Computer modelling and field testing of the trip mechanism for GIS

• Published in: IET generation, transmission & distribution Vol. 10; no. 1; pp. 57 - 65
• Main Authors: Yang, Ming-Ta, Wang, Jing-Min, Chen, Cheng-Chuan, Cian, Ying-Rong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Institution of Engineering and Technology 07.01.2016
• Subjects: Abnormalities; CB failures; CB trip mechanism; circuit breakers; Circuits; Coiling; coils; computer modelling; Computer simulation; Electric potential; Failure; failure analysis; field testing; gas insulated switchgear; GIS; intentional abnormalities; MapleSim simulation tool; mechanism failure diagnosis; power system analysis computing; power system reliability; shaft gap; Switchgear; trip coil circuit resistance; trip coil current signatures; trip coil operating voltage; trip mechanism; Voltage; trip coil operating voltage; coils; intentional abnormalities; shaft gap; trip mechanism; trip coil current signatures; MapleSim simulation tool; CB trip mechanism; CB failures; trip coil circuit resistance; computer modelling; failure analysis; power system analysis computing; GIS; power system reliability; field testing; mechanism failure diagnosis; circuit breakers; gas insulated switchgear
• ISSN: 1751-8687; 1751-8695; 1751-8695
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-gtd.2014.1239

Circuit breakers (CBs) play a crucial role in power system reliability. Most CB failures observed in the field are related to operating mechanism. One of the useful approaches to effectively diagnose the mechanism failures of CBs is based on the trip coil current signatures. Using the simulation tool MapleSim, this study proposes a simulation model of CB trip mechanism to identify the CB failures and their causes. The impacts of intentional abnormalities on the trip coil current taken from the field testing of trip mechanism are scrutinised. The intentional abnormalities include trip coil operating voltage, trip coil circuit resistance, and shaft gap. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed MapleSim simulation model, the work made the trip coil current comparison between computer simulation and field testing. In this study, the field testing data are gathered from 23 kV gas insulated switchgear with good and various faulty conditions. The simulation-based findings in this study provide a useful and valuable insight into the CB trip mechanism failures, offering more diagnostic advice to maintenance personnel. The proposed results are of great interest in CB diagnosis.