Gilbert Electrical Systems - Technical Discussions - Capacitor Bank Grounded Wye Unbalance Detection Discussion

Phone: 304-252-6243 || Beckley, West Virginia, USA || Fax: 304-252-6292 || Information Request Metal-Enclosed Assemblies - Capacitor Assemblies - Primary Switchgear Harmonic Filter Applications - Harmonic/Power Factor Correction Studies

Capacitor Bank Grounded Wye Unbalance Detection Discussion

In the late 1950s Mr. Harold Stone of Line Material ( later Line Material was merged by McGraw-Edison Company with Pennsylvania Transformer to become McGraw-Edison Power Systems, and is now Cooper Power Systems) developed and publish several papers on unbalance detection for capacitor banks. For the grounded wye connected bank (See Figure 1) the following formulas were developed: For the neutral to ground current...

Figure 1

Amps

(1)

%I N (of rated phase current)=

(2)

The voltage on remaining units in one series section with "F" units removed. %Vr =

(3)

http://www.gilbertelectricalsystems.com/library/technical_papers/technical_discussions/TD-003/TD-003.php[09.01.2013 14:18:32]

Gilbert Electrical Systems - Technical Discussions - Capacitor Bank Grounded Wye Unbalance Detection Discussion

Neutral current when one complete series section is shorted %In (of rated phase current) =

(4)

LEGEND
I N = I U = V T = V = V R= S = N = F = Neutral Current Rated current of one units Applied lineto-neutral volts Rated voltage of capacitor units Voltage on remaining units in a group with "F" units removed. Number of series sections per phase Number of parallel units per series section Number of units removed from one section

METAL ENCLOSED CAPACITOR GROUNDED WYE APPLICATIONS It is rare that more than one series group is used in metal enclosed applications. If we make that assumption we can simplify the above formulas. Looking a balance load (See Figure 2) with two capacitors per phase, we have the following:

Figure 2 Let X C = 1 Let Then = 1V = = 0.002653590254 farads = 1var

http://www.gilbertelectricalsystems.com/library/technical_papers/technical_discussions/TD-003/TD-003.php[09.01.2013 14:18:32]

Gilbert Electrical Systems - Technical Discussions - Capacitor Bank Grounded Wye Unbalance Detection Discussion

For 2 units in parallel will equal C 1 +C2 =0.00530519 farads =2vars Or Z T = This gives us = 2 amps or, = = = 2amps =

Each leg in a balanced grounded wye capacitor bank as configured above will be 2 amps, and will be zero amps at the ground node point Looking at an unbalance load (See Figure 3)using the same parameters as the balance load given above we have the following:

Figure 3 Let X C = 1 Let Then = 1V = = 2 amps

= 1amp This means the current neutral to ground will be 1 amp and this will flow as unbalance current in the neutral. Looking back at the formula for neutral current formula (1) we had

I U = 1 amp Let V T = V

http://www.gilbertelectricalsystems.com/library/technical_papers/technical_discussions/TD-003/TD-003.php[09.01.2013 14:18:32]

Gilbert Electrical Systems - Technical Discussions - Capacitor Bank Grounded Wye Unbalance Detection Discussion

N=2 S =1 F=1 This gives us 1 amp in the neutral, which confirms our numbers. However, we can really reduce this formula when S = 1. This reduces to and even further

(5)

or

(6)

and if V T = V, this is really simplified to Also the voltage on the remaining units given by %Vr = with S = 1, and V T = V, %Vr will always be 100% For the percentages and per unit values see Table 1 below. Table 1 - Unbalance Verification Grounded Wye Ph-N Volts Cap Volts KVAR Unit Current Total Bank Current N F %Vn %In Multiplier In-Multiplier 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 1 100 2 1 100 2 2 100 1 1 100 2 2 100 3 3 100 1 1 100 2 2 100 3 3 100 4 4 100 1 1 100 2 2 100 3 3 100 4 4 100 5 5 100 1 1 100 2 2 100 3 3 100 4 4 100 5 5 100 6 6 100 100 50 100 33.33 66.67 100 25 50 75 100 20 40 60 80 100 16.67 33.33 50 66.67 83.33 100 1 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6

http://www.gilbertelectricalsystems.com/library/technical_papers/technical_discussions/TD-003/TD-003.php[09.01.2013 14:18:32]

Gilbert Electrical Systems - Technical Discussions - Capacitor Bank Grounded Wye Unbalance Detection Discussion

Web Site Design by TADA! Media Services - Mauldin, SC 2013 - Gilbert Electrical Systems A Division of Mining Controls, Inc. / Subsidiary of Elgin National Industries Page Hits Since January 1, 2012: 249

http://www.gilbertelectricalsystems.com/library/technical_papers/technical_discussions/TD-003/TD-003.php[09.01.2013 14:18:32]