SKB EP and SVEL Conduct Joint Tests of the VGK-SVEL-110 Circuit Breaker

Diagnosing a high-voltage circuit breaker is not just about checking how its mechanism operates. It is important to obtain the fullest possible picture of the equipment's condition, including the state of arcing contacts. It is their integrity that determines whether the circuit breaker can reliably perform its protective functions.

Recently, an SKB EP engineer visited the SVEL facility, where he tested VGK-SVEL-110 high-voltage SF6 circuit breakers.

SVEL Group JSC (SVEL) is a Russian manufacturer of integrated solutions for the power industry, based in Yekaterinburg. The company produces a full range of equipment, from dry-type and oil-immersed transformers to high-voltage circuit breakers and disconnectors.

During the joint work, the specialists compared various measurement methods aiming to obtain precise contact travel values and reliable speed characteristics, as well as additional information on the condition of arcing contacts.

The tests were carried out using the PKV/M7 — the flagship of the SKB EP product line for high-voltage circuit breaker diagnostics — and the DCRT-200, an instrument unique on the Russian market that extends the capabilities of the PKV instrument group and allows the condition of the arc extinguishing chamber to be assessed without disassembling the circuit breaker (using the DCRM method).

Each side contributed its own expertise, which made it possible to select the optimal measurement approach and correctly configure the data processing parameters. As a result:

• the repeatability of the results obtained improved;
• correct values for contact travel speed were calculated;
• the residual length of arcing contacts was determined.

This last parameter is especially important for assessing the condition of the arc extinguishing chamber and forecasting the remaining service life of the contacts.

Thus, the combined use of the PKV/M7 system together with the DCRT-200 made it possible to obtain not only accurate data on the operation of the circuit breaker's mechanism, but also additional information on the condition of its arc extinguishing section – essentially “looking inside” the circuit breaker without opening it and without the associated labor costs.

The results received a positive assessment from SVEL specialists. The new measurement approach proved more informative and convenient for solving a number of tasks.

We thank SVEL for the cooperation! 

Joint testing and the exchange of experience help us better understand the real-world challenges faced by specialists and find diagnostic and technological solutions tailored to specific equipment.