The invention relates to a method of switching an on-load tap changer between winding taps of a tapped transformer.
On-load tap changers have been in worldwide use in large numbers for many years for uninterrupted switching between different winding taps of tapped transformers. So-called reactor changers, which are widespread particularly in North America, comprise a switching reactance enabling a slow, continuous switching. On-load tap changers according to the resistance rapid-switching principle usually consist of a selector for power-free selection of the respective winding tap of the tapped transformer which is to be switched over to and a load changeover switch for the actual switching from the previous to the new, preselected winding tap. The load changeover switch for that purpose usually comprises switching contacts and resistance contacts. The switching contacts then serve for direct connection of the respective winding tap with the load diverter and the resistance contacts for temporary connection, i.e. bridging over by one or more switch-over resistances. However, developments in recent years have led away from load changeover switches with mechanical switching contacts in insulating oil. Instead, increasing use is made of vacuum switching cells as switching elements.
An on-load tap changer with vacuum interrupters is known from, for example, DE 10 2009 043 171 [U.S. Pat. No. 9,030,175]. Here, a load changeover switch carries a drive shaft, which is drivable by a force-storing unit, with at least one cam disc. The cam disc has a plurality of cams, wherein two cams arranged on the cam disc at the end have a contour, which departs from a circular shape, in the manner of lobes at which a respective roller connected with a vacuum interrupter by a rocker lever is guided under maintained contact, which roller tracks the profiled contour of the respective cam.
Due to the constructional configuration of this on-load tap changer this requires a spring force-storing unit for abrupt switching by the contact system. Force-storing units known from the prior art are pulled up, i.e. stressed, by a drive shaft at the start of each actuation of the on-load tap changer. The known force-storing units essentially consist of a pull-up carriage and a jump carriage, between which energy storage springs as force-storing unit are arranged.
Force-storing units of that kind are evident from, for example, DE 198 55 860 and DE 28 06 282 [GB 2014794]. Despite these force-storing units used over decades there is repeated failure of these devices. Since the on-load tap changer is in use over a lengthy period of time the compression or tension springs repeatedly break and thus prevent switching. Moreover, it can happen that a carriage does not reach the end position, the switching shaft thus does not completely rotate and the switching contacts do not reach the end position thereof. In the worst case this can lead to destruction of the entire tapped transformer.
By comparison with the prior art, the latest on-load tap changer models of the applicant do not have a mechanical force-storing unit for performance of switching processes. Actuation takes place directly by an electric drive. In the event of sudden failure of the energy supply for such a drive during a switching process, however, critical settings in the on-load tap changer can arise. These are, in particular, shortly before closing or after opening of a switching contact. In that case, it is possible, for example, for welding of the contacts in the interior of the vacuum interrupter to occur.
The object of the invention is thus to provide a method of switching an on-load tap changer in order to thereby increase the reliability of on-load tap changers.
This object is fulfilled by a method with the features of the first patent claim. The subclaims relate to particularly advantageous developments of the method.
The general inventive idea in that case consists—in a method of carrying out a switching process of an on-load tap changer—of dividing the switching sequence on which the switching process is based into a plurality of phases, identifying critical and non-critical switching states of the respectively used switching contacts, monitoring each of these phases during a switching process and, in dependence on a decision logic which is parameterized in a controller, processing the value of the supply voltage, which is detected by a voltage monitoring device at the start of an intended switching process, as a decision basis and starting the switching process or entering the next defined phase of the switching process only if a supply voltage is detectable, and in addition, in the case of a voltage drop of the mains or supply voltage and thus in the case of failure of the energy supply of the electric drive during a switching process, overcoming the respective critical switching states, which are identified for a switching sequence, of the respective switching contacts with the help of the energy present in the capacitors of the control in that switching onwards to the succeeding phase, which is identified as non-critical, of the switching states is carried out.
According to the invention, in that case after initiation of the switching to the first phase it is checked by a voltage monitoring device whether a voltage is present at a selected phase line. If a voltage is not present, the switching is broken off and is continued when voltage is present.
During the second phase of the method according to the invention an electric drive is actuated by a control and in that case opens the second switching contact. During the opening, the energy supply of the electric drive is monitored by a controller. In the case of a voltage drop at the energy supply of the electric drive, energy from the capacitors of the control is used for full opening of the second switching contact. Subsequently, thus during the third phase, movement to an adjacent winding tap by a second selector contact is carried out.
During the fourth phase of the method according to the invention the electric drive is actuated by a control and in that case the second switching contact closed. During the closing, the energy supply of the electric drive is monitored by the controller and in the case of voltage drop of the energy supply of the electric drive the energy from capacitors of the control is used for full closing of the second switching contact.
During the fifth phase of the method according to the invention the first selector contact is in contact with a winding tap and the second selector contact is in contact with the adjacent winding tap. The first and second switching contacts are in that case closed. During this time a circular current Ik arises.
During the sixth phase of the method according to the invention it is checked, before continuation of switching, by the voltage monitoring device whether a voltage is present at a selected phase line. If a voltage is not present, the switching is broken off; if voltage is present it is continued. During the seventh, following phase an adjacent winding tap is moved to by the first selector contact.
During the eighth phase of the method according to the invention the electric drive is actuated by a control and the first switching contact closed. During the closing, the energy supply of the electric drive is monitored by a controller and in the case of a voltage drop at the energy supply of the electric drive the energy from capacitors of the control is used for full closing of the first switching contact. The switching is concluded in the ninth phase.
The method according to the invention shall be explained in more detail by example in the following, in which:
a-2i illustrate an exemplifying switching process of an on-load tap changer operating according to the reactor switching principle and
An on-load tap changer 1, which is present in a tapped transformer 2, according to the reactor switching principle is illustrated in
Buffer capacitors which are in a position of storing a defined amount of energy are arranged in the interior of the control 6. These are often components of the control 6, but can also be retrofitted subsequently. On initiation of a switching process of the on-load tap changer 1, from a tap n by an intermediate step n+½ to a next tap n+1 of the tapped transformer, the energy from a phase line I1, I2 or I3 is used for the purpose of opening or closing the switching contacts V1, V2, particularly vacuum interrupters, present in the interior of the on-load tap changer 1. The critical settings arise in this switching process particularly in the case of so-called hard opening or hard closing of the switching contacts. Hard opening or closing arises when the contacts are under load, i.e. conduct current. In that case, arcs, which have an effect on the service life of the contacts and in the case of a longer period of burning can even lead to destruction, arise in the interior of the switching contacts.
An exemplifying switching process of an on-load tap changer 1 operating in accordance with the reactor switching principle is illustrated in
At the start of a switching process,
According to the invention this switching process can thus be divided into nine phases. In the first phase (I) (
The method according to the invention is illustrated in
During this second phase (III) the second switching contact V2 is opened. This phase is regarded as a critical switching state, since non-quenching of the arc can occur if the second switching contact V2 is not fully opened. The controller 7 during this time monitors the energy supply of the electric drive 5. If during this phase (II) a voltage drop, thus failure of the energy supply, occurs this is detected by the controller 7 and compensation is provided with the help of the energy, which is present in the control 6, from the already previously charged capacitors, i.e. the second switching contact V2 is fully opened.
When the opening is completely concluded, the adjacent tap n+1 is moved to by the second selector contact W2 in the third phase (III). During closing of the second switching contact V2, thus in phase four (IV), the energy supply is monitored by the controller 7. This phase (IV) is similarly regarded as a critical switching state, since pre-ignition and subsequent non-quenching of the arc can occur if the second switching contact V2 is not completely closed. In the case of a voltage drop, thus failure of the energy supply, this is detected by the controller 7 and compensation is provided with the help of the energy, which is present in the control 6, from the already previously charged capacitors, i.e. the second switching contact V2 is fully closed. In the fifth phase (V), thus after the second switching contact V2 was closed, the so-called circular current lk arises. This switching state is non-critical.
Prior to opening of the first switching contact V1, thus phase six (VI), it is checked again whether a voltage is present at the phase line I1, I2, I3 selected for energy supply. If this is not the case, the switching process is not continued and the on-load tap changer remains in this position or the entire tapped transformer is switched off. In phase seven (VII) the adjacent winding tap n+1 is moved to. In the eighth phase (VIII) the first switching contact V1 is closed. During this time the controller 7 monitors the energy supply of the electric drive 5. If during this phase a voltage drop, thus failure of the energy supply, occurs this is detected by the controller 7 and compensation is provided with the help of the capacitors present in the control 6 and already previously charged. The switching process is concluded in the last phase.
With the help of the method according to the invention it is always ensured that the first and second switching contacts V1 and V2 never adopt a critical switching state during a switching process of an on-load tap changer 1 from a winding tap n to a next winding tap n+1. Thus, destruction of the switching contacts V1 and V2, the on-load tap changer 1 or even the entire tapped transformer 2 is prevented. This would have disastrous effects on an energy supply mains.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2013 103 360.1 | Apr 2013 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2014/055733 | 3/21/2014 | WO | 00 |