Vacuum Contactor Panel
Introduction
Vacuum contactor Panel with HRC
Fuse back up for short circuit
protection is primarily designed for
control of HT feeders upto 6.6 kV,
400 Amps (AC4). The design
philosophy is centred around
r e l i a b i l i t y, s a f e t y a n d u s e r
friendliness.
The Vacuum contactor panel is
designed for indoor application and
conforms to IS 3427 and IEC 298.
They are available in drawaut and
non-drawout modules.
The Basic Construction of
HWX DRAWOUT
CUBICLE
The Basic Cubicle
The basic enclosure is metal clad in
construction having 4 distinct
compartments each separately
earthed — Vacuum Contactor-Fuse
Compartment, Relay & Instrument
chamber, Busbar compartment, CT
& cable chamber. A special
provision for housing CT & cable
box in a separate compartment is
also available in the design, if
required.
Sheet Steel used is CRCA having
uniform thickness of 2.5 mm for all
load bearing members and 2 mm
for partition. The front base plate is
4 mm thick.
Vacuum Contactor-Fuse
trolley compartment
The main compartment receives the
HWC trolley which houses the
Vacuum contactor-fuse combination.
The trolley engagement to the
enclosure is of horizontal isolation
horizontal drawout type.
The trolley three distinct positions —
service, test and isolated.
As on additional feature, all three
positions have latching facility and
service and test position have
locking facility. These two positions
have limit switches with auxiliary
contacts for interlock.
The vacuum contactor trolley is
operated in service and test position
with the cubicle door closed. The
test position is within the cubicle.
The Busbar Chamber
The Busbar chamber on the top
houses the Busbar which can be
accessed only by special tools.
Depending upon the current rating,
the material of Busbar is either
copper or aluminium. The joints are
silver faced for copper to copper
joint & bimetalic strips are used for
copper to aluminium joints.
The Busbars are fully insulated for
1 min. p.f. dry voltage withstand
test through heat shrunkable sleeves.
The joints are fully encopsulated in
removable rigid PVC Shrouds. The
Busbar and every tap off joint is
colour coded. The Busbar support
is rigid for all thermal and
electrodynamic stresses arising out
of SC current for 3 sec. and made
of non-hygroscopic, antitracking
high impact epoxy.
CT and Cable Chamber
A spacious cable chamber is located
at the rear of the panel and can
accommodate 6 Nos. single core
1000 sq. mm. cables or equivalent.
Cable box can be accessed through
removable rear cover backed by a
wire mesh cover for safety.
The cable box is designed for cable
entry from top or bottom. Bus duct
1
entry can also be from the top or
buttom.
Sufficient Head Room is provided
for cable termination. The distance
between cable glond plate and
terminal lug is greater than 700
mm.
For bottom cable entry, a removable
3 mm MS. a land plate is provided.
For single core cable, non-magnetic
gland plate is incorporated.
Relay & Instrument Chamber
The Relays & Instruments are
mounted on a separate chamber.
This is totally segregated from the
High Voltage chamber.
The Operating Instruments are
located at a convenient maximum
height of 1700 mm.
All relays are mounted on the
hinged door. For ease in reading
the maximum height is 2000 mm.
There is a provision to increase the
heigh depending on the number of
relays.
The wire is insulated of 1.1 kV grade
and suitable for 2 kV, 1 mm p.f. In
special cases auxiliary wiring
conductor size can be increased
upto 2.5 sqmm.
As a standard practice cables are
neatly bunched together with
ferrules at either end of each wire.
As per application, colour ferrules
are provided. The wire bunch is
passed through PVC Ducts.
Earthing
SWITCHBOARD EARTHING
A Copper Earth Bus of size 50 mm
x 6 mm continuously runs at the
bottom of the panel.
The earth bus is robust and capable
of carrying full short circuit current

FIG. 1. Sectional Side View of 6.6 kv Draw out type Vacuum Controctor Panel
for 1 second. Doors and moving
parts are earthed through flexible
copper wires.
Special Features
❐ All HV compartments are
provided with pressure release
flaps. In the event of fault in
any compartment the high
pressure finds outlet through
release flaps. These are so
located to guide the by-
products of internal arcing to
prevent harm to the operating
personnel ensuring fail safe
feature.
❐ As a standard practice, arc
propagating insulating barriers
are used when the continuous
busbar passes from one panel
to the other. As an optional
feature, seal off bushing can
also be provided for lower
currents. This prevents
propagation of bus faults to the
board and limits it to the panel
where it is initiated.
❐ The panel is fully insulated
through sleeves and insulating
shrouds. There is no possibility
of access to live parts.
❐ The Vacuum Contactor-Fuse
truck in service position offers
dead front execution.
For additional safety, separate
❐ compartment being provided with
distinct lockable door is
provided.
❐ Scraping Earth arrangement in
trolley ensures continuous
ear thing when trolley is
withdrawn.
The Basic construction of
HVC 2000 FIXED
CUBICLE
The basic concept is of a single tier
construction in rigid, free standing,
sheet steel enclosed execution. Each
vertical section or panel contains
main busbars, isolators with integral
earth switch, main H. T. fuses,
Vacuum contactors, CTs, PTs, etc.
and is basically divided into four
compartments — busbar chamber
— Isolator — Contactor/Fuses, etc.
2
— L. T. Control — protection and
metering compartments.
A complete control centre consisting
of one or more similar panels join
together, can be provided.
Each vertical section or panel also
contains protection and auxiliary
relays, command and indicating
devices in various combinations to
meet the specific requirement of
specification and scheme.
Busbars
Air insulated main busbars provided
are of high conductivity, high
strength Aluminium Alloy/Copper
and running horizontally along the
top rear of the enclosure, are fitted
as standard with each vertical
section, subsequent sections being
joined by fish plates. The busbars,
suppor ted on strong epoxy
insulators are generously spaced to
ensure adequate clearance and
through fault capacity. The busbars
are accessible from the rear, the
hinged cover. The busbars can be
provided with through-put ratings
upto 2500 Amps.
Isolator
T h e i s o l a t o r, h o u s e d i n a
compartment in front of the busbars,
is Off-load type, provided with
integral earthing switch. The door
interlock mechanism prevents the
front cover from opening till the
isolator is off and earthed. An
automatic safety shutter prevents
accidental contact with the live
contacts (incoming) when the door
is open. A robust limit switch
prevents inadvertent operation on
load by switching off the contactor
much before the isolator contacts
open. The isolator handle is
provided with a latch, lockable in
 Key :
Q1 – Off Load Isolator
ES – Ckt. Earth Switch
F – Main Power Fuse
K0 – Vacuum Contractor
C.T. – Dual Core Current Transformer
V.T. – 1PH. control Transformer
Hf – H.T. control Fuse
Lf – L.T. Control Fuse
Q1A – Isolator Limit Switch
Q1B – Padlock Limit Switch
K01 – Motor Protection Relay Trip Contact
K02 – Trip Relay
K03 – Contactor Pilot Relay
U1 – 1 PH. Bridge Rect. Unit
LO – Late Opening Contact of k0
ER – Economy Resistance
S0 – Stop P.B.
S1 – Start P.B
FIG. 2. Schematic Circuit for a Typical 3.3kV/6.6 kV Motor Contol

On or Off position. A glass covered contactor in closed condition Table-I

look-through window gives a clear automatically when operated
Type Type
view of the isolator in the Off and and cut-off the contactor coil
HVC-2000 HWX
Earthed Position. supply can be fitted, if required.
3.3 kV DOL ■ ■
It can be tripped either
Common Optional Features
mechanically or electrically. 6.6 kV DOL ■ ■
Vacuum contactor panels can be
3.3 kV DOL ■ ■
provided with following options : Application (Duplicate Busbar Syst.)
(i) Fuse Trip Mechanism – A HVC 2000 & HWX Vacuum 6.6 kV DOL ■ ■
mechanism associated with the Contactor Panel is primarily (Duplicate Busbar)
power fuses to give a tripping designed for the Direct-on-line
signal to the vacuum contactor 3.3 kV Reversing ■ ■
starting of AC motors upto 400
in the event of any fuse Amps. FLC, AC3 and/or AC4 duty. 6.6 kV Reversing ■ –
operating.
Variations are also available as 3.3 kV Twin drive ■ ■
(ii) Mechanical Interlocks – For
mentioned in Table-I. 6.6 kV Twin drive
"Either-Or" operation in ■ ■
reversing application, Duplicate Busbar Configuration – Auto Trafo Starter
mechanical interlocking HWX for 3.3 kV Motor ■ –
between two contactors, The Panel can be easily modified Auto Trafo Starter
mounted in a vertical for duplicate busbar applications. for 6.6 kV Motor ■ –
configuration (one contactor
above the other) can be The changeover from one bus to the Reactance Starter
arranged when required. other is through off-load isolators. for 3.3 kV Motor ■ –
The time required for this change
(iii) Latch-in Mechanism – A Reactance Starter
over is less than 10 Sec.
mechanism which "latch" the 6.6 kV Motor ■ –

3
 ii) Why choose ALSTOM make Vacuum Contactors?
ALSTOM Limited VACUUM CONTACTOR CONTROLS vs MOCBs
Working Details Vacuum Contactor MOCBs
Controls
1. Mechanical Life 2.5 x 105 2 x 104
2. Electrical Life 2.5 x 105 2 x 103
3. Maintenance Nil Every 6 months
4. Size Compact Cumbersome
5. Cable size for Motor Less More
6. Risk Nil Chance of explosion
in Terminal Box
7. Operations per hour 1200 1 or 2
8. Cost Less More

All isolators are mechanically &

electrically interlocked to open after
and close before Contactor opens
& closes.

Basic Technical Data HVC

2000
Specification
The design of HVC 2000 Starter
Panel takes into consideration the
requirements of the following
Standards :
IEC298 – High Voltage metal
clad enclosed Switchgear and
Control gear
HVC 2000 PANEL
IEC282 – High Voltage HRC
BS2692 Fuse
IEC470 – Contactors for AC
(AL), 200A–2500A (CU) • At 6.6 kV : upto 500 MVA
BS 775 Vo l t a g e s a b o v e
Pt.2 1000 Volts. • Peak withstand : 109 kA • Contactor coil voltage
• Short time : 43.8 kA rms for (Rectified) : 110V/220V D.C.
Design Parameters
1.0 sec. • Coil consumption :
HVC 2000 is designed to the
• Off-load Isolator
following parameters • For 6.6 kV : 3.3 kV
• Rating (Thermal) : 400 Amp. 615 W (close)
• Rated Service Voltage : 3.3 kV
or 6.6 kV • Contactor Rating : 400 Amp 151 W (hold)
AC4 Duty
• Power Frequency Test : 10 kV • Degree of protection : IEC298-
or 20 kV for 60 sec. • Through Fault : 31.0 kA for 1.0 IP4X
sec.
• Impulse Level : 60 kVp • Installation : Indoor
• Max. Fuse Rating : 630 Amp.
Busbar Ratings • Execution : Fixed
• Through Fault withstand : Fuse
• Continuous : 400A–1600A protected Type/Drawout type

4
 ALSTOM Limited

Medium Voltage Switchgear

Headquarters
1, Taratala Road
Calcutta - 700 024
India
Tel : +91-33-2469 1230/5370/3488
Fax : +91-33-2469 3511/9506/5370

Works

1, Taratala Road
Calcutta - 700 024
India
Tel : +91-33-2469 1230/5370
Fax : +91-33-2469 3511/9506/5370

P. O. Naini
Allahabad - 211 008 (U.P.)
India
Tel : +91-532-697422
Fax : +91-532-69 7604/7606

Block BN, Sector V

Salt Lake City
Calcutta - 700 091
India
Tel : +91-33-2337 4139/3125
Fax : +91-33-2321 7958

Regional Offices

North
14th Floor
Pragati’s Devika Tower
6, Nehru Place
New Delhi - 110 019
Tel : +91-11-2644 9902/903/907/851
Fax : +91-11-2644 9447

East
D-2, Gillander House
Netaji Subhas Road
Calcutta-700 001
Tel : +91-33-2203 991/92/93/94
Fax : +91-33-2203 995

Note : West
Narottam Morarji Marg
1. Information/drawings contained in this leaflet are of general Ballard Estate
nature only. Contractual commitment will be strictly governed Mumbai - 400 038
Tel : +91-22-261 8141/42/43/44/45
by information/drawings furnished with order Fax : +91-22-262 1170
acknowledgement.
South
2. The Company’s policy is one of continuous development and 314/315, Anna Salai,
improvement of its products and, therefore, the right is reserved Teynampet,
Chennai - 600 018
to supply products which may differ slightly from those described
Tel : +91-44-436 4575
and illustrated in the publication. Fax : +91-44-432 3462
 RMG–LTM–ME–TC 0015/2003

ALSTOM Limited, T&D - Medium Voltage Switchgear, 1, Taratala Road, Calcutta-700 024, India
Phone : 91-33-2469 1230/5370, Fax : 91-33-2469 3511/9506 Website : www.alstom.co.in