High Voltage

Engineering
Arsalan A Rahim
University of Engineering & Technology
Lahore, Pakistan
Lecture # 1
Basics of High Voltage
Course Books
High Voltage and Electrical Insulation Engineering
(June 2011 Edition) by Ravindra & Wolfgang (IEEE Press)
High Voltage Engineering Fundamentals (2nd Edition) by
E.Kuffel, W.S.Zaengl, J .Kuffel
High Voltage Engineering by C.L. Wadhwa
High Voltage Engineering by M.S.Naidu (4th Edition)
Reference Books
Advances in High Voltage Engineering (IET) Edited by
A.Haddad & D.Warne

All books available for pdf Download at ep.nge.com.pk
(Course Page)
Why High Voltage (Engineering)?
Its the knowledge of the behavior of dielectrics
(insulator) electrical insulation when subjected to
high voltage
Result is to minimize the volume of the electrical
insulation requirements and trouble-free life of high
voltage apparatus.
A totally different Domain (Engineering) when High
Voltage are applied. Stray Capacitances &
Inductances come into play.
No concept of a complete Insulator Even a good
Insulator can conduct under High Voltages
HVAC & HVDC Transmission
Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) based on High Power
GTO and IGBTs

Examples of FACTS system include Fixed Series Capacitors (FSC)
Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitor (TCSC) and STATCOMS
Link for FACTS devices http://www.siemens.com.pk/pt_ac.html

List of HVDC Projects
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_HVDC_projects


Basic Definitions to Start With
Electron
Proton
Ion
Ionization
Electric Charge
Space Charge
Volume Charge Density
v
Electric Discharge

Electric & Magnetic Field

Electromagnetics

Di-Electric & Electric Material
What the difference between these ?
Electric Material capable of developing
(conducting) electric charge or current
Di-Electric Material not capable of developing
(conducting) electric charge or current but
admits electrostatic and magnetic lines of force
Di-Electric Material Properties Relative
Permittivity
r
, Type of Material & Amplitude of
Voltage Applied
Electrical Breakdown
Failure of Electrical Insulation Properties (flow of
current) of an Insulator or Di-electric
Local Breakdown
confined locally to a
part of an Insulator
(Partial Breakdown)
Global Breakdown
complete rupture or
failure of insulator
properties
(Electrical Breakdown)
Corona:
Stable Partial Breakdown (PB) in
Gaseous Di-electrics
Partial Electrical Breakdown (discharge)
Streamer:
Extension of Corona at Distance
Shower of Discharge (Streamer Corona)
Types: Audible & Visible Corona
Example: Discharge of Cloud (Lightning)
Aurora:
Luminous phenomenon consisting of streamers
or Arches of Light at Polar Regions
Explained under Faradays Glow
Aurora Australis (Southern Hemisphere)
Aurora Borealis (Northern Hemisphere)
Atoms in Ionosphere stuck by High Energy
Electrons Coming from Sun (cosmic Radiation)
Aurora:

Di-electric Property: Capacitance
Is the field between the plates of a Capacitor
Uniform?
Permittivity of a Di-electric is Constant ?
Stray Capacitance
How to minimize it?
Electric Field
Electric Field Intensity
Electric Charge is considered static when there
is no movement of charge
Field produced by Static charge or Direct
Voltage is known as Electro-static field
Field produced by power frequency Alternating
voltage is known as quasi-stationary Electric field
Dielectric Breakdown
depends on
Composition of dielectric material, presence of impurities
imperfections in the dielectric
Pressure
Humidity
Temperature
Electric field configuration (shape of the electrodes, their size and
gap distance)
Electrode material
Duration
Magnitude and the waveform of the applied voltage
Todays Text Covered from Chapter 1 of IEEE
Press Book (Ravindra Book)

and

Chapter 1 of Kuffel Book