A Mini project presentation

On

STUDY OF EHV CIRCUIT BREAKER

Submitted to
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY ANANTAPUR, ANANTAPUR

In partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the award of the degree of
BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
IN
ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
By

G SAIKRISHNA
CH.VAISHNAVI
K.VASAVI
G V AKHIL
B.NAVATEJA

12121A0244
12121A0223
12121A0265
12121A0245
12121A0220

Under the esteemed guidance of

EXTERNAL GUIDE
Mr. G RAVI JATOTH M.Tech.,
Sr. Switchgear Engineer,
BHEL- Ramachandrapuram..
.
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

INTERNAL GUIDE
Mr. U.KAMAL KUMAR, M.Tech.,
Assistant Professor,
Department of EEE.

SREE VIDYANIKETHAN ENGINEERING COLLEGE

1

(Autonomous)
Sree Sainath Nagar, Tirupati 517102
2011 2015

Contents
About BHEL Hyderabad
Introduction
Circuit breakers classification
Operating mechanism of BHEL EHV Circuit breaker
Characteristics of SF6 gas
Merits and demerits of SF6 gas circuit breaker
Testing of EHV circuit breaker
BHEL circuit breaker
2

Conclusions

Dept of
EEE

9/3/15

About BHEL Hyderabad

The Hyderabad Unit of BHEL is located at Ramachandrapuram which is around 30KM from the
historic city of Charminar.

Foundation Stone of the Plant was laid in 1959 and the production commenced in the year 1965.

The Unit was set up mainly to manufacture 60MW and 110MW Steam Turbo Generator sets for
State Electricity Boards.

From this small beginning, the Ramachandrapuram Unit has been growing steadily in different
phases of development and today it caters to a wide spectrum of business in Power, Industry,
Transmission, Oil and Gas.

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

Introduction
Its basic function is to detect a fault condition and interrupt current flow.
A circuit breaker can be defined as an electromechanical device capable of
making, breaking and carrying currents under both normal and abnormal
conditions.

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

CONTD

Unlike a fuse, which operates once and then must be replaced, a circuit
breaker can be reset (either manually or automatically) to resume normal
operation
Circuit breakers are made in varying sizes, from small devices that protect
an individual household appliance up to large switchgear designed to
protect high voltage circuits feeding an entire city

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

Classification of Circuit
Breakers
Based upon voltage :

Low voltage circuit breakers

Medium voltage circuit breakers

High voltage circuit breakers

Extra High Voltage circuit breakers

Ultra High Voltage circuit breakers

Fig. 1: Indoor type

Based upon Location:

1) Indoor type
2) Outdoor type
6

Dept of EEE

Fig. 2: Outdoor type

9/3/15

Based upon design:

Dead tank circuit breaker : A switching device in which a vessel(s) at ground
potential surrounds and contains the interrupters and the insulating mediums

Live tank circuit breaker : A switching device in which the vessel(s) housing the
interrupter(s) is at a potential above the ground

Fig. 4: Dead tank circuit

breaker

Fig. 3: Live tank circuit

breaker
Dept of EEE

9/3/15

Based upon interrupting medium

Air blast circuit breaker
Oil circuit breaker
1) Bulk oil circuit breaker
2) Minimum oil circuit breaker
Vacuum circuit breakers
SF6 gas circuit breakers

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

Operating mechanism
In Hydraulic mechanism moving parts are totally immersed in hydraulic

fluid and is a completely sealed system and protects the components from
corrosion.
The potential energy of the pressurised SF6 gas is used to operate the

contact system of the interrupter

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

Fig. 5 BHEL Circuit breaker at site

10

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

11

Fig. 6: Hydraulic Mechanism of Circuit Breaker

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

12

Fig. 7: ON and OFF positions of a

circuit breaker
Dept of EEE

9/3/15

Arc extinction in BHEL circuit breaker

13

Dept of
EEE

Fig.8: Arc extinction in BHEL circuit breaker

9/3/15

Merits of SF6 gas circuit breakers

SF6 is an electronegative gas and is excellent for use as an arc quenching
medium.
Outdoor EHV SF6 has less number of interrupters per pole.
The breaker is silent and does not make sound like air-blast circuit
breaker.
The maintenance required is minimum, it may need once in four to ten
years.
14

Dept. of EEE

9/3/15

Demerits of SF6 gas circuit breakers

Sealing problems may arise. Imperfect joints lead to leakage of gas.
Arced SF6 is poisonous and should not be inhaled.
SF6 is a greenhouse gas.
Influx of moisture in the breaker is very harmful and several failures
are reported due to this cause.
Special facilities are needed for transport, transfer and maintenance of
gas.
15

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

Characteristics of SF6 gas

Pressure in bar absolute

At high temperatures SF6

remains in gaseous state
owing to high pressures.

Temperature in degree
centigrade
Fig. 9: Characteristics of SF6 gas

16

Dept of
EEE

9/3/15

 When compared with the air and water

Uniform feld breakdown voltage

SF6 has high breakdown voltage.

Its relatively large molecules have a great
affinity for free electrons with which they
combine making the gas
These properties remain effective up to a
temperature of 20000K and it is the reason
for the high dielectric strength of the gas.
Gas pressure in gas absolute
pressure
Fig.10:
Comparison of SF6 with Air

17

Dept of
EEE

9/3/15

Tests on BHEL Circuit breaker

Basically there are two types of tests
1) Type tests
2) Routine tests
Type Tests : These are like design validation test and are conducted only
once for a particular design until the standard gets revised.
Routine tests : These are to be conducted on every circuit breaker being
manufactured to ensure the breaker is manufactured as per the design.
18

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

Type tests
1. Switching performance test
2. Short circuit current test
3. High voltage test
4. Mechanical and environmental test
5. Temperature rise test

19

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

Routine Tests
Mechanical operations test
Measurement of contact resistance
High pressure test on Hydraulic mechanism
Power frequency withstand test on main circuit
N2 leak test on accumulator

20

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

BHEL Circuit Breaker

Circuit Breaker manufacturing was started in
1960s at Hyderabad. BHEL works in collaboration
with Sweden.
In 1980s SF6 breakers were introduced by BHEL
in technical collaboration with Siemens Germany.
Presently BHEL is manufacturing SF6 circuit
breakers with Hydraulic mechanism of 145kV,
245kV, 420 kV and 800kV Voltage ranges. They
manufacture only outdoor breakers and are of live
Fig. 11: BHEL 420kv circuit breaker

tank design.
21

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

Electrical data of BHEL circuit breaker

Specifications:
Rated voltage
Rated Insulation level

kV

420

kV

1425

kV

520-610

Hz
A
kA
kA
Sec
---

50
2000, 3150
40
2.5 times rated short-circuit breaking current
1.0
O-0.3sec.-CO-3 min.-CO

lighting impulse withstand

voltage

one minute power frequency

withstand voltage

Rated frequency
Rated normal current
Rated short - circuit breaking current
Rated short-circuit making current
Rated short-circuit current duration
Rated duty cycle

22

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

Closing and opening times of the BHEL manufactured circuit breaker

23

Closing time

ms

100 max

Opening time

ms

22 max

Arcing time

ms

18 max

Dept of EEE

CONTD

9/3/15

Conclusions
From Primitive Air circuit breaker designs to Present day SF6 circuit breaker there is
lot of evolution in the breakers.
As present day breakers are dominated by SF6 circuit breakers and it is a greenhouse
gas, there is a plenty of research is being carried out to replace this as the interrupting
media.
But with available modern technology these obstacles may be over come and in near
future a solution with low cost, superior performance and reliability may arrive
marking a revolution in the breaker designs.
24

Dept of EEE

9/3/15

References

25

B. M. Weedy, Electric Power Systems Second Edition, John Wiley and Sons, London, 1972, ISBN 0471-92445-8 pp. 428-430

D. Braun, W. Heilmann, A. Plessl, Application criteria for SF6 and vacuum circuit-breakers. ABB
Review 4/89, 2533

Sunil S Rao. "Switchgear protection and power systems", eighth edition.

Siemens ,Basics of Circuit breakers , STEP series.

Dept of EEE

9/3/15