Neutral Earthing Aggregates

Introduction

Power utilities are increasingly

confronted with various
divergent requirements. On the
one hand, continuity of supply
and a high degree of personel
safety must be ensured. On
the other hand, the capital
costs as well as operating and
maintenance costs of the
apparatus, substations and
networks must be minimised.
To meet these requirements,

the method of high impedance

earthing, where necessary
through a Neutral Earthing
Aggregate (NEA), has proved
an optimum solution in electric
power systems. As a consequence, more and more utilities are implementing this type
of neutral earthing technique
in their distribution networks.
The high reliability of our
products, and our field-proven

Fig. 1 20 kV / 433 A Neutral Earthing Aggregate

designs, have positioned

Trench Austria as a leading
supplier wherever electric
energy is transmitted and
distributed. Tailor-made
solutions, including composite
Neutral Earthing Aggregates,
complete with associated
control and protection devices,
make up our well-proven
product range for earthing of
power systems.

Application areas
for NEAs

Environmental concerns and

issues of reliability and
operational safety of power
systems, increasingly result in
network designs using underground cables. Consequently
the earthfault currents in the
distribution networks may
increase, which in some cases
may overload the neutral
connection of the power
transformer, to which the
correspondent arc suppression

coil (ASC) is connected. In

these cases, as well as in the
absence of a power transformer
with a readily available neutral/
star-point (e.g. where there
is a delta connected supply
transformer winding), the
connection of the ASC is
accomplished via a Neutral
Coupler (Earthing transformer)
which creates an artificial
neutral/star-point connection.
NEAs are devices, housing a

Neutral Coupler with an

appropriate zig-zag winding
which provides a low zerosequence impedance and high
positive- and negativesequence impedances and an
Arc Suppression Coil of various
designs in a common oil-filled
tank. If required, a low voltage
shunt resistor for earthfault
detection can also be
integrated.

Neutral Earthing Aggregates are noted

for the following advantages:
Space-saving construction
Considerably reduced installation area compared to other solutions.
Applicable for compact substations.

Lower installation costs

Saving of one transformer cubicle or transformer bay, including an oil catchment pit.

Simplified layout and interconnection

The external connection between Neutral Coupler and ASC can be dispensed with.

Avoids duplicate monitoring and protection devices

Reduction of signals and control/signal cabling.

Technical Data

Technical Data
Power range

100 kvar 10000 kvar

Voltage range

up to 52/3 kV

Rated frequency

50 Hz (16 2/3 Hz and 60 Hz on request)

Duty

2 hours short time

continuous

Neutral Coupler

ASC

fixed, step, sliding or plunger core coil design

current regulating range depending on core type
from 1 : 2.5 to 1 : 10
tap changer, hand drive or motor drive

Cooling method

ONAN (self cooling)

Installation

indoor or outdoor

main winding (ZN)

secondary winding (yn or zn on request)
equalizing winding (on request)
primary voltage regulation (on request)

Fig. 2 Electrical diagram of a Neutral Earthing Aggregate (Earthing transformer, ASC and shunt resistor)

Principle
Construction

Fig. 3 Sectional drawing of a Neutral Earthing Aggregate

Standard Design and

Fittings

Oil-filled corrugated steel

tank with detachable
conservator
Mobile base with bidirectional rollers
Neutral Coupler: optional
with secondary winding
ASC: iron-cored reactor coil
with continuously variable
on-load air gap adjustment
by means of a plunger core
Suitable for automatic
earthfault compensation
via the Trench Austria
earthfault compensation
controller EFC50/EFC50i

Routine Tests

Porcelain bushings as per

DIN, or optional dead-front
construction by means of
plug-in cable termination
system
Protective cap over low
voltage bushings
Voltage measuring winding
100 V/3 A
Auxiliary power winding
(500 V, 5 % of coil power,
30 s short time duty) for
connection of diverse
secondary devices

Motor drive unit: Trench

Austria model DMA2,
230/400 V, 50 Hz, mounted
on top of the tank, with
hand-crank for emergency
service

Measurement of current
over the whole adjustment
range
Measurement of no-load
losses and current
Measurement of voltage
ratio between main and
secondary winding
Operating tests of the
core air gap mechanism
of the ASC

Magnetic oil gauge

Silica-gel dehydrating breather

The connection between

Neutral Coupler and ASC
is done internally

with final grey finish, RAL 7033

Measurement of winding
resistance

Drive monitoring devices

on request
Oil-filling: non-PCB mineral
oil with naphtenic base,
accord. to IEC 60296 : 2003
Surface treatment with zinc
primer and multiple coating,

Seperate-source power
frequency over-voltage test
Induced over-voltage test

Type Tests/
Special Tests
On request or as per
agreement

Special Designs
Sliding Core ASC
Simplified design for a
power range of 100
1250 kvar, current regulation
range 1:5, with hand drive
or motor drive

Step Core ASC

Iron-cored reactor coil

with taps, adjustable by

means of an off-load tap
changer, current regulating
range 1:2.5
Fixed Core ASC
Iron-cored reactor coil with
multiple sub-divided air gaps,
for compensation of fixed

(non-varying) network sections,

without adjustment device
Dry Type Design
Design with cast resign impregnated windings for indoor installation

Accessories

Earthfault Compensation
Controller EFC50
When changes in the network
topology occur, the ASC must
be immediately adjusted to

the actual network parameters.

This task is achieved by the
Trench Austria earthfault
compensation controller
EFC50, through adjustment of
the inductive reactance of the

ASC resonate with the actual

system earth capacitance.
For a detailed description,
refer to our brochure Earthfault Compensation Controller
EFC50/EFC50i.

Fig. 4 Earthfault Compensation Controller EFC50

Shunt Resistor
In order to eliminate earthfaults rapidly, the faulty feeder
has to be detected quickly and
selectively. One approach for
detection of low-magnitude
resisitive earthfaults is by
means of directional power
relays. When this approach is
used, it is sometimes necessary
to increase the residual earthfault current via a low voltage
shunt resistor connected to
the power auxiliary winding
of the ASC.

Electronic Resistor
Control EZA3
The electronic resistor control
EZA3 is used for controlling a
low voltage shunt resistor,
which is connected to the
power auxiliary winding of
the ASC. It, in addition protects
the resistor and the power
auxiliary winding of the ASC
from thermal overload.

Fig. 5 Resistor Control EZA3

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Subject to change without notice

04.11
E 680

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