EXAMPLES OF APPLICATIONS FOR THE CBA-32P

What is a Circuit Breaker?

A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch

designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by an overload or a short circuit.
Unlike a fuse, which operates once and then has to be replaced,

a circuit breaker can be reset (either manually or automatically) to resume normal operation. Essentially, a circuit breaker is a safety device.

What is a Circuit Breaker Analyzer?

A Circuit Breaker Analyzer (CBA) is an electrical test

equipment designed to perform timing and other tests such motion analysis on any circuit breaker. A wide range of tests have been developed to verify the conformity of each of the electrical and mechanical properties of a circuit breaker in order to meet the design criteria. Some of these tests are acknowledged and documented by international standards (IEM, ASTM, etc.). Some are still under development and promise great expectations.

What is a Circuit Breaker Analyzer?

CBA-32P is mainly designed to perform timing and motion

analysis but it is also an excellent multifunctional oscilloscope thanks to its compatibility with several accessories. By means of the accessories, the following measurement tests can be performed: - breaker travel and velocity - main and arcing contact resistance curve - voltage, current, pressure, temperature, etc. - insertion resistance during the opening and closing a times of the breakers auxiliary contacts The tests are executed under the control of CbaWin, running under any Windows.

How to get started?

In order to execute the test, the circuit breaker has to be set off line.

The CBA-32P is connected via cables to both the computer and the breaker :

To the computer via optical fiber communication module to the contacts of the circuit breaker via contact cables to the control cabinet (open and close coils) via the command cables
Command-signals are sent from the CBA-32P to the control cabinet and the contact

timing is measured through the cables.

The contacts may have up to three possible states visualized in the CbaWin software:

Open (0) Resistive (0.5) Close (1)

All recorded data are automatically and instantaneously transferred to the CbaWin

software which analyses the data and displays the results of the tests in graphics and tabular formats.

EXAMPLE 1 : Timing Tests Inoperative resistor

The insertion resistor does not work. The spring on the moving contact is broken and blocks the piston.
The broken spring has been replaced with a new one and the device has been reassembled.

EXAMPLE 1 : Timing Tests Rebounds

Abnormal rebound on an auxiliary (resistive) contact. The head on the semi-mobile contact is loose.
The auxiliary moving contact has been disassembled and the problem has been identified as a loose head. The head has been tightened and immobilized with loctite and punching, followed by reassembly of the mechanism.

EXAMPLE 1 : Timing Tests Dead Tank Missing Main contact

Case of an inoperative main contact on one phase (B), showing an open circuit on a close operation.
Disassembling the defective parts its been possible to observe that a shaft, connecting the actuating rod to the moving contact, had fallen causing the contact piston to separate from the actuating rod. The shaft has been replaced.

EXAMPLE 1 : Timing Tests Dead Tank Bad damping

This timing diagram suggests a lack of damping at the end of the travel. The damage was due to a defective dashpot.

EXAMPLE 1 : Timing Tests Valve in wrong position

The body of the valve has been installed at 90 with respect to its normal position, hence causing delays in the admission of compressed air. The closing time of contacts A-1 and A-2 results longer than usual, as observed on their signals. The body of the valve has been displayed in the correct configuration. The closing time of contacts A-1 and A-2 now corresponds to the one of A3 and A-4, as observed in the new graphic.

EXAMPLE 1 : Timing Tests Adjustment screw of hydraulic command incorrectly set

An adjustment screw is incorrectly set, creating a 25 ms difference on one phase.
The problem has been solved after adjusting the screw.

EXAMPLES 1 : Timing Tests Hydraulic actuator - Short circuit time

The admission restriction of the hydraulic actuator is such that the short circuit time on phase C is longer than the other phases. The admission restriction of the hydraulic command has been adjusted in order to obtain synchronous operation for all the phases.

EXAMPLE 1 : Timing Tests Pneumatic Breaker Isolation time

Phase C is much quicker than the two other phases.
The restriction on the inverter switch has been adjusted in order to obtain comparable times between phases.

EXAMPLE 1 : Timing Tests Shielded Breaker

The travel course is not completed, (112mm instead of 180mm). The piston starts moving 30 to 35 milliseconds after the main piston while the normal delay is 20 milliseconds. The problem is solved by increasing the appropriate diaphragm orifice by 0.020 inches. The premature reopening of the resistor was due to the main contact closing later. Besides, the curve shows a problem with the upper piston (DpC) of the main contact on Phase C. This piston was overhauled prior to the timing test.

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

The circuit breaker tested in this example is a PK8D - ALSTOM

(800KV - 24 contact breaker) The steps to execute the test are the following:
-1. Preparation of the breaker -2. Installation of cables by human operators -3. Connection of CBA-32P -4. Execution of the test with test plans -5. Presentation and discussion of the results -6. Conclusions

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

1. Preparation of the breaker: securing the site
The first step consists in the isolation of the breaker from the electric

network by means of disconnectors, which are displayed on each side of the circuit. After isolation, the breakers are closed in order to ground the entire circuit. In order to guarantee the maximum safety for the operators, it is highly recommendable to put the ground on each side of the breakers.

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Detail of disconnectors: They isolate the circuit from the line.

High voltage breaker

Current transformers

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

2. Installation of the cables
The installation is typically performed with the help of a bridge

Operators proceed to the installation of the cables on the breaker

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Yellow cable Red cable

Black cable Extensions for the connection of the CBA-32P To the inputs of the CBA-32P

Contact cables

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

3. Cables for the CBA-32P:
Command cable Contacts cable

Extensions cables

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Overview of the CBA-32P connection and components:

Portable computer

Command 6 analog inputs

24 contact CBA32P Optical fibre link Grounding of the CBA-32P

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Optical fibre connection:

The optical fibre cable puts in communication the CBA-32P and the computer

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Connection of the command cables:

Control cabinet The red cable commands the closing of the breaker

The green cable commands the opening of the breaker

EXAMPLE: Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Connection of the CBA-32P:

The command cable must be connected here

Contacts cables

Optical fibre Command cable

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Execution of the test: loading a test plan

EXAMPLE2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Execution of the test: creation of a test link

Test link

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Test of the optical fibre link:

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Execution of a cable test:

Contact cable test

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Execution of a test for the cables connected to the breakers:

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Launching a test:

Launch the test

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

5. Presentation and discussion of the results:
Bad fixation of the cables (the black clip is probably disconnected)

The black clip falls during the closing of the main contacts

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Closing test on a 24 contacts

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Opening test

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Close-Open test

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Contacts A01-A02 : We notice the apparition of the insertion resistance on the close side that could derive from a too long safety time. The contact traces of resistances have to be separated. In this way, it will be possible to see the complete resistance traces. If necessary, the safety time can be readjusted. This operation will require the dismantlement of the resistances cables, and hence, to work on the timing diaphragms. In this case, the problem could be also solved by increasing the timing. This is possible since the opening time of this contacts is quicker than the others on the same phase.

Problem on the A phase

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Open-Close-Open test

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

Problems on phase B
The isolation time of phase B is too long: the timing of the pneumatic inverter switch (52bb) is too long. In order to work on the timing, the breaker has to be dismantled. Note: A good way to test the 52bb on the three phases is to perform an O-C test with a delay of 20 ms between the O and the C. This means that the breaker has to be in a close status till the end of the test.

EXAMPLE 2 : Time-travel tests on HV circuit breaker

The results of any test can be visualized in Tabular report,

as follows: