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Testing capacitor banks using the M4000 test instrument

by Long Pong, Doble Engineering Testing a capacitor bank used to be a tedious and time-consuming task but using M4000 instrument system, as described in this article, will simplify this tremendously and provide comprehensive information for capacitor condition assessment and capacitor bank management. This test is called a CapBank Test or M4140, and does not require disconnecting the capacitor unit during testing and each capacitor unit test takes about 30 s to perform. Test principle and procedure The test system consists of a M4100, a M4110 and a M4140, and is shown in Figs. 1 to 5. The M4100 is used to measure the electrical parameters (V, I, W, %PF, Capacitance and test condition) of the individual capacitor or a capacitor group. The M4110 is used as a test source and the M4140 is the kit of the CapBank test equipment that consists of the clamp-on current probe, the test lead, the templates, the application note and the external reference software module. Parallel groups The detailed test procedure is described in [1, 2 and 3] and can be summarised as follows. To test a capacitor in a parallel group, apply and maintain the test voltage on the group and measure the individual capacitor as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Move the current lead (clamp-on probe) from one unit to the next unit until the end of the rack. The same process applies to each rack in the capacitor bank. Note: The entire rack can be tested by moving the current clamp-on probe to the black Source Lead. String group Test principles and connections of a capacitor in a string group are respectively shown in Figs. 3 and 4; note that the red source lead is on the ungrounded end (neutral), the black source lead is on the grounded end (phase end) and the voltage leads are placed across the unit being tested. To test the next capacitor in the string, move the voltage leads to the next capacitor and continue the process on every capacitor in the string. To test a capacitor in the next string, move the current lead (clamp-on probe) and voltage leads to the next string and repeat the previous process until the end. Note that the test voltage is maintained on the group during the change of current and voltage leads. To test the capacitor in a string of the next group, lower the test voltage to zero and move all test leads

Fig. 1: Principle of testing parallel capacitor bank using M4000.

Fig. 2: Connection of testing parallel capacitor bank using M4000.

Fig. 3: Principle of testing string capacitor bank using M4000.

Fig. 4: Connection of testing string capacitor bank using M4000.

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Condition Limit Normal Within 3% Normal condition Higher than normal Between 3% and 5% Internal deterioration or bad mounting/ connection Inspect and monitor Very high > 5%

Typical problem

Internal damage

Action1

None

Replace the bad unit Fig. 5: Connection of testing entire string using M4000.

Table 1: Limit of %PF and the capacitance variation.

to next group and repeat the previous processes on each capacitor until the end. Notes:

The entire string can be tested by moving the voltage sense lead across the entire string as shown in Fig. 5. In each group, there is one string connected to the frames. This frame connection needs to be removed during testing of this string, see case study 1.

Unit identification Parallel groups To identify the individual capacitor in the bank, use the general label X k-n-m to identify a unit in a rack; where X is the phase identification (ex. A, B and C). k is the position of the rack group, n is the rack position starting from the line end to neutral end and m is the capacitor unit position in the rack starting from left to right when facing the capacitor rack. Series groups Use the same label X k-n-m to identify a unit in the string; where X is the phase identification (ex. A, B and C), k is the position of the string group, n is the position of the string in the group starting from the instrument transformer side and m is the capacitor position in the string starting from line end to neutral end. Test voltage The recommended test voltage is the M4110's maximum attainable voltage (about 290 V), obtained by turning the voltage knob to the full clockwise position. Use 120 V if the M4110 trips due to the size of the capacitance (>220 F) of the energised groups. Data analysis The detail of the data analysis was provided in [1, 2, 3, 5] and can be summarized in Table 1. For a single unit measurement: the power factor and the capacitance variation should be within 3% or less. For a string or group measurement, the data analysis can be done by comparing the test data among the strings or groups. Depending on the number of units in
Fig. 6: a and b: Hydro Quebec's fuseless capacitor bank.

Fig. 7: Hydro Quebec's capacitor banks in substation Hertel.

Fig. 8: Making test connections on an individual unit in a serial string using hook adapters.

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a unit's condition than the individual unit test. Therefore, it should not be used for maintenance testing, but can be used to troubleshoot a problem. Case studies Two case studies are provided as examples. One is a Hydro Quebec fuseless capacitor bank and the second is a Progress Energy externally fused capacitor bank. In HQ's case, the goal was to locate the failed units, not test all individual units, but rather focused on the troubled phases (Phase B on one bank and phase C on the other bank). Hydro Quebec Two capacitor banks manufactured by GE, were tested, located in the Hertel substation in La Prairie, Quebec (Canada). The two banks had experienced multiple capacitor failure alarms in groups B and C respectively. Each capacitor bank is rated 384 Mvar, 330 kV and has 768 capacitor units that are arranged in the following configuration: 4-4-16 (k-n-m). Each phase has four groups of four strings and each string has 16 capacitors connected in series and mounted in four different racks, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Note 1: In each group, there is one string connected to the frames. This frame connection needs to be removed during testing of this string. Test data analysis The details of the test results are in [5] and are graphically summarised in Figs. 9 and 10 for string and unit tests respectively. String test results (Fig. 9) provides the following observations:

Fig. 9: HQ's string measurement.

Fig. 10: HQ's capacitor unit measurement.

Fig. 11: Progress Energy externally fused capacitor bank.

Three strings A1-1, B1-1 and C3-1 had ver y high capacitance values ( Pi n k t r a c e ) . T h e s e w e r e d u e t o the frame connection (Note 1 in Fig. 6b) and when this connection was removed, the capacitance became comparable to the expected value. Strings C4-2 was the second string with noticeably high capacitance (See red arrow). This indicates possible failed unit in the strings. There were also five strings B2-4, C3-3, C3-4, C4-3 and C4-4 having slightly higher capacitance than the average value. Among the five strings, B2-4 was peaked out compared to its adjacent strings (See yellow arrow). Individual unit tests should be performed here to locate the troubled unit(s) in these strings. String C4-1 has the highest power factor. This suggests a possibly deteriorated unit in the string. The individual unit test should be performed to locate the troubled unit(s) in this string.

Fig. 12: Progress Energy's one-phase capacitor bank in 230 kV substation Castle Hayne, NC.

the string or group, a change of 1% of capacitance can indicate a unit failure in the string or group. The next step is to per form the individual unit tests in

the suspicious string to locate the failed unit, as described earlier in test principle and procedure. In general, the string or group test is less sensitive to a change in energize - September 2011 - Page 35

Unit measurement (Fig. 10): Three strings were tested and provided the following results:

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ID A3-6 A4-4 A6-12 A7-12 A7-4 A8-4 A8-12 B10-12 B10-8 B1-4 B3-8 B4-9 B6-12 B8-4 B8-8 C3-4 C3-8 C3-9 C5-4 C8-4 Grand total Table 2: Bad capacitors. %PF 1,28 1,09 1,19 1,22 1,27 1,20 1,26 1,33 1,27 1,24 1,24 16,50 1,75 1,21 1,25 1,04 1,06 1,04 1,04 1,04 Cap 3,57 4,21 3,65 4,18 3,65 3,62 3,58 3,56 3,63 3,60 5,00 2,93 4,12 3,55 4,16 3,56 3,65 3,63 3,65 4,14 Cap dev. 13,3% 33,6% 15,8% 32,7% 16,0% 14,9% 13,8% 12,9% 15,4% 14,3% 58,7% -6,9% 30,7% 12,7% 32,0% 13,1% 15,8% 15,1% 15,9% 31,5% Total 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 20 Fig. 13: Progress energy's capacitor unit measurement.

Progress energy The capacitor bank was manufactured by Westinghouse, located in a 230 kV substation in Castle Hayne, NC and had experienced multiple capacitor failure alarms. Description: Capacitor bank is rated 9 0 M v a r, 2 3 0 k V w i t h e x t e r n a l f u s e s and has 450 capacitor units that are arranged in the following configuration: 1-10-15 (k-n-m). Each phase has ten groups and each group has 15 capacitors connected in parallel and mounted in the same rack, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. Test data analysis The details of the test results are in [5] and are graphically summarised in Fig. 13, which provides the following observations:

Using a pair of hook adapters to make the test connections, see Fig. 8, will save time when testing an individual unit in a capacitor string. Testing an individual unit is more sensitive to detect a problem than testing the entire group. In a serial string, the measured power factor of individual capacitors will appear as a saw-tooth shape. This mean that the %PF at one end will be lower than the other end; the lower end is where the test voltage is applied and creates the highest leakage to ground. This phenomenon had been explained in [4]. Using a higher test voltage (290 V) can be more sensitive than lower voltage (18 V) to detect a defective element of capacitor, see HQ's B2-4-10 unit. Each test takes about 30 seconds to perform. Disconnection of each capacitor unit from the capacitor bank is not required.

ID A3-4 A5-4 B5-12 B5-4 B7-4 C1-4

%PF 1,31 1,28 1,39 1,28 1,20 1,87

Cap 3,24 3,24 3,23 3,26 3,25 3,23

Cap dev. 2,92% 2,88% 2,60% 3,4% 3,1% 2,62%

Total 1 1 1 1 1 1 6

Grand total Table 3: Borderline capacitors.

Twenty bad capacitors were listed in Table 2 and detected by capacitance and %PF change. B4-9 unit has a decrease in capacitance with a high power factor, which is typical problem of delaminating due to low or missing fluid. B3-8 capacitor has a capacitance increase of 58%; this means more than half of the internal elements are shorted. Six capacitors exhibited slightly higher capacitance (Table 3). They should be monitored closely. Each test took about 30 seconds to perform .

Detected three bad capacitor units (B2-4-10, C4-2-6 and C4-2-7) by measuring abnormally high capacitances. These three units are probably responsible for the failure alarm in phases B and C. The defective unit B2-4-10 could be detected only at a higher test voltage, because its capacitance varied with test voltage. When 290 V was applied to the whole string, each unit in the string sees only 18 V, and the measured capacitance increased only 2,2% above the average. But when the entire test voltage (291 V) was applied across the suspicious unit, the capacitance increased 7,2%. The power factor trace has a sawtooth shape. Each segment of the sawtooth represents a capacitor string. This is caused by the leakage to ground phenomenon [4] in the UST test circuit. Each test took less than one minute to perform.

References
[1] Long Pong, Field Testing Capacitor Bank With M4000 Test Instrument, 73rd Annual International Conference of Doble Clients, 2006, in Arresters, Capacitors, Cables and Accessories Committee, paper ACCA 7 [2] Long Pong and Daryl Wheat, Update - Field Testing Capacitor Bank With M4000 Test Instrument , Minutes of the 74th Annual International Conference of Doble Clients, 2007, in Arresters, Capacitors, Cables and Accessories Committee, paper ACCA 3 [3] Doble, Application Notes (Generated By Long Pong) For The Doble M4000 Cap. Bank Test, Part # 500-0688 [4] Long Pong, Review Negative Power Factor Test Results and Case Study Analysis, Sixty Ninth Annual International Conference of Doble Clients, 2002, in Transformer Committee, paper 13B [5] Long Pong and Lisa Vo Van, Testing Capacitor Banks With Serial Unit Strings Using M4000 Test Instrument - Update of the CapBank Test Procedure, 75th Annual International Conference.

Conclusion These two field experiences had again demonstrated the effectiveness of Doble CapBank test to detect the failed and deteriorated units in either parallel or serial groups. Also learned were the following points:

The measured capacitance of a serial string can be affected by a frame connection, see Fig. 6b. This connection should be removed to compare the measured value to the same reference or to the adjacent string. This frame connection will increase the measured capacitance. energize - September 2011 - Page 36

Contact Nthwesane Pilane, Doble, Tel 031 266-2920 npilane@doble.com