Enhanced Method for Pressure Rise Calculation in SF6 GIS Due to Fault Arcs

Abstract

Modeling of pressure rise in SF 6 GIS (Gas Insulated Switchgear) due to internal arc faults is a complex and challenging task, due to a large number of highly variable factors, which influence the whole process. This is especially the case in GIS with high rated short circuit currents, where the effects, such as material evaporation and erratic arc behavior, and consequently the pressure build-up rate, are much more pronounced. These severe conditions ultimately determine the design limits and must therefore be carefully investigated. The enhanced internal arc simulation model, presented in this paper, considers the impact of evaporation of different materials on gas properties and the pressure rise, as well as the dependence of released arc energy, thermal transfer and evaporation intensity on the state of gas. The experimental set-up and the test configuration, used to validate the calculation results, are evaluated and discussed. An evident finding, which is supported by measurements, is that the implemented improvements of the basic simulation model (introduced in the Technical Brochure 602 by the CIGRÉ working group A3.24) increase the prediction accuracy of GIS withstand performance during internal arc faults.