Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
SF6 Switchgear
Arc Interruption in SF6
(a)Physical & Chemical properties of SF6
1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) High Dielectric strength Excellent Arc quenching properties Non- Toxic Non-Flammable Non-Corrosive Noiseless Arc Interruption No aging effect Decomposition products are harmless
4/6/2014
SF6 Switchgear
Arc Interruption in SF6
(a) Physical & Chemical properties of SF6
Sulphur hexafluoride is an inert, non-toxic, non-flammable gas. It has excellent arc quenching and dielectric properties. It is not affected by aging and will not corrode the metals with which it is in contact even at the maximum temperature rise prescribed in specifications.
The molecular weight and high density of SF6 are such that the sound conductivity is low and this leads to practically noiseless arc interruption.
4/6/2014 "Prof Dr.Muhammad Kamran" 4
Arcs which develop in SF6 partially decompose the SF6 without altering its properties or impairing its electrical characteristics; the stable decomposition products are easily eliminated by absorbents such as activated alumina. When arc is produced ionization in the gap is due to fast moving Electrons, SF6 absorbs these fast moving Electrons and becomes de-ionized which due to heavy mass cannot move fast hence slow down the process of the ionization.
4/6/2014 "Prof Dr.Muhammad Kamran" 5
(b)
4/6/2014
The interaction between gas flow and the arc to be interrupted is clearly of vital importance in the mechanism of arc interruption in any gas blast circuit-breaker. Many of the parameters in this interruption and their precise effect upon arc interruption are not as yet clearly understood.
"Prof Dr.Muhammad Kamran" 6
To produce this condition some form of arrangement similar to that shown in figure 1 must be used.
4/6/2014 "Prof Dr.Muhammad Kamran" 7
4/6/2014
(b) Arc Extinction in SF6 An engineering compromise has to be affected between pressure ratio and interrupting capability. For this purpose the relationship between pressure ratio and interrupting capability is shown in figure. 2.
4/6/2014
11
4/6/2014
12
DS GP
4/6/2014
13
4/6/2014
15
In the "downstream" region of the arc column the gas pressure conditions will approach the filling pressure conditions. Furthermore, as the dielectric conditions for recovery will be established in this region it is desirable to know how the dielectric strength of SF6 varies with pressure. This characteristic is given in figure 3 which indicates that increasing the downstream, or filling pressure, will bring about a rapid increase in the dielectric strength of the SF6 gas.
4/6/2014 "Prof Dr.Muhammad Kamran" 16
4/6/2014
17
From figure.3 it would appear that, apart from mechanical problems, it would be wise to operate at as high a filling pressure as possible. However, a further and most important factor that as yet we have not considered is the vapor pressure/temperature characteristic of SF6. To illustrate the problem that could arise here consider figure 4, which gives the liquid/gaseous phase transition boundary of SF6. If we wished to make use of the high dielectric strength of SF6 at say 6 Bars, figure 4, then we would find that at a temperature of -20 C0 approx., the gas would start to liquefy.
4/6/2014 "Prof Dr.Muhammad Kamran" 18
4/6/2014
19
4/6/2014
20
(c)
Nozzle Design
The two major systems to produce the gas blast conditions just referred to are the monoblast systems, figures 5a and 5b. On first inspection it would appear that the duoblast system is equivalent to two monoblast system. It has however, been found that the duoblast system is in fact better than twice the monoblast system, figure 6. Both systems are however in commercial use.
4/6/2014
21
(c)Nozzle Design
4/6/2014
22
4/6/2014
23
1 d dT E rk 2 dr dt
2
4/6/2014 "Prof Dr.Muhammad Kamran" 24
From this equation it can be determined that to obtain small arc core diameters the requirement for good current interruption at low current near to current zero, the thermal conductivity should decrease with decreasing temperature. The relationship between thermal conductivity and temperature, shown in figure 7, indicates that this condition does in fact exist in SF6 , but in air quite the opposite is the case.
4/6/2014
25
4/6/2014
26
The resulting effect on the arc core diameter at low currents is well illustrated in figure 8, in which the diameters of arc in air at low currents are compared. The arc core diameter for SF6 is very much smaller than that of a similar arc in air and it is for this reason that the arc time constant, or current interrupting capability, of SF6 is so much superior than that of air.
4/6/2014
27
4/6/2014
28
(e)
Throat Blocking
So far we have been concerned with the dynamics of the arc at low current conditions- conditions near to current zero. At high currents however, difficulties occur due to a condition known as "throat blocking". The throat blocking condition can best be appreciated by reference to Figure. 9 in which the diameter of Heavy current arcs in SF6 under conditions near some velocity, is shown.
4/6/2014
29
4/6/2014
30
4/6/2014
31
(e)Throat Blocking
In practice of course the conditions are a little more complicated for the arc core boundary although well defined is surrounded by a radially decaying sheath that is not so easy to define. The outer radius of this sheath, as working approximation, is sometimes taken as twice the arc core diameter.
4/6/2014
32
(e)Throat Blocking
If we then assume that the onset of throat blocking occurs at this diameter and then we apply these values to 50 KA current wave, figure 10, and the arc core diameter characteristic, figure 9, we can estimate that throat blocking occurs at 0.95 msec after current zero and unblocks 0.95 msec before the next current zero.
4/6/2014
33
4/6/2014
34
4/6/2014
35
(a)
The arc interruption function of the circuit-breaker is carried out in the arc interruption chamber, Arc chambers may be classified as being of the double pressure or single pressure type and with either of these classifications we may have either monoblast or duoblast nozzle designs. In most commercial systems the gas flow is not the simple axial flow system discussed earlier but is a combination of axial flow and cross blast.
4/6/2014
36
4/6/2014
37
Figure-11
4/6/2014 "Prof Dr.Muhammad Kamran" 38
4/6/2014
40
4/6/2014
41
4/6/2014
42
4/6/2014
43
Figure:13
4/6/2014 "Prof Dr.Muhammad Kamran" 44
Circuit-Breaker Types
(Circuit-Breakers may be either of the metalclad (dead
tank) or porcelain clad (live tank) design. Metlaclad describes the arrangement whereby the arc interruption chambers (or heads) are enclosed within a metal tank. All insulation, that is both across the heads and from the heads to earth, lies within the tank. The insulation is of SF6 in combination with epoxy resin supports, figure 14a. Porcelain clad describes the arrangement whereby the arc interruption heads are enclosed within porcelain supports, figure 14b. The line to earth insulation in this arrangement is the porcelain posts. Variation in the porcelain clad circuit-breaker for various voltages in shown in figure 15.
4/6/2014 "Prof Dr.Muhammad Kamran" 45