per credit point which means 9-
12 hours for a normal 6 credit point unit of study. For units that are based on research or practical experience,
hours may vary. For lecture and tutorial timetable, see University timetable site at:
web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
6. TEACHING STAFF AND CONTACT DETAILS
COORDINATOR(S)
Name Room Phone Email Contact note
Dr Sathiakumar, Swamidoss s.sathiakumar@sydney.edu.au
LECTURERS
Name Room Phone Email Contact note
Dr Mitchell, Keith komitch@bigpond.com
7. RESOURCES
PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOK(S)
P Gill, Electrical Power Equipment Maintenance and Testing (1st). Marcel Dekker, 1998. 0-8247-9907-0.
F Kiessling, P Nefzger, JF Nolasco and U Kaintzyk, Overhead Power Lines, Planning, Design and Construction
(1st). Spinger, 2003. 3-540-00297-9.
H Gremmel and G Kopatsch, Switchgear Manual (11th). ABB, 2006. 3-589-24112-8.
RECOMMENDED REFERENCES
ELEC5205: High Voltage Engineering (Semester 2, 2014)
G F Moore, Electric Cables Handbook (3rd). Blackwell Science, 2004. 0-632-04075-0.
Status M.S. Naidu and V. Kamaraju, High Voltage Engineering (First). McGraw-Hill, 1999. 0071361081.
H.M. Ryan, High Voltage Engineering and Testing (Second). IET London, 2001. 0852967756.
E. Kuffel and W.S. Zaengl, High Voltage Engineering Fundamentals (First). Pergamon, 1984. 008024212X.
E. Kuffel, W.S. Zaengl and J. Kuffel, High Voltage Engineering Fundamentals (Second). Newnes, 2000.
0750636343.
T.J. Gallagher and A.J. Pearmain, High Voltage : Measurement, Testing, and Design (First). Wiley, 1983.
0471900966.
C Bayliss and B Hardy, Transmission and Distribution Electrical Engineering (3rd). Newnes, 2007. 978-0-7506-
6673-2.
NOTE ON RESOURCES
Website for the unit.
8. ENROLMENT REQUIREMENTS
ASSUMED KNOWLEDGE
None.
PREREQUISITES
ELEC3203. The following previous knowledge is assumed for this unit. Circuit analysis techniques, electricity
networks, power system fundamentals.
9. POLICIES
See the policies page of the faculty website at http://sydney.edu.au/engineering/student-policies/ for information
regarding university policies and local provisions and procedures within the Faculty of Engineering and
Information Technologies.
10. WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Note that the "Weeks" referred to in this Schedule are those of the official university semester calendar
https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp
Week Topics/Activities
Week 1 Introduction to high-voltage engineering, testing voltages, testing with power frequency
voltages, testing with lightning impulse voltages, testing with switching impulses, testing with
DC voltages, testing with very low-frequency voltages, generation of high voltages, DC, AC to
DC conversion, cascade circuits, voltage multiplier with cascaded transformers, generation
of high AC voltages
Week 2 testing transformers, series resonant circuits, impulse voltages, impulse voltage generator
circuits, multistage impulse generator circuits,
Week 3 measurement of high voltages, peak voltage measurement by spark gaps, rod gaps,
electrostatic voltmeters, ammeter in series with high ohmic resistors and high ohmic voltage
dividers
Week 4 voltage dividing systems and impulse voltage measurements, capacitor voltage
dividers,electrical breakdown in gases, ionization and decay process, surge breakdown
voltage breakdown in solid and liquid dielectrics,
Week 5 Non-destructive insulation testing techniques, dynamic properties of dielectrics, in the time
and frequency domain, insulation ageing basic partial discharge testing circuit, PD
instruments
Week 6 overvoltages, testing procedures and insulation coordination, the lightning mechanism,
energy in lightning, switching surge test voltage characteristics, laboratory high-voltage
testing procedures and statistical treatment of results
Week 7 Insulation coordination, insulation level, Statistical approach to insulation coordination,
design and testing of external insulation, contamination and the environment, flashover
mechanism of polluted insulators under AC and DC, contamination testing,
Week 8 Transformer condition monitoring and diagnostics, transformer testing, preventative
maintenance
Week 9 High-voltage switchgear, circuit configurations for high and medium voltage switchgear
installations, SF6-insulated switchgear, Station layouts, surge arresters, busbar connections,
Week 10 Overhead power lines, electrical parameters, lightning protection, earthing, loading and
strength, sag and tension cancellations
Week 11 Basics of underground cables, testing and maintenance methods, calculations and
ampacity, types and selection
ELEC5205: High Voltage Engineering (Semester 2, 2014)
Week 12 Cable fault locating methods, condition monitoring and diagnostics,electrical safety and
professional practices in the field.
Week 13 Revision
STUVAC (Week
14)
Week free from classes.
Exam Period Assessment Due: Final Exam
ELEC5205: High Voltage Engineering (Semester 2, 2014)