Standard Basic Impulse Insulation Levels

CULMINATING over ten This report of the joint committee* on co-ordina- requirements of any apparatus
years' work on insula- tion of insulation of AIEE, Edison Electric Insti- which is built to these levels
tion co-ordination during tute, and National Electrical Manufacturers Asso- and is reported as conforming-
which the fundamentals of ciation is the culmination of more than ten years' to them.
making impulse tests were in- study to establish basic insulation co-ordination. It "BASIC IMPUJLSE INSULATION LEVELS
vestigated and standardized, specifies basic impulse insulation levels in terms "Basic impules insulation levels
as well as basic levels set up of a withstand voltage for a specified test wave, are reference levels expressed in
and provisionally tried out, These values are to be the bases for various AIEE impulse crest voltage with a standard
the joint AIEE-EEI-NEMA and other standards now in course of development wave not longer than 1.5 X40 micro-
committee insulatioorres. second wave. Apparatus insula-
commrdinatt on insulaetiongorrevisi
co-ordination at its meeting
at
on
tion, as demonstrated by suitable
tests, shall be equal to or greater
held in November, 1940, than the basic insulation level."
agreed unanimously to adopt as standard the series of This requires that apparatus conforming to these levels
basic impulse insulation levels given in table I. These shall have a withstand value not less than the kilovolt
are the same values given in the paper presented at the value given in the second column of table I. It is also
AIEE winter convention, January 22-26, 1940, "Basic understood that apparatus conforming to these require-
Impulse Insulation Levels" by Sporn and Powel (AIEE ments shall be capable of withstanding the specified volt-
Trans., Oct. '40 Sec., p. 596-8). The purpose of this age whether the impulse is positive or negative in polarity.
present report is to call attention to the fact that these
basic levels have now been adopted and to the general WITHSTAND VOLTAGE (FOR AN IMPULSE)
conditions under which they apply. "The withstand voltage of a test specimen under an impulse of
The general principle of insulation co-ordination re- any given wave shape, polarity, and amplitude, which does not
cause disruptive discharge on the test specimen, is the crest value
quires a reasonable margin between the voltage level attained by that impulse."
held by the protective device (the protectable level) and
the various basic levels themselves to insure that ade- EXCEPTIONS TO TABLE I
quate protectioll is provided. The values in table I Taking cognizance of the fact that some apparatus
have been set up on this basis. It is felt that the values insulators do not at the present time fully meet the levels
so set up are on a sound basis and that they are most given in table I, the committee recognized certain excep-
likely to stand without change for a long time. It is the tions. These exceptions apply to insulation levels 150,
opinion of the committee, therefore, that the various 200, and 250 kv but only for switch and bus insulators and
technical committees working on standards can adopt apparatus employing these insulators, with the understand-
the values given in this report for standardization pur- ing that after January 1,
poses, and it is further believed that the use of these values Table 1. Standard Basic 1943, all equipment will meet
will result in ultimate over-all benefit to the industry. Impulse Insulation Levels the values given in table I.
When, first formed, the joinltcommittee adopted as a Any new or modified designs
statement of principles the following: Reference BasicjImpulse of suchapparatus completed
ClassLel
"The co-ordination of insulation involves three steps: (Kv) (Kv) prior to that date should, of
1. Establishment of insulation levels. 12.30 course, conform to the val-
* 2.5 ........... 45 ues given in the table. This
2. Specification of insulation strengths of all classes of equipment 580 75
60
in establishedimpulse
in established impulse levels.levels. ~~~8.7..........75
.......... .................... 95
exception further definitely
states that it will exist as
3. Allocation of the insulation levels to the nominal system volt- 15 150 anexceptiononlyuntilJanu-
ages, taking into account all operating and environmental conditions." 34.5. 200*
46 250* ary 1, 1943, after which no
The adoption of the standard insulation levels in table I 69 350 equipment will be excepted
92 . 450
of this report completes the first step of the committee work. 115 550 from meeting the require-
138 .650 ments of table I if such
161 . 750
DEFINITION OF BASIC IMPULSE INSULATION LEVELS 196 .900 equipment is represented as
To clarify the meaning and intent of the levels which 2387............ 1,050 mS anda
are given in table I, it may be well to mention here two 4 ........1,550 Impulse Insulation Levels."
deinitios.
fundametal It s belived tht thes defi- * For switch and bus insulators, and apparatus such as air switches and power
nitions and the associated comments clearly indicate the fuses employing these insulators, the levels of 150, 200, and 250 kv shall become
effective on January 1, 1943, with the understanding that any redesign or modi-
fication of such equipment completed earlier than January 1, 1943, shall he
* Chairman of AIEE group is Stanley Stokes (A'16, F'29) consulting electrical made on the basis of 150, 200, and 250 kv levels. In the interim and for existing
engineer, Union Electric Company, St. Louis, Mo.; of EEl group, Philip Sporn designs of this equipment, values of 145, 190, and 240 kv will be recognized as
(A'20, F'30) vice-president in charge of engineering, American Gas and Electric exceptions for these three classes, respectively.
Service Corporation, New York, N. Y.; of NEMA group, C. A. Powel (M'20) NT teto scle otefc hteupetcryn oe-rqec
manager, industry engineering department, Westinghouse Electric and Mann- NOE tetiC1dhfathtqPetCrYgPWr-eUnY
facturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa. voltage rating which is numerically the same as the "Reference Class" in table I
is not necessarily required to have the corresponding impulse level given in the
Report presented informally at the AIEE winter convention, Philadelphia, Pa., tahle. Decisions in this regard are provided for in the two remaining steps
Janluary 27-31, 1941. mentioned above in the committee's original statement of principles.

1448 Standard Impulse Insulation Levels AIFE TRANSACTIONS