Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Agenda subject to change
Registration & Information Desk
Jackson Convention Complex
Breakfast
Jackson Convention Complex
Circuit Breaker Testing Fundamentals
Joe Brown, Technical Application Engineer
Doble Engineering Company
Special Testing Methods – Dynamic Resistance
Doble Engineering Company
Jozef Levi, Application Engineer
Doble Engineering Company
Performing timing tests on high voltage circuit breakers will provide information about contact synchronization in relationship to opening and closing times for the breaker under test and in certain cases some insight as to the quality of that breakers arcing contacts. But, for a more detailed indication of a circuit breakers arcing contact erosion we can also employ the ‘dynamic’ resistance measurement method also known as DRM. The advantage of injecting high DC current and measuring the voltage drop during the circuit breakers full speed motion can provide a detailed picture of the arcing contacts condition. Knowledge of circuit breaker arcing contact system design is necessary for best test results analysis. This presentation will address how, when, and why this advanced diagnostic measurement method should be used in order to extract maximum knowledge of your circuit breakers arcing contact condition.
Case Study Demonstrating the Importance of M4100 Insulation Analysis on Medium Voltage Vacuum Breakers
Shane Oakley, Testing Supervisor
North American Substation Services
Approximately 20 2000-3000 34.5KV metal clad switchgear vacuum breakers were recently tested as part of a routine maintenance testing program. All breakers were subject to an 80KV pass/fail hi-pot test as well as an insulation test with the M4100. Of the 20 breakers, two breakers had poles that first failed the 80KV hi-pot test, passed the hi-pot test after being opened and closed, but failed the insulation test with substantially high Watts loss measured to ground on individual bushings and across the open vacuum bottle with a UST test. Significantly, the test with the M4100 reliably determined bad/contaminated vacuum bottles on two breakers despite the hi-pot test eventually passing. These results are both interesting in themselves and will be discussed and speculated on, but more importantly they demonstrate the importance of insulation analysis testing as part of routine maintenance of medium voltage vacuum breakers.
Morning Break & WIKA Mobile Gas Cart
Maintenance & Repair — Lubrication
Jack Harley, President
FirstPower Group
Stephen Cabeza, Senior Equipment Specialist
Southern Company
Functional operation of many older circuit breakers may be effected by the condition and type of lubricants used in the mechanism and the method of lubricant application. Options for lubricant selection and factors to be considered for different components and environments will be presented. Selection and application factors are based on field observations, laboratory and simulator tests and best practices.
Industry Expo & Lunch
Jackson Convention Complex
Special Testing Methods – Using Infrared Thermography in Assessing Substation Equipment Conditions
Ed Kochanek, Eastern Region Sales Director
FLIR Systems, Inc.
Eric Fell, Supervisor – Substation Operations Westchester North
Rupert Wade, Substation Equipment and Field Engineer
Con Edison
Performing infrared thermography inspections has become an integral part of substation maintenance as a tool for prevention of failures. This presentation will offer a brief overview of infrared thermography as it applies to detecting the common problems in and around substation equipment – specifically disconnect switches, circuit breakers, shunt reactors and in some cases current transformers. The presentation will also highlight the effect of infrared camera resolution in identifying potential issues and the repairs required to correct hotspots.
SF6 – the Alternative Gas
Billy Lao, General Manager
DILO Company, Inc. and DILO Direct
With the ever growing challenges of federal & local reporting and SF6 emission reduction, a number of alternatives have been presented to the industry in replacement of SF6 gas. However, as the industry continues to review and consider the alternatives, we should not limit our solutions. SF6 continues to be the best alternative to medium and high voltage electrical insulation and arc quenching in GIE. By turning to the existing stockpile of SF6 gas available, we will lower our carbon footprint while meeting the requirements for SF6 gas in new and in-service equipment.
Afternoon Break & WIKA Mobile Gas Cart
Oil Testing of Circuit Breakers
David Koehler, Technical Manager
Doble Insulating Materials Laboratories
The condition assessment of Bulk Oil Circuit Breakers (OCBs) can be achieved via laboratory insulating liquid testing. OCBs can fail mechanically, electrically, and from overheating issues. Technical information of each recommended laboratory test, along with case studies will be provided.
Metalclad Switchgear Maintenance
Hall Sigmon, Engineering Manager
Siemens
This presentation will review switchgear maintenance and testing procedures for basic mechanical and electrical components, including racking apparatus, mechanically operated contacts (MOCs), truck operated contacts (TOCs), primary and secondary contacts, isolation shutters, and bus bar assemblies.
Scrapping Breakers
Steven Cabeza, Senior Equipment Specialist
Southern Company
Safety considerations and best practices for scrapping circuit breakers are addressed in this session.