Circuit Breaker
Circuit Breaker
SITUATION:
At one of the 220/132 KV GSS, one of 220KV feeder breaker was tripping frequently
indicating with no master relay indication.
Observations:
1. This feeder was tripping abnormally, resulting blackout situation on the remote end
grid as the feeder was the incomer supply feeder radially fed from this 220/132KV
GSS.
2. During tripping of the feeder, neither primary relays nor master relay were operating.
3. Because of such peculiar behavior, the tripping circuit used for this system was
suspected with some mal-operation.
4. The grid personnel were enquired about the followings
a. Whether the tripping was resulting during station supply voltage fluctuation in
the system.
b. Whether tripping during OFF PEAK LOAD condition of the station, like the point
when the LT Supply (415Volt supply) does have its maximum value in the
system.
c. Any other coincidences like DC Leakage and tripping at the time of rain/ after
rain etc..
5. The reply of the grid personnel was that the tripping does occur especially during the
above two points 4 a and 4 b but not always, its like occasionally.
6. The feeder was availed with maintenance shutdown to check detail of the tripping
circuit keeping supply through alternate Transfer Bus Breaker system to maintain
continuity supply to the remote station.
7. This breaker was kept under observation keeping isolation from the system under the
supervision a responsible engineer to ensure the tripping being due to the above two
of the reasons as described by the grid personnel.
8. On doing so, similar situation resulted but for few of the condition the breaker tripped.
So to confirm the situation, station transformer supply was raised by the OFF LOAD
Tap changer and found with tripping of the breaker with voltage being 434 Volt. So, it
was ensured that the problem is with tripping circuit supervision scheme.
9. On studying the trip circuit supervision scheme, it was found with the use of TSR (Trip
circuit Supervision Relay) in series to the Trip coil.
10. Now the TSR with TCS circuit was checked and found with few of the following points.
a. Certain voltage got appeared at the terminal after disconnection of the circuit
from TSR relay, when measured with Multimeter. To confirm this voltage being
actual driving voltage or not, the test lamp was used. But the test lamp did not
glow confirming that the voltage appeared was of extended open circuit voltage
with TSR in series to the circuit. TSR contains HIGH OHMIC resistor in series
to the circuit to restrict the voltage across the trip coil during supervision of the
circuit. (Refer Fig 2.4)
b. With same dis-connection point, the station supply voltage was raised to 434
volt and similar checking was done by Multimeter and then by test Lamp. This
time it was observed with feeble glow of the test lamp, indicating that certain
voltage go appeared across the test lamp.
TSR with
HIGH OHM
+ve Resistance NO Trip coil
-ve
Fig 2.4
c. So keeping Test lamp in the circuit, multimeter was connected across the test
lamp to know the voltage drop and found with around 70 volts.
d. But this voltage of 70 Volt may not be sufficient for actuation of the trip coil.
e. However, the circuit was re-connected and it was found with rise of station
supply also the breaker did not trip, rather during switching OFF and ON the
breaker tripped.
11. So, considering the case of problem in the TSR and connected trip coil, both the
elements were replaced and tested once again with similar exercise and found with
everything in order.
12. Now, for permanent solution to this scheme, the DC output circuit from the charger
was reviewed and found with NO PROVISION OF BLOCKER DIODE.
13. In the present scheme, higher output voltage in the range of 245-248 volt was getting
available across the battery set and also across the DC control circuit. All the relays
were designed for the voltage variation +/- 10 % from nominal (198 Volt 242-volt DC)
to work properly. Basically continuous rating coils like here TSR may cause reduction
of resistance in long run and result more voltage across the trip coil during the time of
sudden voltage fluctuation due to switching effect or variation of parameters due to
fault in the system.
14. Finally, BLOCKER DIODE was used in the system with setting of 246.5 volt as the
voltage output for the battery bank to allow tickle charging and 220-230 Volt by use of
blocker diode across the DC control circuit.
15. Then onwards, no such eventualities have been observed at the station.