Testing of CB

Contd
Lecture 15
Contents: L15

Direct testing

Indirect testing

Unit testing

Synthetic testing
Direct Testing
Direct Testing

In direct testing, the CB is tested under the conditions
which actually exist on power systems.

It is subjected to restriking voltage which is expected in

practical situations.

Figure shows an arrangement for direct testing.

The reactor X is to control short-circuit current.

R1, R2 & C are used to adjust the TRV.

Direct Testing

Fig: Direct testing of circuit breaker

Direct Testing: Test for Making Capacity

The master CB & the making switch are closed first.

The short-circuit is initiated by closing the CB under test.

The rated making current, i.e., the peak value of the first
major loop of the short-circuit current wave is measured.
Direct Testing: Test for Breaking Capacity

The master CB & the CB under test are closed first.

Short-circuit is applied by closing the make switch.

The short-circuit current is interrupted by opening the breaker
under test at the desired moment.

The following measurements are taken.

Symmetrical breaking current.

Asymmetrical breaking current.

Recovery voltage

Frequency of oscillation & RRRV.

The CB must be capable of breaking all currents up to its rated
capacity.

As it is not possible to test at all values of current, breaking tests
are performed at 10 %, 30 %, 60 % & 100 % of its rated
breaking current.
Direct Testing: Duty Cycle test

The following duty cycle tests are performed.
(i)

B 3 B 3 B tests are performed at 10 %, 30 %, 60 %
of the rated symmetrical breaking capacity.

(ii)

B 3 MB 3 MB tests are performed:

at not less than 100 % of the rated symmetrical breaking capacity
&

at not less than 100 % of the rated making capacity.

This test can also be performed as two separate tests.

M 3 M make test

B 3 B 3 B break test
Direct Testing: Duty Cycle test: Contd
(iii)

B 3 B 3 B tests are performed at not less than
100% of the rated symmetrical breaking capacity.

Here,

B: Breaking operation.

M: Making operation.

MB: Making operation followed by the breaking operation
without any intentional time delay.
Direct Testing: Short-time Current Test

The rated short-time current is passed through the CB under
test for a specified short duration (1 second or 3 seconds).

Current is measured by taking an Oscillograph of the

current wave.

The equivalent rms short-time current is evaluated as

follows.

The time-interval is divided into 10 equal parts.

These are marked as t0, t1, t2, .. t10.

The asymmetrical rms values of the current at these intervals
are marked as I0, I1, I2, .. I10.
Direct Testing: Short-time Current Test

AB, CD: Envelope of current wave.

OT: Duration of short-circuit.

I0, I1, I2 .: RMS value of asymmetrical currents at each instant.
Direct Testing: Short-time Current Test

The equivalent rms value of the short-time current is given

by:

1 2
I=
3
{ }
I 0 + 4 ( I12 + I 32 + I 52 + I 72 + I 92 ) + 2 ( I 22 + I 42 + I 62 + I82 + I102 )

The short-circuit current should not cause any mechanical

or insulation damage or any contact welding.
Indirect Testing
Indirect Testing

Breaking capacity of HV circuit breakers is ever increasing.

The testing of such breakers requires very large capacity of

the short-circuit testing station.

It is uneconomical.

Consequently, it is necessary to utilize some form of

indirect testing.

The important indirect methods of testing are:

Unit testing

Synthetic testing
Unit Testing

Generally, high voltage circuit breakers are designed with
several arc interrupter units in series.

Each unit can be tested separately.

From the test results of one unit, the capacity of the

complete breaker can be determined.

This type of testing is known as unit testing.

Synthetic Testing

In this method of testing, there are two sources of power
supply for the testing.

A current source, &

A voltage source.

The current source is a high current, low voltage source.

It supplies the short-circuit current during the test.

The voltage source is a high voltage, low current source.

It provides restriking & recovery voltage.
Synthetic Testing

There are two methods of synthetic testing.

Parallel current injection method, &

Series current injection method

Parallel current injection method:

Capable of providing RRRV & recovery voltage as required
by various standards.

Widely used.
Synthetic Testing: Parallel current injection method

Fig: Synthetic testing of circuit breaker

(Parallel current injection method)
Synthetic Testing: Parallel current injection method

Figure shows a circuit for Parallel current injection method
of synthetic testing.

The high current source is a motor driven generator.

It injects a high short-circuit current I1 into the CB under test

at a relatively reduced voltage, Vg.

The inductance L1 is to control the short-circuit current.

Synthetic Testing: Parallel current injection method

The master CB & the CB under test are tripped before current I1
reaches its natural zero.

These CBs are fully opened by the time t0.

The capacitor C1 is a high voltage source.

It provides recovery voltage.

It is charged prior to the test, to a voltage 2.

This voltage is equal to the peak power frequency voltage which

will appear across the breaker contacts at the moment the DB
under test interrupts the current.
Synthetic Testing: Parallel current injection method

L2 & C2 control TRV & RRRV.

The triggered spark gap is fired at t1, slightly before the

short-circuit current I1 reaches its natural zero.

It is done to properly simulate the pre-current zero zone

during the test.

There is a control circuit to fire the triggered spark gap at

the appropriate moment.
Synthetic Testing: Parallel current injection method

Fig: Waveform during Synthetic testing

(Parallel current injection method)
References
References

Switchgear Protection & Switchgear by Ravindranath &
Chander, New Age

Switchgear Protection & Switchgear by Badri Ram &

Vishwakarma, MGH