TESTING AND MAINTENANCE OF

SWITCHYARD EQUIPMENTS AT NTPC

MUNISH MISHRA
Addl. General Manager (OS-Electrical), NTPC Ltd.

INDICATIVE FLEET SIZE Grading Capacitance Elements Non-uniform

Capacitors value within degraded Oil voltage distribution
Sl. Equipment Approx. Approx. Voltage

w & e internatioNal (Energy section)

± 5% leakage leading to higher
No. Population Fleet age class (kV) stresses
1 Air Blast 75 >20 years 132/220/ Abnormal Comparison Erosion/ Unsuccessful
Circuit 400 DCRM w.r.t. factory misalignment current interruption
Breakers Signatures values of Main/Arcing leading to re-strikes
2 SF6 Breakers 210 >20 years 132/220/ Contacts and subsequent
failures
120 <20->10 400/765
100 years Abnormal Comparison Problem in Unsuccessful CB
<10 years Contact w.r.t . factory Operating operation
3 Gapless 600 15 years 132/220/ Travel/ values levers, op.
type Surge 530 <10 years 400/765 Speed mechanism
arresters SF6 gas -High -35 deg C/ Leakage from Re-strikes
4 Current 500 > 20 years 132/220/ Moisture -27deg C Sealing sections
Transformers 630 15 years 400/765 Content
300 < 10 years
5 CVT/PT 150 > 20 years 132/220/ MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES
400 15 years 400/765
200 <10 years
(A) Air Blast Circuit Breakers with
Compressed air system
CIRCUIT BREAKERS 1 Cleaning of breaker interrupter, support Y
insulators, PIRs and grading capacitors
Tests of Circuit Breaker
Operating Timings of Main and Auxiliary Contacts 2 Checking of oil leak from grading M
capacitors
Trip/Close Coil Currents Measurement
Static Contact Resistance Measurement 3 Air (pressure) leakage check Y/SOS
Contact Travel Measurement 4 Checking of air pressure drop during duty Y
Dew Point Measurement of SF6 Gas (Purity Also) cycle operation

Dynamic Contact Resistance Measurement 5 Overhauling of Circuit Breaker 10 years/

Tan Delta Measurement of Grading Capacitors OEM
guidelines
Air Pressure Drop Tests
SF6 Gas Pressure Monitoring (B) Compressed Air System
Running Time of Compressure/Pump for Pressure Build Up.
1 Checking of air compressor for oil level, QY
Simulation of Alarms. oil quality, air filter, V-belt tension
Evaluation of Test Results 2 Maintenance of air dryers HY
Problem Limits Defects Effects 3 Functional checking of auto starting of HY
Area air compressors and dryers
Pole 3.33 ms Problem in High Asymmetrical
discrepancy Revised IEC- Op.drive Current upto 4 Dew point measurement of operating air QY
time more 62271 Closing/trip 3.01p.u. (Ref at the outlet of air dryer
in closing/ -5/ 3.33ms Coil Etc. CIGRE-02)
tripping High Sw. Over 5 Overhauling of compressors OEM guideline
Voltages Delayed based on
fault clearance running hrs.

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 (C) SF6 Circuit Breakers 8 Checking of close/trip coil currents and alarm Y
circuit healthiness
1 Cleaning of breaker interrupter, support Y
insulators and grading capacitors 9 Capacitance and tand measurement of grading Y
capacitors
2 Checking of oil leaks from grading M
capacitors 10 CB operating timings (Main, PIR.) Y
3 SF6 gas pressure drop test Y/SOS 11 Static contact resistance measurement Y
4 Dew point measurement of SF6 gas 3Y 12 Dynamic contact resistance (DCRM), contact 3Y
travel, contact speed, contact wipe, arcing contact
5 Overhauling of Circuit Breaker 10 years/ length
OEM
guidelines
Surge Arrester
(E) Hydraulic Operating Mechanism Techniques for the Health Monitoring of Surge
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1 Checking of oil leaks M Arresters

2 Checking of oil level and replenishment/ topping up, M 1. Total Leakage Current Measurement
if necessary
2. Insulation Resistance Measurement
3 Checking of oil pressure drop during duty cycle Y
operation check 3. Third Harmonic Resistive Current Monitoring
4 Checking of auto-starting/stopping of oil pump, Y 4. Third Harmonic Resistive Current (THRC) Monitoring
pressure switch settings, etc. with Compensaton for Third Harmonics in System
5 Checking of healthiness of accumulator by checking Y
Voltage
the pre-charging pressure when building up pressure 5. Thermoscanning
from zero
6 Checking of operation of safety valve Y
WHY HARMONIC MEASUREMENT
7 Overhauling of mechanism alongwith CB overhaul
- Harmonics are Created in Leakage Current on
Application of Fundamental Frequency, Due to
(F) Pneumatic Operating Mechanism with non Linear Voltage-Current characterstic of Surge
Unit Compressors Arresters.
- Third Harmonic is the Largest Harmonic Component
1 Checking of air compressor for oil QY of the Resistive Current
level, oil quality, air filter, V-belt
tension Basic circuit for LA testing
2 Maintenance of air dryer, if provided HY
3 Functional checking of auto-starting Y
of air compressors and dryers

4 Checking of air pressure drop during Y

duty cycle operation
5 Overhauling of compressors OEM guideline
based on running
hrs.

Testing of Circuit Breaker and

control scheme
1 Checking of pole discrepancy relay Y
2 Checking of pressure settings Y
Third Harmonic Resistive
3 Checking of healthiness of operation counter Y
Current
4 Functional checks, duty cycle operation including Y
rapid re-closing (O-0.3s-CO) Make LA LA LA LA (10- LA >15
(0-2Yrs.) (2-5Yrs.) (5-10Yrs.) 15 Yrs.) Yr s.
5 Checking of all operation lock-outs including SF6 Y
Alstom 10-25μA 10-40μA 20-100μA 40-125μA 50-150μA
density monitor
Elpro 10-30μA 10-40μA 20-100μA 40-125μA 50-150μA
6 Checking of all interlocks Y
CGL 10-20μA 10-40μA 20-50μA - -
7 Checking of remote operation, protection trip and Y
alarms Oblum 10-20μA 10-40μA 20-50μA - -

22 WATER & ENERGY INTERNATIONAL May 2013

SURGE ARRESTERS 3 Measurement of Tan d and capacitance Y
1 Checking of leakage current (Third harmonic M (C1 & C2)
resistive current) 4 Tan delta tip up test (difference of tan Y
2 Testing of counters and leakage current meters Y delta value at 10 kV and 2 kV)

3 Cleaning of insulator Y 5 Checking the healthiness & tightness Y

of PF terminal earthing connection.
4 Checking of earth connections between surge Y
arrester, surge monitor and earth 6 N2 pressure checking and top up (if 2Y
applicable)
5 Measurement of capacitance and Tanδ and IR of SOS
each stack 7 Measurement of CT secondary SOS
resistance
6 Thermovision Scanning of stacks M
8 Magnetization characteristics SOS
Current Transformers 9 CT ratio test SOS

w & e internatioNal (Energy section)

10 DGA and testing of other parameters Before completion
CT Tests of oil (Limits as specified in of warranty and
• Magnetization Curve Test. IEC60599) thereafter 10Y or
SOS
• Tan delta Capacitance test.
11 Checking of burden on the secondary SOS
• DGA winding
CT TESTING -TAN DELTA Capacitive Voltage Transformer
Tan delta measurement CVT Tests
• CTs with Test Tap - Ungrounded Specimen Test mode • Ratio test.
(UST) • Capacitance and Tan delta measurement of stacks
• CTs without Test Taps - Grounded Specimen Test
(GST) mode with jumpers disconnected CVT
• Values to be monitored w.r.t. factory/ pre-commissioning 1 Checking of oil leaks M
values 2 Measurement of voltage at Control room panel M
• Sudden change in measured values indicate faster 3 Visual checking of earthing HF point (in case it is Y
deterioration of insulation. not being used for PLCC)
• Precautions : P1/P2 to be shorted. Porcelain surface to 4 Checking for any breakage or cracks in cementing Y
be thoroughly cleaned. Test Tap to be reconnected to joint
Earth after the Test 5 Cleaning of CVT capacitor stacks and tightness of Y
terminal connections
C1 and C2 Tan delta measurement 6 Thermovision Scanning of Capacitor stacks M
7 Capacitance and Tand measurement Y

CVT Secondary Voltage

CVT Secondary Voltage v = k * V * C1/ (C1+C2)
V -Primary Voltage
k - Secondary Transformation ratio
Note:
Puncturing of C1 - Secondary Voltage will increase
Puncturing of C2 - Secondary Voltage will decrease
For C1: Apply 10 kV between HV and test tap on UST mode. ISOLATORS
For C2: Apply 500 V between Test tap and Ground with HV
Guarded on GSTg mode 1 Cleaning and lubrication of main contacts, pins and Y
bearings
CURRENT TRANSFORMERS 2 Checking of tightness of bolts, nuts and pins, etc. Y
1 Checking of oil level (level high/low/ QY 3 Cleaning of support insulators and checking of Y
normal) and Visual inspection of CT insulator cracks, if any
for oil leakage/seepage 4 Checking of interlocks Y
2 Thermo scanning of CT body and M 5 Checking of earth connection of structure Y
primary connections 6 Operation check of isolators Y

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 7 Checking of alignment Y 400 kV CT FAILURE
8 Main contact resistance measurement Y
9 Checking and lubrication of linkages including Y
transmission gears
10 Checking of stopper bolts Y
11 Cleaning of auxiliary switch contacts and greasing Y
with silicon grease
12 Lubrication of operating mechanism hinges, lock Y
joints on levers, Bearings

CONDITION MONITORING /
w & e internatioNal (Energy section)

MAINTAINING TOOLS
S. Tool/Test Application Frequency
No.
1 Thermography Complete Monthly
switchyard
2 Hot line washing Switchyard Before onset of
bus bar and foggy season
equipments or quarterly for
except Surge coastal areas.
arresters and
Transformer
EHV bushings
3 PID String insulators SOS
4 Leakage current Surge arresters Monthly
monitoring
5 Dissolved Gas Current After 10 years of Learnings
analysis Transformers service or SOS
• Internal galvanizing was deteriorating gradually, giving
6 Corona Complete Under suspended metal traces in oil and on insulation, resulting
Discharge switchyard consideration as in internal PD. Decision for No internal galvanizing to
new technology be done in CT’s.
adoption
• Practices have been revised since.
7 Walk Down Complete Daily
• CT MB’s should have been away from the CT’s.
Check List switchyard
Failure of Disc Insulator at 400 kV
CASE STUDY- CTs Switchyard
• Failures occurred within few months of charging. • Disc insulators commissioned S/Y started failing.
400 kV Bus tripped due to insulator string failure of
• After the first failure.Electrical Test Results did not
R-phase of Bus on Bus bar protection.
show any abnormality for other CT’s.
• Initially Vendor suggested to wash these.
• DGA of oil samples suggest elevated fault gases i.e.
Hydrogen, in some CT’s. Hence it was decided to • However a detailed study revealed that in spite of a
remove such CT’s from service and observe gas trend more polluted environment for Stage - 1 & 2, such
in others. problem never existed.
• In spite of this, a second incident occurred in July ’11. • No traces of tracking due to pollution.
• This CT showed normal levels of gases in the earlier • At the time of failure: Weather: Sunny
testing. No over voltage.
• The earlier removed CT’s were investigated at OEM • Insulation test and capacitance measurement carried
works. out on same lot insulators.
• Decision was taken to remove all such CT’s from • Thermo vision scanning carried out. Difference in
service till root cause is established . temperature found along the string.

24 WATER & ENERGY INTERNATIONAL May 2013

Test Results
Disc No. IR 15 sec Tan Delta (%) Cap (pF) IR 15 sec Wet Tan Delta (%) Wet Cap (pF) Wet
1 137 GΩ 7 41 222 GΩ 6.09 40.5
2 167 GΩ 5 41.5 200 GΩ 4.48 41.3
3 189 MΩ 54.17 55.9 186 MΩ 51.29 54.7
4 9.3 GΩ 11 46.2 10.5 GΩ 9.76 45.7
5 5.4 MΩ 96.44 219.4 2.94 MΩ 98.85 192.8
6 10.1 MΩ 97.65 130.8 9.75 MΩ 97.93 128.3
7 69.5 MΩ 72.35 57.2 72.6 MΩ 69.92 55.9
8 29.4 MΩ 91.67 61.5

w & e internatioNal (Energy section)

9 17 MΩ 94.61 88.3
10 9 MΩ 97.83 100.9
11 3.72 MΩ 98.81 161.9
12 61 MΩ 76.36 47.4
13 4.4 MΩ 98.72 153
14 4.2 GΩ

HEALTHY INSULATOR
1 264 GΩ 3 38.3 183 GΩ 2.93 38.3
2 214 GΩ 2.74 36.4 236 GΩ 2.42 36.2
3 224 GΩ 2.51 36.1 264 GΩ 2.18 35.9
4 36 GΩ 29.63 194.3 10.9 GΩ 29.7 193.9
5 650 MΩ 53.95 195.1 404 MΩ 55.45 175.7
Learnings
• Deviation in IR and capacitance indicate varied voltage variation along the string.
• Detailed failure analysis done at Vendors premises. They agreed to replace the entire defective lot free of cost due to
the reason that there was some Quality issue in the complete lot.
• PID of insulator strings and thermo vision scanning can provide early signs of failure.

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