The Effects of Notches in GIS Spacer Design to

Hold Conductor Rods on Electric Field Distribution

Syarif Hidayat
Department of Electrical Power
Engineering - School of Electrical
Engineering and Informatics
Institut Teknologi Bandung
Bandung, Indonesia
syarif@hv.ee.itb.ac.id
Umar Khayam
Department of Electrical Power
Engineering - School of Electrical
Engineering and Informatics
Institut Teknologi Bandung
Bandung, Indonesia
umar@hv.ee.itb.ac.id
Muhammad R. Fabio
Department of Electrical Power
Engineering - School of Electrical
Engineering and Informatics
Institut Teknologi Bandung
Bandung, Indonesia
muhammadrizal.fabio@live.com

Abstract—This paper discusses the effects of notches in

spacers of gas insulated switchgear (GIS) to hold conductor
rod to prevent it from sliding down prior to installation. The
spacers in question use epoxy resins as its main material with
relative permittivity of 3.5. This paper compares the design of
spacers without any notches and spacers with 3 notches in its
conductor cavity. The results of this paper suggest that spacer
with notches has higher electric field intensity compared to
spacer without notches. Spacers with notches has maximum
electric field intensity of 53.61 KV/cm while the spacers
without notches has maximum electric field intensity of 27.84
kV/cm.
A. Three-phase 150 kV GIS Components Modelling
In total there are 4 3D models used in this research,
which consist of GIS tank, conductor rod, spacer, and SF6
gas inside the tank with specification as written in Table 1.
Modification of spacer design is also followed by conductor
rod design to match its notches in the spacer conductor slots.
The drawing for the spacers used in this experiment is shown
in Figure 1. The cross section of GIS models with spacers
with notches used in this research is shown in figure 2 and
the GIS models without notches is shown in figure 3.

Keywords—spacer, GIS, electric field, notches TABLE I. THREE-PHASE 150 KV GIS SPECIFICATION

Components Parameter Value

I. INTRODUCTION
Length 1000 mm
Spacers is used in gas insulated switchgear (GIS) to hold Tank Diameter 544mm
its high voltage conductor in place. However, this component GIS Tank Diameter Flange 625 mm
is also the most vulnerable part of GIS component where
most of GIS insulation failure is caused by the failure of its Ketebalan 10 mm
spacers. Hence it is necessary to achieve minimum electric Material Aluminium (ε𝑟 = 1.6)
field in the GIS to prevent it. However, in order to hold said Length 1000 mm
Conductor
conductor so it will not slide and to add to its mechanical Diameter 60 mm
Rod
strength, the design of spacers most of the time have notches Material Aluminium (ε𝑟 = 1.6)
surrounding its conductor cavity to hold the conductor. The Spacer Material Epoxy Resin (ε𝑟 = 3.5)
geometry of this notches could lead to the increase of electric Insulation
field intensity inside the spacers due to field enchancement Gas Material SF6 (ε𝑟 = 2.4)
[1-4].
In this paper the effect of notches in GIS spacers to
electric field will be discussed compared to same GIS
spacers design but without notches. Previous experiment has
been conducted by Fransiskus Damanik et al. to this spacer
design and the purpose of this paper is to rectify some
mistakes from previous experiment such as the mistakes of
defining its boundary condition, modeling of tank, and parts
that was not modeled int the spacer model.

II. SIMULATION METHOD

There are two major steps of simulation methode
conducted in this research. The first major step is the
modeling of 3 phase 150kV GIS complete with its spacer.
The design of the GIS is based upon the adaptation of 170kV
spacers by Syarif Hidayat, as well as the design of its tank.
The second major steps is the simulation of said GIS using
finite element method (FEM) analysis technique software, Fig. 1. Initial drawing for spacers design with notches
COMSOL Multiphysics to calculate the distribution electric
potential and electric field distribution in the spacer. From its
simulation result the maximum value of electric field EMax
for spacer designs
 Vr = Vm * sin(2𝜋𝑓𝑡) ()

Vs = Vm * sin(2𝜋(𝑓𝑡-1/3) ()

Vt = Vm * sin(2𝜋(𝑓𝑡-2/3) ()
(a) Spacers and Conductor Model

he value of Vm is 122.47 kV and f is 50Hz. The center of

GIS is located at (0,0,0) on the simulation coordinates as
shown in Figure 6.

(a) GIS tank model

Fig. 2. Cross Section of Three-phase 150 kV GIS components model with Fig. 4. Voltage wave for each phase and its testing point
spacer notches

T R
(a) Spacers and Conductor Model

Fig. 5. Configuration of conductor rod in the spacer.

(a) GIS tank model

Fig. 3. Cross Section of Three-phase 150 kV GIS components model

without spacer notches

B. Parameters and assumption used in the simulation.

In this research it is assumed that the spacers used int the
simulation is perfect spacers without any void, defect. And
the material used in the model is perfect material with same
relative permittivity distribution.
The voltage used in this test is shown in equation (1) to
Fig. 6. Coordinate axis for spacers with zero point at the center of the
(3) and the maximum electric field is monitored every 30 spacer
degrees of the voltage phase angle for half period. The
voltage wave and the testing point value is shown in figure 4
and the conductor rod configuration is shown in figure 5.
 III. SIMULATION RESULTS Fig. 8. Electric Field Distribution at Spacer with notches at its respective
phase
The simulation results for spacer with notches is given
from phase 0 to 150. The simulation result consists of
electric potential distribution in spacer as shown in Figure 7, TABLE II. MAXIMUM ELECTRIC FIELD INTENSITY IN
electric field intensity distribution as shown in Figure 8 and SPACER WITHOUT NOTCHES
maximum electric field and its location is given by Table II
EMax Location EMax
below. Phase
X Y Z (Kv/m)
0 -103,88 -7,52 28,91 5068,80
30 13,06 98,50 1,86 5361,7
60 28,93 111,28 -0,61 4968,4
90 121,29 3,32 -30,22 5102,00
120 -95,55 -30,49 0,63 4328,30
150 -103,88 -7,52 28,91 5334,50

As shown in Table II the maximum value of electric field

at spacers with notches is 5361 KV/m at phase 30. This is
caused the electric difference between phase S and R and T
is at its maximum and the distance between phase S and R
and distance between phase S and T is lowest compared to
distance between phase R and T. From the coordinate the
maximum value occurred in the surrounding of notches
point. This is due to field enhancement caused by geometric
shape of the notches. The maximum electric field value is
very high inside the notches but the value of electric field at
the triple junction area where SF6, Conductor, and Spacer
meet is mostly stable at around 2-2.5 kV/m at most phase.

The simulation results for spacer without notches is given

Fig. 7. Electric Potential Distribution at Spacer with notches at its
respective phase
from phase 0 to 150. The simulation result consists of
electric potential distribution in spacer as shown in Figure 9,
electric field intensity distribution as shown in Figure 10 and
maximum electric field and its location is given by Table III
below.
Fig. 9. Electric Potential Distribution at Spacer without notches at its TABLE IV. MAXIMUM ELECTRIC FIELD INTENSITY IN SPACER
respective phase WITHOUT NOTCHES

EMax Spacer EMax Spacer

Phase without Notches without Notches
(Kv/m) (Kv/m)
0 2529,10 5068,80
30 2783,9 5361,7
60 2605,9 4968,4
90 2651,90 5102,00
120 2271,80 4328,30
150 2715,20 5334,50

The maximum value for both spacer is below the

breakdown voltage of Epoxy resin at 19700 kV/cm [5] and
breakdown voltage of SF6 gas at 29700 kV/cm at 3 Bar,
while most GIS usually operates at pressure higher than 3
Bar[6]. And this electric field is still low enough so that
partial discharge will not occurred. However, as time goes
usually SF6 will not maintain its purity and impurity inside
SF6 will build up at the spacer which will reduce its
breakdown voltage and potentially cause partial discharge.
And since the value of electric field is relatively higher at
that area partial discharge could easily occurred at that area
and could lead up to total breakdown and failure of spacer.

IV. CONCLUSION
Fig. 10. Electric Field Distribution at Spacer without notches at its This paper reports electric field distribution on 150 kV
respective phase GIS spacer with notches and spacer without notches
modification.
TABLE III. MAXIMUM ELECTRIC FIELD INTENSITY IN SPACER The conclusion from the results as follows:
WITHOUT NOTCHES
1. Maximum electric field at both spacers occurred at
EMax Location Phase 30 where the distance is at the shortest length
EMax and electric potential is at maximum.
Phase
X Y Z (Kv/m)
2. Maximum electric field on spacer with notches is
0 -23,14 110,90 -14,86 2529,10 5361 kV/m and still below electric field breakdown
of epoxy resin and SF6.
30 -12,44 102,70 29,43 2783,90
3. Maximum electric field on spacer without notches is
60 16,61 105,02 -9,35 2605,90 2784 kV/m and still below electric field breakdown
of epoxy resin and SF6.
90 107,96 -9,64 -14,04 2651,90
120 156,06 -44,87 0,00 2271,80 REFERENCES
[1] Syarif Hidayat, Fransiskus Damanik, Umar Khayam, “Electric Field
150 -108,89 -8,68 4,72 2715,20 Optimization on 150 kV GIS Spacer using Functionally Gradient
Material,” 2016 2nd International Conference of Industrial,
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notches, this is caused by the absence of field enhancement Modification of Spacer and Conductor Structure for Reducing
due to spherical shape of the notches. However, this design is Electrical Stress on 150 kV Three-Phase GIS Spacer”, 2019 2nd
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[6] Suwarno, “Material Elektroteknik”, Penerbit Megatama, Bandung,
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