Report

Subject/Title

Report on Calculations for Determination of Surface Electrical Field Strength and Critical Corona Voltage on Rigid Bus Conductors.
Project

Unrestricted
Summary*)

This report establishes that the maximum voltage at the surface of the rigid bus for 400 kV switchyard is below the critical voltage for corona discharge.

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Contents
page
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Introduction .....................................................................................................................3 System Data....................................................................................................................3 Conductor Data ...............................................................................................................3 Appendixes .....................................................................................................................4 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................4 References......................................................................................................................5

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Introduction
The magnitude of electric field strength at conductor surface is significant for occurrence of corona discharge. For a particular conductor configuration and installation height, the value of maximum electric field strength is determined. This magnitude of maximum surface electric field strength necessarily has to be less than the permissible value of electric field strength. Otherwise the critical magnitude of corona disruptive voltage would be attained over the conductor surface and resulting in corona discharge and subsequently corona loss. The parameters, other than the system line-to-ground voltage, that influences the magnitude of maximum surface electric field strength are the size of the conductor, conductor spacing and height of conductor above ground plane. Thus for a particular conductor in a system with defined voltage only the conductor configuration is to be optimised for limiting the maximum surface electric field strength. The permissible electric field strength for equal radio-influence (RI) generation for smooth, circular conductors is a function of bus-conductor diameter, barometric pressure and operating temperature at the site of installation.

System data
400kV AC Switchyard Nominal System Voltage System Frequency Altitude above sea level Barometric Pressure at design altitude Design Ambient Temperature 400 kV 50 Hz >1500 m 617 mm of Hg. 35 0C

3 Conductor Data
The following types of tubular busbar has been considered in the design : i) 250/6 mm AlMgSi0.5 Tubular Bus bar as Main Bus Conductor Outer Diameter Height of bus centre above FGL Conductor Spacing in 3 configuration 250 mm 13.0 m 6.0 m

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ii) 120/8 mm AlMgSi0.5 Tubular Bus bar as Equipment Bus Conductor at the Bus Coupling feeder Outer Diameter Height of bus centre above FGL Conductor Spacing in 3 configuration 120 mm 7.20 m 6.5 m

iii) 120/6 mm AlMgSi0.5 Tubular Bus bar as Equipment Bus Conductor at the Transformer & Line feeders Outer Diameter Height of bus centre above FGL Conductor Spacing in 3 configuration 120 mm 7.20 m 6.5 m

4 Appendixes
Appendix-1: Check for Surface Electric Field Strength of Tubular Rigid Bus Conductor : A Main Bus Conductor Appendix-2: Check for Surface Electric Field Strength of Tubular Rigid Bus Conductor : A Equipment Bus Conductor (Trafo, Line & Coupler feeders)

5 Conclusion
1. The maximum value of electric field strength at the surface of the Main Bus conductor for the present bus configuration is 3.46 kV/cm which is less than the permissible value of surface electric field strength at the site of installation, 18.78 kV/cm. This design is safe from electric field effect. 2. The maximum value of electric field strength at the surface of the Equipment Bus conductor for the present bus configuration is 7.02 kV/cm which is less than the permissible value of surface electric field strength at the site of installation, 18.78 kV/cm. This design is safe from electric field effect. 3. The maximum value of line to ground (phase) voltage of the conductor bundle under consideration is 266.74 kV, whereas for its configuration in the switchyard the magnitude of Disruptive critical voltage necessary for corona onsets are 1214 kV for main bus connector and 706 kV for feeder bus conductors. Calculated disruptive critical corona voltages for main bus and feeder bus conductors are much higher then the maximum value of line to ground (phase) voltage. Hence conductor designs are safe from corona considerations.

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6 References 1. IEEE Std 605 : 1987 IEEE Guide for Design of Substation Rigid-Bus Structures. 2. Technical Data sheet for Aluminum Alloy Tubular Conductor: Manufacturer Corus. 3. F. W. Peek, Dielectric Phenomena in High Voltage Engineering, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1929. 4. E. Kuffel, W. S. Zaengl, J. Kuffel, High Voltage Engineering Fundamentals, Newnes, New York 2000. 5. M. V. Deshpande, Electrical Power System Design, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. Ltd., New Delhi, 4th Ed. 1992. 6. Rakosh Das Begamudre, Extra High Voltage Ac Transmission Engineering, New Age International Publ. Ltd., New Delhi, (2nd Ed. 1990) Reprint 2004. 7. P. Sarma Maruvada, Corona Performance of High Voltage Transmission Lines, Research Studies Press, Philadelphia, PA, 2000. 8. Turan Gnen, Electric Power Transmission Systems Engineering Analysis and Design, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1988. 9. H. M. Ryan, High Voltage Engineering & Testing, Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, 2nd Ed. 2001.

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Appendixe 1

Calculations for Aluminium Tubular Busbars

E max = U0 2h r ln r

1. Main Busbars .250/6mm

2 r = 250/6 mm, h = 13 m, s = 6 m, U0 = 400/3 kV

1.1 Calculation of maximum Electrical Field Strength on Al. Tubular Busbars

E max = 231 U0 = = 3.462 kV / cm 2h 2 1300 r ln 12.5 ln r 12.5

Permissible surface electric field strength, Epermissible = 30/2 kV/cm x 0.89 Epermissible = 21,2 kV/cm x 0.89 = 18.78 kV/cm Result : Emax < Epermissible

1.2 Calculation of Corona Voltage

For 3-phases system, corona inception (onset) voltage (disruptive critical voltage), U0

s U0 = 3 21,2 m r ln r m: Surface factor, m = 0.87 : Relative air density, for 25oC air temperature and 760 mm Hg barometric pressure
= 0,3921 p 273 + t

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where p barometric pressure in mm Hg, t ambient temperature in Co Temperature range: -10oC < t < 50oC Average ambient temperature = 35oC

p = 617 mm Hg for 1500 m altitude

= 0.3921

p 617 = 0.3921 = 0.78547 273 + t 273 + 35

Corona inception (onset) voltage (disruptive critical voltage):

600 U 0 = 3 21,2 0.87 12.5 0.78547 ln = 1214kV 12.5

Visual critical (corona) voltage:
0.301 = 1331 kVrms Ucorona = U0 1 + r

Nominal system voltage, Un (kVrms, phase to phase) = 400 kV Permissible highest system voltage, Um (kVrms, phase to phase) = 420 kV Considering 10% overvoltage in the system, Uover (kVrms, phase to phase) = 462 kV Maximum system voltage Uph,max (kVrms, phase to neutral) = 462 / 3 = 266,74 kV Result: Ucorona > U0 > Uph,max

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Appendixe 2

2. Feeder Busbars .120/6mm and 120/8mm

2 r = 120/6 mm and 120/8 mm, h = 7.2 m, s = 6.5 m, U0 = 400/3 kV

2.1 Calculation of maximum Electrical Field Strength on Al. Tubular Busbars

E max =

231 U0 = = 7.02 kV / cm 2h 2 * 7.20 r ln 6 * ln r 6

Permissible surface electric field strength, Epermissible = 30/2 kV/cm x 0.89 Epermissible = 21,2 kV/cm x 0.89 = 18.78 kV/cm Result : Emax < Epermissible

2.2 Calculation of Corona Voltage

For 3-phases system, corona inception (onset) voltage (disruptive critical voltage), U0 s U0 = 3 21,2 m r ln r

m: Surface factor, m = 0.87 : Relative air density, for 25oC air temperature and 760 mm Hg barometric pressure
= 0,3921 p 273 + t

where p barometric pressure in mm Hg, t ambient temperature in Co

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Temperature range: -10oC < t < 50oC Average ambient temperature = 35oC

p = 617 mm Hg for 1500 m altitude = 0.3921 p 617 = 0.78547 = 0.3921 273 + t 273 + 35

Corona inception (onset) voltage (disruptive critical voltage):

650 U 0 = 3 21,2 0.87 6 0.78547 ln = 706 kV 6

Visual critical (corona) voltage: 0.301 = 803 kVrms Ucorona = U0 1 + r

Nominal system voltage, Un (kVrms, phase to phase) = 400 kV Permissible highest system voltage, Um (kVrms, phase to phase) = 420 kV Considering 10% overvoltage in the system, Uover (kVrms, phase to phase) = 462 kV Maximum system voltage Uph,max (kVrms, phase to neutral) = 462 / 3 = 266,74 kV Result: Ucorona > U0 > Uph,max