Insulation breakdown characteristics of UHV-class gas insulated switchgear for lightning impulse withstand voltage test waveform - K-factor value and front time related characteristics

Abstract

The lightning impulse withstand voltage test waveform for electric power equipment is specified in IEC 60060-1 "High-voltage test techniques" as revised in 2010. At present, test standards for UHV-class equipment are under study. Increasing equipment capacity and the digitization of measuring equipment are mentioned as these backgrounds. Withstand voltage test by the standard waveform specified in the previous standard had been difficult (it eventually becomes an overshoot waveform) with increasing equipment capacitance. In response, an evaluation method using the kfactor function (test voltage function) was introduced, whereby the overshoot waveform was converted to the test voltage waveform. To date, concerning these kfactor values, measurement results based on experiments have been reported, but most were from small-scale insulation models with breakdown voltage levels mainly around 100 kV. The present study reports the experimental results of the insulation breakdown characteristics for the lightning impulse withstand voltage test waveform in the largest SF6 gas insulation model possible assuming actual UHV-class gas insulated switchgear. Breakdown voltage and breakdown time were measured with the superimposed oscillation frequency, overshoot rate, and front time as parameters. Following evaluation of the k-factor value based on these experimental results, the k-factor value with the overshoot rate of 10% was almost identical to that of the existing k-factor function. Consequently, evaluation using the existing k-factor function is considered appropriate. Subsequently, the existing k-factor function is most likely to be effective also for UHV-class equipment. In addition, it emerged that changes in the insulation breakdown characteristics due to the extension of the front time were small. It was considered that extending the front time, rather than allowing an excessive overshoot rate, would enable proper verification of the insulation performance as part of standard assuming UHV-class equipment.