K N Srinivasan

What is clearance
• Number telling a length
Defined as
minimum distance required
between live parts and earthed material -Earth
Clearance
between live parts - Phase Clearance.

Categories
Electrical Clearance in air
Electrical Clearance in gas/oil
• Lightning Impulse withstand

Network-open to sky
Clouds-300 to 600 MV
1.2 X 50
3 lakh Km/Sec
Typical LI Wave
 BIL

-Ve Polarity
1 Km
300 kJ
5 to 20 shots
 L I - Experimental Value

Point Plane a-safe clearance

 SUBSTATION
Maximum Clearances Between Bushing Transformer
& Lightning Arresters

System Voltage (kV) Max distance between LA &

Transformer bushing ( meter)

11 12

33 18

66 24

132 42

220 64
Switching surge
250/2500 micro sec.
Beyond 220kV
 C u r v e a : A p p x . S a fe c le a r a n c e v a lu e s
C u r v e b : E x p e r im e n ta l w it h -s t a n d v a lu e s

F ig . 7 .1 .5 b . S a fe c le a ra n c e fo r 3 5 0 /2 3 0 0 m ic r o -s e c S w itc h in g S u rg e s
Corona

Blue Halo
16 kV /m
Power loss
Interference
 Partial discharge

Imperfect insulation

Voids

Voltage buildup and equalization

Pico q
 Environment

Pollution
Sea
City
Pre monsoon showers
Dry band-Flashover
Pollution & Creepage distance

Degree of Examples Minimum

contamination creepage
distance
mm/ kV
I) slight Predominantly rural areas
without industry and far from 16
sea air,
II moderate Areas in which little severe
20
pollution is expected
III severe Industrial areas with
relatively severe pollution, 25
sea air, etc.,
IV very severe Areas with heavy industry
31
and much dust, fog sea air.
Live Maintenance
Ease of maintenance
Measurement

Leakage capacitance

Grading rings
 Thumb rule

a.c Power frequency Voltages 200 kV

(rms)/m

D.C.Voltage 275 kV/m

Impulse voltages 500 kV/m

Switching Surges d= (2V)2

d in meters, V in MV
 primary sub transmission voltage
33 kV derived either directly from 220 kV substations or 132 kV
substations except in few states where 66 kV substations are still
existing.

secondary sub transmission voltage is 11 kV derived

from 33 kV
sub stations. This is further stepped down to low tension voltage of
415 V 3 Phase and 230 V Single Phase and reaches consumer end,
either through over head line or under ground cables
 SUBSTATION
Components of substation
a) Structures like Incoming - Outgoing gantries
Mounting Structures for Breakers, Isolators, Fuses, Insulator
supports, CTs, PTs and Bus bar structures.
b) Power Transformers.
c) Circuit Breakers.
d) HT fuses only upto 33 kV sub station
e) Isolating Switches
f) Bus bar Arrangement
g) Insulators
h) Earthing Switches
 SUBSTATION
Components of substation contd...
p) Batteries
q) Fencing Arrangement.
r) Fire Extinguishers.
s) Earthing Pit.
 SUBSTATION
Components of substation contd...
i) Lightning Arresters.
j) Current Transformers.
k) Potential Transformer.
l) Measuring Instruments like, A/ m, V/ m, F, TVM
m) Varieties of protection relays.
n) Control Room.
Power Cables
o) Cables
Controls Cables
 T able 7.1.2 - Standard insulation levels for range I
(1 kV < U m ≤ 245 kV)

High est voltage Rated sh ort duration Rated

for equipm en t power frequen cy lightn ing im pulse
Um with stan d voltage with stand voltage
kV kV kV
(r.m.s. value) (r.m.s. value) (peak value)
3.6 10 20
40
7.2 20 40
60
12 28 60
75
95
17.5 38 75
95
24 50 95
125
145
36 70 145
170
52 95 250
72.5 140 325
123 (185) 450
230 550

145 (185) (450)

230 550
275 650
170 (230) (550)
275 650
325 750
245 (275) (650)
(325) (750)
360 850
395 950
460 1050

Note - If values in brackets are con sidered in sufficien t to prove that the required ph ase to ph ase
with stan d voltages are m et, addition al phase-to-ph ase with stan d tests are n eeded.
 E le c tric a l c le a ra n c e s fo r o p e n - ty p e o u td o o r s w itc h g e a r o f
2 2 k V to 8 8 k V R a te d V o lta g e a n d fo r N o n - e f fe c tiv e ly
E a rth e d S y s te m o f 1 1 0 k V a n d a b o v e

Im p u ls e R a te d M in im u m M in im u m c le a ra n c e
v o lta g e v o lta g c le a ra n c e to b e tw e e n p h a s e s in a ir o r
w ith s ta n d e e a rth b e tw e e n c o n n e c tio n s o f
le v e l (p e a k th e s a m e p h a s e
v a lu e s ) s e p a ra b le e le c tric a lly
fro m e a c h o th e r
1 2 3 4
in m m in m m
150 22 11 279 13 330
200 33 15 381 17 432
250 44 19 482 22 558
350 66 27 685 31 786
450 88 34 863 39 989
550 110 42 1068 48 1219
650 132 50 1270 58 1473
750 165 58 1473 67 1702
1050 220 82 2082 94 2388

N o te : W h e re th e m e th o d o f m o u n tin g in su la to rs is n o t s u c h
a s to p r e v e n t lo d g e m e n t o f b ir d s o r v e r m in , it m a y b e
n ecessary to e m p lo y c le a ra n c e s in excess o f th e
m in im a g iv e n fo r ra te d v o lta g e s o f 2 2 k V a n d 3 3 k V .
 SUBSTATION
Clearances in Air for Indoor Switchgear
Rated Voltage Minimum Clearance Between Phases or
Between Connections of the same phase
separable Electrically from each other
Distance (mm)
415 V 19.0
600 V 19.0
3.3 kV 50.8
6.6 kV 88.9
11.0 kV 127.0
15.0 kV 165.1

22.0 kV 241.3

33.0 kV 355.6
 SUBSTATION
Post Insulator Minimum Creepage Distances
Power Frequency Minimum Creepage Distance ( mm)
Withstand Voltage (kV)
27 130
35 230
55 380
75 580
140 1100
185 1600
230 1850
275 2250
395 3400
460 3800
680 6400
 Bus bar clearances in Oil or compound

Rated voltage Minimum Minimum

between phases of clearance to earth clearance between
poles kV inches phases inches
Up to and
including ½ ½
0.6 ½ ¾
3.3 ¾ 1
6.6 1 1½
11 1¾ 2½
22 2½ 3½
 ELECTRICAL CLEARANCES IN AIR
for assemblies of outdoor switchgears upto 800 kV class as well as
Indoor switchgears upto 33kV class in India
i) Safety Clearance to Conductors (Section Clearance)
minimum distance required between an unscreened live
conductor and the limits of a work section
ii) Safety Clearance to Insulation (Ground Clearance)
minimum distance required between any exposed
insulator which supports or contains live conductor and the limits of
a work section
 GROUND CLEARANCES
1) No conductor of over head line erected across a street shall be at
any part there of be at a height less than
a) For LT : 5.791 mtr
b) For HT upto 33 kV : 6.096 mtr
Clearance from Building Structure etc.,
a) The vertical clearance from the heighest point of the building
on the basis of maximum slag shall not be less than 2.439 (8 ft)
meter for LT lines upto 650 V and 3.64 (12ft) meter for 11 kV &
33 kV lines.
b) The horizontal clearance is to be 4 ft (1.219 m) upto 11 kV &
6 ft (1.820 m) upto 33 kV line.
 CLEARANCE BETWEEN POWER AND
TELECOM LINES
Minimum clearances between, lines of various voltages
LT lines (400 / 230 V) - 4 feet - 1.22 meter
11 kV lines - 6 feet - 1.83 meter
33 / 66 kV lines - 8 feet - 2.44 meter
132 kV lines - 10 feet - 3.05 meter
220 kV lines - 15 feet 4.88 meter
Note:-
Guard rings are to be provided at crossings of telecom lines with
power lines upto 33 kV
 110kV Substation Layout

a) Line trap suspended. Capacitor Standing b) Line trap and capacitor suspended
in portal structure

c) Line trap mounted on capacitive Voltage transformer

1. Circuit Breaker 2. Feeder Isolator 3 Current Transformer 4. Inductive voltage

Transformer 5. Capacitive Voltage Transformer 6. Capacitor 7. Line Trap
110kV Load Centre
Station

1. Bus bars 2. Bus bar Isolator 3. Circuit Breaker 4. Current Transformer

5. Voltage Transformer 6. Feeder Isolator 7. Lightning Arrester.
 220 kV Outdoor switchyard with double bus bars of tubular type

1. Bus bar system I 2. Bus bar System II 3. Bus bar Isolator 4. Circuit Breaker
5. Current Transformer 6. Feeder Isolator 7. Line Trap 8 Capacitive Voltage
Transformer
 110kV Outdoor switchyard with double bus bar low rise layout

1. Bus bar system I 2. Bus bar system II 3.Bus bar Isolator 4. Circuit Breaker
5. Current Transformer 6. Voltage Transformer 7. feeder Isolator 8. Lightning
Arrestor
 M in im u m E le c tric a l C le a ra n c e fo r O u td o o r s w itc h g e a r
V o lta g e Im p u ls e M in im u m M in im u m M in . c le a ra n c e fro m
ra tin g w ith s ta n c le a ra n c e to c le a ra n c e a n y p o in t w h e re th e
d le v e l e a rth b e tw e e n m an m aybe
phases re q u ire d to s ta n d to
th e n e a re s t
u n s c re e n e d
c o n d u c to r in a ir
(S e c tio n a l
c le a ra n c e )
1 2 3 4 5
k V (rm s ) kV mm mm mm
(P e a k )
36 170 320 400 2920
200 375 480 2970
7 2 .5 325 630 750 3230
350 675 810 3270
123 450 920 1065 3520
550 1150 1350 3750
145 550 1150 1350 3750
650 1380 1600 3980
245 825 1800 2000 4400
900 1960 2300 4550
1050 2300 2700 4900
*420 1300 2550 3400
1425 3070 3200
1550 3640 5200
 M in im u m E le c tric a l C le a ra n c e fo r O u td o o r S w itc h g e a r

V o lta g e Im p u ls e M in im u m M in im u m M in im u m c le a ra n c e
ra tin g w ith s ta n d c le a ra n c e c le a ra n c e fro m a n y p o in t
le v e l to e a rth b e tw e e n w h e re th e m a n
ph ases m a y b e re q u ire d to
s ta n d to th e n e a re s t
u n se c re a n e d
c o n d u c to r in a ir
(S e c tio n a l
c le a ra n c e )
1 2 3 4 5
kV k V (P e a k ) m m m m m m
(rm s)
36 170 320 400 2920
200 375 480 2970
7 2 .5 325 630 750 3230
350 675 810 3270
123 450 920 1065 3520
550 1150 1350 3750
145 550 1150 1350 3750
650 1380 1600 3980
245 825 1800 2000 4400
900 1960 2300 4550
1050 2300 2700 4900
*420 1300 2550 3400
1425 3070 3200
1550 3640 5200

R e p ro d u c e d fro m “ IS :3 0 7 2 -1 9 7 5 c o d e o f p ra c tic e fo r in s ta lla tio n

a n d m a in te n a n c e o f s w itc h g e a r” .
* R e p ro d u c e d fro m m a n u a l o n la y o u t o f s u b s ta tio n s C B IP
te c h n ic a l R e p o rt N o . 3 .