NationalTransmissionandDespatchCompanyLimited

TRANSMISSIONSCHEMEFORDISPERSALOFPOWERFORM
2X660MWCOALFIREDPOWERPLANTSATTHAR

InsulationCoordination
2015B09PK500DO003

NEPC II CONSORTIUM

2015-B09-PK-500-DO-003

Insulation Coordination

Page 1 of 6

Insulation Coordination
(1) Basic insulation level
The system insulation level is as follows:

Standard Rated Switching Impulse Withstand Voltage

Standard Rated
Longitudinal
Phase to Earth
Phase to Phase Lightening Impulse
Insulation
kV (Peak Value)
(ratio to the phase withstand voltage
kV (Peak Value)
kV (Peak Value)
to earth Peak
Value)
1050
1175
1.50
1550
Based on actual tower spotting, the highest altitude of all tower is less than 1000m, In this case
we use the altitude factor Ka based on 1000m.

(2) Clearances according to EPRI

Refer to EPRI AC Transmission Line Reference Book-200kV and Above, Third Edition
The primary method to calculate the strike distance (ST) at the tower can be calculated by
Equation 3.5-3 for lines with voltages above 50kV.
ST=0.280+0.005*(VLL-50)
Where:
VLL is the phase-phase voltage in kV,
ST=0.280+0.005*(550-50) = 2.78m

(3) Clearances according to IEC 60071-1 and IEC 60071-2

The minimum phase-to-earth clearances follow from IEC 60071-2, table A.1 and table A.2

NEPC II CONSORTIUM

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Insulation Coordination

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From the table above, we find as follows:

The minimum phase-to-earth clearance (Conductor - Structure) is 2.9m in 1550kV (standard
lightning impulse withstand voltage)
The minimum phase-to-earth clearance (Conductor - Structure) is 3.1m in 1175kV (standard
switching impulse withstand voltage)

(4) Clearances according to EN 50341-1

In EN 50341-1 [8], Annex E, formulae for the calculation of the clearances Dpe for slow front and
fast front overvoltages are presented.

where:
U90%_ff is the fast front overvoltage being withstood with 90% probability (kV):
U90%_ff = U50%_ff kz_ff;
kz_ff is the deviation factor of the fast front withstand voltage: kz_ff = 0,961;
kz_sf is the deviation factor of the slow front withstand voltage. For switching
impulses: kz_sf = 0,922;
ka is the altitude factor
kcs is the statistical coordination factor taken as 1,05.
The gap factor kg (1.45 for conductor-structure) depends on the type of gap
In EN 50341-1 [8], Annex E, formulae for the calculation of the clearances Dpe_pf
between live and earth parts is as follows:

where:
kz_pf is the deviation factor being 0,910 for power frequency voltages;
kg_pf is the power frequency factor.

NEPC II CONSORTIUM

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Insulation Coordination

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The system insulation level is as follows:

Dry Lighting Impulse Withstand Voltage: 1550kV
Wet Switching Impulse Withstand Voltage: 1175kV

Insulation Coordination Calculation(EN 50341-1:2001)

1

The highest system voltage Us

kV

550

Phase to earth(fast front overvoltage):U90%_ff_is

kV

1550

slow front overvoltage:U2%_sf

kV

1175

3.1

phase to earth:KCS*U2%_sf

kV

1234

3.2

phase to phase:1.40*KCS*U2%_sf

kV

1727

4
4.1

The altitude factors

slow and fast front overvoltages:
phase to earth and phase to phase Ka

4.2

0.978

power frequency voltage:

phase to earth Ka

0.946

phase to phase Ka

0.959

The deviation factors Kz

5.1

fast front overvoltages:Kz_ff

0.961

5.2

slow front overvoltages:Kz_sf

0.922

5.3

power frequency voltage:Kz_pf

0.910

Conductor-window configuration(Kg_sf=1.25)
for fast front overvoltages Del
gap factor Kg_sf

6.1

6.2

1.45

for fast front overvoltages Del

2.79

the clearance distance between the extremities of the insulator string dis

2.63

for slow front overvoltages Del

3.03

for power frequency overvoltages D50Hz_p_e

the power frequency gap factor of the air gap Kg_pf=1.35Kg-0.35*Kg2
6.3
7

for power frequency overvoltages D50Hz_p_e

1.22
m

0.92

Conductor-conductor configuration(Kg_sf=1.60)
gap factor Kg_sf

1.60

the lightning impulse gap factor of the air gap Kg_ff=0.74+0.26*Kg

1.16

7.1

for fast front overvoltages Dpp

3.23

7.2

for slow front overvoltages Dpp

4.41

the power frequency gap factor of the air gap Kg_pf=1.35Kg-0.35*Kg2

7.3

for power frequency overvoltages D50Hz_p_p

Based on calculation above, the phase to earth clearance Dpe is 3.03m.

NEPC II CONSORTIUM

1.26
m

1.57

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Insulation Coordination

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Based on bid document, the suspension and tension insulator sets is 29*170mm in Zone B.
According to the test procedures of IEC 60383-2
The suspension and tension insulator sets (29*170mm):
Dry Lighting Impulse Withstand Voltage: 2100kV
Wet Switching Impulse Withstand Voltage:1300kV
Insulation Coordination Calculation(EN 50341-1:2001)
1

The highest system voltage Us

kV

550

Phase to earth(fast front overvoltage):U90%_ff_is

kV

2100

slow front overvoltage:U2%_sf

kV

1300

3.1

phase to earth:KCS*U2%_sf

kV

1365

3.2

phase to phase:1.40*KCS*U2%_sf

kV

1911

4
4.1

The altitude factors

slow and fast front overvoltages:
phase to earth and phase to phase Ka

4.2

0.978

power frequency voltage:

phase to earth Ka

0.946

phase to phase Ka

0.959

The deviation factors Kz

5.1

fast front overvoltages:Kz_ff

0.961

5.2

slow front overvoltages:Kz_sf

0.922

5.3

power frequency voltage:Kz_pf

0.910

Conductor-window configuration(Kg_sf=1.25)
for fast front overvoltages Del
gap factor Kg_sf

6.1

6.2

1.45

for fast front overvoltages Del

3.77

the clearance distance between the extremities of the insulator string dis

3.57

for slow front overvoltages Del

3.54

for power frequency overvoltages D50Hz_p_e

the power frequency gap factor of the air gap Kg_pf=1.35Kg-0.35*Kg2
6.3
7

for power frequency overvoltages D50Hz_p_e

1.22
m

0.92

Conductor-conductor configuration(Kg_sf=1.60)
gap factor Kg_sf

1.60

the lightning impulse gap factor of the air gap Kg_ff=0.74+0.26*Kg

1.16

7.1

for fast front overvoltages Dpp

4.38

7.2

for slow front overvoltages Dpp

5.24

the power frequency gap factor of the air gap Kg_pf=1.35Kg-0.35*Kg2

7.3

for power frequency overvoltages D50Hz_p_p

NEPC II CONSORTIUM

1.26
m

1.57

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Insulation Coordination

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(5) Live working clearance according to IEC 61467 - 2004

Refer to IEC 61467- 2004 Live working minimum approach distances for
a.c. systems in the voltage range 72.5kV to 800kV A method of calculation Table 2.

From the table above, the live working clearance is about 3.095m when p.u. is 2.20.
p.u. is usually about 2.00 in 500kV transmission line.

(6) Live working clearance according to GB 50545 -2010

Refer to China standard GB 50545 2010 Code for design of 110kV ~ 750kV overhead
transmission line Table 7.0.10.

From the table above, the clearance of 500kV live work is 3.20m, and an additional 0.5m space
allowing movement of human body shall be available where operators need to stay for work.
So, total live work clearance is 3.20+0.5=3.70m.

NEPC II CONSORTIUM

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Insulation Coordination

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(7) Conclusion
The clearances of different standards
EPRI

IEC 60071

EN 50341

IEC 61467
for live work

GB 50545
for live work

(m)
2.78

(m)
3.1

(m)
3.03 3.77

(m)
3.095

(m)
3.7

From calculating above, the clearance 3.77m is enough for system insulation level.
Based on the bid document 500 kV TL CPP 01 Bidding Docs Volume II section 2.2.3,

The minimum clearance is 4.5m > 3.77m. Therefore, we will use clearance 4.5m for
insulation design.

NEPC II CONSORTIUM