Test and research facilities

Institute of electrical energy systems High Voltage LaboratoriesDarmstadt University of Technology

Test and research facilities of High Voltage Laboratories for Electrical Energy Systems at Darmstadt University of Technology(Stand: December 2009) Address: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Volker Hinrichsen High Voltage Laboratories Darmstadt University of Technology Landgraf-Georg-Strae 4 64283 Darmstadt Telephone: +49-6151-162529 Telefax: +49-6151-162329 Email: hinrichsen@hst.tu-darmstadt.de http://www.hst.tu-darmstadt.de

How to find us:

High Voltage Laboratories -Offices: building S3/10 -Big high voltage hall: building S3/08 -Workshop and small high voltage hall: building S3/09 (Parking possibilities between S3/08 und S3/09, access from LandgrafGeorg-Strae)

Front page photograph: Sight of the high voltage hall and the office building from the Institutes of Energy Technology at the Darmstadt University of Technology.

Table of Content1. Testing facilities1.1 Big high voltage hall (accredited Test laboratory) 1.2 High power facilities 1.2.1 Synthetic test facility 1.2.2 1.35 MJ capacitor bank 1.2.3 1.5-MW-DC current facility 1.3 Aging facilities 1.4 Diagnostic test facilities 1.5 Impulse current laboratory 1.5.1 Exponential impulse current circuit 1.5.2 Long duration impulse circuit 1.5.3 AC current testing system 1.5.4 Impulse generator for testing of low voltage arresters (SPDs)

2. Testing equipments for special research projects2.1 Test setup for the accelerated aging test of MO resistors as per IEC 60099-4 2.2 Temperature measurement with passive remote surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors 2.3 Optical monitoring with high speed camera and photo sensing instruments 2.4 Diagnostics of vacuum in medium voltage vacuum arc chambers

3. Other laboratory equipment3.1 Molding facility for the fabrication of EP-, PURresin and plastic molded materials 3.2 Shielding room 3.3 Heating cabinet/oven 3.4 Equipment for student laboratory work 3.5 Physical instruments

4. Measuring instrument and facilities4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Transient recorder Optical fiber transmission circuits Voltage measurement Current measurement Impedance measurement Temperature measurement Electrostatic Voltmeter

1 Testing facilities 1.1 Big high voltage hall (accredited laboratory)Dimensions of the hall: 32 m length x 24 m width x 20 m heightTechnical specification of the test circuit:Impulse voltage: AC voltage: DC voltage: 2.8 MV LI/1.8 MV SI; 80 kJ; 16 Taps 1 MV (50 Hz-60 Hz); 16 Hz 60 Hz; 1 MVA; 4 Taps +600 kV 0.01%; 4 mA

Voltage Measurement System approved by IEC 60060-2:Lightning impulse voltage: Lightning impulse voltage: Switching impulse voltage: AC voltage: DC voltage: 50 kV till 500 kV 200 kV till 2.8 MV 400 kV till 1.8 MV 95 kV till 980 kV 150 kV till 550 kV

Examples of test and research activities: Type tests (dry and wet) of equipment with a maximum operating voltage of Um = 24 kV till 800 kV at AC, DC, lightning impulse and switching impulse voltage Measurement from steep impulse voltage up to 3 MV Protective zone of MO-arrestors in 220 kV and 380 kV outdoor systems Comparison of methods for review of the linearity of lightning impulse voltage measurement circuits Effectivity of Early Streamer Emission Devices Development tests on a 1200 kV surge arrestor

Thermal study of a 1200 kV surge arrestor with the AC voltage source

Lightning impulse voltage testing on a current transformer

1.2 High power facilities 1.2.1 Synthetic medium voltage test circuit for high power testsTechnical data: Available test currents .................................................................... up to 35 kA (rms) Transient voltages ...................................................... up to 200 kV Maximum energy ..........................................................................................1.35 MJ Charging voltage High current circuit ...................................................... up to 15 kV High voltage circuit .................................................... up to 120 kV

Construction and functioning:

L-C-oscillating circuit as an energy source, functions according to the principal of current superposition

Applications and research activities: Short circuit tests with exponentially decaying sinusoidal 50 Hz currents Tests of the switching performance of vacuum circuit breakers when new contact materials are used

1.2.2 1.35-MJ- Capacitor bankTechnical data: Available 50 Hz test currents ......................................................... up to 35 kA (rms) Maximum energy.............................................................................................1.35 MJ Capacitance .......................................................................................................12 mF Charging voltage ...................................................................................... up to 15 kV Frequency: adjustment with three air coils 50 Hz

Configuration:

Applications and research activities: Short circuit tests with a exponential decaying sinusoidal 50 Hz currents (feeding of the synthetic test facility) Generation of current strong interference arcs Supply of over currents for tests of the turn off behavior of high voltage fuses

1.2.3 1.5-MW-DC current facilityTechnical data:Current converter circuit: Twelve pulse rectifier with three phase side phase controlled modulator over an ac power controller

Nominal power at continuous operation:1.5 MW Current voltage combinations at nominal power: Current / A Voltage / V 3000 500 1500 1000 1000 1500 750 2000 500 3000 250 6000

The current can in each case be change up to the maximum value for that voltage range. A voltage control is also possible. Short time operation: The current level can be doubled up to a duration of 8 s. Current ripple: 1 % (with reference to the chosen current value) Statistical accuracy Of the current control: + 0.1 %

Configuration:The picture shows the rectifying and current smoothing of the facility.

Applications and research activities Arc and plasma tests of different applications Tests of the thermal effects of interference arcs on synthetic materials used at electrical substations, origin of fire through interference arcs Tests on equipment for DC current systems (i.e. tram, underground and commuter trains)

1.3 Aging test facilitiesa) Fogging room for conducting aging tests by weathering

Fogging room 1

Execution of long term tests e.g. test as per IEC 61109 or weather aging test as per IEC 60099-4

Test procedure of a 5000 h test

The department has three fogging rooms with the following options: Fogging room I (in the basement):

-Intended for 5000 h test as well as 1000 h test -Two voltage supplies with the same earthing reference - 0...40 kV AC and 0... 8 kV DC -Monitoring of maximally 6 channels - UV light with 2x2 kW gas discharge lamps - Volume 14.8 m Fogging room II (on the Bhne):

-Intended for 5000 h test as well as 1000 h test -Two voltage supplies with the same earthing reference - 0...60 kV AC and 0... 8 kV DC -Monitoring of maximally 6 channels - UV light with 2x2 kW gas discharge lamps - Volume 16.5 m (reducible by a partition wall) Fogging room III (on the Bhne):

-Intended for 1000 h test - 0...130 kV AC -Monitoring of maximally 6 channels - Volume 58 m

b)

Modified wheel testFor execution of accelerated surface aging of insulation materials e.g. as per IEEE Std C62.11. Adjustable parameters: - Voltage: U = 0...100 kV - Conductivity: = 5...10000 S/cm

1.4 Diagnostic Test Facilitiesa) Inclined Plane TestFixed and step voltage for the creepage distance formation according to IEC 587, VDE 0303 T.10 and ASTM 2303-97 A second inclined plane test facility (see image) is in use since March 2007. Now, the parallel operation of 5 test samples is possible.

b) Partial Discharge measuring room Available measuring instruments: - Computerized PD-measuring system ICMSystem (Power Diagnostics) up to 150 kV rating Data of the shielded room: - Room 1: ................................................................................Cabin (Siemens make) Dimensions (B x T x H): ..............................................approx. 2 m x 4 m x 2 m Max. voltage: .....................................................................U = 50 kV (PD-free) Basic interference level: .......................................................................... < 1 pC - Room 2: ................................................................................. Built in-house-cabin Dimensions (B x T x H): ..............................................approx. 8 m x 5 m x 5 m Dimensions of the door: ......................................................approx. 3 m x 2,5 m Max. voltage: ....................................................................U = 250 kV (PD-free) Basic interference level: .......................................................................... < 1 pC

c) Edge angle measuring systemFor the determination of the surface tension of a solid surface, two edge angle measuring systems (of the company Krss, Hamburg) are used. The measuring and evaluation software record the edge angles of drops on the solid surface with different test liquids and hence, calculate the surface tension of the solid. The measuring system 1 is used for samples with small geometrical dimensions. With measuring system 2, observation of drops is possible in the electrical field in specified time intervals.

Edge angle measuring system DAS 10L (System 2)

Measuring system 1: Data: - Measuring range: ........................................................................................ 0-180 - max. sample size LxBxH: ........................................................ 150 x 150 x 50 mm - Measurement accuracy: ................................................................................... 0,5 Measuring system 2: Data: - Measuring range: ........................................................................................ 0-180 - max. sample size LxBxH: ...........................................................510 x x 50 mm

d) AC voltage test systemThe equipment offers the possibility of investigations, e.g. as per IEC 60243-1, on insulation materials. The following quantities can be determined: Discharge voltage, Ud Dielectric strength, Ed

Measurements of AC voltage are possible, with constant rate of increase of voltage (2 V/s, 5 V/s, 10 V/s, 20 V/s, 50 V/s, 5 kV/s). The measurement of the electrical quantities is made by means of high precision instrument or by an oscilloscope (values may be stored). Technical data of the equipment: AC voltage: 0 200 kV (50 mA) Rate of increase of voltage: (2 V/s, 5 V/s, 10 V/s, 20 V/s, 50 V/s, 100 V/s, 200 V/s, 500 V/s, 1 kV, 2 kV/s, 5 kV/s) Various electrode arrangements depending on the type of insulating material.

Test specimen setup with ball-ball electrode arrangement for testing disc shaped insulating materials

e) Equipment for characterizing dielectric properties of insulating materialsThe equipment offers the possibility of dielectric investigations, e.g. as per IEC 60093, on disc shaped insulating materials. The following quantities can be determined: relative Permittivity r dielectric loss factor tan specific electric resistance discharge voltage Ud Partial discharge initiation voltage Ue

Measurement of DC and AC voltages is possible. The measurement of the electrical quantities is made by means of a high precision pointer instrument or by an oscilloscope (values may be stored). Technical data: DC voltage: 0 15 kV (max. 100 mA) AC voltage: 0 20 kV (max. 20 mA) Frequency domain: 10 Hz 100 Hz (distortion free curve shapes) Current measurement: 10 nA 100 mA

Test specimen setup with protection ring electrode as per IEC 60093 for testing disc shaped insulating materials.

1.5

Impulse current laboratory

1.5.1 Exponential impulse current circuitTechnical data Description Lightning impulse Switching impulse Lightning impulse High impulse Steep impulse Current shape 8/20 8/20 30/60 80/200 4/10 1/