Influence of Resistance of Electric Arc on Transients Due to Disconnector Switching in Air-Insulated Substations

In this paper, switching overvoltages due to disconnector switching in air-insulated substations (AISs) are presented. Measurements of these switching overvoltages were performed in the AIS Grabovica (Hydro Power Plant-HPP Grabovica) on River Neretva and the AIS Kakanj (Thermo Power Plant-TPP Kakanj). These power plants are important objects for operation of Bosnia and Herzegovina´s electric power system. Investigations of operating of air-disconnector-type centre break was performed in order to determine switching-overvoltage levels on primary and secondary circuits that can lead to relay tripping in AIS Grabovica and AIS Kakanj. During operations of disconnector (synchronization or disconnecting of generator from network), malfunctions of signaling devices and burning of supply units of protection relays appeared. At the same time, sparking between primary terminals of the instrument current transformer occurred. The influence of resistance of electric arc between the contacts of the disconnector is analyzed. Computer simulations by means of alternative transients program-electromagnetic transients program are performed. Differences between the measured and the calculated values were under 4.52% for overvoltage factor and under 2.56% for overvoltage wave frequency. Comparison of the transient computer simulations with the field measurements showed that calculations could be used for the assessment of the transient overvoltages caused by disconnector switching.