Worry Free High Voltage Couplers

WMEA Conference, San Antonio

November 19, 2009 Presented by Nick Turner of KonNx Inc.

KONNX
KonNx Inc
Office, Warehouse and North American Distribution Denver, Colorado

AUSPROOF
Headquarters, Factory, and Global Distribution in
Gladstone, Queensland, Australia

KONNX

Non-Ferrous Foundry

Computer Network from Design to Manufacture

CNC Equipped Machine Workshop

Basic raw materials received

Final product totally manufactured and ready for use

The Development Of The

KONNX
Cable Coupler Systems

PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE RECORD RECORD OF OF COUPLERS COUPLERS IN IN SERVICE SERVICE

1 2 3

Goal: Engineer out all the ways a high voltage coupler can fail.

What made them fail?

RESEARCHING RESEARCHING COUPLERS COUPLERS GLOBELY GLOBELY

Designs around the World

Initial Findings

Low voltage

High voltage

Quick Fix Solutions i.e. Teflon Electrical Type Tests For Connector Lower Than Requirement For Cable (making coupler weak link)

THE THE ULTIMATE ULTIMATE TEST TEST

SHORT

AIR AIR AND AND PARTIAL PARTIAL DISCHARGE DISCHARGE

Air Trapped Inside Coupler Enclosure Phase To Phase Flashover Existing couplers tested with results exceeding AIR 20,000 pico-coulombs (pC). Extruded mining cable specifications call for an average 5 pico-coulombs.

PARTIAL DISCHARGE

SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS
Remove Air with Silicon Rubber Insert Insulating Material Developed to Extinguish Tracking

Insulating Material Silicon Insert

NO NO TRIPS TRIPS OR OR ANY ANY SIGNS SIGNS OF OF FAULT FAULT

ANALYSIS ANALYSIS
Silicon Rubber Insulating Material Stepping Stone

PHASE PHASE SEGREGATION SEGREGATION BY BY EARTH EARTH

Mining Industry Standard
EARTH PHASE EARTH PHASE EARTH PHASE EARTH

FIRST FIRST SOLUTION SOLUTION

A Phase to Ground Fault was created with conductive paint

Earth Star Placed Between Phases

A Through Fault Test was then performed on this solution to see how it would perform in the field

REASON REASON FOR FOR FAILURE FAILURE

PHASE 1 EARTH

PHASE 2

PHASE 3

FINDING FINDING A A SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSFUL SOLUTION SOLUTION

Equipotential Lines Good

Equipotential Lines Good

.

Earth Star Equipotential Lines Crushed Up

Individually Screened Cable

COUPLERS COUPLERS HOMOGENEOUS HOMOGENEOUS WITH WITH CABLE CABLE

EARTH
CROSS SECTION

ALL TYPE TESTS PERFORMED WERE WITHIN CABLE SPECIFICATIONS

Current
Contacts are of an eight finger
design. Heat treated locking ring to maintain contact pressure. Continuous rating of 800A
TYPE TESTS PERFORMED ON NEW DESIGN

Temperature Rise at 800A

Through Fault Test: 20kA for 0.3 sec 20kA for 0.3 sec 20kA for 1.0 sec

Passed Passed Passed Passed

Voltage Type Tests Passed

Impulse Voltage 125kV 10 Pos. Shots and 10 Neg. Shots A/C High Voltage Withstand 50kV for 1 min 35kV for 6 hours Partial Discharge 10pC 0.6pC Prior to 6 hour high voltage withstand After 6 hour high voltage withstand

Comparison
Coupler Now As Good As The Cable

From Partial Solution to the Complete Solution

Water Ingression
Existing round O-ring seal IEC 60529 Square section silicon face seals with a life of 30 yrs Tested to IP 68 Standard

Cable Glands
KonNx gland incorporates adjustments to maintain tension on cable over time. Design will tighten on cable if tension on cable is applied. Glands are design specifically for cable sizes.

Special Cold Pour Developed with 3M

Bi-Sexual Design
All male couplers. Guide pins assist alignment.

All Silicon 800amp female/female Phase connectors w/Rockwell hardened lock rings

MSHA Compliance.

Tools & Coupling

Enclosed slide hammers. Earth pilot attachment. Coupling tool. After together use four bolts to secure

Integrated Handling System For Surface Mining Applications

Assists with opening and closing couplers One man operation Able to relocate couplers while energized. Protection for the joint. Roll-over. Skid wear pads. Cable clamp at each end. No tools required

Research & Development 5% of annual income

Latest Development is integrated Fiber Optics

Benefits to the Mining Industry

Eliminating risk of phase to phase faults. Reducing the risk of phase to ground faults Fully integrated handling systems. Couplers do not limit the power supply to machines (All couplers continuously rated at 800 amps) Eliminates need for male/female cable orientation We listen to our customers and keep improving our products Increase in expected life of coupler. Over 1000 of our couplers in service since 1992 with no problems

Track Record
25kV couplers operating in Australian mines since 1992. In excess of 2000 couplers in Australia, South Africa, South America, North America and Asia Specified 25kV coupler by BHP Billiton. Rio Tinto. Xstrata Coal. Anglo American Coal Arch Minerals Cline Resources Signal Peak Energy

Track Record Specified 15kv Couplers by: GCC Energy Prairie States Energy Project ICG Consol Energy Specified 8kV Couplers by: BHP San Juan Mine Arch Minerals Signal Peak Energy Patriot Coal FMC Chemicals

KonNx