Hydropower plants contains a lot of vital electrical power technology such as generators and transformers. To prevent damage to this equipment due to overvoltage, they are often protected by surge arrester and in some cases also by surge capacitors. The design and dimension of these components vary between different sites and regions and are often done using a template without considering the actual conditions of the site. In this thesis Simulink and Simscape Power System are used to study the case when a hydropower station is exposed to overvoltage. One of Fortum’s hydropower stations is simulated when being exposed to lightning and switching overvoltage to see how the existing overvoltage protection handles this stress. The results show that the surge arresters mounted in front of the generator managed to keep it safe for all overvoltage scenarios it is exposed to. They also shows that the surge capacitors mounted in front of the generator reduces the gradient of the overvoltage surge. However, as the surge arresters already keeps the overvoltage at safe levels, there is no need of reducing the overvoltage gradient and the surge capacitors becomes excessive in this particular hydropower plant. / Vattenkraftverk innehåller många vitala komponenter så som generatorer och transformatorer. För att skydda dessa oftast väldigt dyra komponenter mot överspänningar, används ventilavledare och ibland också överspänningskondensatorer. Utformning och dimensionering av skydden varierar mellan olika anläggningar och regioner. Dimensioneringen av skydden görs ofta schablonmässigt, utan någon väsentlig anpassning till de faktiska förhållandena. I detta examensarbete används simuleringsverktyget Simulink tillsammans med tillägget Simscape Power Systems för att simulera vad som händer när ett vattenkraftverk utsätts för olika överspänningar. Ett av Fortums vattenkraftverk studeras när det utsätts för blixt- och kopplingsöverspänningar för att se vad ventilavledarna samt överspänningskondensatorerna i denna anläggning fyller för funktion. Resultaten visar att ventilavledarna monterade framför generatorn klarar av att hantera alla överspänningar de utsätt för under simuleringarna. Resultaten visade också att överspänningskondensatorerna monterade framför generatorn sänker spänningsgradienten, men eftersom ventilavledarna redan håller spänningen på en säker nivå blir överspänningskondensatorerna överflödiga i denna station.

This thesis analyses the controlled switching methods applied to modern SF6 type circuit breakers for the purpose of reducing switching overvoltages. Main emphasis is placed on controlled switching methods applied at extra high voltage level, since the cost of failures caused by switching overvoltages is highest in this voltage level. After a brief introduction about circuit breakers in general, switching overvoltages and controlled switching methods are analysed. Also a case study about controlled switching of an unloaded overhead line is provided, and success of controlled switching method is evaluated.

Any switching action or lightning stroke on a transmission system causes excessive of voltage, which are propagated through the equipment. The withstand capability of the electrical equipment to these overvoltages is dependent on the rate of rise, peak value and the duration of these overvoltages and are especially critical to information technology (IT) equipment. Whenever there is a probability of these overvoltages appearing across the electrical equipment, they should be limited to a safe value by the application surge arresters of the metal oxide type. However, surge arresters are expensive, an optimal location for these should be found so as to minimise the number of surge arresters used.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A busca por soluções mitigatórias, no que tange aos efeitos das sobretensões transitórias atreladas às manobras de energizações e religamentos das linhas de transmissão, contemplam um tema desafiador e com fortes impactos sobre a coordenação de isolamento dos sistemas elétricos. Muito embora o reconhecimento de propostas clássicas e comerciais para a atenuação destes fenômenos, outras possibilidades, certamente, ainda são meritórias de destaque e investigações. Neste contexto, a presente dissertação encontra-se alicerçada na exposição dos fundamentos físicos e matemáticos de uma estratégia baseada em chaveamentos controlados, cujos instantes para o religamento da linha são pré-programados. A avaliação computacional da eficácia da metodologia é realizada utilizando o simulador ATP, no qual são efetuados estudos em um sistema elétrico típico submetido à curtos-circuitos sucedidos por desligamentos e subsequentes religamentos, sob a ação da tecnologia aqui focada e na ausência da mesma. / The search for mitigation solutions, with respect to the effects of overvoltages linked to the energization and reclosing maneuvers of transmission lines include a challenging subject with strong impact on the insulation coordination of electrical systems. Although the recognition of classical and commercial proposals to mitigate these phenomena, other possibilities are certainly still worthwhile highlighting and investigations. In this context, the present work is grounded in the exposure of the physical and mathematical foundations of a strategy based on controlled switchings, whose moments to the line reclosing are pre-programmed. The computational evaluation of the effectiveness of the methodology is made using the ATP simulator, which are studies in a typical electrical system subjected to the action of short-circuits fallowed by shutdowns and subsequent reclosing, under the action of technology here focused and lack thereof. / Dissertação (Mestrado)