CICED 5th International Conference on Electricity Distribution
Paper FP0217
CAN CHINA MV NETWORKS ALSO BENEFIT FROM THE LATEST 2SIS FIXED MV
SWITCHGEAR TECHNOLOGY?
Juan TOBIAS Dabin WU
Schneider Electric – France Schneider Electric – China
Juan.tobias@schneider-electric.com francis.wu@schneider-electric.com
Jean-Marc BIASSE
Schneider Electric – France
Jean-marc.biasse@schneider-electric.com
ABSTRACT
China MV distribution network architecture makes
extensive use of MV/MV switching substations with
circuit breaker functions. Although KYN type panels are
the most commonly used today, there is a trend towards
greater use of fixed VCB panels (XGN type) as customers
realise that they have many advantages in terms of
reliability, cost and footprint required. It is expected that
if this trend will continue, making fixed type VCB the
predominant type in China MV switchgear market by
2020. This paper describes an innovative design of
shielded solid insulation switchgear (2SIS) using fixed
vacuum circuit breaker panels. The 2SIS technology
brings many new customer benefits compared to AIS
withdrawable and fixed VCB cubicles, including reduced
dimensions, harsh environment withstand, higher
reliability, lower maintenance requirement and higher
operator safety..
Keywords: Fixed CB, MV switchgear,withdrawable CB,
shielded.
INTRODUCTION
Today switching substations and MV customer
installations use mainly Air Insulated Switchgear (AIS)
with withdrawable vacuum circuit breakers (KYN type
cubicles). In some cases (< 20%) fixed circuit breaker
panels (XGN type) are used in either HV/MV primary
substation, MV/MV switching substations or large MV
customer connection switchboards. Typical KYN and
XGN designs are illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Typical chinese AIS panel using KYN
withdrawable VCB
Paper No FP0217
Shanghai, 5-6 Sept 2012
Gilles MOESCH
Schneider Electric - France
gilles.moesch@shneider-electric.com
The question comes to know why withdrawable CBs or
fixed CBs are used and if there is a trend towards a
preferred technology.
MV SWITCHGEAR HISTORICAL
EVOLUTION IN EUROPE, M. EAST, SE ASIA,
AFRICA AND S. AMERICA
Up until the mid 1990’s nearly all MV Air Insulated
Switchgear (AIS) in IEC influenced countries (Europe,
M. East, SE Asia, India and South America) used
withdrawable circuit breaker panels. The main
characteristic of these type of switchgear panels is that the
circuit breaker could be physically disconnected from the
bus bars and circuits. A typical design of dating from
1950’s is shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Air Insulated Switchgear (AIS) panel with
withdrawable oil circuit breaker (1950s)
The main disadvantages of oil switchgear were the risk of
fire in case of failure and the need for regular change of
the insulating oil.
In the late 80’s most manufacturers launched circuit
breaker designs using either SF6 or vacuum as
interruption media. These new technologies provided
much higher electrical endurance than oil circuit breakers
which meant that regular maintenance of the interrupters
was no longer needed. The switchgear cubicle continued
using air insulation but a new architecture was introduced
with withdrawable circuit breaker cassette (Figure 3). The
elimination of oil had two main benefits :
- No need for regular maintenance resulting in
lower operating cost;
- No fire risk and internal arc containment leading
to greater operator safety .
However, the vacuum or SF6 circuit breaker truck
continued to be withdrawable even if no maintenance was
required.
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Figure 3. Traditional air insulated switchgear panel with
withdrawable vacuum or SF6 circuit breaker mounted in a
cassette (late 1980’s)
During the early 90’s the first fixed circuit breaker
designs were introduced in SF6 Ring Main Units for
MV/LV transformer protection (Figure 4). The circuit
breaker was a 3 position device (On-Off-Earth) that
performed the disconnector function. It also can be
noticed that most of secondary distribution equipment
include fixed circuit breakers.
Figure 4. SF6 Ring main Unit with fixed 3 position circuit
breaker disconnector used for MV/LV transformer
protection (1992)
In the mid 90’s the first MV SF6 gas insulated switchgear
(GIS) circuit breaker panels for primary substation
applications were introduced in Germany and later in
Spain. These designs used fixed vacuum or SF6 circuit
breakers in a metallic enclosure filled with SF6. GIS
cubicles were targeted at harsh environment applications
(high humidity, dusty environments) and were
significantly more compact than AIS cubicles. The fixed
circuit breaker had a 3 position disconnector in series
without visible contacts, but with positive mechanical
indicators as recognized by IEC62271-102 standard
(Figure 5). European utilities and industrial end users that
required high reliability, low maintenance and space
savings adopted SF6 GIS designs.
Figure 5. SF6 Gas Insulated Switchgear panels with fixed
circuit breaker (1996)
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Shanghai, 5-6 Sept 2012
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In early 2000’s the first AIS designs with fixed vacuum
circuit breakers with series disconnector were launched.
They were more compact and cost effective than
traditional AIS with withdrawable VCB and quickly
gained customer acceptance (Figure 6).
Figure 6. Air insulated fixed circuit breaker panel up to
13.8 kV, 2500, 25 kA (2001)
WHY ARE CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WITHDRAWABLE?
The reason why circuit breakers needed to be
withdrawable are historical. Up until 1980’s most circuit
breakers used oil as interruption media, which made them
bulky and heavy. Oil circuit breakers had to be regularly
maintained to guarantee the electrical performance. A
change of oil was necessary after 6 fault operations.
Consequently, the oil circuit breaker was put on a rolling
truck to facilitate maintenance
The rolling truck also provided sectionalising function in
the withdrawn position, as well as a “test” position to
enable testing of the protection relay chain. Consequently,
most of the maintenance and safety procedures were
written around the withdrawability feature which then
became engrained in the operator’s habits.
European end users that wished to take advantage of the
higher reliability, less maintenance and reduced footprint
of SF6 GIS designs had to accept the fixed circuit breaker
and non-visible disconnection concepts. They also had to
adapt their operation and testing procedures to the new
technology. However, the benefits out weighted the
adoption cost and the use fixed circuit breaker widely
accepted. Today fixed and withdrawable circuit breaker
panels co-exist, but with a strong trend towards fixed
designs in utility primary substations and MV
switchboards used by large consumers connected to the
utility MV network (large commercial buildings, light
industry, infrastructure, data centres and hospitals).
Installations in electro-intensive industries like Oil and
Gas, mines, minerals, metals and paper require high fault
levels due to the presence of MV motors. AIS
withdrawable circuit breaker panels are used almost
exclusively in these applications due to the high electrical
ratings (> 3150 1, > 40 kA) and the frequency of
switching that requires mechanical overhaul of the circuit
breaker.
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DRIVERS BEHIND THE MOVE TOWARDS
MV FIXED CIRCUIT BREAKERS
The clear trend towards greater use of fixed vacuum
circuit breakers comes from the realisation that some of
the inherent features of the withdrawability are the most
common causes of failure, including:
- Overheating in isolating contacts often caused by
poor aligment between fixed and moving part;
- Mechanical jamming of circuit breaker truck,
shutters and associated interlocks;
- Poor electrical contact in the auxiliary switch
connectors.
Fixed CBs have higher reliability than withdrawable CBs.
Quality of bolted contacts is far higher than qulity of
sliding contact; there is no need to clean and grease
periodically.
Service experience has demonstrated that the reliability of
modern vacuum interrupters is very high [1], [2]. For this
reason European end users do not carry out regular
verification of the vacuum integrity.
European opinion leaders in the MV switchgear industry
[3], [4] have come to the conclusion that as long as easy
access in provided to change the trip and closing coils or
maintain the mechanism, there is no need for the circuit
breaker to be withdrawn.
LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE OF MV
CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL DESIGN
In 2005 a study was conducted to analyse the market
needs evolution and the existing trends. It soon became
clear that there is common characteristic in the MV
distribution networks in China, Russia and India, the 3
main markets for MV switchgear, which represent over
60 % of the global market and probably even greater
proportion in 2020.
These networks have 12 kV rated voltages and make
extensive use of MV/MV switching substations with all
circuit breaker switchboards with low nominal current,
less than 1250A and low fault ratings, less than 25 kA.
The conclusions of this analysis were very important
inputs to consider for the development of a vision of the
next generation of MV switchgear. The objective was to
keep the advantages of GIS without loosing simplicity of
AIS, taking into account the need for local manufacturing.
New ideas emerged that challenge the established
industry logic by answering these four basic question:
(1) Which unnecessary features taken for
granted by the industry should be
eliminated ?
(2) Which features should be reduced below
the industry standard ?
(3) Which features should be raised well above
the industry standard ?
(4) Which new values should be created that
the industry has never offered ?
The result of this thinking process was a new concept of
Paper No FP0217
Shanghai, 5-6 Sept 2012
Paper FP0217
Shielded Solid Insulation System (2SIS) using fixed
circuit breaker architecture.
NEW MV SWITCHGEAR DESIGN CONCEPT
The 2SIS fixed MV switchgear concept
A new MV switchgear design concept known as “3 in 1”
core module has been introduced which integrates the 3
main functions MV switchgear panel, namely current
interruption, circuit disconnection and cable earthing that
traditionally have been provided separately ( Figure 7).
This concept is similar to the one used in some GIS
RMUs for secondary distribution applications, but with
advanced elements organized in a a new scheme.
Figure 7. “3 in 1” core module providing current
interruption, circuit disconnection and cable earthing
functions
The customer benefits of the “3 in 1” integrated core
module are:
- Simplicity of operation reduces risk of operator
error and need for training;
- Greater operator safety during cable earthing and
testing;
- Increased reliability due to less number of
components.
Another feature of the new design is its fully screened
solid insulation system (2SIS) where all surfaces are
coated with a conductive layer at earth potential (see
Figure 8). The main customer benefits of 2SIS technology
are:
- insensitivity to harsh environment (dust,
humidity);
- No need for preventive maintenance nor
servicing (cleaning of insulators, CB testing,
etc);
- longer product life due to reduced dielectric
ageing;
- compact design reducing switchroom
dimensions.
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Figure 8. Shielded Solid Insulation System core unit
Taking benefit of the fixed circuit-breaker and of the solid
insulation, the dimension of the complete switchgear
panel achieved (375 mm width, 900 mm deep and 1600
mm height) make this concept one of the most compact
MV circuit breaker panels available in the market that
does not require the use of pressurised SF6 gas.
Comparison with established MV switchgear
offers
All the individual technologies used in this concept are
well known. There is over 20 years of accumulated
experience on fixed circuit-breaker designs,vacuum
interruption and shielded solid insulation. What is
innovative is the way they are combined to achieve a
modular MV switchgear range rated 15 kV, 630 25 kA
that offers the simplicity of traditional AIS with the
performance of GIS without the need to use pressurised
gas.
Referring back to the 4 basic questions that were driving
the 2SIS fixed MV switchgear concept at design stage,
the following outputs come.
Unnecessary features taken for granted by the industry
that should be eliminated are: withdrawability of circuit
breaker, O-0,3s-CO sequence in low duty VCB, switch-
fuse for MV/LV transformer protection, constraints of
preventive maintenance.
Features that can easily be reduced compared to industry
standards are: footprint, corrective maintenance.
Some features that will be raised are: harsh environment
withstand, operator safety by internal containment AFLR,
switchgear life expectancy.
Finally some features can be created: 100 A – 200 A CB
with self powered protection relay for MV/LV
transformer protection, dedicated cable testing device
without the need to access cable box, fully shielded
insulation system, screened CTs and VTs.
Suitability to China 10 kV network applications
The 2SIS fixed vacuum circuit breaker technology is well
suited to the needs of China 10 kV network because there
are many applications that required full circuit breaker
switchboards such as:
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• 10 kV utility switching substations switchboards
in large cities
• 10 kV switchboards to connect large consumers
with installed power between 2 MW and 10 MW
To take advantage of the key benefits of the new concept,
namely greater system reliability, space saving and
reduced maintenance cost, Chinese EPCs and PSBs will
need to adapt their existing operational and safety
procedures written around KYN type cubicles. This will
be a natural evolution process similar to the one that took
place in the past when new technologies that offered
significant benefits were adopted by Chinese users.
CONCLUSION
MV switchgear is a mature industry. The innovations
hasve taken place so far every 20 to 30 years so end users
may experience the arrival of an innovative product only
once or twice in their professional careers.
The 2SIS fixed VCB technology is the next generation of
MV switchgear design. Careful evaluation by end users of
the design feature will reveal significant benefits of this
innovative concept.
The 2SIS fixed vacuum circuit breaker design is well
adapted to China MV network applications in terms of
electrical ratings and functionality. However, potential
users will need to review their established operating
practices based on KYN cubicles to be able to take full
advantage of the benefits offered by this new technology.
REFERENCES
[1] R. Renz, D. Gentsch, H. Fink, P. Slade, M. Schlaug,
2007, “Vacuum interrupters – Sealed for life”,
CIRED Vienna Austria
[2] H. Schellekens, G. Moesch, JM. Biasse, T. Hazel,
B. Cabaret, 2010, “Impact of vacuum switch-
disconnectors on reliability of MV distribution
networks”, CICED China
[3] J. Tobias et al, 1998, “The advantages of fixed
circuit breaker switchgear”, IEE Int Conf on
Distribution Switchgear London UK
[4] M. Imming, H. Engbersen, 2011, “Fixed or
withdrawable switchgear”, CIRED Frankfurt
Germany
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