Department of Engineering Technology

ETE407TE3 High Voltage Technology

Generation of High Voltages

(2) Alternating voltages (AC voltage)

• The most common form of testing HV apparatus is related to high AC voltages

• A single transformer can be used to generate HVAC up to 300 kV.

• Requirements for test transformers:

• Withstand sudden voltage breakdown

• Reliable overcurrent protection with fuses and circuit breaker

• Portable and light weighted for field tests

• Reduced power supply required

Cascaded test transformers

• For voltages > 300 kV, transportation

and erection of large transformers
become difficult, therefore, cascaded
transformers are required.

• Individual units of cascaded

transformers save insulation and
money.
• Example: high voltage
laboratory, Technical University of
Munich.
Basic circuit of cascaded test transformers

• The secondary of all the three stage

transformers is connected together.

• The tank of Stage I transformers is

earthed, while Stage II and Stage III
tanks are at voltage level V and 2V,
respectively.

• Therefore, Stage II and Stage III,

require suitable solid insulation.

Bushing can be used

Resonant transformers
• Cascading transformers have the disadvantages:
• Complicated design

• Bulky size

• Losses are more (summation of individual transformers)

• Not suitable for high current applications

• Resonant transformers operating on the

resonance
phenomena i.e. XL = XC are thus used.

• In resonance condition, the current through test object is

very large and is limited only by the resistance of the circuit.
(Exercise: Read about resonance phenomena and Tesla Coil)

• The sinusoidal voltage waveform is improved using resonant

transformers
Resonant transformers
• Magnitude of voltage across the capacitance C of the test object will
be
𝑉𝑋𝑐
−𝑗𝑉𝑋𝑐
𝑉𝑐 =
𝑅 + 𝑗(𝑋𝐿 − 𝑋 𝑐 ) 𝑉𝑅
= =
𝜔𝐶𝑅
R = total series resistance of the
circuit
1
• The factor 𝑋𝑐 is called Q-factor of the circuit and gives the voltage multiplication across
𝑅=
𝜔𝐶𝑅
the test object under resonance conditions.

• Used for testing apparatus for high voltage, high current applications such as cable testing,
partial discharge measurements, etc.

• The input voltage required for excitation is reduced by Q-factor and the power requirement is
also reduced.
3. Impulse Voltages
• Transient over-voltages due to lighting and
switching surges cause steep build-up of voltage
on transmission lines and other electrical
apparatus.

• Impulse waves defined by their rise or front

time, fall or tail time to 50% peak value and
value of peak voltage.

• A 1.2/50 𝜇𝑠 , 1000 kV wave represents an

impulse voltage wave with a front time of 1.2 𝜇𝑠,
tail time of 50 𝜇𝑠, and a peak value of 1000 kV
(1 per unit as shown in Figure on the side).

• It is represented by the equation:

𝑉 = 𝑉0 exp −𝛼𝑡 − exp −𝛽𝑡
Impulse generator circuits

• A capacitor, C1, previously charged to a particular dc

𝑖1
voltage is suddenly discharged by closing the switch
G.

𝑖2 • The wave front and wave tail times are controlled

𝑖1 − 𝑖 2
independently by changing either R1 or R2
separately.

• The output voltage V(t) across C2 is given by:

C1: discharge capacitance

C2: load/test object capacitance
R1: damping resistance
R2: discharge resistance
G: Switch
Cont. Impulse generator circuits

𝑖1 • Current through C1 is i1 and its Laplace transform

value is 𝐼1 𝑠
as 𝑅2 and 𝐶2 are in parallel
𝑅2
𝑖1 2 𝑖2 𝐼2 𝑠 = 𝐼1 𝑠
1
−𝑖 𝑅2 + 𝐶2𝑠

𝐼1 𝑠 is also equal
to,
𝑖1
𝑉0 1
C1: discharge capacitance 𝐼1 𝑠 =
𝑠 1
C2: load/test object capacitance 1 𝑅2 . 𝐶 𝑠
2
R1: damping resistance 𝐶1𝑠 + 𝑅1 + 1
R2: discharge resistance 𝑅2 + 𝐶2𝑠
G: Switch
Cont. Impulse generator circuits
• Substituting the values of 𝐼1 𝑠 𝑠 , we get
and 𝐼2
𝑉0 1
𝑖1 𝑉(𝑠) =
𝑘 𝑠2 + 𝑎𝑠 + 𝑏
Where

1 + 1 + 1
𝑖1 2 𝑖2 𝑎=
𝑅1 𝐶1 𝑅1 𝐶2 𝑅2𝐶2
−𝑖
1
𝑏=
𝑅1𝐶1𝑅2𝐶2
𝑖1 𝑘 = 𝑅1𝐶2

C1: discharge capacitance • Roots of the quadratic equation representing V(s)

C2: load/test object capacitance are given by
R1: damping resistance
R2: discharge resistance
𝛼 1 , 𝛼2 = 𝑎 𝑎 2
G: Switch 2 −b
∓ 2

Taking reverse Laplace we get,

Exercis
e

C1: discharge capacitance

C2: load/test object capacitance
R1: damping resistance
R2: discharge resistance
G: Switch

Determine the value of V(s) for the

alternative circuit shown above.
Multi-stage Impulse Generators
For voltages > 200 kV – a single capacitor and its charging unit becomes too expensive and size becomes
very large.

A bank of capacitors are arranged such as to charge in parallel and then discharge in series to obtain
voltage > 200 kV (Marx circuit)
Charging: all the capacitors are
charged to a DC voltage V (G is
open) as capacitors are in
parallel

Discharging: all gaps G are

sparked over simultaneously (G
is closed) to connect capacitors
C: Capacitance of the generator in series
RS: Charging resistors
R1, R2: Wave shaping This arrangement saves space
resistors G: Spark gap and the cost is reduced
T: Test object
Control of impulse generators
Spark gaps generally have hemispherical electrodes.
Sparking of one gap leads to automatic sparking of other gaps due to over-voltages (consistent sparking
source)

Trigatron gap

A trip pulse (via external circuit) produces a spark between the trigger electrode and the earthed sphere
Summary

• You learnt about:

• High voltage DC generation via voltage multiplier circuit,

electrostatic

generators: concept and working

• High voltage AC generation (power frequency and high

frequency) via cascaded transformers, resonant circuits: method and

working principle

• High voltage impulse generators working principle