NAME : René SMEETS COUNTRY : the Netherlands REGISTRATION NUMBER : 14127 GROUP REF. : A3 PREF. SUBJECT : 1 QUESTION N° : 1-5 The generation of very fast transient overvoltages is a severe concern in switching of unloaded GIS sections with disconnectors. In the figure, a measured VFTO (internally in the GIS is shown) As the authors of paper A3.110 rightfully point out, the role of the trapped charge, remaining on the disconnected busbar section, is of eminent importance. After all, the next closing operating can lead to a 2 pu jump in voltage when load is left after at 1 pu and supply is at -1 pu. This leads to the most onerous very fast transient overvoltages. In three-phase metal enclosed switchgear, such as very common at 145 kV level (see figure), is was found from tests that the level of trapped voltage can exceed 1 pu. This is due to the capacitive coupling between the phases. This interaction allows an increase of trapped voltage even after the switching process in this phase has completed. The ongoing switching transients in the neighbouring phase can charge the already stabilized phase beyond 1 pu. This is illustrated in the measured case shown here. The dashed voltages are measured at supply side, the drawn ones are at load side. A special three-phase measurement system is used. The result shows the disconnecting operation of a three-phase disconnector in a 145 kV three-phase enclosed GIS, submitted to standard IEC tests. As usual, the disconnecting operation is associated with a number of breakdown and recovery events, to be identified by the vertical steps, each of which excite the very fast transient overvoltages. As can be seen, due to the charge reversals in phase 1 and 3, the already stabilized phase 2 receives part of these charges though the phase-to-phase stray capacitances. As a result, the charge, finally trapped at phase 2 leads to a 1.2 pu DC voltage. A subsequent closing of the disconnector may show very fast transient overvoltages beyond the expected magnitude. In the design phase of thee-phase enclosed GIS, the phase-to-phase stray capacitance and more specifically the ratio of phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground capacitance should be kept as small as possible to avoid surprises. 200 measured voltage-to-ground (kV) 3 150 100 2 50 0 -50 1 -100 time (us) 97300512.09 -150 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 4 72 36 0 R 280 328 376 424 472 520 328 376 424 472 520 328 376 424 472 520 72 36 0 S 280 72 36 0 T 280 time (ms)