LEARNER GUIDE
Faculty
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND
TECHNOLOGY
Department
ELECTRICAL (POWER)
Course
ADVANCED DIPLOMA IN
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Title
HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING 4
AD
Compiled By
MR. ISAAC KWABENA KYERE
Year
2024
NQF Level
7
Credits
20.1
1.
OBJECTIVE:
The course should enable the students to:

Have knowledge about electrical breakdown in gases, liquids, and solid materials

Understand the method of generating high a.c and d.c. voltages and impulse
voltages and currents

Understand the technique in measuring high voltages and currents

Apply the knowledge in high voltage testing and non-destructive insulation test
techniques

Knowledge in transient in power systems, lightning, over-voltage protection and
insulation coordination

Get familiar with various applications where high voltage field is used.
2.
SYLLABUS CONTENT
(a)
Breakdown Mechanism of Gases, Liquids and Solids
Introduction, Mechanism of Breakdown of Gases, Townsend’s First Ionization Coefficient,
Cathode Processes—Secondary Effects, Townsend’ Second Ionization Coefficient,
Townsend Breakdown Mechanism, Streamer or Kanal Mechanism of Spark, The Sparking
Potential—Paschen’s Law, Penning Effect, Corona Discharges, Time-lag, Breakdown in
Electronegative Gases, Application of Gases in Power System, Breakdown in Liquid
Dielectrics, Suspended Solid Particle Mechanism, Cavity Breakdown, Intrinsic Breakdown,
Electromechanical Breakdown, Breakdown due to Thrilling and Tracking, Thermal
Breakdown, Electrochemical Breakdown, Solid Dielectrics used in Power Apparatus,
Application of Insulating Materials
(b)
Measurement of high voltages and currents
Introduction, Sphere Gap, Electrostatic Voltmeter, Generating Voltmeter, Measurement of
High DC and Impulse Currents
(c)
Non-destructive insulating test techniques
Loss in a Dielectric, Measurement of Dielectric Constant and Loss Factor, High Voltage
Schering Bridge, Measurement of Large Capacitance, Schering Bridge for Measurement of
High Loss Factor, Transformer Ratio Arm Bridge, Partial Discharges
3.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
After completion of this course the student should be able to:

Develop and apply the principles theory of high voltage generation and
measurements

Apply various applications where high voltage field is used,

Apply the breakdown 0f HV insulation (solid, Liquid and Gas),
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
Apply the lightning phenomena on HV transmission line.

Develop a measurement model to study the HV pollution.

The ability to select the Method of HV generation and measurement.

The ability to design a model to calculate the HV insulation Breakdown,

The ability to design a model to measure the effect of HV insulation Pollution.
4.
PRESENTATION FORMAT:
High Voltage Engineering 4 module consists of theory and practical experiments. The
curriculum makes provision for students to simulate what they learn in theory in real life
situation in the laboratory.
This will be presented for four-hour theory sessions, and two-hour practical sessions
spread through the week.
5.
STUDY MATERIAL:
•LM1- WADWHA C.L. 2007, HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING, New Age Int. New Delhi.
ISBN: 81-224-1859-7
6.
THE ROLE OF THE LECTURER IN THIS MODULE
The Lecturer or Instructor plays three roles during this module:

To present the information that needs to be learned and to assist with the
understanding of the material.

To pace the rate of learning progress through the semester.

To assess if the required level of competence has been achieved.
THE ROLE OF THE STUDENT IN THIS MODULE.
The student or learner has the following responsibility during this module:

To attend lectures or presentations on a relevant topic to discover what
information needs to be learned.

Consult the relevant course material to broaden understanding of the learning
material.

To complete the prescribed practical assignments when due.

To demonstrate practical and theoretical knowledge of the material during
assessments.
7.
ASSESSMENT:
8.1
Type of Assessment:
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This means that all activities will be assessed and will contribute to the final overall
mark.
Theory
Practical Skills
(Weighting)
(Weighting)
Overall
Three online assessments each
25% weight to ward the Final
theory mark
Five Practical Report in
laboratory each weight 5%
toward the Final practical
Mark.
Weighted
Pass Mark
Required
(Min 50% must be achieved)
(Min 50% must be achieved)
75% of total
50/100
25% of total
Table 2 show the weight toward the final mark
8.2 Table 2. Final mark Calculation
Final mark calculation
1
2
3
Online Tests
25
%
25
%
25
%
Assignments
simulation
3 x 1 hour
4
5
6
Total
75%
0
Graduate
Attributes
G1, G2, G5
1/0
1/0
Laboratory
5 x reports
5%
5%
Other
0
Examination
0
5%
5%
1/0
1/0
5%
25%
100
%
Theory
This is a CASS (continuous assessment) module, and all assessments will contribute to
the final mark. The theory mark will consist of on-line tests. Students must achieve a
minimum of 50% for all theory assessment to pass the module.
8.3
Practical/Assignment
Students are required to achieve a minimum of 50% for the practical and for the GA
assessments conducted at S001 Laboratory. A list of recommended prescribed practical`s
is listed in the table below. The GA practical are compulsory and will be assessed at
S001 laboratory. Students will be assigned a multiplier 1 if achieving a minimum
of 50% for the GA`s and multiplier of 0 if obtain less than 50 % of GA`s. These
compulsory practical reports are required to prove that the graduate attributes have been
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achieved in the module. Students who do not meet this requirement will receive an
incomplete result irrespective of the theory mark.
8.4
Passing the module
To pass this module, you must meet all the following criteria:
1.
Achieve at least 50% for all the GA skills; this mark gets recorded in your
Net-Space Grade book (LM7) in the GA column.
2.
The pass mark for the Final practical and Skill Based Assessment (SBA) is
50%; you will be eligible for a 2nd opportunity in the event of failing the first
opportunity, in line with VUT assessment policy. Please note that where a
student is granted access to the second opportunity due to lack of success in the
first opportunity, the maximum mark that can be achieved in the second
opportunity is a pass (50%). There is no third opportunity!
Finally, the overall weighted mark as recorded in table 2 must exceed 50%. This
mark incorporates all assessments- online theory and practical assessment!
8.5
Practical Assignments
All the Practical assignments are important and should be completed. They will
also provide the skills needed in the skills assessment at the end of the
semester.
9.
SYLLABUS CONTENT
Week
Specific Content
Resource
No
1
Introduction, Mechanism of Breakdown of
Gases, Townsend’s First Ionization
Coefficient, Cathode Processes—Secondary
Effects, Townsend’ Second Ionization
Coefficient, Townsend Breakdown
Mechanism
LM1,
2
Streamer or Kanal Mechanism of Spark, The
Sparking Potential—Paschen’s Law, Penning
Effect, Corona Discharges, Time-lag,
LM1,
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Breakdown in Electronegative Gases,
Application of Gases in Power System,
3
Breakdown in Liquid Dielectrics, Suspended
Solid Particle Mechanism, Cavity Breakdown,
Intrinsic Breakdown, Electromechanical
Breakdown, Breakdown due to Thrilling and
Tracking, Thermal Breakdown,
Electrochemical Breakdown, Solid Dielectrics
used in Power Apparatus, Application of
Insulating Materials
LM1,
6
Introduction, Sphere Gap, Electrostatic
Voltmeter, Generating Voltmeter,
Measurement of High DC and Impulse
Currents
LM1,
8
Loss in a Dielectric, Measurement of
Dielectric Constant and Loss Factor, High
Voltage Schering Bridge, Partial Discharges
LM1,
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