ac high voltage generation

Most of the modern transmission and distribution

system use ac voltages. Hence most of the testing
equipments are related to ac high voltage.
Although power system network is 3 phase
system, testing equipments are of single
phase.
Although voltage is high in testing equipments,
current is low. Therefore power rating is low.

Although power equipments are operated round the

clock, testing equipments are for short time application.
ac high voltage generation

Typical current rating of the testing unit for some

power equipments
Insulators, CB, bushings, CT, PT : 0.1 to 0.5 A

Power transformers, capacitors : 0.5 to 1 A

Cables : 1 A and above

Therefore a single unit of 1A current rating

is sufficient for testing all the equipments.
 secondary side
is the high
ac high voltage generation voltage side,
Number of turns
test samples
required in the
Ac high voltage is simply generated by
are using
connected
Current
secondary
a
side is
here.
step up transformer. veryrequirement
high, howeverin
thinthe HV side
wires is
can be
very
used.less.

The operation is governed

by the equation,

Current in the Vp Np
Is
Primary Lessisside
primary
side numbers
veryofhigh
is
turns of

low voltage
thick wire is
side, usually
Vs N s I p
needed in the
supplied from
primary side
a conventional
source of 230v
 Supply is
Themade
HV through This
Thesymbol
tank is filled
connection is
a VARIAC so iswith
useda to
special
taken out by control
as to a indicate
type HV
of oil,
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the input known as
terminated
henceto the TRANSFORMER
a spherical
output To take OIL,out which
dome, sovoltage.
as serves two
the HV
to avoid extra purposes
connection,
The metal an
tank
electrical The (i)insulation
core and
hollow
provide proper
stress on the suitable (ii)cooling.
part
insulator
magneticis of
surrounding The
the winding
used, known
shielding is
against
air. transformer is
internally
as leakage
bushing.
contained influx
a
connected to the
230V metal tank.
metal tank and
ac
The low hence with the
voltage EARTH
connection is
The tank is
taken out
properly
through
EARTHED to
bushing.
avoid danger.
ac high voltage generation

Design of a test transformer is similar to that of a PT

The flux density is chosen low
(i) so as to keep the magnetizing current also low
(ii) to avoid core saturation
(iii) avoid producing higher harmonics
ac high voltage generation
Extra Tank
filled with
oil
Photograph of a 600kV
testing transformer

HV
termination
to a dome

HV bushing

Tank filled
with oil

Low voltage
connection box
 Tertiary
HV transformers :
Supporting
output for
rod
next stage

MWB
100KV
transformer

Input
connection
Measuring
capcitor
HV transformers :
MWB
HV transformers :
MWB
more high HV generation
A single stage transformer can generate as high as 600kV

For generating voltages even higher,

A single transformer is not suitable because :
The solution is to connect
(i) size and weight
more thanwill
onebe excessively large and
heavy. transformer in cascade.
(ii) Transport and erection will be difficult.
(iii) Providing proper insulation will be difficult or
costly. The cost is proportional to the square of the
voltage.
(iv) In case of any fault or failure, the entire
Cascaded Please read book for
Transformer description, pp 60-61.

230V
input
Cascaded
Transformer
 Series resonant circuit Capacitance of
It is a series LC circuit.
secondary the test
sample, may
Primary side side
May cause resonance
inductance inductance for some be different
for different
particular sample resulting very samples.

high voltage at the output.

Care should be taken to avoid
hazard of unwanted high HV.
Input
ac
During testing, input voltage
should be raised very cautiously
and
Exciting
gradually with extreme
inductance, care.
very large and
its effect can
be neglected
 Series resonant circuit
Capacitance of
secondary the test
Primary side side sample,
inductance inductance may be
different for
different
samples.

Input
ac

If we can adjust the

inductance, resonance
may be caused for each
sample.
 Advantages of series resonance circuit
(using variable inductor)

Less power requirement

Suppresses harmonics and
interference
In case of failure or flashover
during test, fault current ceases of
its own.
Lower size and cost.
No separate compensating reactors
are required.
 Series resonant circuit
Capacitance of the
Caution !!!!
secondary
test sample, may
be different for
Primary side side
(a)Samples
inductance having large capacitance
inductance
different samples.

need lower frequency, which is not

suitable for transformers.
(b)Test is done at a frequency other
than the actual operating
Input frequency, therefore results may
ac
vary.
If we can adjust the
frequency of the supply
voltage, resonance may
be caused for each
sample.
 RT
r% KV 2
This transformer

1
can supply

200 2
4K
maximum 200KV.
Numerical Example
100 MV 100
But our test requirement is
0.1
400 400KV.
XC 800K
2
5 200
X LT 100KVA R=1%
20K 0.5
100 0.1
R=1% L= ?
X=5%

400KV
I = 0.5A
Input For resonance, XL = XC
Output
= 250V = 200KV

Inductive reactance of the transformer is 20K.

So additional reactance required = 780K.

Therefore Inductance
So werequired
use this inductor in
series to cause resonance in
X 780 1000
the circuit, so that the
L
voltage can be 2484 H
L increased.
2f 2 50
The total resistance of the circuit = 8K

Under resonance condition, the voltage

(in secondary side) =

IR 0.5 8K 4KV
Therefore the primary voltage

250
4 5 Volts
200 Therefore the primary Current = ?
VS 4000
IP IS 0.5 400A
VP 5
 Conclusion
ac high voltage can be obtained by:
(a)HV transformers, cascaded
transformers
(b)Series resonance circuit by
variable inductance
(c)Series resonance circuit by
variable frequency supply.
 Conclusion
Which one is good ?
(a)Series resonance circuit can be used
for comparatively low HV (kV) and for
capacitive samples.
(b)Transformers (cascaded) are useful for
high HV(MV) and all types of samples
(resistive, inductive, capacitive).
(c)Therefore cascaded transformers is the
best choice, although costly.