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Main aims of this master’s thesis are executing measurements and simulations on low voltage circuit breaker and analyzing effect of the switching mechanism on the thermal tripping unit. There are two programs used for simulations in this thesis ANSYS and SolidWorks Flow Simulation. As another part of the thesis were done two types of tests. First was electrical durability test and second one was warming test. In this thesis were measured values of warming on whole current path not only on thermal tripping unit.

The theses is focused on efficient use of numerical methods in development of low-voltage switching devices, namely to create a physically correct and reliable numerical model of the temperature field to find an application in the design of the current path of a device for various operating conditions. The creation of this numerical model requires not only correct inclusion of all modes of heat transfer - conduction, convection and radiation, but also correct solution of problematic transient resistance - both electrical and thermal in electrical contacts at different stages of usage. Therefore an essential part of the theses forms a thorough experimental analysis of the necessary material properties and dependencies which forms input data for the numerical model that is based on the finite volume method. The last part of the theses deals with debugging and verification of numerical model to correspond with experimentally obtained data. The result of the theses is the numerical model which is able to solve correctly both steady and various transient states of swiching devices.

This dissertation presents a systematic design and demonstration of a novel solid-state DC circuit breaker. The mechanical circuit breaker is widely used in power systems to protect industrial equipment during fault or abnormal conditions. Compared with the slow and high-maintenance mechanical circuit breaker, the solid-state circuit breaker is capable of high-speed interruption of high currents without generating an arc, hence it is maintenance-free. Both the switch and the tripping unit are solid-state, which meet the requirements of precise protection and high reliability. The major challenge in developing and adopting a solid-state circuit breaker has been the lack of power semiconductor switches that have adequate current-carrying capability and interruption capability. The high-speed, high-current solid-state DC circuit breaker proposed and demonstrated here uses a newly-emerging power semiconductor switch, the emitter turn-off (ETO) thyristor as the main interruption switch. In order to meet the requirement of being a high-current circuit breaker, ETO parallel operation is needed. Therefore the major effort of this dissertation is dedicated to the development of a high-current (5000A) DC switch module that utilizes multiple ETOs in parallel. This work can also be used to develop an AC switch module by changing the asymmetrical ETOs used to symmetrical ETOs. An accurate device model of the ETO is needed for the development of the high-current DC switch module. In this dissertation a novel physics-base lumped charge model is developed for the ETO thyristor for the first time. This model is verified experimentally and used for the research and development of the emitter turn-off (ETO) thyristor as well as the DC switch module discussed in this dissertation. With the aid of the developed device model, the device current sharing between paralleled multiple ETO thyristors is investigated. Current sharing is difficult to achieve for a thyristor-type device due to the large device parameter variations and strong positive feedback mechanism in a latched thyristor. The author proposes the "DirectETO" concept that directly benefits from the high-speed capability of the ETO and strong thermal couplings among ETOs. A high-current DC switch module based on the DirectETO can be realized by directly connecting ETOs in parallel without the bulky current sharing inductors used in other current-sharing solutions. In order to achieve voltage stress suppression under high current conditions, the parasitic parameters, especially parasitic inductance in a high-current ETO switch module are studied. The Partial Element Equivalent Circuit (PEEC) method is used to extract the parasitics. Combined with the developed device model, the electrical interactions among multiple ETOs are investigated which results in structural modification for the solid-state DC switch module. The electro-thermal model of the DC switch module and the heatsink subsystem is used to identify the "thermal runaway" phenomenon in the module that is caused by the negative temperature coefficient of the ETO's conduction drop. The comparative study of the electro-thermal coupling identifies a strongly-coupled thermal network that increases the stability of the thermal subsystem. The electro-thermal model is also used to calculate the DC and transient thermal limit of the DC switch module. The high-current (5000A) DC switch module coupled with a solid state tripping unit is successfully applied as a high-speed, high-current solid-state DC circuit breaker. The experimental demonstration of a 5000A current interruption shows an interruption time of about 5 microseconds. This high-speed, high-current DC switch module can therefore be used in DC circuit breaker applications as well as other types of application, such as AC circuit breakers, transfer switches and fault current limiters. Since the novel solid-state DC circuit breaker is able to extinguish the fault current even before it reaches an uncontrollable level, this feature provides a fast-acting, current-limiting protection scheme for power systems that is not possible with traditional circuit breakers. The potential impact on the power system is also discussed in this dissertation. / Ph. D.

Introdução: O arco dentário superior de pacientes com mordida cruzada posterior normalmente apresenta-se atrésico e a expansão rápida da maxila é indicada para esses casos durante a dentadura mista promovendo abertura da sutura palatina mediana e incrementos transversais na região posterior e anterior do arco dentário. Objetivo: O objetivo deste trabalho consistiu em avaliar os efeitos da expansão rápida da maxila, utilizando o disjuntor com cobertura em acrílico, por meio do acompanhamento clínico nos incisivos superiores. Material e Método: A amostra do estudo foi composta por 21 indivíduos com mordida cruzada posterior, uni (2) ou bilaterais (21), e atresia do arco dentário superior. O procedimento de expansão rápida da maxila foi realizado na dentadura mista tardia, por meio do aparelho de expansão com cobertura oclusal em acrílico. Foram analisados os parâmetros clínicos obtidos mensalmente até o final do tratamento: o índice de placa dental visível (IPV), índice sangramento gengival (ISG), profundidade de sondagem (PS), nível clínico de inserção (NIC) e índice de sangramento á sondagem (SS). As medidas pré e pós-tratamento foram submetidas ao teste t pareado (p<0,05). Resultados: Não foram observadas diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre o tempo inicial e final para as variáveis ISG, ISS e PS, porém houve uma diminuição significativa para PV durante os períodos de 30, 60 e 150 dias e 180 dias. Conclusão: Alguns parâmetros clínicos periodontais (índice de profundidade á sondagem e índice de placa visível) diminuíram ou foram similares antes e depois do tratamento com ERM. Porém, o índice de sangramento á sondagem e o índice de sangramento gengival finais foram estatisticamente maiores que no início do tratamento / Introduction: The upper dental arch of patients with posterior crossbite is usually atresic and rapid maxillary expansion is indicated for these cases during the mixed dentition, promoting the opening of the medial palatine suture and transverse increments in the posterior and earlier region of the dental arch. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of rapid maxillary expansion using the acrylic cover breaker, through clinical in the upper incisors. Material and Method: The study sample consisted of 21 individuals with posterior crossbite, uni (2) or bilateral (19) and upper dental arch atresia. The rapid maxillary expansion procedure was performed in the late mixed dentition using the expansion apparatus with acrylic occlusal cover. Were analyzed the clinical parameters obtained monthly until the end of the treatment: visible dental plaque index (VDP), gingival bleeding index (GB), probing depth (PD), clinical insertion level (CIL) and bleeding probing index SU). Pre-and posttreatment measurements were submitted to paired t-test (p<0.05). Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the initial and final time for GB, PD and SU, but there was a significant decrease for VDP during the 30, 60 and 150 day periods. Conclusion: Some periodontal clinical parameters (depth to depth index and visible plaque index) decreased or were similar before and after MRE treatment. However, the final bleeding index and gingival bleeding index were statistically higher than at the beginning of treatment

O presente trabalho visa o desenvolvimento de um sistema de monitoramento de disjuntor voltado a coletar informações para manutenção preditiva. São analisadas as características das variáveis que são monitoradas através de sensores ligados ao disjuntor, sua aquisição e o tratamento das informações. Um protótipo foi desenvolvido e instalado na subestação de Sumaré 440kV de ETEO (Empresa de Transmissão de Energia do Oeste Paulista). Um assunto importante para a manutenção é a avaliação dos tempos envolvidos na movimentação dos contatos principais do disjuntor principalmente na operação de abertura do curto circuito. Para tal é proposto um sistema não intrusivo que analise a oscilografia das tensões e correntes no disjuntor sincronizado com as correntes no circuito de disparo deste equipamento. A Transformada de Fourier aplicada no sinal de corrente/tensão sem perturbação permite determinar o valor do componente fundamental desse sinal. Com esse valor pode-se gerar uma senóide que superposta com o sinal coletado pelo oscilógrafo permite visualizar a alteração. A Transformada Wavelet é realizada através de filtros decompondo-se o sinal de corrente ou tensão em Análise Multiresolução, em diferentes estágios obtendo-se em cada, uma versão chamada aproximação (baixas freqüências) e uma de detalhes (altas freqüências), sendo assim, os distúrbios podem ser detectados e localizados no tempo em função do seu conteúdo de freqüência. / The present work addresses the development of a circuit breaker monitoring system so as to collect information for predictive maintenance. The characteristics of the variables that are monitored through certain sensors linked to the circuit breaker, its acquisition and the treatment of the information, are analyzed. A prototype was developed and installed at the 440kV Sumaré substation of ETEO (Empresa de Transmissão de Energia do Oeste Paulista) a Brazilian Transmission Company. An important aspect for the maintenance is the evaluation of the times involved in the movement of the circuit breaker main contacts, mainly at the opening operation for example during a short circuit. On this respect, a non-intrusive system that analyzes the oscillography of both voltages and currents in the circuit breaker synchronized with the currents in the tripping circuit of this equipment is proposed. The Fourier Transform applied to the current or voltage signal with no disturbance allows to determine the value of the fundamental component of this signal. With that value, it can be generated a pure sine wave which when overlapped to the signal collected by the oscillograph allows to visualize alterations. The Wavelet Transform is realized through filters and decomposing the current or voltage signal through the Multiresolution Analysis at different levels, in this way, obtaining in each level, a version called approximation (low frequencies) and another with details (high frequencies), thus, the disturbances can be detected and located in the time and as a function of its frequency content.

O presente trabalho visa o desenvolvimento de um sistema de monitoramento de disjuntor voltado a coletar informações para manutenção preditiva. São analisadas as características das variáveis que são monitoradas através de sensores ligados ao disjuntor, sua aquisição e o tratamento das informações. Um protótipo foi desenvolvido e instalado na subestação de Sumaré 440kV de ETEO (Empresa de Transmissão de Energia do Oeste Paulista). Um assunto importante para a manutenção é a avaliação dos tempos envolvidos na movimentação dos contatos principais do disjuntor principalmente na operação de abertura do curto circuito. Para tal é proposto um sistema não intrusivo que analise a oscilografia das tensões e correntes no disjuntor sincronizado com as correntes no circuito de disparo deste equipamento. A Transformada de Fourier aplicada no sinal de corrente/tensão sem perturbação permite determinar o valor do componente fundamental desse sinal. Com esse valor pode-se gerar uma senóide que superposta com o sinal coletado pelo oscilógrafo permite visualizar a alteração. A Transformada Wavelet é realizada através de filtros decompondo-se o sinal de corrente ou tensão em Análise Multiresolução, em diferentes estágios obtendo-se em cada, uma versão chamada aproximação (baixas freqüências) e uma de detalhes (altas freqüências), sendo assim, os distúrbios podem ser detectados e localizados no tempo em função do seu conteúdo de freqüência. / The present work addresses the development of a circuit breaker monitoring system so as to collect information for predictive maintenance. The characteristics of the variables that are monitored through certain sensors linked to the circuit breaker, its acquisition and the treatment of the information, are analyzed. A prototype was developed and installed at the 440kV Sumaré substation of ETEO (Empresa de Transmissão de Energia do Oeste Paulista) a Brazilian Transmission Company. An important aspect for the maintenance is the evaluation of the times involved in the movement of the circuit breaker main contacts, mainly at the opening operation for example during a short circuit. On this respect, a non-intrusive system that analyzes the oscillography of both voltages and currents in the circuit breaker synchronized with the currents in the tripping circuit of this equipment is proposed. The Fourier Transform applied to the current or voltage signal with no disturbance allows to determine the value of the fundamental component of this signal. With that value, it can be generated a pure sine wave which when overlapped to the signal collected by the oscillograph allows to visualize alterations. The Wavelet Transform is realized through filters and decomposing the current or voltage signal through the Multiresolution Analysis at different levels, in this way, obtaining in each level, a version called approximation (low frequencies) and another with details (high frequencies), thus, the disturbances can be detected and located in the time and as a function of its frequency content.

<p>The task for this Master thesis was to evaluate different black-box arc models for circuit-breakers with the purpose of finding criteria for the breaking ability. A black-box model is a model that requires no knowledge from the user of the underlying physical processes. Black-box arc models have been used in circuit-breaker development for many years. Arc voltages from tests made in the High Power Laboratory in Ludvika were used for validation, along with the resistance calculated at current zero, R0, and 500 ns before current zero, R500. </p><p>Three different arc models were evaluated: Cassie-Mayr, KEMA and an arc model based on power calculations. The third model gave very good results and if the model is developed further, the breaking ability could easily be estimated. </p><p>The arc model based on power calculations could be improved by using better approximations of the quantities in the model, and by representing the current better. A further suggestion for the following work is to combine the second arc model tested, the KEMA model, with the model based on power calculations in order to estimate the KEMA model parameters. </p><p>The R0 and R500 values should also be calculated from more tests, in order to find a clear limit of the breaking ability.</p>

Maintenance optimisation is essential to achieve cost-efficiency, availability and reliability of supply in electric power systems. The process of maintenance optimisation requires information about the costs of preventive and corrective maintenance, as well as the costs of failures borne by both electricity suppliers and customers. To calculate expected costs, information is needed about equipment reliability characteristics and the way in which maintenance affects equipment reliability. The aim of this Ph.D. work has been to develop equipment reliability models taking the effect of maintenance into account. The research has focussed on the interrelated areas of condition estimation, reliability modelling and maintenance modelling, which have been investigated in a number of case studies. In the area of condition estimation two methods to quantitatively estimate the condition of disconnector contacts have been developed, which utilise results from infrared thermography inspections and contact resistance measurements. The accuracy of these methods were investigated in two case studies. Reliability models have been developed and implemented for SF6 circuit-breakers, disconnector contacts and XLPE cables in three separate case studies. These models were formulated using both empirical and physical modelling approaches. To improve confidence in such models a Bayesian statistical method incorporating information from the equipment design process was also developed. This method was illustrated in a case study of SF6 circuit-breaker operating rods. Methods for quantifying the effect of maintenance on equipment condition and reliability have been investigated in case studies on disconnector contacts and SF6 circuit-breakers. The input required by these methods are condition measurements and historical failure and maintenance data, respectively. This research has demonstrated that the effect of maintenance on power system equipment may be quantified using available data. However, realising the full potential of these methods requires the gathering and utilisation of failure and maintenance data as well as condition measurements to be improved. / QC 20100823

The task for this Master thesis was to evaluate different black-box arc models for circuit-breakers with the purpose of finding criteria for the breaking ability. A black-box model is a model that requires no knowledge from the user of the underlying physical processes. Black-box arc models have been used in circuit-breaker development for many years. Arc voltages from tests made in the High Power Laboratory in Ludvika were used for validation, along with the resistance calculated at current zero, R0, and 500 ns before current zero, R500. Three different arc models were evaluated: Cassie-Mayr, KEMA and an arc model based on power calculations. The third model gave very good results and if the model is developed further, the breaking ability could easily be estimated. The arc model based on power calculations could be improved by using better approximations of the quantities in the model, and by representing the current better. A further suggestion for the following work is to combine the second arc model tested, the KEMA model, with the model based on power calculations in order to estimate the KEMA model parameters. The R0 and R500 values should also be calculated from more tests, in order to find a clear limit of the breaking ability.