March 30, 2011

TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 SCOPE

2.0 GENERAL

3.0 EVALUATION OF TRANSIENT ENCLOSURE VOLTAGE RISE (TEVR)

4.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

1.0 SCOPE

This Engineering Standard specifies the general guidelines for design, selection and
installation of Non-linear Resistor (Surge voltage limiter) at the interfaces of GIS and SF6
Air Bushing termination, GIS and Transformer bushing termination and GIS and cable
termination intended to be used in the transmission system of the Saudi Electricity
Company, Saudi Arabia.

2.0 GENERAL

2.1 Every electrical breakdown in SF6 gas as insulation media of GIS is the source of
Very Fast Transient Overvoltages (VFTO) spreading from the point of their
appearing into all directions. At the points of discontinuity such as bushings, cable
terminals, enclosure compensation plates, voltage and current measuring
transformers and similar, the travelling waves that propagate into the outer
enclosures and parts of the grounding system causing Transient Enclosure Voltage
Rise (TEVR) of the Gas Insultated Switchgear (GIS). Since the frequency range of
the transient reaches also several tens of MHz, even very small inductivities of the
grounding connections increase the TEVR. Exceeding the "critical" values leads to
the audible and visible flashovers.

2.2 SF6 gas-to-air bushing is one of the most important components of GIS as it
connects to an overhead transmission line Figure 41-1. VFTO are generated during
switching operations of disconnector switch (DS) or circuit breaker (CB) or Break
down of the SF6 between the conductor and enclosure (earth fault). VFTO
wavefronts propagate inside the substation coaxial bus (bus duct) as a result of skin
effect up to a point of discontinuity. In this point the refracted part of the VFTO
passes on the external surface of the GIS enclosure causing TEVR. This is a low
energy short duration phenomenon, which will sustain for 20-30msec. The point of
discontinuity in GIS are; GIS to OHL termination, GIS to transformer or reactor
bushing, GIS to cable termination, exposed insulation at enclosure flange joints,
windows at disconnector, etc.

2.3 The main and dominant source of the VFTO and TEVR are disconnectors due to its
relatively slow contact trip, the whole series of the restrikes occur (tens to several
hundreds) and each of them generate VFTO. The voltage conditions inside the
switchgear at the restrike on the disconnector, where very fast overvoltages occur
can be generally expressed by the following equation.

V(t,s) = UDS • K (t,s) + U0 Eq.(41.1)

Where:
V(t,s) = transient voltage in the time t on the point s
UDS = voltage on the disconnector contacts
U0 = pre-voltage at unloaded side of the disconnector
K (t,s) = the standardized factor for the GIS configuration

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

2.4 High frequency transients are generally confined to the inside of the screening
provided by the GIS enclosure. GIS is a moduler design and discontinuity in the
enclosure allows the high frequency effects to be transferred to the exterior of the
GIS. These discontinuity influence large potential source of high frequency effect.

2.5 TEVR in GIS is caused by high frequency current, which develop a potential rise
because of the relatively high reactance of the conventional earth connection and
discontinuity. TEVR is set up by currents fed into the earthing system and the
capacitance of the GIS installation.

2.6 The phenomena of TEVR also known as transient ground potentional rise (TGPR)
consist of short duration high voltage transient appearing on the external surface of
the GIS enclosure.

2.7 To protect against the effect of TEVR, protective devices (non-linear resistor/ surge
voltage limiter) shall be installed where the ends of enclosure are not connected to
earth. Connecting number of non-linear resistor symmetrically around the flange
with short connections are indicated in Figure 41-2 & 41-3.

2.8 When Current transformers are fitted to the outside of enclosures and if insulated
flanges fitted at this point, this will establishes another type of discontinuity in the
enclosure with the consequental danger of high frequency and high potential
differences across the gap. It is necessary to avoid power frequency currents flowing
in the enclosures in the opposite direction to the main fault current in the primary
conductor. This can be alleviated by means of suitably designed shunts around the
current transformer or preferably by non linear resistances connected symmetrically
around the circumference of the flange (see Fig: 41-4).

3.0 EVALUATION OF TRANSIENT ENCLOSURE VOLTAGE RISE (TEVR)

3.1 In any case, the voltage collapse produces travelling waves which propagate in all
possible directions from the point of breakdown, depending on the number of paths
departing from this point. These waves, characterised by very short rise time,
produce the so called VFTO and thereby TEVR.

3.2 In earth fault case a step voltage whose amplitude is equal to the line to ground
breakdown voltage is initially produced. The maximum amplitude of this step
voltage is assumed equal to:

U100% = LIWLGIS × 1.20 × 1.12 Eq.(41.2)

Where; LIWLGIS = the lightning impulse withstand voltage of the GIS

1.2 = the ratio bewteen the breakdown voltage with positive and negative
polarity
1.12 = the coefficient of 100% breakdown probability

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

3.3 GIS/Air bushing transition

3.3.1 The GIS to air bushing interface can be illustrated as in Figure 41-5. The
refraction of the appoaching internal wavefront on the overhead line and on
the enclosure gives rise to a voltage-to-ground, whose amplitude can be
derived by multiplying the amplitude of the intial step generated inside the
GIS coaxial bus by the coefficient

S1 = (-)2 × Ze / (Z1 + Z2 + Ze) Eq. (41.3)

Where; Z1 = surge impedance of the coaxial bus
Z2 = surge Impedance of the line
Ze = surge impedance of the enclosure (to the ground)

3.3.2 Surge impedance of the coaxial bus of single phase enclosure can be
calculated using the formula:

Z1 = 60ln (R/r) Ohms Eq. (41.4)

Where; r = radius of internal conductor

R = innermost radius of the enclosure

3.3.3 Surge impedance of the three phase coaxial bus can be calculated using
following formula:
Capacitance
C = (4×π×εr×ε0)/{ln4[(a2×(¾D2-a2)3/d2(27/64D6-a6)]}F/m Eq. (41.5)

Inductance L = (μ0/π){ln4[(a2×(¾D2-a2)3/d2(27/64D6-a6)]}H/m Eq. (41.6)

Where; εr = Relative gas permitivity =1

ε0 = Permitivity of gas = 8.854 × 10-12
μ0 = Permiability of free space = 4 ×π × 10-7 H/m
d = Diameter of the busbar conductor
D = Inner diameter of the enclosure
a = Distance between centers of neighbouring conductors

Thereby surge impedance of three phase enclosure Z1 = √(L/C)

= 1/(4 ×π) × {ln 4[(a2 (¾ D2- a2)3 / d2 (27/64 D6-a6)]} × √(μ0/ εr × ε0)
Substituting the values of π , μ0, εr, and ε0
Z1 = 29.98 × {ln 4[(a2 (¾ D2- a2)3 / d2 (27/64 D6-a6)]} Eq. (41.7)

3.3.4 Surge impedance of the enclosure (cylinder plane) can be calculated using
the formula:
Ze = 60 × ln {[h + √(h2 – R2)] /R} Eq. (41.8)

Where; R = innermost radius of the enclosure

h = height of the centre of the conductor from the ground plane

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

3.3.5 Surge impedance of transmission line can be calculated using the formula:

Z2 = √ (R + jωL) / (G + jωC) Eq. (41.9)

Where; R = resistance per unit length

L = inductance per unit length
G = conductance of the dielectric per unit length
C = Capacitance per unit length
j = imaginary unit
ω = angular frequency

3.3.6 When the wave propagates outside the enclosure, ground straps and cross
bounding betweeen the enclosures of the phases are involved. Ground straps
and cross boundings shall be considered as transmission line.

3.3.7 Amplitude of the step propagating beyond connections is evaluated by

multiplying the amplitude of the incident step by transmission coefficient of
the junction (Fig 41-6):

S2 = (-) 2 × Zg / (2×Zg + Ze) Eq. (41.10)

Where; Zg = Surge impedance of the ground connection

Ze = Surge impedanace of the enclosure

3.3.8 The portion of the wave propagating down the ground strap is reflected at the
point of the ground connection and return back with opposite sign to the
enclosure where it reduces the original wave (Fig 41-7). If the length of
ground lead is such that twice its transient time is less than the rise time of
the incident step, the reduction happen before the maximum amplitude is
reached, i.e. on the front of the step.

3.3.9 For accurate method, Electromagnetic Transient Program (EMTP)

considering all internal components of the whole substation (disconnectors,
circuit breakers, bushing, etc) and external network (overhead lines, cables,
gaps, non linear resistors, etc) shall be carried out.

3.3.10 Internal wave front can be calculted by multiplying Eq (41.2) by ‘S1’.

Therefore, internal wave front Ui = (LIWLGIS × 1.20 × 1.12) × S1 Eq. (41.11)

3.3.11 The amplitude of step propagation beyond connection can be calculated

multiplying Eq (41.2) by ‘S2’.

Therefore, amplitude of step propagation beyond connection

Ua = (LIWLGIS × 1.20 × 1.12) × S2 Eq. (41.12)

3.3.12 The three phases of three single phase enslolures are very close and
connected in parellel the total enclosure surge impedance can be considered
as the parallel of surge impedance of the three enclsoure. And therefore for

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

three phase calculation the values of S1 = 0.18 & S2 = 0.16 shall be

considered.

3.3.13 Multiple ground straps further reduces the surge impedance Zg and thereby S2
is reduced.

3.4 GIS/Cable transition

3.4.1 Sheath of cables and GIS enclosure are normally isolated by an insulation
sleeve and are connected to ground separately. The GIS and cable interface is
schematized as Fig 41-8, the value of the transmission coefficient relating to
the amplitude of the wave between enclosure and ground is given by:

S = (-)2 × Ze / (Z1 + Z2 + Ze + Zc) Eq. (41.13)

Where; Ze = Surge impedance of the enclosure
Z1 = Surge impedance of the coaxial bus
Z2 = Surge impedance of the cable conductor
Zc = Surge impedance of the cable sheath

3.4.2 Normally between cable sheath and GIS enclosure some equipment such as
non linear resistors, capacitor or gaps are provided to reduce the VFTO on
the enclosures. The voltage drop of the capacitor, non linear resistor or the
gap voltage collapse plus the voltage drop on the connecting lead is the
voltage VR applied to the series circuit formed by Zc and Ze, see Figure 41-9.

3.5 Selection of non-linear resistor (Surge voltage limiter)

3.5.1 The rated voltage of the non-linear resistor shall be coordinated with standing
voltages induced by rated and short circuit current. The device shall have
adequate energy absorption and high frequency response.

3.5.2 The non-linear resistor shall be arranged to give a low inductance connection
by minimizing the length of the connecting leads and connecting a number of
devices in parallel.

3.5.3 The standing voltage is directly proportional to the conductor current and
distance from the earth and increases with the enclosure spacing.

3.5.4 The limiter shall be able to withstand the 60Hz overvoltges resulting from
system faults.

3.5.5 The limiter shall be able to absorb, without damage, the energy dissipated
due to switching, including switching associated with a fault.

3.5.6 Non-linear resistor/ surge voltage limiter shall comply with IEC 60099. Non-
linear resistor/ surge voltage limiter shall comply with IEC 60099-4. ZnO
element per 60099-4 only acceptable.

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

3.5.7 Non-linear resistor (surge voltage limiter) shall have sufficient energy
absorption capability.

3.5.8 The discharge current of Non-linear resistor (surge votlage limiter) can be
calculated as follows:

ISlv = (2Ua–e) / Z1 (kA) Eq. (41.14)

Where; ISlv = Discharge current of SVL (Amps)

Ua = Amplitude of step propagation (kV)
e = Discharge Inception Voltage of SVL (Continuous
operating voltage) (kV)
Z1 = Surge impedance of the coaxial bus (Ohm)

3.5.9 Energy absorbtion capability of Non-linear resistor (surge voltage limiter)

can be calculated as follows:

W = Ures × (UL – Ures) ×1/Z × T × 10-3 (kJ) Eq. (41.15)

Where ; W = Energy absorption capability

Ures = Residual (discharge) voltage (lowest value of the switching
impulse residual voltage measured-refer Table J.1/J.2 of
IEC 60099-4)
UL = Charging voltage (refer table-5 of IEC 60099-4)
Z = Surge impedance of the line (refer Table-5 of IEC 60099-4)
T = Virtual duration of peak T (refer Table-5 of IEC 60099-4)

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

Figure 41-1: OHL termination

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

1. Variable resistance 2. Metal enclosure of GIS

3. Transformer tank 4. Insulator

Figure 41- 2: Shunting of the insulation between the metal enclosure of GIS and a transformer tank
by variable resistances

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

1. Variable resistance 2. Metal enclosure of GIS

3. Metal part of cable termination 4. Insulator

Figure 41- 3: Shunting of the insultion between the metal enclosure of GIS and the metal part of the
cable by means of variable resistances

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

1. Variable resistance 2. Insulator

3. Shunt 4. Current transformer

Figure 41- 4: Shunting of current transformer by means of variable resistances symmetrically

around the circumferences of the flange

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

Figure 41-5: Over voltages on enclosures associated with an overhead line termination

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

Figure 41- 6: Assessment of Surge propagating beyond GIS

Figure 41-7: Propagation of surge down ground connections

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

Figure 41- 8: Overvoltages on enclosures associated with a cable termination

Figure 41- 9: Effect of Surge arrester at point of GIS/Cable sheath interface

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEERING STANDARD TES-P-119.41, Rev. 0

4.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY

4.1 Electra no 151 (Dec. 1993), “Earthing of GIS – An Application Guide”.

4.2 IEEE C37.122 (IEEE Guide for Gas-Insulated Substations)

4.3 IEC 60099-4 (Surge arresters-Metal-oxide surge arresters without gaps for a.c.
systems)

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